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Invitto S, Moselli P. Exploring Embodied and Bioenergetic Approaches in Trauma Therapy: Observing Somatic Experience and Olfactory Memory. Brain Sci 2024; 14:385. [PMID: 38672034 PMCID: PMC11048503 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14040385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent studies highlight how body psychotherapy is becoming highly cited, especially in connection with studies on trauma-related disorders. This review highlights the theoretical assumptions and recent points in common with embodied simulation and new sensory theories by integrating bioenergetic analysis, embodiment, and olfactory memory in trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) therapy. Embodied memory, rooted in sensorimotor experiences, shapes cognitive functions and emotional responses. Trauma, embodied in somatic experiences, disrupts these processes, leading to symptoms such as chronic pain and dissociation. The literature discussed highlights the impact of burning odors on individuals with PTSD and those who have experienced childhood maltreatment. Burning odors can increase stress and heart rate in war veterans, with sensitivity to these odors intensifying over time since the trauma. Additionally, adults who experienced childhood maltreatment exhibit faster processing of unpleasant odors and increased symptom severity. Grounding techniques, such as adopting a balanced posture, enhance breathing and sensory capabilities, potentially aiding in managing symptoms associated with trauma-related disorders such as PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Invitto
- Laboratory on Psychophysiological and Cognitive Olfactory Processes, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy
- SIAB—Società Italiana Analisi Bioenergetica, 00183 Roma, Italy;
- IIBA International Institute for Bioenergetic Analysis, 08670 Navàs, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Patrizia Moselli
- SIAB—Società Italiana Analisi Bioenergetica, 00183 Roma, Italy;
- IIBA International Institute for Bioenergetic Analysis, 08670 Navàs, Barcelona, Spain
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Peralta-Vallejo N, Güell-Falgueras P, Cañete T, Sampedro-Viana D, Río-Álamos C, Oliveras I, Tobeña A, Fernández-Teruel A. Schizophrenia-relevant social, attentional and cognitive traits in female RHA vs. RLA rats: Effects of neonatal handling. Behav Brain Res 2024; 459:114762. [PMID: 37977340 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114762] [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: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
The Roman high- (RHA) and low-avoidance (RLA) rats were bidirectionally selected and bred for, respectively, their rapid vs. extremely poor acquisition in the two-way active avoidance task. Consistent between-strain neurobehavioural differences have been found in anxiety- and stress-linked traits, as well as in schizophrenia-related phenotypes. RLAs display enhanced anxious- and stress-related phenotypes, whereas RHA rats show impulsivity, hyperactivity and attention/cognition-related impairments. Many of these typical behavioural phenotypes have been reported to be positively modulated by environmental treatments such as neonatal handling (NH). However, most studies on the Roman rat strains have been carried out in males. Thus, the present study for the first time focused on the joint evaluation of differences in novel object exploration (NOE), social interaction (SI), prepulse inhibition of the startle response (PPI), and cognitive performance and flexibility in various spatial tasks (using the Morris water maze, MWM) in females of both Roman rat strains. We also aimed at evaluating the long-lasting effects of NH treatment on the RHA vs. RLA profiles in these tests/tasks. Results show that anxiety-related behavior, as measured by the NOE test and self-grooming in the SI test, was increased in RLA rats, and dramatically reduced by NH. In the SI test RLA rats displayed diminished social interaction, which was rescued by NH. RHA females exhibited a deficit of PPI, which was not affected by NH. Spatial tasks in the MWM showed impairments of working memory, reference learning/memory and spatial reversal learning (i.e., cognitive flexibility) in RHA females. Spatial reference learning and cognitive flexibility (i.e., reversal task) showed some improvement in rats (mainly in RHAs) that had received NH during the first three weeks of life. With the exception of the SI test, the pattern of differences between female RHA vs. RLA profiles was overall consistent with what has previously been found in males of both strains, and NH treatment was able to enduringly improve some emotion-related and (spatial) cognitive outcomes in both strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Peralta-Vallejo
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pau Güell-Falgueras
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Toni Cañete
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniel Sampedro-Viana
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristóbal Río-Álamos
- Department of Psychology, School of Medicine, Austral University of Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Ignasi Oliveras
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adolf Tobeña
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
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de Paula Rodrigues BM, Falconi-Sobrinho LL, de Campos AC, Kanashiro A, Coimbra NC. Panicolytic-like effects of environment enrichment on male mice threatened by Bothrops jararaca lancehead pit vipers. J Neurosci Res 2024; 102:e25300. [PMID: 38361409 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25300] [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: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Environment enrichment (EE) is a well-known eustress model showing beneficial effects in different psychiatric diseases, but its positive properties in panic disorders are not yet established. The confrontation between prey and predator in complex arenas has been validated as a putative panic attack model. The principal aim of this work was to investigate the role of the EE on panic-like defensive responses elicited by mice threatened by venomous snakes. After 6 weeks of exposure either to an enriched or standard environments, 36 male mice were habituated in a complex polygonal arena for snakes containing an artificial burrow and elevated platforms for escape. The animals were confronted by Bothrops jararaca for 5 min, and the following antipredatory responses were recorded: defensive attention, stretched attend posture, flat back approach, prey versus predator interaction, oriented escape behavior, time spent in a safe place, and number of crossings. Mice threatened by snakes displayed several antipredatory reactions as compared to the exploratory behavior of those animals submitted to a nonthreatening situation (toy snake) in the same environment. Notably, EE causes anxiolytic- and panicolytic-like effects significantly decreasing the defensive attention and time spent in safe places and significantly increasing both prey versus predator interaction and exploratory behavior. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that EE can alter the processing of fear modulation regarding both anxiety- and panic-like responses in a dangerous condition, significantly modifying the decision-making defensive strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Mangili de Paula Rodrigues
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Neuropsychobiology, Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- NAP-USP-Neurobiology of Emotions (NuPNE) Research Center, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Ophidiarium LNN-FMRP-USP/INeC, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine of the University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Luiz Luciano Falconi-Sobrinho
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Neuropsychobiology, Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- NAP-USP-Neurobiology of Emotions (NuPNE) Research Center, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Ophidiarium LNN-FMRP-USP/INeC, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine of the University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Behavioural Neurosciences Institute (INeC), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Alline Cristina de Campos
- Pharmacology of Neuroplasticity Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Kanashiro
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Neuropsychobiology, Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Ophidiarium LNN-FMRP-USP/INeC, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine of the University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Behavioural Neurosciences Institute (INeC), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Medical Sciences Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Norberto Cysne Coimbra
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Neuropsychobiology, Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- NAP-USP-Neurobiology of Emotions (NuPNE) Research Center, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Ophidiarium LNN-FMRP-USP/INeC, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine of the University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Behavioural Neurosciences Institute (INeC), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
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Fernández-Teruel A, Cañete T, Sampedro-Viana D, Oliveras I, Torrubia R, Tobeña A. Contribution of the Roman rat lines/strains to personality neuroscience: neurobehavioral modeling of internalizing/externalizing psychopathologies. PERSONALITY NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 6:e8. [PMID: 38107777 PMCID: PMC10725777 DOI: 10.1017/pen.2023.7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The Roman high-avoidance (RHA) and low-avoidance (RLA) rat lines/strains were established in Rome through bidirectional selection of Wistar rats for rapid (RHA) or extremely poor (RLA) acquisition of a two-way active avoidance task. Relative to RHAs, RLA rats exhibit enhanced threat sensitivity, anxiety, fear and vulnerability to stress, a passive coping style and increased sensitivity to frustration. Thus, RLA rats' phenotypic profile falls well within the "internalizing" behavior spectrum. Compared with RLAs and other rat strains/stocks, RHAs present increased impulsivity and reward sensitivity, deficits in social behavior and attentional/cognitive processes, novelty-induced hyper-locomotion and vulnerability to psychostimulant sensitization and drug addiction. Thus, RHA rats' phenotypes are consistent with a "disinhibiting externalizing" profile. Many neurobiological/molecular traits differentiate both rat lines/strains. For example, relative to RLA rats, RHAs exhibit decreased function of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus and amygdala, increased functional tone of the mesolimbic dopamine system, a deficit of central metabotropic glutamate-2 (mGlu2) receptors, increased density of serotonin 5-HT2A receptors in the PFC, impairment of GABAergic transmission in the PFC, alterations of several synaptic markers and increased density of pyramidal immature dendrític spines in the PFC. These characteristics suggest an immature brain of RHA rats and are reminiscent of schizophrenia features like hypofrontality and disruption of the excitation/inhibition cortical balance. We review evidence supporting RLA rats as a valid model of anxiety/fear, stress and frustration vulnerability, whereas RHA rats represent a promising translational model of neurodevelopmental alterations related to impulsivity, schizophrenia-relevant features and comorbidity with drug addiction vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Toni Cañete
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniel Sampedro-Viana
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ignasi Oliveras
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rafael Torrubia
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adolf Tobeña
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
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Sampedro-Viana D, Cañete T, Sanna F, Oliveras I, Castillo-Ruiz M, Corda MG, Giorgi O, Tobeña A, Fernández-Teruel A. c-Fos expression after neonatal handling in social brain regions: Distinctive profile of RHA-rat schizophrenia model on a social preference test. Behav Brain Res 2023; 453:114625. [PMID: 37567256 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114625] [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: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Neonatal handling (NH) is an environmental manipulation that induces long-lasting changes in behavioural, neuroendocrine, and neuroanatomical processes in rodents. We have previously reported that NH treatment increases social interaction preference in an animal model of schizophrenia-relevant features, the Roman high-avoidance (RHA) rats. The present study was aimed at evaluating whether the increase of social behaviour/preference due to NH treatment in RHA rats is associated with differences in c-Fos expression levels in some of the brain areas that integrate the "social brain". To this aim, we evaluated the performance of adult male rats from both Roman rat strains (RHA vs. RLA -Roman low-avoidance- rats), either untreated (control) or treated with NH (administered during the first 21 days of life) in a social interaction task. For the analyses of c-Fos activation untreated and NH-treated animals were divided into three different experimental conditions: undisturbed home cage controls (HC); rats exposed to the testing set-up context (CTX); and rats exposed to a social interaction (SI) test. It was found that, compared with their RLA counterparts, NH treatment increased social behaviour in RHA rats, and also specifically enhanced c-Fos expression in RHA rats tested for SI in some brain areas related to social behaviour, i.e. the infralimbic cortex (IL) and the medial posterodorsal amygdala (MePD) regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Sampedro-Viana
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - T Cañete
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - F Sanna
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Italy
| | - I Oliveras
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mdm Castillo-Ruiz
- Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - M G Corda
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Italy
| | - O Giorgi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Italy
| | - A Tobeña
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - A Fernández-Teruel
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain.
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Hesam Shariati F, Steffens A, Adhami S. Designing environments that contribute to a reduction in the progression of Parkinson's disease; a literature review. Health Place 2023; 83:103105. [PMID: 37703785 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2023.103105] [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: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's Disease (PD), a prevalent neurological disorder, causes physical difficulties like stiffness and impaired walking and affects patients' emotional well-being. Regular exercise and exposure to enriched environments are crucial to managing these symptoms. This review aims to extract evidence from studies regarding built environments' impact on reducing the progression of PD. Keywords from 2005 to 2022 were used in five databases, including PubMed, Clarivate Web of Science, UGA Library, and Google Scholar. Many studies emphasized physiotherapy and training for physical enhancement, often utilizing virtual games and smart devices. Others highlighted the advantages of non-slip flooring and accessible outdoor spaces, with some based on universal design principles. Few studies considered the emotional impact of built environments, showing a considerable gap in the studies simultaneously evaluating psychological and physical perspectives of Parkinson-friendly environments. There needs to be more consistency when considering these aspects of planning. Our findings suggest future research modeling enriched environments and tracking their impact on patients via Virtual Reality to find a comprehensive guideline for the most effective PD management environments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ashley Steffens
- College of Environment and Design, University of Georgia, Athens, United States
| | - Sadaf Adhami
- Department of Architecture and Design, Polytechnic University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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Baeta-Corral R, De la Fuente M, Giménez-Llort L. Sex-dependent worsening of NMDA-induced responses, anxiety, hypercortisolemia, and organometry of early peripheral immunoendocrine impairment in adult 3xTg-AD mice and their long-lasting ontogenic modulation by neonatal handling. Behav Brain Res 2023; 438:114189. [PMID: 36343697 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.114189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The neuroimmunomodulation hypothesis for Alzheimer's disease (AD) postulates that alterations in the innate immune system triggered by damage signals result in adverse effects on neuronal functions. The peripheral immune system and neuroimmunoendocrine communication are also impaired. Here we provide further evidence using a longitudinal design that also studied the long-lasting effects of an early life sensorial intervention (neonatal handling, from postnatal day 1-21) in 6-month-old (early stages of the disease) male and female 3xTg-AD mice compared to age- and sex-matched non-transgenic (NTg) mice with normal aging. The behavioral patterns elicited by the direct exposure to an open field, and the motor depression response evoked by NMDA (25 mg/kg, i.p) were found correlated to the organometry of peripheral immune-endocrine organs (thymus involution, splenomegaly, and adrenal glands' hypertrophy) and increased corticosterone levels, suggesting their potential value for diagnostic and biomonitoring.The NMDA-induced immediate and depressant motor activity and endocrine (corticosterone) responses were sensitive to sex and AD-genotype, suggesting worse endogenous susceptibility/neuroprotective response to glutamatergic excitotoxicity in males and in the AD-genotype. 3xTg-AD females showed a reduced immediate response, whereas the NTg showed higher responsiveness to subsequent NMDA-induced depressant effect than their male counterparts. The long-lasting ontogenic modulation by handling was shown as a potentiation of NMDA-depressant effect in NTg males and females, while sex × treatment effects were found in 3xTg-AD mice. Finally, NMDA-induced corticosterone showed sex, genotype and interaction effects with sexual dimorphism enhanced in the AD-genotype, suggesting different endogenous vulnerability/neuroprotective capacities and modulation of the neuroimmunoendocrine system.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Baeta-Corral
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - M De la Fuente
- Department of Genetics, Physiology, and Microbiology, School of Biology, Complutense University, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - L Giménez-Llort
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain.
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Wang R, Martin CD, Lei AL, Hausknecht KA, Turk M, Micov V, Kwarteng F, Ishiwari K, Oubraim S, Wang AL, Richards JB, Haj-Dahmane S, Shen RY. Prenatal ethanol exposure impairs sensory processing and habituation to visual stimuli, effects normalized by enrichment of postnatal environmental. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2022; 46:891-906. [PMID: 35347730 PMCID: PMC9122102 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) often show processing deficits in all sensory modalities. Using an operant light reinforcement model, we tested whether prenatal ethanol exposure (PE) alters operant responding to elicit a contingent sensory stimulus-light onset (turning on the light) and habituation to this behavior in rats. We also explored whether postnatal environmental enrichment could ameliorate PE-induced deficits. METHODS Pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were gavaged twice/day with 0 or 3 g/kg/treatment ethanol (15% w/v) during gestational days 8-20, mimicking second-trimester heavy PE in humans. The offspring were reared in a standard housing condition or an enriched condition. Adult male and female offspring underwent an operant light reinforcement experiment with either a short-access or a long-access procedure. A dishabituation test was also conducted to characterize the habituation process. RESULTS In the short-access procedure, PE led to increased operant responding to the contingent light onset in both sexes reared in the standard housing condition. Such an effect was not observed in rats reared in enriched conditions due to an overall decrease in responding. Moreover, rats reared in enriched conditions showed greater short-term habituation. In the long access procedure, PE rats showed increased responding and impaired long-term habituation. The long-access procedure facilitated both short-term and long-term habituation in control and PE rats. CONCLUSION Prenatal ethanol exposure increases responding to contingent light onset and impairs the long-term habituation process. The PE-induced deficits were ameliorated by rearing in the enriched environment and increasing the duration and frequency of exposure to light onset. The PE-induced effects are like increased sensation-seeking, a subtype of sensory-processing deficit that is often observed in individuals with FASD. Our findings could inform a suitable animal model for investigating the underlying mechanisms and possible intervention strategies for sensory deficits in FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruixiang Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacob School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Connor D. Martin
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacob School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Anna L. Lei
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacob School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Kathryn A. Hausknecht
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacob School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Marisa Turk
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacob School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Veronika Micov
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacob School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Francis Kwarteng
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacob School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Keita Ishiwari
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacob School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Saida Oubraim
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacob School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - An-Li Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacob School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Jerry B. Richards
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacob School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Samir Haj-Dahmane
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacob School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Roh-Yu Shen
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacob School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
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Bengoetxea de Tena I, Moreno-Rodríguez M, Llorente-Ovejero A, Monge-Benito S, Martínez-Gardeazabal J, Onandia-Hinchado I, Manuel I, Giménez-Llort L, Rodríguez-Puertas R. HANDLING AND NOVEL OBJECT RECOGNITION MODULATE FEAR RESPONSE AND ENDOCANNABINOID SIGNALING IN NUCLEUS BASALIS MAGNOCELLULARIS. Eur J Neurosci 2022; 55:1532-1546. [PMID: 35266590 PMCID: PMC9313565 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Storage of aversive memories is of utmost importance for survival, allowing animals to avoid upcoming similar stimuli. However, without reinforcement, the learned avoidance response gradually decreases over time. Although the molecular mechanisms controlling this extinction process are not well known, there is evidence that the endocannabinoid system plays a key role through CB1 receptor‐mediated modulation of cholinergic signaling. In this study, we measured fear extinction throughout 7 months using naïve rats, assessed in passive avoidance (PA) test in a non‐reinforced manner. Then, we evaluated the effect of gentle handling and non‐aversive novel object recognition test (NORT) on the extinction and expression of fear memories by measuring passive avoidance responses. Neurochemical correlates were analyzed by functional autoradiography for cannabinoid, cholinergic, and dopaminergic receptors. Despite results showing a gradual decrease of passive avoidance response, it did not fully disappear even after 7 months, indicating the robustness of this process. Meanwhile, in rats that received gentle handling or performed NORT after receiving the PA aversive stimulus, extinction occurred within a week. In contrast, gentle handling performed before receiving the aversive stimulus exacerbated fear expression and triggered escape response in PA. The neurochemical analysis showed increased cannabinoid and cholinergic activity in the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM) in rats that had performed only PA, as opposed to rats that received gentle handling before PA. Additionally, a correlation between CB1 mediated‐signaling in the NBM and freezing in PA was found, suggesting that the endocannabinoid system might be responsible for modulating fear response induced by aversive memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Bengoetxea de Tena
- Dept. Pharmacology, Fac. of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - M Moreno-Rodríguez
- Dept. Pharmacology, Fac. of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - A Llorente-Ovejero
- Dept. Pharmacology, Fac. of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - S Monge-Benito
- Dept. Audiovisual Communication and Advertising, Fac. of Social Sciences and Communication, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - J Martínez-Gardeazabal
- Dept. Pharmacology, Fac. of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - I Onandia-Hinchado
- Dept. Clinical and Health Psychology and Research Methodology, Fac. of Psychology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - I Manuel
- Dept. Pharmacology, Fac. of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain.,Neurodegenerative Diseases, BioCruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain
| | - L Giménez-Llort
- Dept. Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine & Institute of Neuroscience, Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - R Rodríguez-Puertas
- Dept. Pharmacology, Fac. of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain.,Neurodegenerative Diseases, BioCruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain
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10
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Fernandez-Teruel A. The power of "touch" and early enriched stimulation: neuroplasticity effects in rodents and preterm infants. Neural Regen Res 2021; 17:1248-1250. [PMID: 34782558 PMCID: PMC8643065 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.327336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Fernandez-Teruel
- Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
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11
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Fernández-Teruel A, Oliveras I, Cañete T, Rio-Álamos C, Tapias-Espinosa C, Sampedro-Viana D, Sánchez-González A, Sanna F, Torrubia R, González-Maeso J, Driscoll P, Morón I, Torres C, Aznar S, Tobeña A, Corda MG, Giorgi O. Neurobehavioral and neurodevelopmental profiles of a heuristic genetic model of differential schizophrenia- and addiction-relevant features: The RHA vs. RLA rats. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:597-617. [PMID: 34571119 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The Roman High- (RHA) and Low-(RLA) avoidance rat lines/strains were generated through bidirectional selective breeding for rapid (RHA) vs. extremely poor (RLA) two-way active avoidance acquisition. Compared with RLAs and other rat strains/stocks, RHAs are characterized by increased impulsivity, deficits in social behavior, novelty-induced hyper-locomotion, impaired attentional/cognitive abilities, vulnerability to psychostimulant sensitization and drug addiction. RHA rats also exhibit decreased function of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus, increased functional activity of the mesolimbic dopamine system and a dramatic deficit of central metabotropic glutamate-2 (mGlu2) receptors (due to a stop codon mutation at cysteine 407 in Grm2 -cys407*-), along with increased density of 5-HT2A receptors in the PFC, alterations of several synaptic markers and increased density of pyramidal "thin" (immature) dendrític spines in the PFC. These characteristics suggest an immature brain of RHA rats, and are reminiscent of schizophrenia features like hypofrontality and disruption of the excitation/inhibition cortical balance. RHA rats represent a promising heuristic model of neurodevelopmental schizophrenia-relevant features and comorbidity with drug addiction vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Ignasi Oliveras
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Toni Cañete
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Carles Tapias-Espinosa
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniel Sampedro-Viana
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ana Sánchez-González
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francesco Sanna
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DiSVA), University of Cagliari, Italy
| | - Rafael Torrubia
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier González-Maeso
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | | | - Ignacio Morón
- Department of Psychobiology and Centre of Investigation of Mind, Brain, and Behaviour (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Spain
| | - Carmen Torres
- Department of Psychology, University of Jaén, 23071, Jaén, Spain.
| | - Susana Aznar
- Research Laboratory for Stereology and Neuroscience, Bispebjerg Copenhagen University Hospital, 2400, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Adolf Tobeña
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Maria G Corda
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DiSVA), University of Cagliari, Italy.
| | - Osvaldo Giorgi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DiSVA), University of Cagliari, Italy.
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12
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Sampedro-Viana D, Cañete T, Sanna F, Soley B, Giorgi O, Corda MG, Torrecilla P, Oliveras I, Tapias-Espinosa C, Río-Álamos C, Sánchez-González A, Tobeña A, Fernández-Teruel A. Decreased social interaction in the RHA rat model of schizophrenia-relevant features: Modulation by neonatal handling. Behav Processes 2021; 188:104397. [PMID: 33887361 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The Roman-Low (RLA) and High-Avoidance (RHA) rat strains have been bidirectionally selected and bred, respectively, for extremely poor vs. rapid acquisition of the two-way active avoidance task. Over 50 years of selective breeding have led to two strains displaying many differential specific phenotypes. While RLAs display anxious-related behaviours, RHA rats show impulsivity, and schizophrenia-like positive and cognitive symptoms or phenotypes. Neonatal handling (NH) is an environmental treatment with long-lasting anxiolytic-like and anti-stress effects. NH also reduces symptoms related to schizophrenia, such as pre-pulse inhibition (PPI) impairment and latent inhibition (LI) deficits, and improves spatial working memory and cognitive flexibility. The present work was aimed at exploring whether RHAs also display negative schizophrenia-like symptoms (or phenotypes), such as lowered preference for social interaction (i.e. asociality), and whether NH would reduce these deficits. To this aim, we evaluated naïve inbred RHA and RLA rats in a social interaction (SI) test after either long- or short-term habituation to the testing set up (studies 1-2). In Study 3 we tested untreated and NH-treated RHA and RLA rats in novel object exploration (NOE) and SI tests. Compared with RHAs, RLA rats displayed increased anxiety-related behaviours in the NOE (i.e. higher behavioural inhibition, lesser exploration of the novel object) and SI (i.e. higher levels of self-grooming) tests which were dramatically reduced by NH treatment, thus supporting the long-lasting anxiolytic-like effect of NH. Remarkably, RHA rats showed decreased social preference in the SI test compared with RLAs, evidencing that RHAs would present a relative asociality, which is thought to model some negative symptomatology (i.e. social withdrawal) of schizophrenia. NH increased absolute levels of social behaviour in both strains, but with a more marked effect in RHA rats, especially in the first 5 min of the SI test. Thus, it is hypothesized that, apart from its effects on anxiety-related behaviours, NH might have long-lasting positive effects on behavioural and neurobiological processes that are impaired in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Sampedro-Viana
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Toni Cañete
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francesco Sanna
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DiSVA), University of Cagliari, Italy
| | - Bernat Soley
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Osvaldo Giorgi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DiSVA), University of Cagliari, Italy
| | - Maria G Corda
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DiSVA), University of Cagliari, Italy
| | - Pilar Torrecilla
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ignasi Oliveras
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carles Tapias-Espinosa
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Ana Sánchez-González
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adolf Tobeña
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
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13
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Environmental enrichment impacts discrimination between familiar and unfamiliar human odours in snakes (Pantherophis guttata). Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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14
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Fernández-Teruel A. Conflict between Threat Sensitivity and Sensation Seeking in the Adolescent Brain: Role of the Hippocampus, and Neurobehavioural Plasticity Induced by Pleasurable Early Enriched Experience. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11020268. [PMID: 33672653 PMCID: PMC7924176 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11020268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Adolescence is characterized both by the exacerbation of the experience of anxiety, fear or threat, on one hand, and by increased reward seeking (reward sensitivity) and risk taking on the other hand. The rise of these apparently opposite processes, i.e., threat-related anxiety and reward-related sensation seeking, seems to stem from a relatively decreased top-down inhibition of amygdala and striatal circuits by regulatory systems (e.g., prefrontal cortex, hippocampus) that mature later. The present commentary article aims to discuss recent related literature and focusses on two main issues: (i) the septo-hippocampal system (in particular the ventral hippocampus) might be a crucial region for the regulation of approach–avoidance conflict and also for the selection of the most appropriate responses during adolescence, and (ii) developmental studies involving early-life pleasurable-enriched experience (as opposed to early-life adversity) might be a useful study paradigm in order to decipher whether neuroplasticity induced by such experiences (for example, in the hippocampus and associated circuitry) may lead to better top-down inhibition and more “balanced” adolescent responses to environmental demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Medical Psychology Unit, School of Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
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15
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Costa R, Carvalho MSM, Brandão JDP, Moreira RP, Cunha TS, Casarini DE, Marcondes FK. Modulatory action of environmental enrichment on hormonal and behavioral responses induced by chronic stress in rats: Hypothalamic renin-angiotensin system components. Behav Brain Res 2020; 397:112928. [PMID: 32987059 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Environmental enrichment (EE) has been studied as a protocol that can improve brain plasticity and may protect against negative insults such as chronic stress. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of EE on the hormonal and behavioral responses induced by chronic mild unpredictable stress (CMS) in rats, considering the involvement of the renin-angiotensin system. Male adult rats were divided into 4 groups: control, CMS, EE, and CMS + EE, and the experimental protocol lasted for 7 weeks. EE was performed during 7 weeks, 5 days per week, 2 h per day. CMS was applied during weeks 3, 4, and 5. After the CMS (week 6), depression-like behavior was evaluated by forced swimming and sucrose consumption tests, anxiety level was evaluated using the elevated plus-maze test, and memory was evaluated using the Y-maze test. On week 7, the animals were euthanized and basal plasma levels of corticosterone and catecholamines were determined. The hypothalamus was isolated and tissue levels of angiotensin peptides were evaluated. CMS increased plasma corticosterone, norepinephrine, and epinephrine basal concentrations, induced depression-like behaviors, impaired memory, and increased hypothalamic angiotensin I, II, and IV concentrations. EE decreased stress hormones secretion, depression-like behaviors, memory impairment, and hypothalamic angiotensin II induced by stress. Reductions of anxiety-like behavior and norepinephrine secretion were observed in both stressed and unstressed groups. The results indicated that EE seemed to protect adult rats against hormonal and behavioral CMS effects, and that the reduction of angiotensin II could contribute to these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafaela Costa
- Department of Biosciences, Laboratory of Stress, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Maeline Santos Morais Carvalho
- Department of Biosciences, Laboratory of Stress, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Roseli Peres Moreira
- Nephrology Division, Department of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Tatiana Sousa Cunha
- Science and Technology Institute, Federal University of São Paulo, São José Dos Campos, SP, Brazil
| | - Dulce Elena Casarini
- Nephrology Division, Department of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Klein Marcondes
- Department of Biosciences, Laboratory of Stress, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
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16
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Fernández-Teruel A, Tobeña A. Revisiting the role of anxiety in the initial acquisition of two-way active avoidance: pharmacological, behavioural and neuroanatomical convergence. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 118:739-758. [PMID: 32916193 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Two-way active avoidance (TWAA) acquisition constitutes a particular case of approach -avoidance conflict for laboratory rodents. The present article reviews behavioural, psychopharmacological and neuroanatomical evidence accumulated along more than fifty years that provides strong support to the contention that anxiety is critical in the transition from CS (conditioned stimulus)-induced freezing to escape/avoidance responses during the initial stages of TWAA acquisition. Thus, anxiolytic drugs of different types accelerate avoidance acquisition, anxiogenic drugs impair it, and avoidance during these initial acquisition stages is negatively associated with other typical measures of anxiety. In addition behavioural and developmental treatments that reduce or increase anxiety/stress respectively facilitate or impair TWAA acquisition. Finally, evidence for the regulation of TWAA acquisition by septo-hippocampal and amygdala-related mechanisms is discussed. Collectively, the reviewed evidence gives support to the initial acquisition of TWAA as a paradigm with considerable predictive and (in particular) construct validity as an approach-avoidance conflict-based rodent anxiety model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Adolf Tobeña
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
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17
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Zheng JJ, Zou R, Huang S, Song TJ, Yu X. Enriched Environment Rearing from Birth Reduced Anxiety, Improved Learning and Memory, and Promoted Social Interactions in Adult Male Mice. Neuroscience 2020; 442:138-150. [PMID: 32652178 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Rearing rodents in an enriched environment (EE), with increased sensory stimulations and social interactions, is a well-established model for naturally increasing neural activity. It is well-known that EE-rearing of rodents from adolescence or during adulthood leads to extensive biochemical, morphological, electrophysiological and behavioral changes. Here, we examine the effects of EE-rearing from birth on adult behavior. Through a battery of assays, we found that mice EE-reared from birth had better acquisition and consolidation of memory, in both aversive-based fear conditioning and reward-based contextual association tasks. Moreover, EE-reared mice showed reduced anxiety in novel environments and enhanced social interactions. Together, these results demonstrated that EE-rearing from birth significantly improved motor ability, learning and memory and sociability, while reducing anxiety. A better understanding of how early environmental influences affect behavior is not only important for understanding neural circuit wiring, but also provides insight into developing more effective intervention programs for neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Jing Zheng
- Institute of Neuroscience and State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Rong Zou
- Institute of Neuroscience and State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Shajin Huang
- Institute of Neuroscience and State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Tian-Jia Song
- School of Life Sciences, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, and Peking University McGovern Institute, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| | - Xiang Yu
- Institute of Neuroscience and State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; School of Life Sciences, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, and Peking University McGovern Institute, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
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18
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Costa R, Tamascia ML, Sanches A, Moreira RP, Cunha TS, Nogueira MD, Casarini DE, Marcondes FK. Tactile stimulation of adult rats modulates hormonal responses, depression-like behaviors, and memory impairment induced by chronic mild stress: Role of angiotensin II. Behav Brain Res 2020; 379:112250. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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19
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Aghaie CI, Hausknecht KA, Wang R, Dezfuli PH, Haj-Dahmane S, Kane CJM, Sigurdson WJ, Shen RY. Prenatal Ethanol Exposure and Postnatal Environmental Intervention Alter Dopaminergic Neuron and Microglia Morphology in the Ventral Tegmental Area During Adulthood. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 44:435-444. [PMID: 31872887 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal ethanol exposure (PE) impairs midbrain dopaminergic (DA) neuron function, which might contribute to various cognitive and behavioral deficits, including attention deficits and increased addiction risk, often observed in individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Currently, the underlying mechanisms for PE-induced deficits are unclear. PE could lead to neuroinflammation by activating microglia, which play an important role in synaptic function. In the present study, we investigated PE effects on microglial activation and DA neuron density and morphology in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Since postnatal environmental enrichment can reduce neuroinflammation and ameliorate several PE-induced behavioral deficits, we examined if a postnatal environmental intervention strategy using neonatal handling and postweaning complex housing could reverse PE effects on VTA DA neurons and microglia. METHODS Pregnant rats received 0 or 6 g/kg/d ethanol by 2 intragastric intubations on gestation days 8 to 20. After birth, rats were reared in the standard laboratory or enriched condition. Male adult rats (8 to 12 weeks old) were used for immunocytochemistry. RESULTS The results showed that PE decreased VTA DA neuron body size in standardly housed rats. Moreover, there was a significant decrease in numbers of VTA microglial branches and junctions in PE rats, suggesting morphological activation of microglia and possible neuroinflammation. The PE effects on microglia were normalized by postnatal environmental intervention, which also decreased the numbers of microglial branches and junctions in control animals, possibly via reduced stress. CONCLUSIONS Our findings show an association between PE-induced morphological activation of microglia and impaired DA neuron morphology in the VTA. Importantly, postnatal environmental intervention rescues possible PE-induced microglial activation. These data support that environmental intervention can be effective in ameliorating cognitive and behavioral deficits associated with VTA DA neuron dysfunctions, such as attention deficits and increased addiction risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia I Aghaie
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Kathryn A Hausknecht
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Ruixiang Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | | | - Samir Haj-Dahmane
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Cynthia J M Kane
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, College of Medicine, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - Wade J Sigurdson
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Roh-Yu Shen
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
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20
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Odeon MM, Acosta GB. Repeated maternal separation: Alcohol consumption, anxious behavior and corticosterone were reversed by a non-pharmacological treatment. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 95:109726. [PMID: 31386878 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2019.109726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2019] [Revised: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/28/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Adverse events in early life have been related to a maladaptive stress response during adulthood, which could predispose individuals to psychiatric and physiological disorders. The purpose of this work was to study the implications of repeated maternal separation (RMS) plus a physical stressor (cold stress), voluntary ethanol consumption and plasmatic levels of corticosterone (Cor) via conflict behavior tests. To this aim, pups were separated daily from their mothers for one hour and subjected to cold stress (4 °C) between postnatal days (PD) 2 and 20. Control groups were left undisturbed with their mothers. Afterwards, all groups were exposed to voluntary ethanol (6%) or dextrose (1%) intake for 7 days. After a 30-day period of environmental enrichment (EE), the animals were again exposed to the voluntary intake protocol for 7 days. At 66 days, they were subjected to different conflict tests. Thereafter, rats were sacrificed by decapitation and blood trunk was collected to determine plasma corticosterone levels. We demonstrated that early RMS increased both voluntary alcohol intake and Cor levels. Moreover, young adult animals showed excessive activity in conflict tests. Whereas in animals exposed to a non-pharmacological treatment, known as environmental enrichment (EE), the effects previously obtained were reversed and/or prevented. In summary, we can conclude that the combination of maternal separation in early life plus cold stress increase both the voluntary exposure to alcohol and disruptive behaviors. This is a risk factor for the development of chronic diseases such as alcoholism and long-term depression. However, we found that an enriched environment may have a beneficial effect with respect to alcohol intake and aggressive behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Mercedes Odeon
- Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (ININFA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Junín 956, 5° floor, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1113AAD, Argentina.
| | - Gabriela Beatriz Acosta
- Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (ININFA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Junín 956, 5° floor, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1113AAD, Argentina.
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21
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Fu Y, Depue RA. A novel neurobehavioral framework of the effects of positive early postnatal experience on incentive and consummatory reward sensitivity. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 107:615-640. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.09.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2019] [Revised: 09/08/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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22
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Schneider ML, Moore CF, Ahlers EO, Barnhart TE, Christian BT, DeJesus OT, Engle JW, Holden JE, Larson JA, Moirano JM, Murali D, Nickles RJ, Resch LM, Converse AK. PET Measures of D1, D2, and DAT Binding Are Associated With Heightened Tactile Responsivity in Rhesus Macaques: Implications for Sensory Processing Disorder. Front Integr Neurosci 2019; 13:29. [PMID: 31379528 PMCID: PMC6652150 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2019.00029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensory processing disorder (SPD), a developmental regulatory condition characterized by marked under- or over-responsivity to non-noxious sensory stimulation, is a common but poorly understood disorder that can profoundly affect mood, cognition, social behavior and adaptive life skills. Little is known about the etiology and neural underpinnings. Clinical research indicates that children with SPD show greater prevalence of difficulties in complex cognitive behavior including working memory, behavioral flexibility, and regulation of sensory and affective functions, which are related to prefrontal cortex (PFC), striatal, and midbrain regions. Neuroimaging may provide insight into mechanisms underlying SPD, and animal experiments provide important evidence that is not available in human studies. Rhesus monkeys (N = 73) were followed over a 20-year period from birth into old age. We focused on a single sensory modality, the tactile system, measured at 5-7 years, because of its critical importance for nourishment, attachment, and social reward in development. Positron emission tomography imaging was conducted at ages 12-18 years to quantify the availability of the D1 and D2 subtypes of the DA receptor (D1R and D2R), and the DA transporter (DAT). Heightened tactile responsivity was related to (a) elevated D1R in PFC overall, including lateral, ventrolateral, medial, anterior cingulate (aCg), frontopolar, and orbitofrontal (OFC) subregions, as well as nucleus accumbens (Acb), (b) reduced D2R in aCg, OFC, and substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area, and (c) elevated DAT in putamen. These findings suggest a mechanism by which DA pathways may be altered in SPD. These pathways are associated with reward processing and pain regulation, providing top-down regulation of sensory and affective processes. The balance between top-down cognitive control in the PFC-Acb pathway and bottom-up motivational function of the VTA-Acb-PFC pathway is critical for successful adaptive function. An imbalance in these two systems might explain DA-related symptoms in children with SPD, including reduced top-down regulatory function and exaggerated responsivity to stimuli. These results provide more direct evidence that SPD may involve altered DA receptor and transporter function in PFC, striatal, and midbrain regions. More work is needed to extend these results to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary L Schneider
- Occupational Therapy Program, Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States.,Harlow Center for Biological Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Colleen F Moore
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States.,Department of Psychology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| | - Elizabeth O Ahlers
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Todd E Barnhart
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Bradley T Christian
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Onofre T DeJesus
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Jonathan W Engle
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - James E Holden
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Julie A Larson
- Occupational Therapy Program, Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States.,Harlow Center for Biological Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Jeffrey M Moirano
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Dhanabalan Murali
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Robert J Nickles
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Leslie M Resch
- Occupational Therapy Program, Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States.,Harlow Center for Biological Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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23
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Giorgi O, Corda MG, Fernández-Teruel A. A Genetic Model of Impulsivity, Vulnerability to Drug Abuse and Schizophrenia-Relevant Symptoms With Translational Potential: The Roman High- vs. Low-Avoidance Rats. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:145. [PMID: 31333426 PMCID: PMC6624787 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The bidirectional selective breeding of Roman high- (RHA) and low-avoidance (RLA) rats for respectively rapid vs. poor acquisition of active avoidant behavior has generated two lines/strains that differ markedly in terms of emotional reactivity, with RHA rats being less fearful than their RLA counterparts. Many other behavioral traits have been segregated along the selection procedure; thus, compared with their RLA counterparts, RHA rats behave as proactive copers in the face of aversive conditions, display a robust sensation/novelty seeking (SNS) profile, and show high impulsivity and an innate preference for natural and drug rewards. Impulsivity is a multifaceted behavioral trait and is generally defined as a tendency to express actions that are poorly conceived, premature, highly risky or inappropriate to the situation, that frequently lead to unpleasant consequences. High levels of impulsivity are associated with several neuropsychiatric conditions including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, and drug addiction. Herein, we review the behavioral and neurochemical differences between RHA and RLA rats and survey evidence that RHA rats represent a valid genetic model, with face, construct, and predictive validity, to investigate the neural underpinnings of behavioral disinhibition, novelty seeking, impulsivity, vulnerability to drug addiction as well as deficits in attentional processes, cognitive impairments and other schizophrenia-relevant traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osvaldo Giorgi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Maria G Corda
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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24
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Río-Álamos C, Piludu MA, Gerbolés C, Barroso D, Oliveras I, Sánchez-González A, Cañete T, Tapias-Espinosa C, Sampedro-Viana D, Torrubia R, Tobeña A, Fernández-Teruel A. Volumetric brain differences between the Roman rat strains: Neonatal handling effects, sensorimotor gating and working memory. Behav Brain Res 2019; 361:74-85. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.12.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 11/23/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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25
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Muntsant A, Shrivastava K, Recasens M, Giménez-Llort L. Severe Perinatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury Induces Long-Term Sensorimotor Deficits, Anxiety-Like Behaviors and Cognitive Impairment in a Sex-, Age- and Task-Selective Manner in C57BL/6 Mice but Can Be Modulated by Neonatal Handling. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:7. [PMID: 30814939 PMCID: PMC6381068 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Perinatal brain injury (PBI) leads to neurological disabilities throughout life, from motor deficits, cognitive limitations to severe cerebral palsy. Yet, perinatal brain damage has limited therapeutic outcomes. Besides, the immature brain of premature children is at increased risk of hypoxic/ischemic (HI) injury, with males being more susceptible to it and less responsive to protective/therapeutical interventions. Here, we model in male and female C57BL/6 mice, the impact of neonatal HI and the protective effects of neonatal handling (NH), an early life tactile and proprioceptive sensory stimulation. From postnatal day 1 (PND1, modeling pre-term) to PND21 randomized litters received either NH or left undisturbed. HI brain damage occurred by permanent left carotid occlusion followed by hypoxia at PND7 (modeling full-term) in half of the animals. The behavioral and functional screening of the pups at weaning (PND23) and their long-term outcomes (adulthood, PND70) were evaluated in a longitudinal study, as follows: somatic development (weight), sensorimotor functions (reflexes, rods and hanger tests), exploration [activity (ACT) and open-field (OF) test], emotional and anxiety-like behaviors [corner, open-field and dark-light box (DLB) tests], learning and memory [T-maze (TM) and Morris Water-Maze (MWM)]. HI induced similar brain damage in both sexes but affected motor development, sensorimotor functions, induced hyperactivity at weaning, and anxiety-like behaviors and cognitive deficits at adulthood, in a sex- and age-dependent manner. Thus, during ontogeny, HI affected equilibrium especially in females and prehensility in males, but only reflexes at adulthood. Hyperactivity of HI males was normalized at adulthood. HI increased neophobia and other anxiety-like behaviors in males but emotionality in females. Both sexes showed worse short/long-term learning, but memory was more affected in males. Striking neuroprotective effects of NH were found, with significantly lower injury scores, mostly in HI males. At the functional level, NH reversed the impaired reflex responses and improved memory performances in hippocampal-dependent spatial-learning tasks, especially in males. Finally, neuropathological correlates referred to atrophy, neuronal densities and cellularity in the affected areas [hippocampal-CA, caudate/putamen, thalamus, neocortex and corpus callosum (CC)] point out distinct neuronal substrates underlying the sex- and age- functional impacts of these risk/protection interventions on sensorimotor, behavioral and cognitive outcomes from ontogeny to adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aida Muntsant
- Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Kalpana Shrivastava
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology & Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mireia Recasens
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology & Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lydia Giménez-Llort
- Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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26
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Godar SC, Mosher LJ, Scheggi S, Devoto P, Moench KM, Strathman HJ, Jones CM, Frau R, Melis M, Gambarana C, Wilkinson B, DeMontis MG, Fowler SC, Coba MP, Wellman CL, Shih JC, Bortolato M. Gene-environment interactions in antisocial behavior are mediated by early-life 5-HT 2A receptor activation. Neuropharmacology 2019; 159:107513. [PMID: 30716416 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.01.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Revised: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The ontogeny of antisocial behavior (ASB) is rooted in complex gene-environment (G×E) interactions. The best-characterized of these interplays occurs between: a) low-activity alleles of the gene encoding monoamine oxidase A (MAOA), the main serotonin-degrading enzyme; and b) child maltreatment. The purpose of this study was to develop the first animal model of this G×E interaction, to help understand the neurobiological mechanisms of ASB and identify novel targets for its therapy. Maoa hypomorphic transgenic mice were exposed to an early-life stress regimen consisting of maternal separation and daily intraperitoneal saline injections and were then compared with their wild-type and non-stressed controls for ASB-related neurobehavioral phenotypes. Maoa hypomorphic mice subjected to stress from postnatal day (PND) 1 through 7 - but not during the second postnatal week - developed overt aggression, social deficits and abnormal stress responses from the fourth week onwards. On PND 8, these mice exhibited low resting heart rate - a well-established premorbid sign of ASB - and a significant and selective up-regulation of serotonin 5-HT2A receptors in the prefrontal cortex. Notably, both aggression and neonatal bradycardia were rescued by the 5-HT2 receptor antagonist ketanserin (1-3 mg kg-1, IP), as well as the selective 5-HT2A receptor blocker MDL-100,907 (volinanserin, 0.1-0.3 mg kg-1, IP) throughout the first postnatal week. These findings provide the first evidence of a molecular basis of G×E interactions in ASB and point to early-life 5-HT2A receptor activation as a key mechanism for the ontogeny of this condition. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'The neuropharmacology of social behavior: from bench to bedside'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean C Godar
- Dept. of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Consortium for Translational Research on Aggression and Drug Abuse (ConTRADA), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Laura J Mosher
- Dept. of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Dept. of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Simona Scheggi
- Dept. of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Dept. of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Italy
| | - Paola Devoto
- Dept. of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neuroscience, UNICA, Monserrato, Italy
| | - Kelly M Moench
- Dept. of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Program in Neural Science and Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Hunter J Strathman
- Dept. of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Dept. of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Cori M Jones
- Dept. of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Roberto Frau
- Dept. of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neuroscience, UNICA, Monserrato, Italy
| | - Miriam Melis
- Dept. of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neuroscience, UNICA, Monserrato, Italy
| | - Carla Gambarana
- Dept. of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Italy
| | - Brent Wilkinson
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute and Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Stephen C Fowler
- Dept. of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Marcelo P Coba
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute and Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Cara L Wellman
- Dept. of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Program in Neural Science and Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Jean C Shih
- Depts. of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Integrated Anatomic Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Marco Bortolato
- Dept. of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Consortium for Translational Research on Aggression and Drug Abuse (ConTRADA), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA.
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27
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Clément T, Rodriguez-Grande B, Badaut J. Aquaporins in brain edema. J Neurosci Res 2018; 98:9-18. [DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Tifenn Clément
- CNRS UMR 5287, INCIA, University of Bordeaux; Bordeaux France
| | | | - Jérôme Badaut
- CNRS UMR 5287, INCIA, University of Bordeaux; Bordeaux France
- Department of Basic Science; Loma Linda University School of Medicine; Loma Linda California
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28
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Scheggi S, De Montis MG, Gambarana C. DARPP-32 in the orchestration of responses to positive natural stimuli. J Neurochem 2018; 147:439-453. [PMID: 30043390 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.14558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Revised: 07/09/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Dopamine- and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein (Mr 32 kDa, DARPP-32) is an integrator of multiple neuronal signals and plays a crucial role particularly in mediating the dopaminergic component of the systems involved in the evaluation of stimuli and the ensuing elaboration of complex behavioral responses (e.g., responses to reinforcers and stressors). Dopamine neurons can fire tonically or phasically in distinct timescales and in specific brain regions to code different behaviorally relevant information. Dopamine signaling is mediated mainly through the regulation of adenylyl cyclase activity, stimulated by D1-like or inhibited by D2-like receptors, respectively, that modulates cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) function. The activity of DARPP-32 is finely regulated by its phosphorylation at multiple sites. Phosphorylation at the threonine (Thr) 34 residue by PKA converts DARPP-32 into an inhibitor of protein phosphatase 1, while the phosphorylation at the Thr75 residue turns it into an inhibitor of PKA. Thus, DARPP-32 is critically implicated in regulating striatal output in response to the convergent pathways that influence signaling of the cAMP/PKA pathway. This review summarizes some of the landmark and recent studies of DARPP-32-mediated signaling in the attempt to clarify the role played by DARPP-32 in the response to rewarding natural stimuli. Particularly, the review deals with data derived from rodents studies and discusses the involvement of the cAMP/PKA/DARPP-32 pathway in: 1) appetitive food-sustained motivated behaviors, 2) motivated behaviors sustained by social reward, 3) sexual behavior, and 4) responses to environmental enrichment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Scheggi
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | | | - Carla Gambarana
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
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29
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Lansade L, Foury A, Reigner F, Vidament M, Guettier E, Bouvet G, Soulet D, Parias C, Ruet A, Mach N, Lévy F, Moisan MP. Progressive habituation to separation alleviates the negative effects of weaning in the mother and foal. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018; 97:59-68. [PMID: 30005282 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Revised: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Early and definitive separation between offspring and their mothers has negative consequences on behavioral and physiological responses. This study compared sudden and definitive weaning (Sudd group, N = 16) and weaning involving progressive habituation to separation using a fence line during the month preceding definitive separation (Prog group, N = 18). The impact of these two methods was assessed in both foals and their mothers through behavioral and biological parameters, including salivary cortisol, telomere length and blood transcriptomes. On the day of definitive separation, Prog foals neighed and trotted less and presented lower cortisol levels than Sudd foals. The weaning type also acted on the foals' personality development; Prog foals became more curious, less fearful and less gregarious than Sudd foals, and the effects remained visible for at least 3 months. In principal component analysis, the Sudd and Prog groups were well separated along a factor where fear, reactivity and gregariousness correlated with high cortisol levels, but curiosity was associated with an increased telomere length and higher expression of genes involved in mitochondrial functions. Progressive weaning was also beneficial in mares. Principal component analysis showed that most Sudd group mares had higher cortisol levels and displayed more alert postures, neighs and activity on the day of weaning, indicating higher stress levels, while Prog mares had profiles that were characterized by more time spent resting on the day of weaning and longer telomere lengths. In conclusion, this study shows that progressive habituation to separation alleviates the negative effect of definitive weaning on both the mother and her young compared to sudden separation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léa Lansade
- INRA, PRC, CNRS, IFCE, University Tours, Nouzilly, France.
| | - Aline Foury
- INRA, UMR 1286, Université Bordeaux, Nutrition et Neurobiologie Intégrée, Bordeaux, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Céline Parias
- INRA, PRC, CNRS, IFCE, University Tours, Nouzilly, France
| | - Alice Ruet
- INRA, PRC, CNRS, IFCE, University Tours, Nouzilly, France
| | - Nuria Mach
- INRA, UMR 1313, AgroParisTech, University Paris-Saclay Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Frédéric Lévy
- INRA, PRC, CNRS, IFCE, University Tours, Nouzilly, France
| | - Marie-Pierre Moisan
- INRA, UMR 1286, Université Bordeaux, Nutrition et Neurobiologie Intégrée, Bordeaux, France
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30
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Wang R, Hausknecht KA, Shen YL, Haj-Dahmane S, Vezina P, Shen RY. Environmental enrichment reverses increased addiction risk caused by prenatal ethanol exposure. Drug Alcohol Depend 2018; 191:343-347. [PMID: 30176547 PMCID: PMC6178821 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Revised: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal ethanol exposure (PE) leads to multiple cognitive and behavioral deficits including increased drug addiction risk. Previous studies have shown that rearing environment plays a significant role in impacting addiction risk. In the present study, we investigated if environmental enrichment during development could be effective in lowering the PE-induced increase in addiction risk. To simulate heavy drinking during pregnancy in humans, pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats received ethanol (6 g/kg/day) or vehicle through intragastric gavage on gestation days 8-20. After weaning, the offspring were reared in either an enriched environment (EE) including neonatal handling and complex housing or an impoverished environment (IE) consisting of barren, single housing. Adult male offspring were then tested for locomotion, performance on the elevated plus maze, and amphetamine self-administration under a progressive ratio reinforcement schedule. Overall, EE rats, compared to IE rats, showed reduced locomotor activity in a novel environment and lower levels of anxiety, irrespective of prenatal treatments. Prenatal ethanol exposure increased amphetamine self-administration at both doses tested (0.02 and 0.05 mg/kg/infusion) and in each case EE, relative to IE, reversed this effect. These findings suggest that postnatal environmental complexity plays a determining role in addiction risk after PE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruixiang Wang
- Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA; Department of Psychology, Park Hall Room 204, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Kathryn A Hausknecht
- Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Ying-Ling Shen
- Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA; Graduate Institute of Humanities in Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Samir Haj-Dahmane
- Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Paul Vezina
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, The University of Chicago, 5841 South Maryland Avenue MC 3077, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Roh-Yu Shen
- Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA.
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31
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Wang R, Shen YL, Hausknecht KA, Chang L, Haj-Dahmane S, Vezina P, Shen RY. Prenatal ethanol exposure increases risk of psychostimulant addiction. Behav Brain Res 2018; 356:51-61. [PMID: 30076855 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.07.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Revised: 07/04/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal ethanol exposure (PE) causes many cognitive and behavioral deficits including increased drug addiction risk, demonstrated by enhanced ethanol intake and behavioral phenotypes associated with addiction risk. Additionally, preclinical studies show that PE persistently changes the function of dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area, a major neural substrate for addiction, and alters these neurons' responses to psychostimulants. Accordingly, PE could also lead to increased risk of addiction to drugs of abuse, other than ethanol. In the present study, addiction risk was examined utilizing paradigms of amphetamine conditioned place preference (CPP) and intravenous self-administration. Ethanol was administered to pregnant dams via intragastric gavage (6 g/kg, during gestational days 8-20). Behavioral tests were conducted in adult male offspring. Amphetamine at a low dose (0.3 mg/kg, i.p.) induced CPP in PE but not control rats, whereas at a higher dose (0.6 mg/kg, i.p.) both groups acquired CPP. There was no group difference in amphetamine-induced CPP reinstatement. Furthermore, PE rats self-administered more amphetamine at a low dose (0.02 mg/kg/infusion) than controls, while no group differences were observed at a higher dose (0.1 mg/kg/infusion). Rats with PE also exhibited greater reactivity to contextual drug cues after extended abstinence and amphetamine-induced reinstatement of drug seeking. These results support that PE persistently leads to increased psychostimulant addiction risk later in life, manifested in many elements of addictive behavior following limited psychostimulant exposure. The observations provide insights into prevention strategies for drug addiction in individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruixiang Wang
- Research Institute on Addictions and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA; Department of Psychology, Park Hall Room 204, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14260, USA
| | - Ying-Ling Shen
- Research Institute on Addictions and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA; Graduate Institute of Humanities in Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Kathryn A Hausknecht
- Research Institute on Addictions and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Lawrence Chang
- Research Institute on Addictions and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Samir Haj-Dahmane
- Research Institute on Addictions and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Paul Vezina
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, The University of Chicago, 5841 South Maryland Avenue MC 3077, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Roh-Yu Shen
- Research Institute on Addictions and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA.
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32
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Sampedro-Piquero P, Begega A. Environmental Enrichment as a Positive Behavioral Intervention Across the Lifespan. Curr Neuropharmacol 2018; 15:459-470. [PMID: 27012955 PMCID: PMC5543669 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x14666160325115909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2015] [Revised: 06/30/2015] [Accepted: 03/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In recent decades, the interest in behavioral interventions has been growing due to the higher prevalence of age-related cognitive impairments. Hence, behavioral interventions, such as cognitive stimulation and physical activity, and along with these, our lifestyle (education level, work position, frequency of cognitive and social activities) have shown important benefits during the cognitive impairment, dementia and even recovery after brain injury. This is due to the fact that this type of intervention and activities promote the formation of a cognitive and brain reserve that allows tolerating brain damage during a long period of time without the appearance of cognitive symptoms. With regard to this, animal models have proved very useful in providing information about the brain mechanisms involved in the development of these cognitive and brain reserves and how they interact with each other. METHODS We summarize several studies showing the positive effects of Environmental Enrichment (EE), understood as a housing condition in which animals benefit from the sensory, physical, cognitive and social stimulation provided, on brain and cognitive functions usually impaired during aging. RESULTS Most of studies have shown that EE is a successful protocol to improve cognitive functions and reduce anxiety-related behaviors across the lifespan, as well as in animal models of neurodegenerative diseases. CONCLUSION Therefore, EE is a laboratory condition in which some aspects of an active lifestyle are reproduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Sampedro-Piquero
- Department of Biological and Health Psychology, Autonomous University of Madrid, Cantoblanco 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - A Begega
- Neuroscience Laboratory, Psychology Department, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n 33003 Oviedo, INEUROPA, Spain
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Rosas M, Porru S, Sabariego M, Piludu MA, Giorgi O, Corda MG, Acquas E. Effects of morphine on place conditioning and ERK 1/2 phosphorylation in the nucleus accumbens of psychogenetically selected Roman low- and high-avoidance rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2018; 235:59-69. [PMID: 28971231 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-017-4740-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2016] [Revised: 08/22/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) phosphorylation is critical for neuronal and behavioural functions; in particular, phosphorylated ERK1/2 (pERK1/2) expression in the nucleus accumbens (Acb) of the rat is stimulated by addictive drugs with the exception of morphine, which decreases accumbal ERK1/2 phosphorylation in the Sprague-Dawley and Wistar rats. The psychogenetically selected Roman low- (RLA) and high-avoidance (RHA) rats differ behaviourally and neurochemically in many responses to addictive drugs. In particular, morphine elicits a greater increment in locomotor activity and in dopamine transmission in the Acb of RHA vs RLA rats. However, the effects of morphine on place conditioning (conditioned place preference (CPP)) and ERK1/2 phosphorylation in the Roman lines remain unknown. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS To characterize in the Roman lines the reinforcing properties of morphine (i.e. morphine-elicited CPP acquisition) and the relationship between these properties and its effects on ERK1/2 phosphorylation in the Acb, the behavioural effects of morphine were evaluated in a place-conditioning apparatus and ERK1/2 phosphorylation was assessed by immunohistochemistry in the shell and core subregions of the Acb of rats both acutely administered with morphine or undergoing conditioning. RESULTS Morphine elicited CPP in both Roman lines and decreased pERK1/2 expression in the Acb of RLA but not RHA rats. Such decrease was prevented by conditioning. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that the selective breeding of the Roman lines has generated a divergence, in terms of morphine-elicited pERK1/2 expression but not of morphine-elicited CPP, between RLA and RHA rats and sustain the observation that changes in pERK1/2 expression in the Acb are not a requisite for the reinforcing effects of morphine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michela Rosas
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Via Ospedale, 72, 09124, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Simona Porru
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Via Ospedale, 72, 09124, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Marta Sabariego
- Neurobiology Section and Center for Neural Circuits and Behavior, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, USA
| | - Maria Antonietta Piludu
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Via Ospedale, 72, 09124, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Osvaldo Giorgi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Via Ospedale, 72, 09124, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Maria G Corda
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Via Ospedale, 72, 09124, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Elio Acquas
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Via Ospedale, 72, 09124, Cagliari, Italy. .,Centre of Excellence on Neurobiology of Addiction, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
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Decreased environmental complexity during development impairs habituation of reinforcer effectiveness of sensory stimuli. Behav Brain Res 2017; 337:53-60. [PMID: 28943426 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.09.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2017] [Revised: 09/15/2017] [Accepted: 09/20/2017] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Previous research has shown that rats reared in simple/impoverished environments demonstrate greater repetitive responding for sensory reinforcers (e.g., light onset). Moreover, the brains of these rats are abnormally developed, compared to brains of rats reared in more complex/enriched environments. Repetitive behaviors are commonly observed in individuals with developmental disorders. Some of these repetitive behaviors could be maintained by the reinforcing effects of the sensory stimulation that they produce. Therefore, rearing rats in impoverished conditions may provide an animal model for certain repetitive behaviors associated with developmental disorders. We hypothesize that in rats reared in simple/impoverished environments, the normal habituation process to sensory reinforcers is impaired, resulting in high levels of repetitive behaviors. We tested the hypothesis using an operant sensory reinforcement paradigm in rats reared in simple/impoverished (IC), standard laboratory (SC), and complex/enrichened conditions (EC, treatments including postnatal handling and environmental enrichment). Results show that the within-session habituation of the reinforcer effectiveness of light onset was slower in the IC and SC rats than in the EC rats. A dishabituation challenge indicated that within-session decline of responses was due to habituation and not motor fatigue or sensory adaptation. In conclusion, rearing rats in simple/impoverished environments, and comparing them to rats reared in more complex/enriched environments, may constitute a useful approach for studying certain repetitive behaviors associated with developmental disorders.
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Shilpa BM, Bhagya V, Harish G, Srinivas Bharath MM, Shankaranarayana Rao BS. Environmental enrichment ameliorates chronic immobilisation stress-induced spatial learning deficits and restores the expression of BDNF, VEGF, GFAP and glucocorticoid receptors. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2017; 76:88-100. [PMID: 28288856 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.02.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2016] [Revised: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 02/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Severe and prolonged stress is the main environmental factor that precipitates depression, anxiety and cognitive dysfunctions. On the other hand, exposure to environmental enrichment (EE) has been shown to induce progressive plasticity in the brain and improve learning and memory in various neurological and psychiatric disorders. It is not known whether exposure to enriched environment could ameliorate chronic immobilisation stress-induced cognitive deficits and altered molecular markers. Hence, in the present study we aimed to evaluate the effect of enriched environment on chronic immobilisation stress (CIS) associated changes in spatial learning and memory, behavioural measures of anxiety, depression and molecular markers as well as structural alterations. Male Wistar rats were subjected to chronic immobilisation stress for 2h/day/10days followed by 2weeks of exposure to EE. CIS resulted in weight loss, anhedonia, increased immobility, spatial learning and memory impairment, enhanced anxiety, and reduced expression of BDNF, VEGF, GFAP and glucocorticoid receptors (GR) in discrete brain regions. Interestingly, stressed rats exposed to enrichment ameliorated behavioural depression, spatial learning and memory impairment and reduced anxiety behaviour. In addition, EE restored BDNF, VEGF, GFAP and GR expression and normalized hypotrophy of dentate gyrus and hippocampus in CIS rats. In contrast, EE did not restore hypertrophy of the amygdalar complex. Thus, EE ameliorates stress-induced cognitive deficits by modulating the neurotrophic factors, astrocytes and glucocorticoid receptors in the hippocampus, frontal cortex and amygdala.
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Affiliation(s)
- B M Shilpa
- Department of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Hosur Road, Bengaluru 560 029, India
| | - V Bhagya
- Department of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Hosur Road, Bengaluru 560 029, India
| | - G Harish
- Department of Neurochemistry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Hosur Road, Bengaluru 560 029, India
| | - M M Srinivas Bharath
- Department of Neurochemistry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Hosur Road, Bengaluru 560 029, India
| | - B S Shankaranarayana Rao
- Department of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Hosur Road, Bengaluru 560 029, India.
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Early postnatal handling reduces hippocampal amyloid plaque formation and enhances cognitive performance in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice at middle age. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2017; 144:27-35. [PMID: 28579367 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2017.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2017] [Revised: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/30/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
In rodents, fragmented and low levels of maternal care have been implicated in age-related cognitive decline and the incidence and progression of Alzheimer's pathology. In contrast, enhancing early postnatal maternal care has been associated with improved cognitive function later in life. Here we examined whether early postnatal handling of mouse pups from postnatal days 2-9 enhanced maternal care and whether this affected cognition and Alzheimer pathology at 5 and 11months of age in the APPswe/PS1dE9 mouse model for Alzheimer's disease. Brief, 15min daily episodes of separating offspring from their dams from postnatal days 2-9 (early handling, EH) increased maternal care of the dam towards her pups upon reunion. At 11 (but not 5) months of age, EH APPswe/PS1dE1 mice displayed significantly reduced amyloid plaque pathology in the hippocampus. At this age, EH also prevented short-term working memory deficits while restoring impairments in contextual fear memory formation in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice. EH did not modulate amyloid pathology in the amygdala, nor did it affect auditory fear conditioning deficits in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice. We conclude that increased levels of maternal care during the early life period delays amyloid accumulation and cognitive decline in an Alzheimer's mouse model, involving the hippocampus, but not to the amygdala. These studies highlight the importance of the early postnatal period in modulating resilience to develop Alzheimer's pathology later in life.
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Río-Álamos C, Oliveras I, Piludu MA, Gerbolés C, Cañete T, Blázquez G, Lope-Piedrafita S, Martínez-Membrives E, Torrubia R, Tobeña A, Fernández-Teruel A. Neonatal handling enduringly decreases anxiety and stress responses and reduces hippocampus and amygdala volume in a genetic model of differential anxiety: Behavioral-volumetric associations in the Roman rat strains. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2017; 27:146-158. [PMID: 28049558 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2016.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2016] [Revised: 12/12/2016] [Accepted: 12/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The hippocampus and amygdala have been proposed as key neural structures related to anxiety. A more active hippocampus/amygdala system has been related to greater anxious responses in situations involving conflict/novelty. The Roman Low- (RLA) and High-avoidance (RHA) rat lines/strains constitute a genetic model of differential anxiety. Relative to RHA rats, RLA rats exhibit enhanced anxiety/fearfulness, augmented hippocampal/amygdala c-Fos expression following exposure to novelty/conflict, increased hippocampal neuronal density and higher endocrine responses to stress. Neonatal handling (NH) is an environmental treatment with long-lasting anxiety/stress-reducing effects in rodents. Since hippocampus and amygdala volume are supposed to be related to anxiety/fear, we hypothesized a greater volume of both areas in RLA than in RHA rats, as well as that NH treatment would reduce anxiety and the volume of both structures, in particular in the RLA strain. Adult untreated and NH-treated RHA and RLA rats were tested for anxiety, sensorimotor gating (PPI), stress-induced corticosterone and prolactin responses, two-way active avoidance acquisition and in vivo 7 T 1H-Magnetic resonance image. As expected, untreated RLA rats showed higher anxiety and post-stress hormone responses, as well as greater hippocampus and amygdala volumes than untreated RHA rats. NH decreased anxiety/stress responses, especially in RLA rats, and significantly reduced hippocampus and amygdala volumes in this strain. Dorsal striatum volume was not different between the strains nor it was affected by NH. Finally, there were positive associations (as shown by correlations, factor analysis and multiple regression) between anxiety and PPI and hippocampus/amygdala volumes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristóbal Río-Álamos
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Ignasi Oliveras
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Antonietta Piludu
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Section of Pharmaceutical, Pharmacological and Nutraceutical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy
| | - Cristina Gerbolés
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Section of Pharmaceutical, Pharmacological and Nutraceutical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy; Servei de RMN, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de investigacion Biomédica en Red - Bioingenieria, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Spain
| | - Toni Cañete
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gloria Blázquez
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Silvia Lope-Piedrafita
- Servei de RMN, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de investigacion Biomédica en Red - Bioingenieria, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Spain
| | - Esther Martínez-Membrives
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rafael Torrubia
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adolf Tobeña
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
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Antoniazzi CTD, Metz VG, Roversi K, Freitas DL, Vey LT, Dias VT, Segat HJ, Duarte MMMF, Burger ME. Tactile stimulation during different developmental periods modifies hippocampal BDNF and GR, affecting memory and behavior in adult rats. Hippocampus 2016; 27:210-220. [PMID: 27874237 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.22686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2016] [Revised: 11/20/2016] [Accepted: 11/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have shown that tactile stimulation (TS) in pups is able to prevent and/or minimize fear, anxiety behaviors, and addiction to psychostimulant drugs in adult rats. In these studies, animals have been exposed to handling from postnatal day (PND) 1-21. This study was designed to precisely establish which period of preweaning development has a greater influence of TS on neuronal development. After birth, male pups were exposed to TS from PND1-7, PND8-14, and PND15-21. In adulthood, the different periods of postnatal TS were assessed through behavioral, biochemical, and molecular assessments. Animals that received TS from PND8-14 showed lower anxiety-like symptoms, as observed by decreased anxiety index in elevated plus maze. This same TS period was able to improve rats' working memory by increasing the percentage of alternation rate in Y-maze, and induce better ability to cope with stressful situations, as showed in the defensive burying test by a reduced time of burying behavior. On the other hand, animals receiving TS in the first week of life showed longest cumulative burying time, which is directly related to increased anxiety-like behavior. Moreover, TS from PND8-14 showed lower corticosterone levels and better oxidative status, as observed by decreased lipid peroxidation and increased catalase activity in the hippocampus. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) immunocontent was increased in the hippocampus of animals receiving TS from PND8-14, while glucocorticoid receptors immunocontent was decreased in both TS1-7 and TS15-21 , but not TS8-14 . To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to show TS can be more efficient if applied over a focused period of neonatal development (PND8-14) and this beneficial influence can be reflected on reduced emotionality and increased ability to address stressful situations in adulthood. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caren T D Antoniazzi
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Farmacologia Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Vinícia G Metz
- Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Karine Roversi
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Farmacologia Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Daniele L Freitas
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica Toxicológica Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Luciana T Vey
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica Toxicológica Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Verônica T Dias
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Farmacologia Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Hecson J Segat
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica Toxicológica Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | | | - Marilise E Burger
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Farmacologia Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica Toxicológica Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
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Macrì S. Neonatal corticosterone administration in rodents as a tool to investigate the maternal programming of emotional and immune domains. Neurobiol Stress 2016; 6:22-30. [PMID: 28229106 PMCID: PMC5314439 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2016.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2016] [Revised: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Neonatal experiences exert persistent influences on individual development. These influences encompass numerous domains including emotion, cognition, reactivity to external stressors and immunity. The comprehensive nature of the neonatal programming of individual phenotype is reverberated in the large amount of experimental data collected by many authors in several scientific fields: biomedicine, evolutionary and molecular biology. These data support the view that variations in precocious environmental conditions may calibrate the individual phenotype at many different levels. Environmental influences have been traditionally addressed through experimental paradigms entailing the modification of the neonatal environment and the multifactorial (e.g. behaviour, endocrinology, cellular and molecular biology) analysis of the developing individual's phenotype. These protocols suggested that the role of the mother in mediating the offspring's phenotype is often associated with the short-term effects of environmental manipulations on dam's physiology. Specifically, environmental manipulations may induce fluctuations in maternal corticosteroids (corticosterone in rodents) which, in turn, are translated to the offspring through lactation. Herein, I propose that this mother-offspring transfer mechanism can be leveraged to devise experimental protocols based on the exogenous administration of corticosterone during lactation. To support this proposition, I refer to a series of studies in which these protocols have been adopted to investigate the neonatal programming of individual phenotype at the level of emotional and immune regulations. While these paradigms cannot replace traditional studies, I suggest that they can be considered a valid complement.
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Theilmann W, Kleimann A, Rhein M, Bleich S, Frieling H, Löscher W, Brandt C. Behavioral differences of male Wistar rats from different vendors in vulnerability and resilience to chronic mild stress are reflected in epigenetic regulation and expression of p11. Brain Res 2016; 1642:505-515. [PMID: 27103570 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2016.04.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2015] [Revised: 04/15/2016] [Accepted: 04/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Outbred rat lines such as Wistar rats are commonly used for models of depressive disorders. Such rats arise from random mating schedules. Hence, genetic drift occurs in outbred populations which could lead to genotypic and phenotypic heterogeneity between rats from different vendors. Additionally, vendor specific rearing conditions could contribute to intrastrain variability. In the present study differences in behavioral responses to the chronic mild stress (CMS) model of depression within Wistar rat strains from different vendors are described. DNA methylation studies and mRNA expression analysis of p11 revealed that the behavioral differences between the substrains are reflected at the epigenetic and genetic level. The results suggest that there are breeder-dependent differences in vulnerability to stress in the CMS model of depression, which might bear on the validity of the model and contribute to contradictory findings and difficulties of replication between laboratories. P11 mRNA expression seems to be differently regulated depending on the quality of the stress response evoked by CMS exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wiebke Theilmann
- Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Finland; Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany
| | - Alexandra Kleimann
- Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School Hannover, Germany
| | - Mathias Rhein
- Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School Hannover, Germany
| | - Stefan Bleich
- Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School Hannover, Germany; Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany
| | - Helge Frieling
- Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School Hannover, Germany; Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Löscher
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany; Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany
| | - Claudia Brandt
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany; Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany.
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Cuenya L, Sabariego M, Donaire R, Callejas-Aguilera JE, Torres C, Fernández-Teruel A. Exploration of a novel object in late adolescence predicts novelty-seeking behavior in adulthood: Associations among behavioral responses in four novelty-seeking tests. Behav Processes 2016; 125:34-42. [PMID: 26852869 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2016.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2015] [Revised: 02/01/2016] [Accepted: 02/02/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED The sensation/novelty seeking behavioral trait refers to the exploration/preference for a novel environment. Novelty seeking increases during late adolescence and it has been associated with several neurobehavioral disorders. In this experiment, we asked whether inbred Roman high- and low-avoidance (RHA-I, RLA-I) rats (1) differ in novelty seeking in late adolescence and (2) whether late adolescent novelty seeking predicts this trait in adulthood. Thirty six male RHA-I and 36 RLA-I rats were exposed to a novel object exploration (NOE) test during late adolescence (pnd: 52-59; DEPENDENT VARIABLES contact latency, contact time, contact frequency). Head-dipping (hole-board, HB), time and visits to a novel-arm (Y-maze), and latency-in and emergence latency (emergence test) were registered in adulthood (pnd: 83-105). The results showed strain differences in all these tests (RHA-I>RLA-I). Factor analysis (RHA-I+RLA-I) revealed two clusters. The first one grouped HB and emergence test measures. The second one grouped NOE and Y-maze variables. Time exploring a novel object (NOE) was a significant predictor of novel arm time (RHA-I+RLA, RHA-I); contact latency was a significant predictor of novel arm frequency (RLA-I). Present results show consistent behavioral associations across four novelty-seeking tests and suggest that late adolescent novelty seeking predicts this genetically-influenced temperamental trait in adult Roman rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Cuenya
- Laboratorio de Psicología Experimental y Aplicada, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas Alfredo Lanari, CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marta Sabariego
- Neurobiology Section and Center for Neural Circuits and Behavior, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Rocío Donaire
- Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de Jaén, Spain
| | | | - Carmen Torres
- Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de Jaén, Spain.
| | - Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Departamento de Psiquiatría y Medicina Legal, Instituto de Neurociencias, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
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Zanca RM, Braren SH, Maloney B, Schrott LM, Luine VN, Serrano PA. Environmental Enrichment Increases Glucocorticoid Receptors and Decreases GluA2 and Protein Kinase M Zeta (PKMζ) Trafficking During Chronic Stress: A Protective Mechanism? Front Behav Neurosci 2015; 9:303. [PMID: 26617502 PMCID: PMC4642137 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2015] [Accepted: 10/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental enrichment (EE) housing paradigms have long been shown beneficial for brain function involving neural growth and activity, learning and memory capacity, and for developing stress resiliency. The expression of the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor subunit GluA2, which is important for synaptic plasticity and memory, is increased with corticosterone (CORT), undermining synaptic plasticity and memory. Thus, we determined the effect of EE and stress on modulating GluA2 expression in Sprague-Dawley male rats. Several markers were evaluated which include: plasma CORT, the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), GluA2, and the atypical protein kinase M zeta (PKMζ). For 1 week standard-(ST) or EE-housed animals were treated with one of the following four conditions: (1) no stress; (2) acute stress (forced swim test, FST; on day 7); (3) chronic restraint stress (6 h/day for 7 days); and (4) chronic + acute stress (restraint stress 6 h/day for 7 days + FST on day 7). Hippocampi were collected on day 7. Our results show that EE animals had reduced time immobile on the FST across all conditions. After chronic + acute stress EE animals showed increased GR levels with no change in synaptic GluA2/PKMζ. ST-housed animals showed the reverse pattern with decreased GR levels and a significant increase in synaptic GluA2/PKMζ. These results suggest that EE produces an adaptive response to chronic stress allowing for increased GR levels, which lowers neuronal excitability reducing GluA2/PKMζ trafficking. We discuss this EE adaptive response to stress as a potential underlying mechanism that is protective for retaining synaptic plasticity and memory function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roseanna M Zanca
- Department of Psychology, Hunter College City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stephen H Braren
- Department of Psychology, Hunter College City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Brigid Maloney
- Department of Psychology, Hunter College City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lisa M Schrott
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Neuroscience, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Victoria N Luine
- Department of Psychology, Hunter College City University of New York, New York, NY, USA ; The Graduate Center of CUNY New York, NY, USA
| | - Peter A Serrano
- Department of Psychology, Hunter College City University of New York, New York, NY, USA ; The Graduate Center of CUNY New York, NY, USA
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43
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The impact of early postnatal environmental enrichment on maternal care and offspring behaviour following weaning. Behav Processes 2015; 122:51-8. [PMID: 26562657 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2015.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2015] [Revised: 10/27/2015] [Accepted: 11/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The early postnatal period is a sensitive period in rodents as behavioural systems are developing and maturing during this time. However, relatively little information is available about the impact of environmental enrichment on offspring behaviour if enrichment is implemented only during this period. Here, environmental enrichment was provided from postnatal day 1 until weaning. On post-natal day 9, maternal behaviour and nonmaternal behaviour of the dam was observed. Nursing time in the enriched group was reduced but dams showed more non-maternal appetitive behaviours. Offspring were exposed to either the open field or the elevated plus maze (EPM) after weaning. In the open field, rats from the enriched group approached the more aversive inner zone of the open field later than control rats. Offspring from the enriched group made fewer entries into the inner zone and spent less time in this part of the arena. Enrichment had no impact on behaviour in the EPM. The present study provides evidence that postnatal enrichment can interfere with maternal behaviour in rats and can possibly lead to increased anxiety in the offspring. The findings suggest that enrichment procedures can have potentially unintended effects, interfering with the development of emotional behaviours in rats.
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Torres-Lista V, Giménez-Llort L. Early postnatal handling and environmental enrichment improve the behavioral responses of 17-month-old 3xTg-AD and non-transgenic mice in the Forced Swim Test in a gender-dependent manner. Behav Processes 2015; 120:120-7. [PMID: 26431900 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2015.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2014] [Revised: 09/14/2015] [Accepted: 09/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Forced Swimming Test (FST) models behavioural despair in animals by loss of motivation to respond or the refusal to escape. The present study was aimed at characterizing genetic (genotype and gender) and environmental factors (age/stage of disease and rearing conditions: C, standard; H, early postnatal handling; EE, environmental enrichment consisting in physical exercise as well as social and object enrichment) that may modulate the poor behavioural and cognitive flexibility response we have recently described in 12-month-old male 3xTg-AD mice in the FST. The comprehensive analysis of the ethogram shown in the FST considered the intervals of the test (0-2 and 2-6min), all the elicited behavioural responses (immobility, swimming and climbing) and their features (total duration and frequency of episodes). The long persistence of behaviours found in 17-month-old (late-stages of disease) 3xTg-AD mice was comparable to that recently described in males at 12 months of age (beginning of advanced stages) but also suggested increased age-dependent frailty in both genotypes. The poor behavioral flexibility of 3xTg-AD mice to elicit the behavioural despair shown by the NTg mice, was also found in the female gender. Finally, the present work demonstrates that early-life interventions were able to improve the time and frequency of episodes of immobility, being more evident in the female gender of both old NTg and 3xTg-AD mice. Ontogenic modulation by early-postnatal handling resulted in a more effective long-term improvement of the elicited behaviours in the FST than that achieved by environmental enrichment. The results talk in favor of the beneficence of early-life interventions on ageing in both healthy and disease conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Torres-Lista
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain; Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Lydia Giménez-Llort
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain; Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain.
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45
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Río-Ȧlamos C, Oliveras I, Cañete T, Blázquez G, Martínez-Membrives E, Tobeña A, Fernández-Teruel A. Neonatal handling decreases unconditioned anxiety, conditioned fear, and improves two-way avoidance acquisition: a study with the inbred Roman high (RHA-I)- and low-avoidance (RLA-I) rats of both sexes. Front Behav Neurosci 2015. [PMID: 26217201 PMCID: PMC4498386 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study evaluated the long-lasting effects of neonatal handling (NH; administered during the first 21 days of life) on unlearned and learned anxiety-related responses in inbred Roman High- (RHA-I) and Low-avoidance (RLA-I) rats. To this aim, untreated and neonatally-handled RHA-I and RLA-I rats of both sexes were tested in the following tests/tasks: a novel object exploration (NOE) test, the elevated zero maze (ZM) test, a “baseline acoustic startle” (BAS) test, a “context-conditioned fear” (CCF) test and the acquisition of two-way active—shuttle box—avoidance (SHAV). RLA-I rats showed higher unconditioned (novel object exploration test -“NOE”-, elevated zero maze test -“ZM”-, BAS), and conditioned (CCF, SHAV) anxiety. NH increased exploration of the novel object in the NOE test as well as exploration of the open sections of the ZM test in both rat strains and sexes, although the effects were relatively more marked in the (high anxious) RLA-I strain and in females. NH did not affect BAS, but reduced CCF in both strains and sexes, and improved shuttle box avoidance acquisition especially in RLA-I (and particularly in females) and in female RHA-I rats. These are completely novel findings, which indicate that even some genetically-based anxiety/fear-related phenotypes can be significantly modulated by previous environmental experiences such as the NH manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristóbal Río-Ȧlamos
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ignasi Oliveras
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona Barcelona, Spain
| | - Toni Cañete
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gloria Blázquez
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona Barcelona, Spain
| | - Esther Martínez-Membrives
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adolf Tobeña
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona Barcelona, Spain
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Effects of prenatal stress and neonatal handling on anxiety, spatial learning and serotonergic system of male offspring mice. Neurosci Res 2015; 101:15-23. [PMID: 26163770 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2015.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2015] [Revised: 07/01/2015] [Accepted: 07/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Environmental factors during perinatal period have various effects on behavior. The present study examined the effects of prenatal stress and neonatal handling on anxiety and spatial learning of offspring. Prenatal stress increased anxiety-related behavior of adult offspring, whereas neonatal handling had no effect. In contrast, spatial learning was not affected by prenatal stress, but improved by neonatal handling in both prenatally stressed and non-stressed mice. Next, to elucidate possible brain mechanisms mediating effects of environmental factors on behavior, we focused on serotonin (5-HT) system in the frontal cortex and hippocampus which is involved in anxiety and learning. We examined effects of environmental factors on the mRNA expression of 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors in the frontal cortex and hippocampus during postnatal period and adulthood. Both prenatal stress and neonatal handling altered the mRNA expression of 5-HT receptors. These effects were dependent on environmental factors, brain regions and developmental stages. In summary, the present study revealed that prenatal stress and neonatal handling had differential effects on anxiety and spatial learning of offspring, and concomitantly the expression of 5-HT receptors. It was also shown that the effects of prenatal stress on 5-HT system were recovered partially by neonatal handling.
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Environmental Enrichment Improves Behavior, Cognition, and Brain Functional Markers in Young Senescence-Accelerated Prone Mice (SAMP8). Mol Neurobiol 2015; 53:2435-50. [PMID: 26014386 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-015-9210-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2014] [Accepted: 05/04/2015] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The environment in which organisms live can greatly influence their development. Consequently, environmental enrichment (EE) is progressively recognized as an important component in the improvement of brain function and development. It has been demonstrated that rodents raised under EE conditions exhibit favorable neuroanatomical effects that improve their learning, spatial memory, and behavioral performance. Here, by using senescence-accelerated prone mice (SAMP8) and these as a model of adverse genetic conditions for brain development, we determined the effect of EE by raising these mice during early life under favorable conditions. We found a better generalized performance of SAMP8 under EE in the results of four behavioral and learning tests. In addition, we demonstrated broad molecular correlation in the hippocampus by an increase in NeuN and Ki67 expression, as well as an increase in the expression of neurotrophic factors, such as pleiotrophin (PTN) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), with a parallel decrease in neurodegenerative markers such as GSK3, amyloid-beta precursor protein, and phosphorylated beta-catenin, and a reduction of SBDP120, Bax, GFAP, and interleukin-6 (IL-6), resulting in a neuroprotective panorama. Globally, it can be concluded that EE applied to SAMP8 at young ages resulted in epigenetic regulatory mechanisms that give rise to significant beneficial effects at the molecular, cellular, and behavioral levels during brain development, particularly in the hippocampus.
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Torres-Lista V, López-Pousa S, Giménez-Llort L. Marble-burying is enhanced in 3xTg-AD mice, can be reversed by risperidone and it is modulable by handling. Behav Processes 2015; 116:69-74. [PMID: 25957954 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2015.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2014] [Revised: 05/01/2015] [Accepted: 05/05/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Translational research on behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) is relevant to the study the neuropsychiatric symptoms that strongly affect the quality of life of the human Alzheimer's disease (AD) patient and caregivers, frequently leading to early institutionalization. Among the ethological behavioural tests for rodents, marble burying is considered to model the spectrum of anxiety, psychotic and obsessive-compulsive like symptoms. The present work was aimed to study the behavioural interactions of 12 month-old male 3xTg-AD mice with small objects using the marble-burying test, as compared to the response elicited in age-matched non-transgenic (NTg) mice. The distinction of the classical 'number of buried marbles' but also those left 'intact' and those 'changed' of position of marbles or partially buried (the transitional level of interaction) provided new insights into the modelling of BPSD-like alterations in this AD model. The analysis revealed genotype differences in the behavioural patterns and predominant behaviors. In the NTg mice, predominance was shown in the 'changed or partially buried', while interactions with marble were enhanced in 3xTg-AD mice resulting in an increase of marble burying. Besides, genotype-dependent meaningful correlations were found, with the marble test pattern of 3xTg-AD mice being directly related to neophobia in the corner tests. In both genotypes, the increase of burying was reversed by chronic treatment with risperidone (1mg/kg, s.c.). In 3xTg-AD mice, the repetitive handling of animals during the treatment also exerted modulatory effects. These distinct patterns further characterize the modelling of BPSD-like symptoms in the 3xTg-AD mice, and provide another behavioural tool to assess the benefits of preventive and/or therapeutic strategies, as well as the potential action of risk factors for AD, in this animal model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Torres-Lista
- Behavioral Neuroscience Group, Institute of Neuroscience, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain; Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Secundino López-Pousa
- Research Unit and UVaMiD (Memory and Dementia Assessment Unit), Institut d'Assistència Sanitaria, Salt, Spain
| | - Lydia Giménez-Llort
- Behavioral Neuroscience Group, Institute of Neuroscience, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain; Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain.
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Martínez-Membrives E, López-Aumatell R, Blázquez G, Cañete T, Tobeña A, Fernández-Teruel A. Spatial learning in the genetically heterogeneous NIH-HS rat stock and RLA-I/RHA-I rats: revisiting the relationship with unconditioned and conditioned anxiety. Physiol Behav 2015; 144:15-25. [PMID: 25747770 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2014] [Revised: 02/27/2015] [Accepted: 03/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
To characterize learning/memory profiles for the first time in the genetically heterogeneous NIH-HS rat stock, and to examine whether these are associated with anxiety, we evaluated NIH-HS rats for spatial learning/memory in the Morris water maze (MWM) and in the following anxiety/fear tests: the elevated zero-maze (ZM; unconditioned anxiety), a context-conditioned fear test and the acquisition of two-way active avoidance (conditioned anxiety). NIH-HS rats were compared with the Roman High- (RHA-I) and Low-Avoidance (RLA-I) rat strains, given the well-known differences between the Roman strains/lines in anxiety-related behavior and in spatial learning/memory. The results show that: (i) As expected, RLA-I rats were more anxious in the ZM test, displayed more frequent context-conditioned freezing episodes and fewer avoidances than RHA-I rats. (ii) Scores of NIH-HS rats in these tests/tasks mostly fell in between those of the Roman rat strains, and were usually closer to the values of the RLA-I strain. (iii) Pigmented NIH-HS (only a small part of NIH-HS rats were albino) rats were the best spatial learners and displayed better spatial memory than the other three (RHA-I, RLA-I and NIH-HS albino) groups. (iv) Albino NIH-HS and RLA-I rats also showed better learning/memory than the RHA-I strain. (v) Within the NIH-HS stock, the most anxious rats in the ZM test presented the best learning and/or memory efficiency (regardless of pigmentation). In summary, NIH-HS rats display a high performance in spatial learning/memory tasks and a passive coping strategy when facing conditioned conflict situations. In addition, unconditioned anxiety in NIH-HS rats predicts better spatial learning/memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Martínez-Membrives
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Regina López-Aumatell
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gloria Blázquez
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Toni Cañete
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adolf Tobeña
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
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50
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de Oliveira D, Paranhos da Costa MJ, Zupan M, Rehn T, Keeling LJ. Early human handling in non-weaned piglets: Effects on behaviour and body weight. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2015.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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