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Xu Y, Lin Y, Yu M, Zhou K. The nucleus accumbens in reward and aversion processing: insights and implications. Front Behav Neurosci 2024; 18:1420028. [PMID: 39184934 PMCID: PMC11341389 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2024.1420028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The nucleus accumbens (NAc), a central component of the brain's reward circuitry, has been implicated in a wide range of behaviors and emotional states. Emerging evidence, primarily drawing from recent rodent studies, suggests that the function of the NAc in reward and aversion processing is multifaceted. Prolonged stress or drug use induces maladaptive neuronal function in the NAc circuitry, which results in pathological conditions. This review aims to provide comprehensive and up-to-date insights on the role of the NAc in motivated behavior regulation and highlights areas that demand further in-depth analysis. It synthesizes the latest findings on how distinct NAc neuronal populations and pathways contribute to the processing of opposite valences. The review examines how a range of neuromodulators, especially monoamines, influence the NAc's control over various motivational states. Furthermore, it delves into the complex underlying mechanisms of psychiatric disorders such as addiction and depression and evaluates prospective interventions to restore NAc functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Kuikui Zhou
- School of Health and Life Sciences, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, China
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2
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Zhang C, Dulinskas R, Ineichen C, Greter A, Sigrist H, Li Y, Alanis-Lobato G, Hengerer B, Pryce CR. Chronic stress deficits in reward behaviour co-occur with low nucleus accumbens dopamine activity during reward anticipation specifically. Commun Biol 2024; 7:966. [PMID: 39123076 PMCID: PMC11316117 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06658-9] [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: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Whilst reward pathologies are major and common in stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders, their neurobiology and treatment are poorly understood. Imaging studies in human reward pathology indicate attenuated BOLD activity in nucleus accumbens (NAc) coincident with reward anticipation but not reinforcement; potentially, this is dopamine (DA) related. In mice, chronic social stress (CSS) leads to reduced reward learning and motivation. Here, DA-sensor fibre photometry is used to investigate whether these behavioural deficits co-occur with altered NAc DA activity during reward anticipation and/or reinforcement. In CSS mice relative to controls: (1) Reduced discriminative learning of the sequence, tone-on + appetitive behaviour = tone-on + sucrose reinforcement, co-occurs with attenuated NAc DA activity throughout tone-on and sucrose reinforcement. (2) Reduced motivation during the sequence, operant behaviour = tone-on + sucrose delivery + sucrose reinforcement, co-occurs with attenuated NAc DA activity at tone-on and typical activity at sucrose reinforcement. (3) Reduced motivation during the sequence, operant behaviour = appetitive behaviour + sociosexual reinforcement, co-occurs with typical NAc DA activity at female reinforcement. Therefore, in CSS mice, low NAc DA activity co-occurs with low reward anticipation and could account for deficits in learning and motivation, with important implications for understanding human reward pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenfeng Zhang
- Preclinical Laboratory, Department of Adult Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Zurich Neuroscience Center, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Redas Dulinskas
- Preclinical Laboratory, Department of Adult Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christian Ineichen
- Preclinical Laboratory, Department of Adult Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alexandra Greter
- Preclinical Laboratory, Department of Adult Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hannes Sigrist
- Preclinical Laboratory, Department of Adult Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Yulong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Gregorio Alanis-Lobato
- Global Computational Biology and Digital Sciences, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
| | - Bastian Hengerer
- CNS Diseases Research, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
| | - Christopher R Pryce
- Preclinical Laboratory, Department of Adult Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Zurich Neuroscience Center, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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3
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Butto T, Chongtham MC, Mungikar K, Hartwich D, Linke M, Ruffini N, Radyushkin K, Schweiger S, Winter J, Gerber S. Characterization of transcriptional profiles associated with stress-induced neuronal activation in Arc-GFP mice. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02555-z. [PMID: 38649752 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02555-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Chronic stress has become a predominant factor associated with a variety of psychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety, in both human and animal models. Although multiple studies have looked at transcriptional changes after social defeat stress, these studies primarily focus on bulk tissues, which might dilute important molecular signatures of social interaction in activated cells. In this study, we employed the Arc-GFP mouse model in conjunction with chronic social defeat (CSD) to selectively isolate activated nuclei (AN) populations in the ventral hippocampus (vHIP) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) of resilient and susceptible animals. Nuclear RNA-seq of susceptible vs. resilient populations revealed distinct transcriptional profiles linked predominantly with neuronal and synaptic regulation mechanisms. In the vHIP, susceptible AN exhibited increased expression of genes related to the cytoskeleton and synaptic organization. At the same time, resilient AN showed upregulation of cell adhesion genes and differential expression of major glutamatergic subunits. In the PFC, susceptible mice exhibited upregulation of synaptotagmins and immediate early genes (IEGs), suggesting a potentially over-amplified neuronal activity state. Our findings provide a novel view of stress-exposed neuronal activation and the molecular response mechanisms in stress-susceptible vs. resilient animals, which may have important implications for understanding mental resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamer Butto
- Institute for Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Kanak Mungikar
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Dewi Hartwich
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Matthias Linke
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Nicolas Ruffini
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Wallstr 7, 55122, Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Susann Schweiger
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Wallstr 7, 55122, Mainz, Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jennifer Winter
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Wallstr 7, 55122, Mainz, Germany.
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany.
| | - Susanne Gerber
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany.
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4
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Sigrist H, Hogg DE, Senn A, Pryce CR. Mouse Model of Chronic Social Stress-Induced Excessive Pavlovian Aversion Learning-Memory. Curr Protoc 2024; 4:e1008. [PMID: 38465468 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.1008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Increased experience of aversive stimuli/events is a psychological-neurobiological state of major importance in psychiatry. It occurs commonly in generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and major depression. A sustained period of exposure to threat (chronic stressor) is a common risk factor, and a major symptom is generalized excessive perception of, and reactivity to, aversive stimuli. In rodents, Pavlovian aversion learning and memory (PAL, PAM), quantified in terms of the conditioned defensive behavior freezing, is an extensively studied behavioral paradigm, and well understood in terms of underlying neural circuitry. In mice, chronic social stress (CSS) is a 15-day resident-intruder paradigm in which C57BL/6 adult males are exposed continuously and distally to dominant-aggressive CD-1 male mice (sustained threat) interspersed with a brief daily period of proximal attack (acute threat). To ensure that physical wounding is minimized, proximal attacks are limited to 30 to 60 s/day and lower incisor teeth of CD-1 mice are blunted. Control (comparison) mice are maintained in littermate pairs. The CSS and CD-1 mice are maintained in distal contact during subsequent behavioral testing. For PAL, CSS and control (CON) mice are placed in a conditioning chamber (context) and exposed to a tone [conditioned stimulus (CS)] and mild, brief foot shock [unconditioned stimulus (US)]. For PAM, mice are placed in the same context and presented with CS repetitions. The CSS mice acquire (learn) and express (memory) a higher level of freezing than CON mice, indicating that CSS leads to generalized hypersensitivity to aversion, i.e., chronic social aversion leads to increased aversion salience of foot shock. Distinctive features of the model include the following: high reproducibility; rare, mild wounding only; male specificity; absence of "susceptible" vs "resilient" subgroups; behavioral effects dependent on continued presence of CD-1 mice; and preclinical validation of novel compounds for normalizing aversion hypersensitivity with accurate feedforward prediction of efficacy in human patients. © 2024 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Chronic social stress (CSS) Basic Protocol 2: Pavlovian aversion learning and memory (PALM).
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannes Sigrist
- Preclinical Laboratory, Adult Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - David E Hogg
- Preclinical Laboratory, Adult Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alena Senn
- Preclinical Laboratory, Adult Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christopher R Pryce
- Preclinical Laboratory, Adult Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Zurich Neuroscience Center, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Switzerland
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5
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de Kloet ER, Joëls M. The cortisol switch between vulnerability and resilience. Mol Psychiatry 2024; 29:20-34. [PMID: 36599967 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01934-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
In concert with neuropeptides and transmitters, the end products of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the glucocorticoid hormones cortisol and corticosterone (CORT), promote resilience: i.e., the ability to cope with threats, adversity, and trauma. To exert this protective action, CORT activates mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) and glucocorticoid receptors (GR) that operate in a complementary manner -as an on/off switch- to coordinate circadian events, stress-coping, and adaptation. The evolutionary older limbic MR facilitates contextual memory retrieval and supports an on-switch in the selection of stress-coping styles at a low cost. The rise in circulating CORT concentration after stress subsequently activates a GR-mediated off-switch underlying recovery of homeostasis by providing the energy for restraining the primary stress reactions and promoting cognitive control over emotional reactivity. GR activation facilitates contextual memory storage of the experience to enable future stress-coping. Such complementary MR-GR-mediated actions involve rapid non-genomic and slower gene-mediated mechanisms; they are time-dependent, conditional, and sexually dimorphic, and depend on genetic background and prior experience. If coping fails, GR activation impairs cognitive control and promotes emotional arousal which eventually may compromise resilience. Such breakdown of resilience involves a transition to a chronic stress construct, where information processing is crashed; it leads to an imbalanced MR-GR switch and hence increased vulnerability. Novel MR-GR modulators are becoming available that may reset a dysregulated stress response system to reinstate the cognitive flexibility required for resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Ronald de Kloet
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
- Leiden/Amsterdam Center of Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Marian Joëls
- Dept. Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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6
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Radley JJ, Herman JP. Preclinical Models of Chronic Stress: Adaptation or Pathology? Biol Psychiatry 2023; 94:194-202. [PMID: 36631383 PMCID: PMC10166771 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The experience of prolonged stress changes how individuals interact with their environment and process interoceptive cues, with the end goal of optimizing survival and well-being in the face of a now-hostile world. The chronic stress response includes numerous changes consistent with limiting further damage to the organism, including development of passive or active behavioral strategies and metabolic adjustments to alter energy mobilization. These changes are consistent with symptoms of pathology in humans, and as a result, chronic stress has been used as a translational model for diseases such as depression. While it is of heuristic value to understand symptoms of pathology, we argue that the chronic stress response represents a defense mechanism that is, at its core, adaptive in nature. Transition to pathology occurs only after the adaptive capacity of an organism is exhausted. We offer this perspective as a means of framing interpretations of chronic stress studies in animal models and how these data relate to adaptation as opposed to pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason J Radley
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - James P Herman
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio; Cincinnati Veterans Administration Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio.
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7
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Madur L, Ineichen C, Bergamini G, Greter A, Poggi G, Cuomo-Haymour N, Sigrist H, Sych Y, Paterna JC, Bornemann KD, Viollet C, Fernandez-Albert F, Alanis-Lobato G, Hengerer B, Pryce CR. Stress deficits in reward behaviour are associated with and replicated by dysregulated amygdala-nucleus accumbens pathway function in mice. Commun Biol 2023; 6:422. [PMID: 37061616 PMCID: PMC10105726 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04811-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Reduced reward interest/learning and reward-to-effort valuation are distinct, common symptoms in neuropsychiatric disorders for which chronic stress is a major aetiological factor. Glutamate neurons in basal amygdala (BA) project to various regions including nucleus accumbens (NAc). The BA-NAc neural pathway is activated by reward and aversion, with many neurons being monovalent. In adult male mice, chronic social stress (CSS) leads to reduced discriminative reward learning (DRL) associated with decreased BA-NAc activity, and to reduced reward-to-effort valuation (REV) associated, in contrast, with increased BA-NAc activity. Chronic tetanus toxin BA-NAc inhibition replicates the CSS-DRL effect and causes a mild REV reduction, whilst chronic DREADDs BA-NAc activation replicates the CSS effect on REV without affecting DRL. This study provides evidence that stress disruption of reward processing involves the BA-NAc neural pathway; the bi-directional effects implicate opposite activity changes in reward (learning) neurons and aversion (effort) neurons in the BA-NAc pathway following chronic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorraine Madur
- Preclinical Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zürich (PUK) and University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland
- Zurich Neuroscience Center, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christian Ineichen
- Preclinical Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zürich (PUK) and University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Giorgio Bergamini
- Preclinical Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zürich (PUK) and University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alexandra Greter
- Preclinical Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zürich (PUK) and University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Giulia Poggi
- Preclinical Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zürich (PUK) and University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nagiua Cuomo-Haymour
- Preclinical Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zürich (PUK) and University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland
- Zurich Neuroscience Center, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hannes Sigrist
- Preclinical Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zürich (PUK) and University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Yaroslav Sych
- Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | | | - Klaus D Bornemann
- CNS Diseases Research, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
| | - Coralie Viollet
- Global Computational Biology and Digital Sciences, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
| | - Francesc Fernandez-Albert
- Global Computational Biology and Digital Sciences, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
| | - Gregorio Alanis-Lobato
- Global Computational Biology and Digital Sciences, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
| | - Bastian Hengerer
- CNS Diseases Research, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
| | - Christopher R Pryce
- Preclinical Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zürich (PUK) and University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland.
- Zurich Neuroscience Center, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Dorofeikova M, Borkar CD, Weissmuller K, Smith-Osborne L, Basavanhalli S, Bean E, Smith A, Duong A, Resendez A, Fadok JP. Effects of footshock stress on social behavior and neuronal activation in the medial prefrontal cortex and amygdala of male and female mice. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0281388. [PMID: 36757923 PMCID: PMC9910713 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Social behavior is complex and fundamental, and its deficits are common pathological features for several psychiatric disorders including anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Acute stress may have a negative impact on social behavior, and these effects can vary based on sex. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of acute footshock stress, using analogous parameters to those commonly used in fear conditioning assays, on the sociability of male and female C57BL/6J mice in a standard social approach test. Animals were divided into two main groups of footshock stress (22 male, 24 female) and context exposed control (23 male and 22 female). Each group had mice that were treated intraperitoneally with either the benzodiazepine-alprazolam (control: 10 male, 10 female; stress: 11 male, 11 female), or vehicle (control: 13 male, 12 female; stress: 11 male, 13 female). In all groups, neuronal activation during social approach was assessed using immunohistochemistry against the immediate early gene product cFos. Although footshock stress did not significantly alter sociability or latency to approach a social stimulus, it did increase defensive tail-rattling behavior specifically in males (p = 0.0022). This stress-induced increase in tail-rattling was alleviated by alprazolam (p = 0.03), yet alprazolam had no effect on female tail-rattling behavior in the stress group. Alprazolam lowered cFos expression in the medial prefrontal cortex (p = 0.001 infralimbic area, p = 0.02 prelimbic area), and social approach induced sex-dependent differences in cFos activation in the ventromedial intercalated cell clusters (p = 0.04). Social approach following stress-induced cFos expression was positively correlated with latency to approach and negatively correlated with sociability in the prelimbic area and multiple amygdala subregions (all p < 0.05). Collectively, our results suggest that acute footshock stress induces sex-dependent alterations in defensiveness and differential patterns of cFos activation during social approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariia Dorofeikova
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Chandrashekhar D. Borkar
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | | | - Lydia Smith-Osborne
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA, United States of America
| | - Samhita Basavanhalli
- Neuroscience Program, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Erin Bean
- Neuroscience Program, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Avery Smith
- Neuroscience Program, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Anh Duong
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
- Neuroscience Program, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Alexis Resendez
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Jonathan P. Fadok
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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9
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Larosa A, Wong TP. The hippocampus in stress susceptibility and resilience: Reviewing molecular and functional markers. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2022; 119:110601. [PMID: 35842073 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2022.110601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the individual variability that comes with the likelihood of developing stress-related psychopathologies is of paramount importance when addressing mechanisms of their neurobiology. This article focuses on the hippocampus as a region that is highly influenced by chronic stress exposure and that has strong ties to the development of related disorders, such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. We first outline three commonly used animal models that have been used to separate animals into susceptible and resilient cohorts. Next, we review molecular and functional hippocampal markers of susceptibility and resilience. We propose that the hippocampus plays a crucial role in the differences in the processing and storage of stress-related information in animals with different stress susceptibilities. These hippocampal markers not only help us attain a more comprehensive understanding of the various facets of stress-related pathophysiology, but also could be targeted for the development of new treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Larosa
- Neuroscience Division, Douglas Research Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Tak Pan Wong
- Neuroscience Division, Douglas Research Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada; Dept. of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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10
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Petković A, Chaudhury D. Encore: Behavioural animal models of stress, depression and mood disorders. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:931964. [PMID: 36004305 PMCID: PMC9395206 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.931964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal studies over the past two decades have led to extensive advances in our understanding of pathogenesis of depressive and mood disorders. Among these, rodent behavioural models proved to be of highest informative value. Here, we present a comprehensive overview of the most popular behavioural models with respect to physiological, circuit, and molecular biological correlates. Behavioural stress paradigms and behavioural tests are assessed in terms of outcomes, strengths, weaknesses, and translational value, especially in the domain of pharmacological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dipesh Chaudhury
- Laboratory of Neural Systems and Behaviour, Department of Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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11
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Poggi G, Albiez J, Pryce CR. Effects of chronic social stress on oligodendrocyte proliferation-maturation and myelin status in prefrontal cortex and amygdala in adult mice. Neurobiol Stress 2022; 18:100451. [PMID: 35685682 PMCID: PMC9170777 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2022.100451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders present with excessive processing of aversive stimuli. Whilst underlying pathophysiology remains poorly understood, within- and between-regional changes in oligodendrocyte (OL)-myelination status in anterior cingulate cortex and amygdala (ACC-AMY network) could be important. In adult mice, a 15-day chronic social stress (CSS) protocol leads to increased aversion responsiveness, accompanied by increased resting-state functional connectivity between, and reduced oligodendrocyte- and myelin-related transcript expression within, medial prefrontal cortex and amygdala (mPFC-AMY network), the analog of the human ACC-AMY network. In the current study, young-adult male C57BL/6 mice underwent CSS or control handling (CON). To assess OL proliferation-maturation, mice received 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine via drinking water across CSS/CON and brains were collected on day 16 or 31. In mPFC, CSS decreased the density of proliferative OL precursor cells (OPCs) at days 16 and 31. CSS increased mPFC myelin basic protein (MBP) integrated density at day 31, as well as increasing myelin thickness as determined using transmission electron microscopy, at day 16. In AMY, CSS increased the densities of total CC1+ OLs (day 31) and CC1+/ASPA+ OLs (days 16 and 31), whilst decreasing the density of proliferative OPCs at days 16 and 31. CSS was without effect on AMY MBP content and myelin thickness, at days 16 and 31. Therefore, CSS impacts on the OL lineage in mPFC and AMY and to an extent that, in mPFC at least, leads to increased myelination. This increased myelination could contribute to the excessive aversion learning and memory that occur in CSS mice and, indeed, human stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Poggi
- Preclinical Laboratory for Translational Research Into Affective Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jamie Albiez
- Preclinical Laboratory for Translational Research Into Affective Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christopher R. Pryce
- Preclinical Laboratory for Translational Research Into Affective Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Switzerland
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Murra D, Hilde KL, Fitzpatrick A, Maras PM, Watson SJ, Akil H. Characterizing the behavioral and neuroendocrine features of susceptibility and resilience to social stress. Neurobiol Stress 2022; 17:100437. [PMID: 35242893 PMCID: PMC8857076 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2022.100437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Evaluating and coping with stressful social events as they unfold is a critical strategy in overcoming them without long-lasting detrimental effects. Individuals display a wide range of responses to stress, which can manifest in a variety of outcomes for the brain as well as subsequent behavior. Chronic Social Defeat Stress (CSDS) in mice has been widely used to model individual variation following a social stressor. Following a course of repeated intermittent psychological and physical stress, mice diverge into separate populations of social reactivity: resilient (socially interactive) and susceptible (socially avoidant) animals. A rich body of work reveals distinct neurobiological and behavioral consequences of this experience that map onto the resilient and susceptible groups. However, the range of factors that emerge over the course of defeat have not been fully described. Therefore, in the current study, we focused on characterizing behavioral, physiological, and neuroendocrine profiles of mice in three separate phases: before, during, and following CSDS. We found that following CSDS, traditional read-outs of anxiety-like and depression-like behaviors do not map on to the resilient and susceptible groups. By contrast, behavioral coping strategies used during the initial social stress encounter better predict which mice will eventually become resilient or susceptible. In particular, mice that will emerge as susceptible display greater escape behavior on Day 1 of social defeat than those that will emerge as resilient, indicating early differences in coping mechanisms used between the two groups. We further show that the social avoidance phenotype in susceptible mice is specific to the aggressor strain and does not generalize to conspecifics or other strains, indicating that there may be features of threat discrimination that are specific to the susceptible mice. Our findings suggest that there are costs and benefits to both the resilient and susceptible outcomes, reflected in their ability to cope and adapt to the social stressor.
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Montagud-Romero S, Miñarro J, Rodríguez-Arias M. Unravelling the Neuroinflammatory Mechanisms Underlying the Effects of Social Defeat Stress on Use of Drugs of Abuse. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2021; 54:153-180. [PMID: 34628585 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2021_260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The immune system provides the first line of the organism's defenses, working to maintain homeostasis against external threats and respond also to internal danger signals. There is much evidence to suggest that modifications of inflammatory parameters are related to vulnerability to develop mental illnesses, such as depression, autism, schizophrenia, and substance use disorders. In addition, not only are inflammatory parameters related to these disorders, but stress also induces the activation of the immune system, as recent preclinical research demonstrates. Social stress activates the immune response in the central nervous system through a number of mechanisms; for example, by promoting microglial stimulation, modifying peripheral and brain cytokine levels, and altering the blood brain barrier, which allows monocytes to traffic into the brain. In this chapter, we will first deal with the most important short- and long-term consequences of social defeat (SD) stress on the neuroinflammatory response. SD experiences (brief episodes of social confrontations during adolescence and adulthood) induce functional modifications in the brain, which are accompanied by an increase in proinflammatory markers. Most importantly, inflammatory mechanisms play a significant role in mediating the process of adaptation in the face of adversity (resilience vs susceptibility), allowing us to understand individual differences in stress responses. Secondly, we will address the role of the immune system in the vulnerability and enhanced sensitivity to drugs of abuse after social stress. We will explore in depth the effects seen in the inflammatory system in response to social stress and how they enhance the rewarding effects of drugs such as alcohol or cocaine. To conclude, we will consider pharmacological and environmental interventions that seek to influence the inflammatory response to social stress and diminish increased drug intake, as well as the translational potential and future directions of this exciting new field of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Montagud-Romero
- Department of Psychology and Sociology, University of Zaragoza, Teruel, Spain
| | - J Miñarro
- Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de Valencia, Valencia, Spain.,Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud (RETICS-Trastornos Adictivos), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER, Madrid, Spain
| | - M Rodríguez-Arias
- Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de Valencia, Valencia, Spain. .,Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud (RETICS-Trastornos Adictivos), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER, Madrid, Spain.
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Leschik J, Lutz B, Gentile A. Stress-Related Dysfunction of Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis-An Attempt for Understanding Resilience? Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:7339. [PMID: 34298958 PMCID: PMC8305135 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Newborn neurons in the adult hippocampus are regulated by many intrinsic and extrinsic cues. It is well accepted that elevated glucocorticoid levels lead to downregulation of adult neurogenesis, which this review discusses as one reason why psychiatric diseases, such as major depression, develop after long-term stress exposure. In reverse, adult neurogenesis has been suggested to protect against stress-induced major depression, and hence, could serve as a resilience mechanism. In this review, we will summarize current knowledge about the functional relation of adult neurogenesis and stress in health and disease. A special focus will lie on the mechanisms underlying the cascades of events from prolonged high glucocorticoid concentrations to reduced numbers of newborn neurons. In addition to neurotransmitter and neurotrophic factor dysregulation, these mechanisms include immunomodulatory pathways, as well as microbiota changes influencing the gut-brain axis. Finally, we discuss recent findings delineating the role of adult neurogenesis in stress resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Leschik
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany;
| | - Beat Lutz
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany;
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR), 55122 Mainz, Germany
| | - Antonietta Gentile
- Synaptic Immunopathology Lab, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, 00166 Rome, Italy;
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