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Ramkumar R, Edge-Partington M, Terstege DJ, Adigun K, Ren Y, Khan NS, Rouhi N, Jamani NF, Tsutsui M, Epp JR, Sargin D. Long-Term Impact of Early-Life Stress on Serotonin Connectivity. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 96:287-299. [PMID: 38316332 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.01.024] [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: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic childhood stress is a prominent risk factor for developing affective disorders, yet mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. Maintenance of optimal serotonin (5-HT) levels during early postnatal development is critical for the maturation of brain circuits. Understanding the long-lasting effects of early-life stress (ELS) on serotonin-modulated brain connectivity is crucial to develop treatments for affective disorders arising from childhood stress. METHODS Using a mouse model of chronic developmental stress, we determined the long-lasting consequences of ELS on 5-HT circuits and behavior in females and males. Using FosTRAP mice, we cross-correlated regional c-Fos density to determine brain-wide functional connectivity of the raphe nucleus. We next performed in vivo fiber photometry to establish ELS-induced deficits in 5-HT dynamics and optogenetics to stimulate 5-HT release to improve behavior. RESULTS Adult female and male mice exposed to ELS showed heightened anxiety-like behavior. ELS further enhanced susceptibility to acute stress by disrupting the brain-wide functional connectivity of the raphe nucleus and the activity of 5-HT neuron population, in conjunction with increased orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) activity and disrupted 5-HT release in medial OFC. Optogenetic stimulation of 5-HT terminals in the medial OFC elicited an anxiolytic effect in ELS mice in a sex-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest a significant disruption in 5-HT-modulated brain connectivity in response to ELS, with implications for sex-dependent vulnerability. The anxiolytic effect of the raphe-medial OFC circuit stimulation has potential implications for developing targeted stimulation-based treatments for affective disorders that arise from early life adversities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raksha Ramkumar
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Moriah Edge-Partington
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Dylan J Terstege
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Kabirat Adigun
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Yi Ren
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nazmus S Khan
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nahid Rouhi
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Naila F Jamani
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Mio Tsutsui
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jonathan R Epp
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Derya Sargin
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
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Irwin JL, Davis EP, Sandman CA, Baram TZ, Stern HS, Glynn LM. Infant hedonic/anhedonic processing index (HAPI-Infant): Assessing infant anhedonia and its prospective association with adolescent depressive symptoms. J Affect Disord 2024; 352:281-287. [PMID: 38307131 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.01.225] [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: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anhedonia, an impairment in the motivation for or experience of pleasure, is a well-established transdiagnostic harbinger and core symptom of mental illness. Given increasing recognition of early life origins of mental illness, we posit that anhedonia should, and could, be recognized earlier if appropriate tools were available. However, reliable diagnostic instruments prior to childhood do not currently exist. METHODS We developed an assessment instrument for anhedonia/reward processing in infancy, the Infant Hedonic/Anhedonic Processing Index (HAPI-Infant). Exploratory factor and psychometric analyses were conducted using data from 6- and 12-month-old infants from two cohorts (N = 188, N = 212). Then, associations were assessed between infant anhedonia and adolescent self-report of depressive symptoms. RESULTS The HAPI-Infant (47-items), exhibited excellent psychometric properties. Higher anhedonia scores at 6 (r = 0.23, p < .01) and 12 months (r = 0.19, p < .05) predicted elevated adolescent depressive symptoms, and these associations were stronger than for established infant risk indicators such as negative affectivity. Subsequent analyses supported the validity of short (27-item) and very short (12-item) versions of this measure. LIMITATIONS The primary limitations of this study are that the HAPI-Infant awaits additional tests of generalizability and of its ability to predict clinical diagnosis of depression. CONCLUSIONS The HAPI-Infant is a novel, psychometrically strong diagnostic tool suitable for recognizing anhedonia during the first year of life with strong predictive value for later depressive symptoms. In view of the emerging recognition of increasing prevalence of affective disorders in children and adolescents, the importance of the HAPI-Infant in diagnosing anhedonia is encouraging. Early recognition of anhedonia could target high-risk individuals for intervention and perhaps prevention of mental health disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Irwin
- Department of Psychology, Chapman University, Orange, CA, United States of America
| | - Elysia Poggi Davis
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, United States of America; Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Curt A Sandman
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Tallie Z Baram
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States of America; Department of Anatomy/Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States of America; Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Hal S Stern
- Department of Statistics, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Laura M Glynn
- Department of Psychology, Chapman University, Orange, CA, United States of America.
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3
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Deckers C, Karbalaei R, Miles NA, Harder EV, Witt E, Harris EP, Reissner K, Wimmer ME, Bangasser DA. Early resource scarcity causes cortical astrocyte enlargement and sex-specific changes in the orbitofrontal cortex transcriptome in adult rats. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 29:100607. [PMID: 38304302 PMCID: PMC10831308 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2024.100607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Astrocyte morphology affects function, including the regulation of glutamatergic signaling. This morphology changes dynamically in response to the environment. However, how early life manipulations alter adult cortical astrocyte morphology is underexplored. Our lab uses brief postnatal resource scarcity, the limited bedding and nesting (LBN) manipulation, in rats. We previously found that LBN augments maternal behaviors and promotes later resilience to adult addiction-related behaviors, reducing impulsivity, risky decision-making, and morphine self-administration. These behaviors rely on glutamatergic transmission in the medial orbitofrontal (mOFC) and medial prefrontal (mPFC) cortex. Here we tested whether LBN changed astrocyte morphology in the mOFC and mPFC of adult rats using a novel viral approach that, unlike traditional markers, fully labels astrocytes. Prior exposure to LBN causes an increase in the surface area and volume of astrocytes in the mOFC and mPFC of adult males and females relative to control-raised rats. We next used bulk RNA sequencing of OFC tissue to assess transcriptional changes that could increase astrocyte size in LBN rats. LBN caused mainly sex-specific changes in differentially expressed genes. Pathway analysis revealed that OFC glutamatergic signaling is altered by LBN in males and females, but the gene changes in that pathway differed across sex. This may represent a convergent sex difference where glutamatergic signaling, which affects astrocyte morphology, is altered by LBN via sex-specific mechanisms. Collectively, these studies highlight that astrocytes may be an important cell type that mediates the effect of early resource scarcity on adult brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Deckers
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Reza Karbalaei
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Nylah A. Miles
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Eden V. Harder
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Emily Witt
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Erin P. Harris
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, USA
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Georgia State University, Atlanta, USA
| | - Kathryn Reissner
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Mathieu E. Wimmer
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Debra A. Bangasser
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, USA
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Georgia State University, Atlanta, USA
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Lonstein JS, Vitale EM, Olekanma D, McLocklin A, Pence N, Bredewold R, Veenema AH, Johnson AW, Burt SA. Anxiety, aggression, reward sensitivity, and forebrain dopamine receptor expression in a laboratory rat model of early-life disadvantage. Dev Psychobiol 2023; 65:e22421. [PMID: 37860907 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Despite early-life disadvantage (ELD) in humans being a highly heterogenous construct, it consistently predicts negative neurobehavioral outcomes. The numerous environmental contributors and neural mechanisms underlying ELD remain unclear, though. We used a laboratory rat model to evaluate the effects of limited resources and/or heavy metal exposure on mothers and their adult male and female offspring. Dams and litters were chronically exposed to restricted (1-cm deep) or ample (4-cm deep) home cage bedding postpartum, with or without lead acetate (0.1%) in their drinking water from insemination through 1-week postweaning. Restricted-bedding mothers showed more pup-directed behaviors and behavioral fragmentation, while lead-exposed mothers showed more nestbuilding. Restricted bedding-raised male offspring showed higher anxiety and aggression. Either restricted bedding or lead exposure impaired goal-directed performance in a reinforcer devaluation task in females, whereas restricted bedding alone disrupted it in males. Lead exposure, but not limited bedding, also reduced sucrose reward sensitivity in a progressive ratio task in females. D1 and D2 receptor mRNA in the medial prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens (NAc) were each affected by the early-life treatments and differently between the sexes. Most notably, adult males (but not females) exposed to both early-life treatments had greatly increased D1 receptor mRNA in the NAc core. These results illuminate neural mechanisms through which ELD threatens neurobehavioral development and highlight forebrain dopamine as a factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph S Lonstein
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Erika M Vitale
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Doris Olekanma
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Andrew McLocklin
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Nathan Pence
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Remco Bredewold
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Alexa H Veenema
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Alexander W Johnson
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - S Alexandra Burt
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
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5
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Carozza S, Holmes J, Vértes PE, Bullmore E, Arefin TM, Pugliese A, Zhang J, Kaffman A, Akarca D, Astle DE. Early adversity changes the economic conditions of mouse structural brain network organization. Dev Psychobiol 2023; 65:e22405. [PMID: 37607894 PMCID: PMC10505050 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22405] [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: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Early adversity can change educational, cognitive, and mental health outcomes. However, the neural processes through which early adversity exerts these effects remain largely unknown. We used generative network modeling of the mouse connectome to test whether unpredictable postnatal stress shifts the constraints that govern the organization of the structural connectome. A model that trades off the wiring cost of long-distance connections with topological homophily (i.e., links between regions with shared neighbors) generated simulations that successfully replicate the rodent connectome. The imposition of early life adversity shifted the best-performing parameter combinations toward zero, heightening the stochastic nature of the generative process. Put simply, unpredictable postnatal stress changes the economic constraints that reproduce rodent connectome organization, introducing greater randomness into the development of the simulations. While this change may constrain the development of cognitive abilities, it could also reflect an adaptive mechanism that facilitates effective responses to future challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Carozza
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences UnitUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Joni Holmes
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences UnitUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- School of PsychologyUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
| | | | - Ed Bullmore
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Wolfson Brain Imaging CentreUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Tanzil M. Arefin
- Bernard and Irene Schwartz Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of RadiologyNew York University School of MedicineNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Alexa Pugliese
- Department of PsychiatryYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Jiangyang Zhang
- Bernard and Irene Schwartz Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of RadiologyNew York University School of MedicineNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Arie Kaffman
- Department of PsychiatryYale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Danyal Akarca
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences UnitUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Duncan E. Astle
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences UnitUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
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6
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Li Y, Shi DD, Wang Z. Adolescent nonpharmacological interventions for early-life stress and their mechanisms. Behav Brain Res 2023; 452:114580. [PMID: 37453516 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Those with a negative experience of psychosocial stress during the early stage of life not only have a high susceptibility of the psychiatric disorder in all phases of their life span, but they also demonstrate more severe symptoms and poorer response to treatment compared to those without a history of early-life stress. The interventions targeted to early-life stress may improve the effectiveness of treating and preventing psychiatric disorders. Brain regions associated with mood and cognition develop rapidly and own heightened plasticity during adolescence. So, manipulating nonpharmacological interventions in fewer side effects and higher acceptance during adolescence, which is a probable window of opportunity, may ameliorate or even reverse the constantly deteriorating impact of early-life stress. The present article reviews animal and people studies about adolescent nonpharmacological interventions for early-life stress. We aim to discuss whether those adolescent nonpharmacological interventions can promote individuals' psychological health who expose to early-life stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Li
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Dong-Dong Shi
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Institute of Psychological and Behavioral Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
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7
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Xu L, Liu Y, Long J, He X, Xie F, Yin Q, Chen M, Long D, Chen Y. Loss of spines in the prelimbic cortex is detrimental to working memory in mice with early-life adversity. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:3444-3458. [PMID: 37500828 PMCID: PMC10618093 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02197-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Adverse experiences in early life can shape neuronal structures and synaptic function in multiple brain regions, leading to deficits of distinct cognitive functions later in life. Focusing on the pyramidal cells of the prelimbic cortex (PrL), a main subregion of the medial prefrontal cortex, the impact of early-life adversity (ELA) was investigated in a well-established animal model generated by changing the rearing environment during postnatal days 2 to 9 (P2-P9), a sensitive developmental period. ELA has enduring detrimental impacts on the dendritic spines of PrL pyramidal cells, which is most apparent in a spatially circumscribed region. Specifically, ELA affects both thin and mushroom-type spines, and ELA-provoked loss of spines is observed on selective dendritic segments of PrL pyramidal cells in layers II-III and V-VI. Reduced postsynaptic puncta represented by postsynaptic density protein-95 (PSD-95), but not synaptophysin-labelled presynaptic puncta, in ELA mice supports the selective loss of spines in the PrL. Correlation analysis indicates that loss of spines and postsynaptic puncta in the PrL contributes to the poor spatial working memory of ELA mice, and thin spines may play a major role in working memory performance. To further understand whether loss of spines affects glutamatergic transmission, AMPA- and NMDA-receptor-mediated synaptic currents (EPSCs) were recorded in a group of Thy1-expressing PrL pyramidal cells. ELA mice exhibited a depressed glutamatergic transmission, which is accompanied with a decreased expression of GluR1 and NR1 subunits in the PrL. Finally, upregulating the activation of Thy1-expressing PrL pyramidal cells via excitatory DREADDs can efficiently improve the working memory performance of ELA mice in a T-maze-based task, indicating the potential of a chemogenetic approach in restoring ELA-provoked memory deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Xu
- Key Lab of Neuroscience, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 511436, China
| | - Yue Liu
- Key Lab of Neuroscience, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 511436, China
| | - Jingyi Long
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Xiulan He
- Key Lab of Neuroscience, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 511436, China
| | - Fanbing Xie
- Key Lab of Neuroscience, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 511436, China
| | - Qiao Yin
- Key Lab of Neuroscience, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 511436, China
| | - Michael Chen
- University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Dahong Long
- Key Lab of Neuroscience, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 511436, China.
| | - Yuncai Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
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Benoit S, Henry M, Fneich S, Mathou A, Xia L, Foury A, Jouin M, Junien C, Capuron L, Jouneau L, Moisan MP, Delpierre C, Gabory A, Darnaudéry M. Strain-specific changes in nucleus accumbens transcriptome and motivation for palatable food reward in mice exposed to maternal separation. Front Nutr 2023; 10:1190392. [PMID: 37565037 PMCID: PMC10411197 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1190392] [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: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction In humans, adversity in childhood exerts enduring effects on brain and increases the vulnerability to psychiatric diseases. It also leads to a higher risk of eating disorders and obesity. Maternal separation (MS) in mice has been used as a proxy of stress during infancy. We hypothesized that MS in mice affects motivation to obtain palatable food in adulthood and changes gene expression in reward system. Methods Male and female pups from C57Bl/6J and C3H/HeN mice strains were subjected to a daily MS protocol from postnatal day (PND) 2 to PND14. At adulthood, their motivation for palatable food reward was assessed in operant cages. Results Compared to control mice, male and female C3H/HeN mice exposed to MS increased their instrumental response for palatable food, especially when the effort required to obtain the reward was high. Importantly, this effect is shown in animals fed ad libitum. Transcriptional analysis revealed 375 genes differentially expressed in the nucleus accumbens of male MS C3H/HeN mice compared to the control group, some of these being associated with the regulation of the reward system (e.g., Gnas, Pnoc). Interestingly, C57Bl/6J mice exposed to MS did not show alterations in their motivation to obtain a palatable reward, nor significant changes in gene expression in the nucleus accumbens. Conclusion MS produces long-lasting changes in motivation for palatable food in C3H/HeN mice, but has no impact in C57Bl/6J mice. These behavioral alterations are accompanied by drastic changes in gene expression in the nucleus accumbens, a key structure in the regulation of motivational processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Benoit
- Univ. Bordeaux, INRAE, Bordeaux INP, NutriNeurO, UMR 1286, Bordeaux, France
| | - Mathilde Henry
- Univ. Bordeaux, INRAE, Bordeaux INP, NutriNeurO, UMR 1286, Bordeaux, France
| | - Sara Fneich
- Univ. Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Jouy-en-Josas, France
- Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, BREED, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Alexia Mathou
- Univ. Bordeaux, INRAE, Bordeaux INP, NutriNeurO, UMR 1286, Bordeaux, France
| | - Lin Xia
- Univ. Bordeaux, INRAE, Bordeaux INP, NutriNeurO, UMR 1286, Bordeaux, France
| | - Aline Foury
- Univ. Bordeaux, INRAE, Bordeaux INP, NutriNeurO, UMR 1286, Bordeaux, France
| | - Mélanie Jouin
- Univ. Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Jouy-en-Josas, France
- Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, BREED, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Claudine Junien
- Univ. Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Jouy-en-Josas, France
- Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, BREED, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Lucile Capuron
- Univ. Bordeaux, INRAE, Bordeaux INP, NutriNeurO, UMR 1286, Bordeaux, France
| | - Luc Jouneau
- Univ. Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Jouy-en-Josas, France
- Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, BREED, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | | | - Cyrille Delpierre
- CERPOP, UMR1295, Inserm, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Anne Gabory
- Univ. Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Jouy-en-Josas, France
- Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, BREED, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Muriel Darnaudéry
- Univ. Bordeaux, INRAE, Bordeaux INP, NutriNeurO, UMR 1286, Bordeaux, France
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9
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Deckers C, Karbalaei R, Miles NA, Harder EV, Witt E, Harris EP, Reissner K, Wimmer ME, Bangasser DA. Early resource scarcity causes cortical astrocyte enlargement and sex-specific changes in the orbitofrontal cortex transcriptome in adult rats. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.01.547315. [PMID: 37425737 PMCID: PMC10327175 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.01.547315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Astrocyte morphology affects function, including the regulation of glutamatergic signaling. This morphology changes dynamically in response to the environment. However, how early life manipulations alter adult cortical astrocyte morphology is underexplored. Our lab uses brief postnatal resource scarcity, the limited bedding and nesting (LBN) manipulation, in rats. We previously found that LBN promotes later resilience to adult addiction-related behaviors, reducing impulsivity, risky decision-making, and morphine self-administration. These behaviors rely on glutamatergic transmission in the medial orbitofrontal (mOFC) and medial prefrontal (mPFC) cortex. Here we tested whether LBN changed astrocyte morphology in the mOFC and mPFC of adult rats using a novel viral approach that, unlike traditional markers, fully labels astrocytes. Prior exposure to LBN causes an increase in the surface area and volume of astrocytes in the mOFC and mPFC of adult males and females relative to control-raised rats. We next used bulk RNA sequencing of OFC tissue to assess transcriptional changes that could increase astrocyte size in LBN rats. LBN caused mainly sex-specific changes in differentially expressed genes. However, Park7, which encodes for the protein DJ-1 that alters astrocyte morphology, was increased by LBN across sex. Pathway analysis revealed that OFC glutamatergic signaling is altered by LBN in males and females, but the gene changes in that pathway differed across sex. This may represent a convergent sex difference where glutamatergic signaling, which affects astrocyte morphology, is altered by LBN via sex-specific mechanisms. Collectively, these studies highlight that astrocytes may be an important cell type that mediates the effect of early resource scarcity on adult brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Deckers
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia
| | - Reza Karbalaei
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia
| | - Nylah A Miles
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia
| | - Eden V Harder
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Emily Witt
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Erin P Harris
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Georgia State University, Atlanta
| | - Kathryn Reissner
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Mathieu E Wimmer
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia
| | - Debra A Bangasser
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Georgia State University, Atlanta
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10
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Komanchuk J, Letourneau N, Duffett-Leger L, Cameron JL. History of "Serve and Return" and a Synthesis of the Literature on its Impacts on Children's Health and Development. Issues Ment Health Nurs 2023; 44:406-417. [PMID: 37015096 DOI: 10.1080/01612840.2023.2192794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
Parent/caregiver sensitivity and responsiveness are important for children's health and development. The "serve and return" metaphor was created to help providers and caregivers understand the importance of sensitive and responsive early caregiving. In this review, we explain the concept of "serve and return", outline historical and theoretical principles that culminated in this metaphor, highlight parent and child constructs associated with "serve and return" interactions, and synthesize literature on sensitive and responsive caregiving and children's health and developmental outcomes. Nurses and other healthcare professionals in public policy, clinical, community, education, and research roles need knowledge of "serve and return" interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Komanchuk
- Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | | | | | - Judy L Cameron
- Faculty of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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11
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Obenaus A, Kinney-Lang E, Jullienne A, Haddad E, Wendel KM, Shereen AD, Solodkin A, Dunn JF, Baram TZ. Seeking the Amygdala: Novel Use of Diffusion Tensor Imaging to Delineate the Basolateral Amygdala. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11020535. [PMID: 36831071 PMCID: PMC9953214 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11020535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The amygdaloid complex, including the basolateral nucleus (BLA), contributes crucially to emotional and cognitive brain functions, and is a major target of research in both humans and rodents. However, delineating structural amygdala plasticity in both normal and disease-related contexts using neuroimaging has been hampered by the difficulty of unequivocally identifying the boundaries of the BLA. This challenge is a result of the poor contrast between BLA and the surrounding gray matter, including other amygdala nuclei. Here, we describe a novel diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) approach to enhance contrast, enabling the optimal identification of BLA in the rodent brain from magnetic resonance (MR) images. We employed this methodology together with a slice-shifting approach to accurately measure BLA volumes. We then validated the results by direct comparison to both histological and cellular-identity (parvalbumin)-based conventional techniques for defining BLA in the same brains used for MRI. We also confirmed BLA connectivity targets using DTI-based tractography. The novel approach enables the accurate and reliable delineation of BLA. Because this nucleus is involved in and changed by developmental, degenerative and adaptive processes, the instruments provided here should be highly useful to a broad range of neuroimaging studies. Finally, the principles used here are readily applicable to numerous brain regions and across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre Obenaus
- Department of Pediatrics, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Department of Anatomy/Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Eli Kinney-Lang
- Department of Pediatrics, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Amandine Jullienne
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Elizabeth Haddad
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Kara M. Wendel
- Department of Anatomy/Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - A. Duke Shereen
- Department of Anatomy/Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Ana Solodkin
- Department of Anatomy/Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Jeffrey F. Dunn
- Department of Radiology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Tallie Z. Baram
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Department of Anatomy/Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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12
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Sex differences in addiction-relevant behavioral outcomes in rodents following early life stress. ADDICTION NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 6. [PMID: 37101684 PMCID: PMC10124992 DOI: 10.1016/j.addicn.2023.100067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
In humans, exposure to early life stress (ELS) is an established risk factor for the development of substance use disorders (SUDs) during later life. Similarly, rodents exposed to ELS involving disrupted mother-infant interactions, such as maternal separation (MS) or adverse caregiving due to scarcity-adversity induced by limited bedding and nesting (LBN) conditions, also exhibit long-term alterations in alcohol and drug consumption. In both humans and rodents, there is a range of addiction-related behaviors that are associated with drug use and even predictive of subsequent SUDs. In rodents, these include increased anxiety-like behavior, impulsivity, and novelty-seeking, altered alcohol and drug intake patterns, as well as disrupted reward-related processes involving consummatory and social behaviors. Importantly, the expression of these behaviors often varies throughout the lifespan. Moreover, preclinical studies suggest that sex differences play a role in how exposure to ELS impacts reward and addiction-related phenotypes as well as underlying brain reward circuitry. Here, addiction-relevant behavioral outcomes and mesolimbic dopamine (DA) dysfunction resulting from ELS in the form of MS and LBN are discussed with a focus on age- and sex-dependent effects. Overall, these findings suggest that ELS may increase susceptibility for later life drug use and SUDs by interfering with the normal maturation of reward-related brain and behavioral function.
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13
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Williams AV, Flowers J, Coates KS, Ingram A, Hehn AT, Dupuis M, Wimmer ME, Venniro M, Bangasser DA. Early resource scarcity alters motivation for natural rewards in a sex- and reinforcer-dependent manner. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2022; 239:3929-3937. [PMID: 36301314 PMCID: PMC9817039 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-022-06264-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Early life adversity impacts reward-related behaviors, including reward seeking for drugs of abuse. However, the effects of early stress on natural rewards, such as food and social rewards, which have strong implications for symptoms of psychiatric conditions such as major depressive disorder (MDD), are understudied. To fill this gap, we used the limited bedding and nesting (LBN) procedure to assess the impact of early resource scarcity on motivational drive for both food and social rewards in rats. METHODS Male and female Long Evans rats were reared in either an LBN environment, with limited nesting materials and no enrichment, from their postnatal day 2-9 or control environment with ample nesting materials and enrichment. As adults, they were tested for reward-seeking behavior on progressive ratio operant tasks: food reward (sucrose) or social reward (access to a same-sex/age conspecific). RESULTS We observed sex differences in the impact of LBN on motivation for natural rewards. In males, LBN increased motivation for both a sucrose and social reward. In females, LBN reduced motivation for sucrose but had no effect on social reward. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the effects of LBN on motivation for natural rewards are both sex- and reinforcer-dependent, with males and females showing differential motivation for food and social rewards following early scarcity. Our previous data revealed an LBN-driven reduction in motivation for morphine in males and no effect in females, highlighting the reinforcer-dependent impact of early resource scarcity on motivated behavior more widely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexia V Williams
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| | - James Flowers
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| | - Kennedy S Coates
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| | - Atiba Ingram
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| | - Alexandra T Hehn
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| | - Molly Dupuis
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| | - Mathieu E Wimmer
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| | - Marco Venniro
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Debra A Bangasser
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, GA, 30303-5030, Atlanta, USA.
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14
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Garvin MM, Bolton JL. Sex-specific behavioral outcomes of early-life adversity and emerging microglia-dependent mechanisms. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:1013865. [PMID: 36268470 PMCID: PMC9577368 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.1013865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Early-life adversity (ELA) is known to alter brain circuit maturation as well as increase vulnerability to cognitive and emotional disorders. However, the importance of examining sex as a biological variable when researching the effects of ELA has not been considered until recently. This perspective discusses the sex-specific behavioral outcomes of ELA in both humans and animal models, then proposes microglia-mediated mechanisms as a potential underlying cause. Recent work in rodent models suggests that ELA provokes cognitive deficits, anhedonia, and alcohol abuse primarily in males, whereas females exhibit greater risk-taking and opioid addiction-related behaviors. In addition, emerging evidence identifies microglia as a key target of ELA. For example, we have recently shown that ELA inhibits microglial synapse engulfment and process dynamics in male mice, leading to an increase in excitatory synapse number onto corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH)-expressing neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) and aberrant stress responses later in life. However, ELA-induced synaptic rewiring of neural circuits differs in females during development, resulting in divergent behavioral outcomes. Thus, examining the role of microglia in the sex-specific mechanisms underlying ELA-induced neuropsychiatric disorders is an important topic for future research.
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15
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Waters RC, Gould E. Early Life Adversity and Neuropsychiatric Disease: Differential Outcomes and Translational Relevance of Rodent Models. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 16:860847. [PMID: 35813268 PMCID: PMC9259886 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.860847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
It is now well-established that early life adversity (ELA) predisposes individuals to develop several neuropsychiatric conditions, including anxiety disorders, and major depressive disorder. However, ELA is a very broad term, encompassing multiple types of negative childhood experiences, including physical, sexual and emotional abuse, physical and emotional neglect, as well as trauma associated with chronic illness, family separation, natural disasters, accidents, and witnessing a violent crime. Emerging literature suggests that in humans, different types of adverse experiences are more or less likely to produce susceptibilities to certain conditions that involve affective dysfunction. To investigate the driving mechanisms underlying the connection between experience and subsequent disease, neuroscientists have developed several rodent models of ELA, including pain exposure, maternal deprivation, and limited resources. These studies have also shown that different types of ELA paradigms produce different but somewhat overlapping behavioral phenotypes. In this review, we first investigate the types of ELA that may be driving different neuropsychiatric outcomes and brain changes in humans. We next evaluate whether rodent models of ELA can provide translationally relevant information regarding links between specific types of experience and changes in neural circuits underlying dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elizabeth Gould
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States
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16
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Kangas BD, Short AK, Luc OT, Stern HS, Baram TZ, Pizzagalli DA. A cross-species assay demonstrates that reward responsiveness is enduringly impacted by adverse, unpredictable early-life experiences. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:767-775. [PMID: 34921225 PMCID: PMC8682039 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01250-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to early-life adversity (ELA) is associated with several neuropsychiatric conditions, including major depressive disorder, yet causality is difficult to establish in humans. Recent work in rodents has implicated impaired reward circuit signaling in anhedonic-like behavior after ELA exposure. Anhedonia, the lack of reactivity to previously rewarding stimuli, is a transdiagnostic construct common to mental illnesses associated with ELA. Here, we employed an assay of reward responsiveness validated across species, the Probabilistic Reward Task (PRT). In the PRT, healthy participants reliably develop a response bias toward the more richly rewarded stimulus, whereas participants with anhedonia exhibit a blunted response bias that correlates with current and future anhedonia. In a well-established model of ELA that generates a stressful, chaotic, and unpredictable early-life environment, ELA led to blunted response biases in the PRT in two separate cohorts, recapitulating findings in humans with anhedonia. The same ELA rats had blunted sucrose preference, further supporting their anhedonic-like phenotypes. Probing the aspects of ELA that might provoke these deficits, we quantified the unpredictability of dam/pup interactions using entropy measures and found that the unpredictability of maternal care was significantly higher in the ELA groups in which PRT and sucrose preference reward deficits were present later in life. Taken together, these data position the PRT, established in clinical patient populations, as a potent instrument to assess the impact of ELA on the reward circuit across species. These findings also implicate the unpredictability of maternal signals during early life as an important driver of reward sensitivity deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian D Kangas
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Behavioral Biology Program, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Annabel K Short
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Oanh T Luc
- Behavioral Biology Program, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Hal S Stern
- Department of Statistics, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Tallie Z Baram
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Diego A Pizzagalli
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Center for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA.
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