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Palmisano A, Pandit S, Smeralda CL, Demchenko I, Rossi S, Battelli L, Rivolta D, Bhat V, Santarnecchi E. The Pathophysiological Underpinnings of Gamma-Band Alterations in Psychiatric Disorders. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:578. [PMID: 38792599 PMCID: PMC11122172 DOI: 10.3390/life14050578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Investigating the biophysiological substrates of psychiatric illnesses is of great interest to our understanding of disorders' etiology, the identification of reliable biomarkers, and potential new therapeutic avenues. Schizophrenia represents a consolidated model of γ alterations arising from the aberrant activity of parvalbumin-positive GABAergic interneurons, whose dysfunction is associated with perineuronal net impairment and neuroinflammation. This model of pathogenesis is supported by molecular, cellular, and functional evidence. Proof for alterations of γ oscillations and their underlying mechanisms has also been reported in bipolar disorder and represents an emerging topic for major depressive disorder. Although evidence from animal models needs to be further elucidated in humans, the pathophysiology of γ-band alteration represents a common denominator for different neuropsychiatric disorders. The purpose of this narrative review is to outline a framework of converging results in psychiatric conditions characterized by γ abnormality, from neurochemical dysfunction to alterations in brain rhythms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Palmisano
- Chair of Lifespan Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, TUD Dresden University of Technology, 01069 Dresden, Germany
- Precision Neuroscience and Neuromodulation Program, Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA (E.S.)
- Department of Education, Psychology, and Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70121 Bari, Italy;
| | - Siddhartha Pandit
- Precision Neuroscience and Neuromodulation Program, Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA (E.S.)
| | - Carmelo L. Smeralda
- Precision Neuroscience and Neuromodulation Program, Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA (E.S.)
- Siena Brain Investigation and Neuromodulation (SI-BIN) Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology Section, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy;
| | - Ilya Demchenko
- Interventional Psychiatry Program, St. Michael’s Hospital—Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, ON M5B 1W8, Canada; (I.D.)
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada
| | - Simone Rossi
- Siena Brain Investigation and Neuromodulation (SI-BIN) Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology Section, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy;
| | - Lorella Battelli
- Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems@UniTn, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 38068 Rovereto, Italy
| | - Davide Rivolta
- Department of Education, Psychology, and Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70121 Bari, Italy;
| | - Venkat Bhat
- Interventional Psychiatry Program, St. Michael’s Hospital—Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, ON M5B 1W8, Canada; (I.D.)
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada
| | - Emiliano Santarnecchi
- Precision Neuroscience and Neuromodulation Program, Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA (E.S.)
- Department of Neurology and Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
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2
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Bevandić J, Chareyron LJ, Bachevalier J, Cacucci F, Genzel L, Newcombe NS, Vargha-Khadem F, Ólafsdóttir HF. Episodic memory development: Bridging animal and human research. Neuron 2024; 112:1060-1080. [PMID: 38359826 PMCID: PMC11129319 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.01.020] [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: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Human episodic memory is not functionally evident until about 2 years of age and continues to develop into the school years. Behavioral studies have elucidated this developmental timeline and its constituent processes. In tandem, lesion and neurophysiological studies in non-human primates and rodents have identified key neural substrates and circuit mechanisms that may underlie episodic memory development. Despite this progress, collaborative efforts between psychologists and neuroscientists remain limited, hindering progress. Here, we seek to bridge human and non-human episodic memory development research by offering a comparative review of studies using humans, non-human primates, and rodents. We highlight critical theoretical and methodological issues that limit cross-fertilization and propose a common research framework, adaptable to different species, that may facilitate cross-species research endeavors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juraj Bevandić
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Loïc J Chareyron
- Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuropsychiatry, Developmental Neurosciences, University College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK; Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Development, Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jocelyne Bachevalier
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Emory National Primate Research Center, Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Francesca Cacucci
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Lisa Genzel
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Nora S Newcombe
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Faraneh Vargha-Khadem
- Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuropsychiatry, Developmental Neurosciences, University College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK.
| | - H Freyja Ólafsdóttir
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
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3
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Lodge DJ, Elam HB, Boley AM, Donegan JJ. Discrete hippocampal projections are differentially regulated by parvalbumin and somatostatin interneurons. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6653. [PMID: 37863893 PMCID: PMC10589277 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42484-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023] Open
Abstract
People with schizophrenia show hyperactivity in the ventral hippocampus (vHipp) and we have previously demonstrated distinct behavioral roles for vHipp cell populations. Here, we test the hypothesis that parvalbumin (PV) and somatostatin (SST) interneurons differentially innervate and regulate hippocampal pyramidal neurons based on their projection target. First, we use eGRASP to show that PV-positive interneurons form a similar number of synaptic connections with pyramidal cells regardless of their projection target while SST-positive interneurons preferentially target nucleus accumbens (NAc) projections. To determine if these anatomical differences result in functional changes, we used in vivo opto-electrophysiology to show that SST cells also preferentially regulate the activity of NAc-projecting cells. These results suggest vHipp interneurons differentially regulate that vHipp neurons that project to the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and NAc. Characterization of these cell populations may provide potential molecular targets for the treatment schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders associated with vHipp dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Lodge
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- South Texas Veterans Health Care System, Audie L. Murphy Division, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Hannah B Elam
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- South Texas Veterans Health Care System, Audie L. Murphy Division, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Angela M Boley
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- South Texas Veterans Health Care System, Audie L. Murphy Division, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Jennifer J Donegan
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Center for Early Life Adversity, Department of Neuroscience, Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
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4
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Chamberlin LA, Yang SS, McEachern EP, Lucas JTM, McLeod Ii OW, Rolland CA, Mack NR, Ferguson BR, Gao WJ. Pharmacogenetic activation of parvalbumin interneurons in the prefrontal cortex rescues cognitive deficits induced by adolescent MK801 administration. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:1267-1276. [PMID: 37041206 PMCID: PMC10353985 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01576-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
The cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia (SZ) present a significant clinical burden. They are treatment resistant and are the primary predictor of functional outcomes. Although the neural mechanisms underlying these deficits remain unclear, pathological GABAergic signaling likely plays an essential role. Perturbations with parvalbumin (PV)-expressing fast-spiking (FS) interneurons in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are consistently found in post-mortem studies of patients with SZ, as well as in animal models. Our studies have shown decreased prefrontal synaptic inhibition and PV immunostaining, along with working memory and cognitive flexibility deficits in the MK801 model. To test the hypothesized association between PV cell perturbations and impaired cognition in SZ, we activated prefrontal PV cells by using an excitatory DREADD viral vector with a PV promoter to rescue the cognitive deficits induced by adolescent MK801 administration in female rats. We found that targeted pharmacogenetic upregulation of prefrontal PV interneuron activity can restore E/I balance and improve cognition in the MK801 model. Our findings support the hypothesis that the reduced PV cell activity levels disrupt GABA transmission, resulting in the disinhibition of excitatory pyramidal cells. This disinhibition leads to an elevated prefrontal excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance that could be causal for cognitive impairments. Our study provides novel insights into the causal role of PV cells in cognitive function and has clinical implications for understanding the pathophysiology and management of SZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda A Chamberlin
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- MD/PhD program, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sha-Sha Yang
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Institute for Translational Brain Research, Department of Neurology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Erin P McEachern
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Joshua T M Lucas
- MD program, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Owen W McLeod Ii
- Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Program, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Claire A Rolland
- Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Program, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nancy R Mack
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Brielle R Ferguson
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- 2 Blackfan circle, Cetern for Life Science, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Wen-Jun Gao
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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5
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Nath M, Bhardwaj SK, Srivastava LK, Wong TP. Altered excitatory and decreased inhibitory transmission in the prefrontal cortex of male mice with early developmental disruption to the ventral hippocampus. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:865-880. [PMID: 35297476 PMCID: PMC9890473 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Ventral hippocampal (vHPC)-prefrontal cortical (PFC) pathway dysfunction is a core neuroimaging feature of schizophrenia. However, mechanisms underlying impaired connectivity within this pathway remain poorly understood. The vHPC has direct projections to the PFC that help shape its maturation. Here, we wanted to investigate the effects of early developmental vHPC perturbations on long-term functional PFC organization. Using whole-cell recordings to assess PFC cellular activity in transgenic male mouse lines, we show early developmental disconnection of vHPC inputs, by excitotoxic lesion or cell-specific ablations, impairs pyramidal cell firing output and produces a persistent increase in excitatory and decrease in inhibitory synaptic inputs onto pyramidal cells. We show this effect is specific to excitatory vHPC projection cell ablation. We further identify PV-interneurons as a source of deficit in inhibitory transmission. We find PV-interneurons are reduced in density, show a reduced ability to sustain high-frequency firing, and show deficits in excitatory inputs that emerge over time. We additionally show differences in vulnerabilities to early developmental vHPC disconnection, wherein PFC PV-interneurons but not pyramidal cells show deficits in NMDA receptor-mediated current. Our results highlight mechanisms by which the PFC adapts to early developmental vHPC perturbations, providing insights into schizophrenia circuit pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moushumi Nath
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada.,Basic Neuroscience Division, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Sanjeev K Bhardwaj
- Basic Neuroscience Division, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Lalit K Srivastava
- Basic Neuroscience Division, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A1, Canada
| | - Tak Pan Wong
- Basic Neuroscience Division, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A1, Canada
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6
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King H, Reiber M, Philippi V, Stirling H, Aulehner K, Bankstahl M, Bleich A, Buchecker V, Glasenapp A, Jirkof P, Miljanovic N, Schönhoff K, von Schumann L, Leenaars C, Potschka H. Anesthesia and analgesia for experimental craniotomy in mice and rats: a systematic scoping review comparing the years 2009 and 2019. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1143109. [PMID: 37207181 PMCID: PMC10188949 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1143109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Experimental craniotomies are a common surgical procedure in neuroscience. Because inadequate analgesia appears to be a problem in animal-based research, we conducted this review and collected information on management of craniotomy-associated pain in laboratory mice and rats. A comprehensive search and screening resulted in the identification of 2235 studies, published in 2009 and 2019, describing craniotomy in mice and/or rats. While key features were extracted from all studies, detailed information was extracted from a random subset of 100 studies/year. Reporting of perioperative analgesia increased from 2009 to 2019. However, the majority of studies from both years did not report pharmacologic pain management. Moreover, reporting of multimodal treatments remained at a low level, and monotherapeutic approaches were more common. Among drug groups, reporting of pre- and postoperative administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opioids, and local anesthetics in 2019 exceeded that of 2009. In summary, these results suggest that inadequate analgesia and oligoanalgesia are persistent issues associated with experimental intracranial surgery. This underscores the need for intensified training of those working with laboratory rodents subjected to craniotomies. Systematic review registration https://osf.io/7d4qe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah King
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Maria Reiber
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Vanessa Philippi
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Helen Stirling
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Katharina Aulehner
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Marion Bankstahl
- Hannover Medical School, Institute for Laboratory Animal Science, Hanover, Germany
| | - André Bleich
- Hannover Medical School, Institute for Laboratory Animal Science, Hanover, Germany
| | - Verena Buchecker
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Aylina Glasenapp
- Hannover Medical School, Institute for Laboratory Animal Science, Hanover, Germany
| | - Paulin Jirkof
- Office for Animal Welfare and 3Rs, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nina Miljanovic
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Katharina Schönhoff
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Lara von Schumann
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Cathalijn Leenaars
- Hannover Medical School, Institute for Laboratory Animal Science, Hanover, Germany
| | - Heidrun Potschka
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- *Correspondence: Heidrun Potschka,
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7
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Febrile Seizures Cause Depression and Anxiogenic Behaviors in Rats. Cells 2022; 11:cells11203228. [PMID: 36291094 PMCID: PMC9600115 DOI: 10.3390/cells11203228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Febrile seizure (FS) is a common type of seizure occurring in human during infancy and childhood. Although an epileptic seizure is associated with psychiatric disorders and comorbid diseases such as depression, anxiety, autism spectrum disorders, sleep disorders, attention deficits, cognitive impairment, and migraine, the causal relationship between FS and psychiatric disorders is poorly understood. The objective of the current study was to investigate the relationship of FS occurrence in childhood with the pathogenesis of anxiety disorder and depression using an FS rat model. We induced febrile seizures in infantile rats (11 days postnatal) using a mercury vapor lamp. At 3 weeks and 12 weeks after FS induction, we examined behaviors and recorded local field potentials (LFPs) to assess anxiety and depression disorder. Interestingly, after FS induction in infantile rats, anxiogenic behaviors and depression-like phenotypes were found in both adult and juvenile FS rats. The analysis of LFPs revealed that 4-7 Hz hippocampal theta rhythm, a neural oscillatory marker for anxiety disorder, was significantly increased in FS rats compared with their wild-type littermates. Taken together, our findings suggest that FS occurrence in infants is causally related to increased levels of anxiety-related behaviors and depression-like symptoms in juvenile and adult rodents.
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8
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Tendilla-Beltrán H, Sanchez-Islas NDC, Marina-Ramos M, Leza JC, Flores G. The prefrontal cortex as a target for atypical antipsychotics in schizophrenia, lessons of neurodevelopmental animal models. Prog Neurobiol 2020; 199:101967. [PMID: 33271238 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2020.101967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Prefrontal cortex (PFC) inflammatory imbalance, oxidative/nitrosative stress (O/NS) and impaired neuroplasticity in schizophrenia are thought to have neurodevelopmental origins. Animal models are not only useful to test this hypothesis, they are also effective to establish a relationship among brain disturbances and behavior with the atypical antipsychotics (AAPs) effects. Here we review data of PFC post-mortem and in vivo neuroimaging, human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC), and peripheral blood studies of inflammatory, O/NS, and neuroplasticity alterations in the disease as well as about their modulation by AAPs. Moreover, we reviewed the PFC alterations and the AAP mechanisms beyond their canonical antipsychotic action in four neurodevelopmental animal models relevant to the study of schizophrenia with a distinct approach in the generation of schizophrenia-like phenotypes, but all converge in O/NS and altered neuroplasticity in the PFC. These animal models not only reinforce the neurodevelopmental risk factor model of schizophrenia but also arouse some novel potential therapeutic targets for the disease including the reestablishment of the antioxidant response by the perineuronal nets (PNNs) and the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2) pathway, as well as the dendritic spine dynamics in the PFC pyramidal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiram Tendilla-Beltrán
- Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), Puebla, Mexico; Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas (ENCB), Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN), CDMX, Mexico
| | | | - Mauricio Marina-Ramos
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla, Puebla, Mexico
| | - Juan C Leza
- Departamento de Farmacología y Toxicología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica (IUIN), UCM. Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital, 12 de Octubre (Imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Gonzalo Flores
- Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), Puebla, Mexico.
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9
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Disinhibition of the prefrontal cortex leads to brain-wide increases in neuronal activation that are modified by spatial learning. Brain Struct Funct 2018; 224:171-190. [DOI: 10.1007/s00429-018-1769-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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10
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Ferguson BR, Gao WJ. PV Interneurons: Critical Regulators of E/I Balance for Prefrontal Cortex-Dependent Behavior and Psychiatric Disorders. Front Neural Circuits 2018; 12:37. [PMID: 29867371 PMCID: PMC5964203 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2018.00037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 340] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Elucidating the prefrontal cortical microcircuit has been challenging, given its role in multiple complex behaviors, including working memory, cognitive flexibility, attention, social interaction and emotional regulation. Additionally, previous methodological limitations made it difficult to parse out the contribution of certain neuronal subpopulations in refining cortical representations. However, growing evidence supports a fundamental role of fast-spiking parvalbumin (PV) GABAergic interneurons in regulating pyramidal neuron activity to drive appropriate behavioral responses. Further, their function is heavily diminished in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in numerous psychiatric diseases, including schizophrenia and autism. Previous research has demonstrated the importance of the optimal balance of excitation and inhibition (E/I) in cortical circuits in maintaining the efficiency of cortical information processing. Although we are still unraveling the mechanisms of information representation in the PFC, the E/I balance seems to be crucial, as pharmacological, chemogenetic and optogenetic approaches for disrupting E/I balance induce impairments in a range of PFC-dependent behaviors. In this review, we will explore two key hypotheses. First, PV interneurons are powerful regulators of E/I balance in the PFC, and help optimize the representation and processing of supramodal information in PFC. Second, diminishing the function of PV interneurons is sufficient to generate an elaborate symptom sequelae corresponding to those observed in a range of psychiatric diseases. Then, using this framework, we will speculate on whether this circuitry could represent a platform for the development of therapeutic interventions in disorders of PFC function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brielle R Ferguson
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Wen-Jun Gao
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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11
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Scharfman HE, Kanner AM, Friedman A, Blümcke I, Crocker CE, Cendes F, Diaz-Arrastia R, Förstl H, Fenton AA, Grace AA, Palop J, Morrison J, Nehlig A, Prasad A, Wilcox KS, Jette N, Pohlmann-Eden B. Epilepsy as a Network Disorder (2): What can we learn from other network disorders such as dementia and schizophrenia, and what are the implications for translational research? Epilepsy Behav 2018; 78:302-312. [PMID: 29097123 PMCID: PMC5756681 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2017.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Revised: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
There is common agreement that many disorders of the central nervous system are 'complex', that is, there are many potential factors that influence the development of the disease, underlying mechanisms, and successful treatment. Most of these disorders, unfortunately, have no cure at the present time, and therapeutic strategies often have debilitating side effects. Interestingly, some of the 'complexities' of one disorder are found in another, and the similarities are often network defects. It seems likely that more discussions of these commonalities could advance our understanding and, therefore, have clinical implications or translational impact. With this in mind, the Fourth International Halifax Epilepsy Conference and Retreat was held as described in the prior paper, and this companion paper focuses on the second half of the meeting. Leaders in various subspecialties of epilepsy research were asked to address aging and dementia or psychosis in people with epilepsy (PWE). Commonalities between autism, depression, aging and dementia, psychosis, and epilepsy were the focus of the presentations and discussion. In the last session, additional experts commented on new conceptualization of translational epilepsy research efforts. Here, the presentations are reviewed, and salient points are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen E Scharfman
- Departments of Psychiatry, Neurosciences and Physiology, and the Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Andres M Kanner
- University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, 1120 NW 14th Street, Room #1324, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Alon Friedman
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada; Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Ingmar Blümcke
- Neuropathological Institute, University Hospitals Erlangen, Germany
| | - Candice E Crocker
- Nova Scotia Early Psychosis Program, Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Fernando Cendes
- Department of Neurology, University of Campinas, 13083-888 Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ramon Diaz-Arrastia
- Centre for Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 12725 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville, MD 20852, USA
| | - Hans Förstl
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Munich, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Ismaninger Strabe 22, D-81675 Munich, Germany
| | - André A Fenton
- Centre for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Place, Room 809, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Anthony A Grace
- University of Pittsburgh, 456 Langley Hall, 4200 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15269, USA
| | - Jorge Palop
- Department of Neurology, Gladstone Institute, 1650 Owens Street, San Francisco, CA 94158-2261, USA
| | - Jason Morrison
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Astrid Nehlig
- INSERM U 1129, Hôpital Necker, Paris, Faculty of Medicine, Strasbourg, France
| | - Asuri Prasad
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Karen S Wilcox
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Anticonvulsant Drug Development Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Nathalie Jette
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Neurology, New York, NY, USA; Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Bernd Pohlmann-Eden
- Brain Repair Center, Life Science Research Institute, Dalhousie University, Room 229, PO Box 15000, Halifax, NS B3H4R2, Canada.
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12
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Monfil T, Vázquez Roque RA, Camacho-Abrego I, Tendilla-Beltran H, Iannitti T, Meneses-Morales I, Aguilar-Alonso P, Flores G, Morales-Medina JC. Hyper-response to Novelty Increases c-Fos Expression in the Hippocampus and Prefrontal Cortex in a Rat Model of Schizophrenia. Neurochem Res 2017; 43:441-448. [PMID: 29214513 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-017-2439-x] [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: 07/27/2017] [Revised: 11/13/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a debilitating disorder that may have a neurodevelopmental origin. For this reason, animal models based on neonatal insults or manipulations have been extensively used to demonstrate schizophrenia-related behaviors. Among those, the neonatal ventral hippocampus lesion (nVHL) is largely used as a model of schizophrenia-related behavior as it mimics behavioral and neurochemical abnormalities often seen in schizophrenic patients including hyperlocomotion in a novel environment. To investigate the neuroanatomical basis of coding novelty in the nVHL rat, we assessed the behavioral locomotor activity paradigm in a novel environment and measured expression of c-Fos, a marker of neural activation, in brain regions involved in the process of coding novelty or locomotion. Upon reaching adulthood, nVHL rats showed hyperlocomotion in the novel environment paradigm. Moreover, in nVHL rats the expression of c-Fos was greater in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus compared to sham rats. Whereas similar expression of c-Fos was observed in the basolateral amygdala, nucleus accumbens and dentate gyrus region of hippocampus of nVHL and sham rats. These results suggest that the nVHL disrupts the neural activity in the PFC and CA1 region of hippocampus in the process of coding novelty in the rat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Monfil
- Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, CINVESTAV-UAT, AP 62, 90000, Tlaxcala, Mexico.,Departamento de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, CINVESTAV, 07360, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Rubén Antonio Vázquez Roque
- Lab. Neuropsiquiatría, Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, 14 Sur 6301, CP 72570, Puebla, Mexico
| | - Israel Camacho-Abrego
- Lab. Neuropsiquiatría, Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, 14 Sur 6301, CP 72570, Puebla, Mexico
| | - Hiram Tendilla-Beltran
- Lab. Neuropsiquiatría, Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, 14 Sur 6301, CP 72570, Puebla, Mexico
| | - Tommaso Iannitti
- KWS BioTest, Marine View Office Park, Portishead, Somerset, BS20 7AW, UK
| | - Ivan Meneses-Morales
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Patricia Aguilar-Alonso
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, 72570, Puebla, Mexico
| | - Gonzalo Flores
- Lab. Neuropsiquiatría, Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, 14 Sur 6301, CP 72570, Puebla, Mexico.
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13
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Auger ML, Floresco SB. Prefrontal cortical GABAergic and NMDA glutamatergic regulation of delayed responding. Neuropharmacology 2017; 113:10-20. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2016] [Revised: 09/13/2016] [Accepted: 09/22/2016] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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Koga M, Serritella AV, Sawa A, Sedlak TW. Implications for reactive oxygen species in schizophrenia pathogenesis. Schizophr Res 2016; 176:52-71. [PMID: 26589391 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2015.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2014] [Revised: 06/20/2015] [Accepted: 06/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Oxidative stress is a well-recognized participant in the pathophysiology of multiple brain disorders, particularly neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. While not a dementia, a wide body of evidence has also been accumulating for aberrant reactive oxygen species and inflammation in schizophrenia. Here we highlight roles for oxidative stress as a common mechanism by which varied genetic and epidemiologic risk factors impact upon neurodevelopmental processes that underlie the schizophrenia syndrome. While there is longstanding evidence that schizophrenia may not have a single causative lesion, a common pathway involving oxidative stress opens the possibility for intervention at susceptible phases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minori Koga
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 North Wolfe Street, Meyer 3-166, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Anthony V Serritella
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 North Wolfe Street, Meyer 3-166, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Akira Sawa
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 North Wolfe Street, Meyer 3-166, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Thomas W Sedlak
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 North Wolfe Street, Meyer 3-166, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
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15
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Neonatal ventral hippocampus lesion changes nuclear restricted protein/brain (NRP/B) expression in hippocampus, cortex and striatum in developmental periods of rats. Neuroscience 2016; 319:59-68. [PMID: 26812035 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.01.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2015] [Revised: 01/13/2016] [Accepted: 01/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is conceptualized as a neurodevelopmental disorder in which developmental alterations in immature brain systems are not clear. Rats with neonatal ventral hippocampal lesions (NVHL) can exhibit schizophrenia-like behaviors, and these rats have been widely used to study the developmental mechanisms of schizophrenia. The nuclear restricted protein/brain (NRP/B) is a nuclear matrix protein that is critical for the normal development of the neuronal system. This study assessed the effect of NVHL induced by the administration of ibotenic acid on the protein expression of NRP/B in the hippocampus, cortex and striatum in pre- and post-pubertal rats. The expressions of NeuN in various developmental periods were assessed accordingly. Sprague-Dawley rat pups were administered ibotenic acid at postnatal day (PD) 7. Western blotting and an immunofluorescence staining analysis showed that the expression of NRP/B was significantly decreased in the hippocampus, cortex and striatum of the NVHL rats at PD14, 28 and 42. The expressions of NeuN were decreased accordingly. In vitro experiment showed the NRP/B knockdown can decrease the Tuj1 expression in cultured cortical neurons. The data suggest that NVHL induces a change in NRP/B expression that affects neurons in the developmental period.
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16
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Nilsson SRO, Celada P, Fejgin K, Thelin J, Nielsen J, Santana N, Heath CJ, Larsen PH, Nielsen V, Kent BA, Saksida LM, Stensbøl TB, Robbins TW, Bastlund JF, Bussey TJ, Artigas F, Didriksen M. A mouse model of the 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome shows prefrontal neurophysiological dysfunctions and attentional impairment. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2016; 233:2151-2163. [PMID: 26983414 PMCID: PMC4869740 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-016-4265-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2016] [Accepted: 02/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE A microdeletion at locus 15q13.3 is associated with high incidence rates of psychopathology, including schizophrenia. A mouse model of the 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome has been generated (Df[h15q13]/+) with translational utility for modelling schizophrenia-like pathology. Among other deficits, schizophrenia is characterised by dysfunctions in prefrontal cortical (PFC) inhibitory circuitry and attention. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study is to assess PFC-dependent functioning in the Df(h15q13)/+ mouse using electrophysiological, pharmacological, and behavioural assays. METHOD Experiments 1-2 investigated baseline firing and auditory-evoked responses of PFC interneurons and pyramidal neurons. Experiment 3 measured pyramidal firing in response to intra-PFC GABAA receptor antagonism. Experiments 4-6 assessed PFC-dependent attentional functioning through the touchscreen 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT). Experiments 7-12 assessed reversal learning, paired-associate learning, extinction learning, progressive ratio, trial-unique non-match to sample, and object recognition. RESULTS In experiments 1-3, the Df(h15q13)/+ mouse showed reduced baseline firing rate of fast-spiking interneurons and in the ability of the GABAA receptor antagonist gabazine to increase the firing rate of pyramidal neurons. In assays of auditory-evoked responses, PFC interneurons in the Df(h15q13)/+ mouse had reduced detection amplitudes and increased detection latencies, while pyramidal neurons showed increased detection latencies. In experiments 4-6, the Df(h15q13)/+ mouse showed a stimulus duration-dependent decrease in percent accuracy in the 5-CSRTT. The impairment was insensitive to treatment with the partial α7nAChR agonist EVP-6124. The Df(h15q13)/+ mouse showed no cognitive impairments in experiments 7-12. CONCLUSION The Df(h15q13)/+ mouse has multiple dysfunctions converging on disrupted PFC processing as measured by several independent assays of inhibitory transmission and attentional function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon R O Nilsson
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.
- MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.
- Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, NY, 13902-6000, USA.
| | - Pau Celada
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques de Barcelona, CSIC-IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Kim Fejgin
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby, 2500, Denmark
| | - Jonas Thelin
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby, 2500, Denmark
- Neuronano Research Center, Lund University, 223 81, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jacob Nielsen
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby, 2500, Denmark
| | - Noemí Santana
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques de Barcelona, CSIC-IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Christopher J Heath
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
- MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
- Department of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK
| | - Peter H Larsen
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby, 2500, Denmark
| | - Vibeke Nielsen
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby, 2500, Denmark
| | - Brianne A Kent
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
- MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Lisa M Saksida
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
- MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Tine B Stensbøl
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby, 2500, Denmark
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
- MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Jesper F Bastlund
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby, 2500, Denmark
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
- MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Francesc Artigas
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques de Barcelona, CSIC-IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Michael Didriksen
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby, 2500, Denmark
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17
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Perez SM, Aguilar DD, Neary JL, Carless MA, Giuffrida A, Lodge DJ. Schizophrenia-Like Phenotype Inherited by the F2 Generation of a Gestational Disruption Model of Schizophrenia. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:477-86. [PMID: 26068729 PMCID: PMC5130123 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2015.169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2013] [Revised: 06/08/2015] [Accepted: 06/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Both environmental and genetic factors contribute to schizophrenia; however, the exact etiology of this disorder is not known. Animal models are utilized to better understand the mechanisms associated with neuropsychiatric diseases, including schizophrenia. One of these involves gestational administration of methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) to induce a developmental disruption, which in turn produces a schizophrenia-like phenotype in post-pubertal rats. The mechanisms by which MAM produces this phenotype are not clear; however, we now demonstrate that MAM induces differential DNA methylation, which may be heritable. Here we demonstrate that a subset of both second (F2) and third (F3) filial generations of MAM-treated rats displays a schizophrenia-like phenotype and hypermethylation of the transcription factor, Sp5. Specifically, ventral tegmental area of dopamine neuron activity was examined using electrophysiology as a correlate for the dopamine hyperfunction thought to underlie psychosis in patients. Interestingly, only a subset of F2 and F3 MAM rats exhibited increases in dopamine neuron population activity, indicating that this may be a unique model with a susceptibility to develop a schizophrenia-like phenotype. An increase in dopamine system function in rodent models has been previously associated with decreases in hippocampal GABAergic transmission. In line with these observations, we found a significant correlation between hippocampal parvalbumin expression and dopamine neuron activity in F2 rats. These data therefore provide evidence that offspring born from MAM-treated rats possess a susceptibility to develop aspects of a schizophrenia-like phenotype and may provide a useful tool to investigate gene-environment interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie M Perez
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - David D Aguilar
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Jennifer L Neary
- Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Melanie A Carless
- Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Andrea Giuffrida
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Daniel J Lodge
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
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18
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White RS, Siegel SJ. Cellular and circuit models of increased resting-state network gamma activity in schizophrenia. Neuroscience 2015; 321:66-76. [PMID: 26577758 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2015] [Revised: 10/27/2015] [Accepted: 11/04/2015] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a disorder characterized by positive symptoms (hallucinations, delusions), negative symptoms (blunted affect, alogia, reduced sociability, and anhedonia), as well as persistent cognitive deficits (memory, concentration, and learning). While the biology underlying subjective experiences is difficult to study, abnormalities in electroencephalographic (EEG) measures offer a means to dissect potential circuit and cellular changes in brain function. EEG is indispensable for studying cerebral information processing due to the introduction of techniques for the decomposition of event-related activity into its frequency components. Specifically, brain activity in the gamma frequency range (30-80Hz) is thought to underlie cognitive function and may be used as an endophenotype to aid in diagnosis and treatment of SCZ. In this review we address evidence indicating that there is increased resting-state gamma power in SCZ. We address how modeling this aspect of the illness in animals may help treatment development as well as providing insights into the etiology of SCZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- R S White
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - S J Siegel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States.
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19
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Rosen AM, Spellman T, Gordon JA. Electrophysiological endophenotypes in rodent models of schizophrenia and psychosis. Biol Psychiatry 2015; 77:1041-9. [PMID: 25910423 PMCID: PMC4444383 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2014] [Revised: 03/03/2015] [Accepted: 03/23/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is caused by a diverse array of risk factors and results in a similarly diverse set of symptoms. Electrophysiological endophenotypes lie between risks and symptoms and have the potential to link the two. Electrophysiological studies in rodent models, described here, demonstrate that widely differing risk factors result in a similar set of core electrophysiological endophenotypes, suggesting the possibility of a shared neurobiological substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M. Rosen
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons Columbia University New York, NY 10032
| | - Timothy Spellman
- Department of Physiology, College of Physicians and Surgeons Columbia University New York, NY 10032
| | - Joshua A. Gordon
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons Columbia University New York, NY 10032,Division of Integrative Neuroscience New York State Psychiatric Institute New York NY 10032,Correspondence to: Joshua A. Gordon 1051 Riverside Drive Unit 87 Kolb Annex Room 140 New York, NY 10032 Ph. 646 774-7116 Fax. 646 774-7101
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20
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Tse MT, Piantadosi PT, Floresco SB. Prefrontal cortical gamma-aminobutyric acid transmission and cognitive function: drawing links to schizophrenia from preclinical research. Biol Psychiatry 2015; 77:929-39. [PMID: 25442792 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2013] [Revised: 08/22/2014] [Accepted: 09/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia is one of the most pervasive and debilitating aspects of the disorder. Among the numerous neural abnormalities that may contribute to schizophrenia symptoms, perturbations in markers for the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), particularly within the frontal lobes, are some of the most reliable alterations observed at postmortem examination. However, how prefrontal GABA dysfunction contributes to cognitive impairment in schizophrenia remains unclear. We provide an overview of postmortem GABAergic perturbations in the brain affected by schizophrenia and describe circumstantial evidence linking these alterations to cognitive dysfunction. In addition, we conduct a survey of studies using neurodevelopmental, genetic, and pharmacologic rodent models that induce schizophrenia-like cognitive impairments, highlighting the convergence of these mechanistically distinct approaches to prefrontal GABAergic disruption. We review preclinical studies that have directly targeted prefrontal cortical GABAergic transmission using local application of GABAA receptor antagonists. These studies have provided an important link between GABA transmission and cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia because they show that reducing prefrontal inhibitory transmission induces various cognitive, emotional, and dopaminergic abnormalities that resemble aspects of the disorder. These converging clinical and preclinical findings provide strong support for the idea that perturbations in GABA signaling drive certain forms of cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia. Future studies using this approach will yield information to refine further a putative "GABA hypothesis" of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maric T Tse
- Department of Psychology and Brain Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Patrick T Piantadosi
- Department of Psychology and Brain Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Stan B Floresco
- Department of Psychology and Brain Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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21
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Mattei D, Schweibold R, Wolf SA. Brain in flames - animal models of psychosis: utility and limitations. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2015; 11:1313-29. [PMID: 26064050 PMCID: PMC4455860 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s65564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia posits that schizophrenia is a psychopathological condition resulting from aberrations in neurodevelopmental processes caused by a combination of environmental and genetic factors which proceed long before the onset of clinical symptoms. Many studies discuss an immunological component in the onset and progression of schizophrenia. We here review studies utilizing animal models of schizophrenia with manipulations of genetic, pharmacologic, and immunological origin. We focus on the immunological component to bridge the studies in terms of evaluation and treatment options of negative, positive, and cognitive symptoms. Throughout the review we link certain aspects of each model to the situation in human schizophrenic patients. In conclusion we suggest a combination of existing models to better represent the human situation. Moreover, we emphasize that animal models represent defined single or multiple symptoms or hallmarks of a given disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Mattei
- Department of Cellular Neuroscience, Max-Delbrueck-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Regina Schweibold
- Department of Cellular Neuroscience, Max-Delbrueck-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany ; Department of Neurosurgery, Helios Clinics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Susanne A Wolf
- Department of Cellular Neuroscience, Max-Delbrueck-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
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22
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Romero-Pimentel AL, Vázquez-Roque RA, Camacho-Abrego I, Hoffman KL, Linares P, Flores G, Manjarrez E. Histological correlates of N40 auditory evoked potentials in adult rats after neonatal ventral hippocampal lesion: animal model of schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2014; 159:450-7. [PMID: 25261883 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2014.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2014] [Revised: 08/28/2014] [Accepted: 09/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The neonatal ventral hippocampal lesion (NVHL) is an established neurodevelopmental rat model of schizophrenia. Rats with NVHL exhibit several behavioral, molecular and physiological abnormalities that are similar to those found in schizophrenics. Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric illness characterized by profound disturbances of mental functions including neurophysiological deficits in brain information processing. These deficits can be assessed by auditory evoked potentials (AEPs), where schizophrenics exhibit abnormalities in amplitude, duration and latency of such AEPs. The aim of the present study was to compare the density of cells in the temporal cerebral cortex and the N40-AEP of adult NVHL rats versus adult sham rats. We found that rats with NVHL exhibit significant lower amplitude of the N40-AEP and a significant lower number of cells in bilateral regions of the temporal cerebral cortex compared to sham rats. Because the AEP recordings were obtained from anesthetized rats, we suggest that NVHL leads to inappropriate innervation in thalamic-cortical pathways in the adult rat, leading to altered function of cortical networks involved in processing of primary auditory information.
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Affiliation(s)
- A L Romero-Pimentel
- Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal (CIRA), Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala-CINVESTAV, Tlaxcala, CP 90070, México; Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, 14 Sur 6301, Col. San Manuel, Puebla, Puebla, CP 72570, México
| | - R A Vázquez-Roque
- Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, 14 Sur 6301, Col. San Manuel, Puebla, Puebla, CP 72570, México
| | - I Camacho-Abrego
- Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, 14 Sur 6301, Col. San Manuel, Puebla, Puebla, CP 72570, México
| | - K L Hoffman
- Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal (CIRA), Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala-CINVESTAV, Tlaxcala, CP 90070, México
| | - P Linares
- Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, 14 Sur 6301, Col. San Manuel, Puebla, Puebla, CP 72570, México
| | - G Flores
- Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, 14 Sur 6301, Col. San Manuel, Puebla, Puebla, CP 72570, México.
| | - E Manjarrez
- Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, 14 Sur 6301, Col. San Manuel, Puebla, Puebla, CP 72570, México.
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23
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Boley AM, Perez SM, Lodge DJ. A fundamental role for hippocampal parvalbumin in the dopamine hyperfunction associated with schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2014; 157:238-43. [PMID: 24888524 PMCID: PMC4099272 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2014.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2014] [Revised: 05/06/2014] [Accepted: 05/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Postmortem studies in schizophrenia patients have demonstrated robust alterations in GABAergic markers throughout the neuraxis. It has been suggested that these alterations are restricted to subpopulations of interneurons, such as those containing the calcium binding protein parvalbumin. Indeed, a reduction in parvalbumin expression is a consistent observation in human postmortem studies, as well as, in a wide and diverse variety of animal models. However, it still remains to be determined whether this decrease in parvalbumin expression contributes to, or is a consequence of the disease. Here we utilize lentiviral delivered shRNA and demonstrate that a selective reduction in parvalbumin mRNA expression induces hyperactivity within the ventral hippocampus. In addition, we observe downstream increases in dopamine neuron population activity without changes in average firing rate or percent burst firing. These changes in dopamine neuron activity were associated with an enhanced locomotor response to amphetamine administration. These data therefore demonstrate that a reduction in ventral hippocampal parvalbumin expression is sufficient, in and of itself, to induce an augmented dopamine system function and behavioral hyper-responsivity to amphetamine, implicating a potential key role for parvalbumin in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela M Boley
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Stephanie M Perez
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Daniel J Lodge
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
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Transient inactivation of the ventral hippocampus in neonatal rats impairs the mesolimbic regulation of prefrontal glutamate release in adulthood. Neuropharmacology 2014; 84:19-30. [PMID: 24747179 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2014.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2014] [Revised: 03/24/2014] [Accepted: 04/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive deficits in schizophrenia (SZ) reflect maturational disruptions within a neural system that includes the ventral hippocampus (VH), nucleus accumbens (NAc), basal forebrain, and prefrontal cortex (PFC). A better understanding of these changes may reveal drug targets for more efficacious cognition enhancers. We have utilized an animal model in which the above distributed system is altered, during a sensitive period of development, by transiently inactivating the VH and its efferent projections. We determined the ability of NAc shell activation to evoke prefrontal glutamate release in adult male Wistar rats that had received saline (Sal) or tetrodotoxin (TTX) as neonates (PD7) or as adolescents (PD32). The nucleus accumbens shell (NAcSh) was activated by NMDA infusions (0.05-0.30 μg/0.5 μL). Basal and evoked glutamate levels were measured amperometrically using a glutamate-sensitive microelectrode. There were no differences in basal glutamate levels among the groups tested (overall 1.41 ± 0.26 uM). However, the dose-related stimulation of prefrontal glutamate levels seen in control rats treated with saline on PD7 (4.31 ± 0.22 μM after 0.15 μg) was markedly attenuated in rats treated with TTX on PD7 (0.45 ± 0.12 μM after 0.15 μg). This effect was age-dependent as infusions of TTX on PD32 did not alter the NMDA-induced increases in glutamate release (4.10 ± 0.37 μM after 0.15 μg). Collectively, these findings reveal that transient inactivation of VH transmission, during a sensitive period of development, leads to a functional mesolimbic-cortical disconnection that produces neurochemical and ultimately cognitive impairments resembling those seen in SZ.
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Abstract
Psychosis is an abnormal mental state characterized by disorganization, delusions and hallucinations. Animal models have become an increasingly important research tool in the effort to understand both the underlying pathophysiology and treatment of psychosis. There are multiple animal models for psychosis, with each formed by the coupling of a manipulation and a measurement. In this manuscript we do not address the diseases of which psychosis is a prominent comorbidity. Instead, we summarize the current state of affairs and future directions for animal models of psychosis. To accomplish this, our manuscript will first discuss relevant behavioral and electrophysiological measurements. We then provide an overview of the different manipulations that are combined with these measurements to produce animal models. The strengths and limitations of each model will be addressed in order to evaluate its cross-species comparability.
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Chen L, Perez SM, Lodge DJ. An augmented dopamine system function is present prior to puberty in the methylazoxymethanol acetate rodent model of schizophrenia. Dev Neurobiol 2014; 74:907-17. [PMID: 24554310 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2013] [Revised: 12/04/2013] [Accepted: 02/13/2014] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a disease typically associated with an adolescent onset. Although there have been a considerable number of imaging studies investigating the transition to psychosis in prodromal patients, there are relatively few preclinical studies examining potential mechanisms that may contribute to adolescent onset. We have previously demonstrated, in the methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) rodent model of schizophrenia, that an enhanced activity within the ventral hippocampus may underlie the dopamine system hyperfunction, suggested to contribute to positive symptoms in patients. Here we demonstrate that the aberrant regulation of dopamine system function, in MAM-treated rats, is present prior to puberty. Furthermore, we now report that while the afferent regulation of ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons (from the hippocampus and pedunculopontine tegmental area) appears intact in preadolescent rats, the behavioral response to alterations in dopamine system function appears to be attenuated in preadolescent rats. Thus, we posit that the pathological alterations underlying psychosis may be present prior to symptom onset and that the "normal" development of the postsynaptic side of the dopamine system may underlie the transition to psychosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Chen
- Department of Pharmacology & Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas; Department of Physiology, Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China; Department of Pathophysiology, Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
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Sandner G, Angst MJ, Guiberteau T, Guignard B, Nehlig A. Effects of caffeine or RX821002 in rats with a neonatal ventral hippocampal lesion. Front Behav Neurosci 2014; 8:15. [PMID: 24478661 PMCID: PMC3904090 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2013] [Accepted: 01/09/2014] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Rats with a neonatal ventral hippocampal lesion (NVHL) are used to model schizophrenia. They show enhanced locomotion and difficulties in learning after puberty. Such behavioral modifications are strengthened by dopaminergic psychostimulant drugs, which is also relevant for schizophrenia because illustrating its dopaminergic facet. But it remains questionable that only dopaminergic drugs elicit such effects. The behavioral effects could simply represent a non specific arousal, in which case NVHL rats should also be hyper-responsive to other vigilance enhancing drugs. We administered an adenosine (caffeine) or an adrenaline receptor antagonist, (RX821002) at doses documented to modify alertness of rats, respectively 5 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg. Rats were selected prior to the experiments using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Each group contained typical and similar NVHL lesions. They were compared to sham lesioned rats. We evaluated locomotion in a new environment and the capacity to remember a visual or acoustic cue that announced the occurrence of food. Both caffeine and RX82100 enhanced locomotion in the novel environment, particularly in NVHL rats. But, RX82100 had a biphasic effect on locomotion, consisting of an initial reduction preceding the enhancement. It was independent of the lesion. Caffeine did not modify the learning performance of NVHL rats. But, RX821002 was found to facilitate learning. Patients tend to intake much more caffeine than healthy people, which has been interpreted as a means to counter some cognitive deficits. This idea was not validated with the present results. But adrenergic drugs could be helpful for attenuating some of their cognitive deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guy Sandner
- Faculté de Médecine, Université de Strasbourg, U1114 INSERM Strasbourg, France
| | - Marie-Josée Angst
- Faculté de Médecine, Université de Strasbourg, U1114 INSERM Strasbourg, France
| | - Thierry Guiberteau
- Faculté de Médecine, Université de Strasbourg, UMR 7237 CNRS/UdS Strasbourg, France
| | - Blandine Guignard
- Faculté de Médecine, Université de Strasbourg, UMR 7237 CNRS/UdS Strasbourg, France
| | - Astrid Nehlig
- Faculté de Médecine, Université de Strasbourg, U663 INSERM Strasbourg, France
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Gill KM, Grace AA. The role of α5 GABAA receptor agonists in the treatment of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. Curr Pharm Des 2014; 20:5069-76. [PMID: 24345268 PMCID: PMC4074253 DOI: 10.2174/1381612819666131216114612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2013] [Accepted: 12/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Currently available pharmacotherapies for the treatment of schizophrenia are ineffective in restoring the disrupted cognitive function associated with this disorder. As such, there is a continued search for more viable novel drug targets. Engaging in cognitive behaviors is associated with distinct coordinated oscillatory activity across brain regions, in particular the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. In schizophrenia patients, pathological alterations in the functionality of GABAergic interneurons in the PFC and HPC responsible for generating network oscillations are thought to contribute to impaired cognition. Destabilized GABAergic interneuron activity in the HPC is further associated with aberrant increases in HPC output and enhanced dopamine neuron activity. Consequently, drugs directed at restoring HPC function could impact both oscillatory activity along with dopamine tone. There is compelling evidence from animal models of schizophrenia that allosteric modulation of the α5 subunit of the GABAA receptor is a viable means of resolving aberrant dopamine system activity through indirect alteration of HPC output. Consequently, these compounds are promising for their potential in also ameliorating cognitive deficits attributed to dysfunction in HPC network activity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anthony A Grace
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Neuroscience, A210 Langley Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
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Lee H, Dvorak D, Fenton AA. Targeting Neural Synchrony Deficits is Sufficient to Improve Cognition in a Schizophrenia-Related Neurodevelopmental Model. Front Psychiatry 2014; 5:15. [PMID: 24592242 PMCID: PMC3924579 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2014.00015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2013] [Accepted: 01/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive symptoms are core features of mental disorders but procognitive treatments are limited. We have proposed a "discoordination" hypothesis that cognitive impairment results from aberrant coordination of neural activity. We reported that neonatal ventral hippocampus lesion (NVHL) rats, an established neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia, have abnormal neural synchrony and cognitive deficits in the active place avoidance task. During stillness, we observed that cortical local field potentials sometimes resembled epileptiform spike-wave discharges with higher prevalence in NVHL rats, indicating abnormal neural synchrony due perhaps to imbalanced excitation-inhibition coupling. Here, within the context of the hypothesis, we investigated whether attenuating abnormal neural synchrony will improve cognition in NVHL rats. We report that: (1) inter-hippocampal synchrony in the theta and beta bands is correlated with active place avoidance performance; (2) the anticonvulsant ethosuximide attenuated the abnormal spike-wave activity, improved cognitive control, and reduced hyperlocomotion; (3) ethosuximide not only normalized the task-associated theta and beta synchrony between the two hippocampi but also increased synchrony between the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus above control levels; (4) the antipsychotic olanzapine was less effective at improving cognitive control and normalizing place avoidance-related inter-hippocampal neural synchrony, although it reduced hyperactivity; and (5) olanzapine caused an abnormal pattern of frequency-independent increases in neural synchrony, in both NVHL and control rats. These data suggest that normalizing aberrant neural synchrony can be beneficial and that drugs targeting the pathophysiology of abnormally coordinated neural activities may be a promising theoretical framework and strategy for developing treatments that improve cognition in neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heekyung Lee
- Graduate Program in Neural and Behavioral Science, Downstate Medical Center, State University of NewYork , Brooklyn, NY , USA
| | - Dino Dvorak
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Engineering, Downstate Medical Center, State University of New York and New York University Polytechnic School of Engineering , Brooklyn, NY , USA
| | - André A Fenton
- The Robert F. Furchgott Center for Neural and Behavioral Science, Downstate Medical Center, State University of New York , Brooklyn, NY , USA ; Center for Neural Science, New York University , New York, NY , USA
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Jiang Z, Cowell RM, Nakazawa K. Convergence of genetic and environmental factors on parvalbumin-positive interneurons in schizophrenia. Front Behav Neurosci 2013; 7:116. [PMID: 24027504 PMCID: PMC3759852 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2013.00116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2013] [Accepted: 08/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia etiology is thought to involve an interaction between genetic and environmental factors during postnatal brain development. However, there is a fundamental gap in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which environmental factors interact with genetic susceptibility to trigger symptom onset and disease progression. In this review, we summarize the most recent findings implicating oxidative stress as one mechanism by which environmental insults, especially early life social stress, impact the development of schizophrenia. Based on a review of the literature and the results of our own animal model, we suggest that environmental stressors such as social isolation render parvalbumin-positive interneurons (PVIs) vulnerable to oxidative stress. We previously reported that social isolation stress exacerbates many of the schizophrenia-like phenotypes seen in a conditional genetic mouse model in which NMDA receptors (NMDARs) are selectively ablated in half of cortical and hippocampal interneurons during early postnatal development (Belforte et al., 2010). We have since revealed that this social isolation-induced effect is caused by impairments in the antioxidant defense capacity in the PVIs in which NMDARs are ablated. We propose that this effect is mediated by the down-regulation of PGC-1α, a master regulator of mitochondrial energy metabolism and anti-oxidant defense, following the deletion of NMDARs (Jiang et al., 2013). Other potential molecular mechanisms underlying redox dysfunction upon gene and environmental interaction will be discussed, with a focus on the unique properties of PVIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihong Jiang
- Unit on Genetics of Cognition and Behavior, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH Bethesda, MD, USA
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Kocsis B, Brown RE, McCarley RW, Hajos M. Impact of ketamine on neuronal network dynamics: translational modeling of schizophrenia-relevant deficits. CNS Neurosci Ther 2013; 19:437-47. [PMID: 23611295 PMCID: PMC3663928 DOI: 10.1111/cns.12081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2012] [Revised: 01/26/2013] [Accepted: 01/28/2013] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Subanesthetic doses of the psychomimetic, ketamine, have been used for many years to elicit behavioral effects reminiscent of schizophrenia in both healthy humans and in animal models of the disease. More recently, there has been a move toward the use of simple neurophysiological measures (event-related potentials, brain oscillations) to assay the functional integrity of neuronal circuits in schizophrenia as these measures can be assessed in patients, healthy controls, intact animals, and even in brain slices. Furthermore, alterations of these measures are correlated with basic information processing deficits that are now considered central to the disease. Thus, here we review recent studies that determine the effect of ketamine on these measures and discuss to what extent they recapitulate findings in patients with schizophrenia. In particular, we examine methodological differences between human and animal studies and compare in vivo and in vitro effects of ketamine. Ketamine acts on multiple cortical and subcortical sites, as well as on receptors other than the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor. Acute ketamine models' changes correlated with psychotic states (e.g. increased baseline gamma-band oscillations), whereas chronic ketamine causes cortical circuit changes and neurophysiological deficits (e.g. impaired event-related gamma-band oscillations) correlated with cognitive impairments in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernat Kocsis
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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Wang X, Pinto-Duarte A, Sejnowski TJ, Behrens MM. How Nox2-containing NADPH oxidase affects cortical circuits in the NMDA receptor antagonist model of schizophrenia. Antioxid Redox Signal 2013; 18:1444-62. [PMID: 22938164 PMCID: PMC3603498 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2012.4907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2012] [Accepted: 09/02/2012] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE Schizophrenia is a complex neuropsychiatric disorder affecting around 1% of the population worldwide. Its mode of inheritance suggests a multigenic neurodevelopmental disorder with symptoms appearing during late adolescence/early adulthood, with its onset strongly influenced by environmental stimuli. Many neurotransmitter systems, including dopamine, glutamate, and gamma-aminobutyric acid, show alterations in affected individuals, and the behavioral and physiological characteristics of the disease can be mimicked by drugs that produce blockade of N-methyl-d-aspartate glutamate receptors (NMDARs). RECENT ADVANCES Mounting evidence suggests that drugs that block NMDARs specifically impair the inhibitory capacity of parvalbumin-expressing (PV+) fast-spiking neurons in adult and developing rodents, and alterations in these inhibitory neurons is one of the most consistent findings in the schizophrenic postmortem brain. Disruption of the inhibitory capacity of PV+ inhibitory neurons will alter the functional balance between excitation and inhibition in prefrontal cortical circuits producing impairment of working memory processes such as those observed in schizophrenia. CRITICAL ISSUES Mechanistically, the effect of NMDAR antagonists can be attributed to the activation of the Nox2-dependent reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase pathway in cortical neurons, which is consistent with the emerging role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of mental disorders, specifically schizophrenia. Here we review the mechanisms by which NMDAR antagonists produce lasting impairment of the cortical PV+ neuronal system and the roles played by Nox2-dependent oxidative stress mechanisms. FUTURE DIRECTIONS The discovery of the pathways by which oxidative stress leads to unbalanced excitation and inhibition in cortical neural circuits opens a new perspective toward understanding the biological underpinnings of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - António Pinto-Duarte
- The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, La Jolla, California
- Institute of Pharmacology and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- Neurosciences Unit, Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Terrence J. Sejnowski
- The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, La Jolla, California
- Division of Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
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Naert A, Gantois I, Laeremans A, Vreysen S, Van den Bergh G, Arckens L, Callaerts-Vegh Z, D'Hooge R. Behavioural alterations relevant to developmental brain disorders in mice with neonatally induced ventral hippocampal lesions. Brain Res Bull 2013; 94:71-81. [PMID: 23357176 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2013.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2012] [Revised: 10/31/2012] [Accepted: 01/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Neonatal lesioning of the ventral hippocampus (vHc) in rats has served as a useful heuristic animal model to elucidate neurodevelopmental mechanisms of schizophrenia (SCZ). In the current study we have established that this procedure can be applied to model SCZ symptomatology in mice. Neonatal mice (postnatal day 6) were anaesthetised by hypothermia and electrolytic lesions of the vHc were induced. We observed locomotor hyperactivity at prepubertal and adult age and hypersensitivity to amphetamine. Furthermore, working memory deficits were observed in Y-maze (spontaneous alternation) and T-maze (exploration of a novel arm) test protocols. Decreased anxious behaviour in the elevated plus maze and increased sociability were also observed. These changes were dependent on lesion size. No differences were observed in prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex, latent inhibition, spatial memory (Morris water maze), problem solving capacities (syringe puzzle) and ability to discriminate between different unfamiliar mice. The presented findings might further help to identify neurobiological mechanisms of neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arne Naert
- Laboratory of Biological Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KULeuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
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A loss of hippocampal perineuronal nets produces deficits in dopamine system function: relevance to the positive symptoms of schizophrenia. Transl Psychiatry 2013; 3:e215. [PMID: 23321812 PMCID: PMC3566725 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2012.145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Deficits in parvalbumin containing interneurons are a consistent observation in animal models and schizophrenia patients. These neurons are surrounded by chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans, forming perineuronal nets, thought to support the high firing frequencies observed in these neurons. A loss of perineuronal nets has been observed post mortem in human schizophrenia patients, however, whether this contributes to the symptoms of schizophrenia is not known. Here we directly examine the effects of chondroitinase ABC degradation of ventral hippocampal (vHipp) perineuronal nets, and demonstrate that this results in an enhanced hippocampal activity and significant increase in dopamine neuron population activity. In addition, chondroitinase-treated rats display an augmented locomotor response to amphetamine, consistent with the enhanced response to psychomotor stimulants observed in schizophrenia patients. Taken together, these data demonstrate that a loss of vHipp perineuronal nets is sufficient, in and of itself, to induce aberrant hippocampal and dopamine system function consistent with that observed in rodent models and schizophrenia patients.
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Pehrson AL, Bondi CO, Totah NKB, Moghaddam B. The influence of NMDA and GABA(A) receptors and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) activity on attention. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2013; 225:31-9. [PMID: 22797703 PMCID: PMC3580768 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-012-2792-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2012] [Accepted: 06/20/2012] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Attention dysfunction is the hallmark of cognitive deficits associated with major psychiatric illnesses including schizophrenia. Cognitive deficits of schizophrenia have been attributed to reduced function of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor or reduced expression of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-synthesizing enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase-67, which presumably leads to attenuated neurotransmission at GABA(A) receptors. OBJECTIVE The present study used a rodent model to compare the inhibition of NMDA and GABA(A) receptors, and GAD activity on attention. We tested the impact of inhibiting these proteins brain wide or in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a prefrontal cortex region critical for attentional processing. METHODS Rats were trained on the three choice serial reaction time task (3-CSRT), an attention test. The impact of systemic or intra-ACC injection of drugs on performance was measured in well-trained rats. RESULTS Reducing GABA(A) receptor function within the ACC with the direct antagonist SR95531 (1 or 3 ng/side) or brain wide using systemic injection of the benzodiazepine inverse agonist FG7142 (5 mg/kg) impaired accuracy and increased omissions. Systemic or intra-ACC inhibition of NMDA receptors using MK-801 (at 3 mg/kg or 3 μg, respectively) also impaired performance. Inhibition of GAD with 3-mercaptopropionic acid, even at high doses, had no effect on 3-CSRT accuracy or omissions when administered systemically or within the ACC. CONCLUSIONS These data demonstrate that, while tonic stimulation of NMDA and GABA(A) receptors within the ACC are critical for attentional performance, reduction in GAD activity may have little functional significance and is not indicative of reduced GABA neurotransmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan L. Pehrson
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, A210 Langley Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Corina O. Bondi
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, A210 Langley Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Nelson K. B. Totah
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, A210 Langley Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Bita Moghaddam
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, A210 Langley Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
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Transient inactivation of the neonatal ventral hippocampus impairs attentional set-shifting behavior: reversal with an α7 nicotinic agonist. Neuropsychopharmacology 2012; 37:2476-86. [PMID: 22781844 PMCID: PMC3442342 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2012.106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive deficits represent a core symptom cluster in schizophrenia that are thought to reflect developmental dysregulations within a neural system involving the ventral hippocampus (VH), nucleus accumbens (NAC), and prefrontal cortex (PFC). The present experiments determined the cognitive effects of transiently inactivating VH in rats during a sensitive period of development. Neonatal (postnatal day 7, PD7) and adolescent (PD32) male rats received a single bilateral infusion of saline or tetrodotoxin (TTX) within the VH to transiently inactivate local circuitry and efferent outflow. Rats were tested as adults on an attentional set-shifting task. Performance in this task depends upon the integrity of the PFC and NAC. TTX infusions did not affect the initial acquisition or ability to learn an intra-dimensional shift. However, TTX rats required a greater number of trials than did controls to acquire the first reversal and extra-dimensional shift (ED) stages. These impairments were age and region-specific as rats infused with TTX into the VH at PD32, or into the dorsal hippocampus at PD7, exhibited performance in the task similar to that of controls. Finally, acute systemic administration of the partial α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonist SSR 180711 (3.0 mg/kg) eliminated the TTX-induced performance deficits. Given that patients with schizophrenia exhibit hippocampal pathophysiology and deficits in the ED stages of set-shifting tasks, our results support the significance of transient hippocampal inactivation as an animal model for studying the cognitive impairments in schizophrenia as well as the pro-cognitive therapeutic potential of α7 nAChR agonists.
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ValdéS-Cruz AL, Negrete-DíAZ JV, Magdaleno-Madrigal VM, MartíNez-Vargas D, FernáNdez-Mas R, AlmazáN-Alvarado S, Torres-GarcÍA ME, Flores G. Electroencephalographic activity in neonatal ventral hippocampus lesion in adult rats. Synapse 2012; 66:738-46. [DOI: 10.1002/syn.21563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2011] [Accepted: 03/28/2012] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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Abstract
Schizophrenia is a debilitating neurodevelopmental disorder affecting approximately 1% of the population and imposing a significant burden on society. One of the most replicated and well-established postmortem findings is a deficit in the expression of the gene encoding the 67-kDa isoform of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD67), the primary GABA-producing enzyme in the brain. GAD67 is expressed in various classes of interneurons, with vastly different morphological, molecular, and physiological properties. Importantly, GABA system deficits in schizophrenia encompass multiple interneuronal subtypes, raising several important questions. First, do different classes of interneurons regulate different aspects of behavior? Second, can we model cell-type-specific GABAergic deficits in mice, and will the rodent findings translate to human physiology? Finally, will this knowledge open the door to knowledge-based approaches to treat schizophrenia?
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin J Schmidt
- Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn., USA.
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Auditory steady state responses in a schizophrenia rat model probed by excitatory/inhibitory receptor manipulation. Int J Psychophysiol 2012; 86:136-42. [PMID: 22504207 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2012.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2011] [Revised: 03/23/2012] [Accepted: 04/05/2012] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Alterations in neural synchrony and oscillations may contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and reflect aberrations in cortical glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission. We tested the effects of a GABA agonist and an NMDA antagonist on auditory steady state responses (ASSRs) in awake rats with neonatal ventral hippocampal lesions (NVHLs) as a neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia. NVHL vs. SHAM lesioned rats were injected with saline then either ketamine (NMDA antagonist) or muscimol (GABA(A) agonist). Time-frequency analyses examined alterations in phase locking (consistency) across trials and changes in total power (magnitude). ASSRs were compared at five stimulation frequencies (10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 Hz). In SHAM rats, phase locking and power generally increased with stimulation frequency. Both ketamine and muscimol also increased phase locking and power in SHAM rats, but mostly in the 20 to 40 Hz range. NVHL and ketamine altered the frequency dependence of phase locking, while only ketamine changed power frequency dependence. Muscimol affected power, but not phase locking, in the NVHL rats. NVHL and ketamine models of schizophrenia produce similar independent effects on ASSR, potentially representing similar forms of cortical network/glutamatergic dysfunction, albeit the effects of ketamine were more robust. Muscimol produced NVHL-dependent reductions in ASSR measures, suggesting that cortical networks in this model are intolerant to post-synaptic GABAergic stimulation. These findings suggest the utility of combining lesion, pharmacological, and ASSR approaches in understanding neural mechanisms underlying disturbed synchrony in schizophrenia.
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Krüger HS, Brockmann MD, Salamon J, Ittrich H, Hanganu-Opatz IL. Neonatal hippocampal lesion alters the functional maturation of the prefrontal cortex and the early cognitive development in pre-juvenile rats. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2012; 97:470-81. [PMID: 22521798 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2012.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2012] [Accepted: 04/01/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Mnemonic and executive performance is encoded into activity patterns of complex neuronal networks. Lesion studies revealed that adult recognition memory critically depends on the activation of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus (HP). However, its developmental profile remains poorly elucidated. We previously showed the rat PFC and HP are functionally coupled in theta- and gamma-band oscillations during neonatal [postnatal day (P) 5-8] and pre-juvenile (P10-15) stages of development. Here, we assess the behavioral readout of this early prefrontal-hippocampal activation by investigating the ontogeny and the mechanisms of novelty detection and recognition memory in relationship to the functional integrity of the PFC and HP. Excitotoxic lesion of the HP at birth led to abnormal oscillatory entrainment of the PFC throughout neonatal and pre-juvenile development. Although the onset of novelty detection correlated rather with the maturation of sensory perception and motor skills than with hippocampal integrity, the pre-juvenile performance in item, spatial and temporal order recognition memory significantly decreased after HP lesion at birth. This poorer performance does result neither from abnormal developmental milestones and locomotion nor from increased anxiety. Thus, novelty recognition in rat emerges during the second postnatal week and requires functional integrity of communication within neuronal networks including the PFC and HP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna-Sophie Krüger
- Developmental Neurophysiology, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
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Powell SB, Sejnowski TJ, Behrens MM. Behavioral and neurochemical consequences of cortical oxidative stress on parvalbumin-interneuron maturation in rodent models of schizophrenia. Neuropharmacology 2012; 62:1322-31. [PMID: 21315745 PMCID: PMC3106123 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2011.01.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2010] [Revised: 01/26/2011] [Accepted: 01/28/2011] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Oxidative stress, in response to the activation of the superoxide-producing enzyme Nox2, has been implicated in the schizophrenia-like behavioral dysfunction that develops in animals that were subject to either neonatal NMDA receptor-antagonist treatment or social isolation. In both of these animal models of schizophrenia, an environmental insult occurring during the period of active maturation of the fast-spiking parvalbumin-positive (PV+) interneuronal circuit leads to a diminished expression of parvalbumin in GABA-inhibitory neurons when animals reach adulthood. The loss of PV+ interneurons in animal models had been tentatively attributed to the death of these neurons. However, present results show that for the perinatal NMDA-R antagonist model these interneurons are still alive when animals are 5-6 weeks of age even though they have lost their phenotype and no longer express parvalbumin. Alterations in parvalbumin expression and sensory-evoked gamma-oscillatory activity, regulated by PV+ interneurons, are consistently observed in schizophrenia. We propose that cortical networks consisting of faulty PV+ interneurons interacting with pyramidal neurons may be responsible for the aberrant oscillatory activity observed in schizophrenia. Thus, oxidative stress during the maturation window for PV+ interneurons by alteration of normal brain development, leads to the emergence of schizophrenia-like behavioral dysfunctions when subjects reach early adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan B. Powell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, MC0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804
| | - Terrence J. Sejnowski
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute. The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093
| | - M. Margarita Behrens
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute. The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037
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Lecourtier L, Antal MC, Cosquer B, Schumacher A, Samama B, Angst MJ, Ferrandon A, Koning E, Cassel JC, Nehlig A. Intact neurobehavioral development and dramatic impairments of procedural-like memory following neonatal ventral hippocampal lesion in rats. Neuroscience 2012; 207:110-23. [PMID: 22322113 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.01.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2011] [Revised: 12/26/2011] [Accepted: 01/23/2012] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Neonatal ventral hippocampal lesions (NVHL) in rats are considered a potent developmental model of schizophrenia. After NVHL, rats appear normal during their preadolescent time, whereas in early adulthood, they develop behavioral deficits paralleling symptomatic aspects of schizophrenia, including hyperactivity, hypersensitivity to amphetamine (AMPH), prepulse and latent inhibition deficits, reduced social interactions, and spatial working and reference memory alterations. Surprisingly, the question of the consequences of NVHL on postnatal neurobehavioral development has not been addressed. This is of particular importance, as a defective neurobehavioral development could contribute to impairments seen in adult rats. Therefore, at several time points of the early postsurgical life of NVHL rats, we assessed behaviors accounting for neurobehavioral development, including negative geotaxis and grip strength (PD11), locomotor coordination (PD21), and open-field (PD25). At adulthood, the rats were tested for anxiety levels, locomotor activity, as well as spatial reference memory performance. Using a novel task, we also investigated the consequences of the lesions on procedural-like memory, which had never been tested following NVHL. Our results point to preserved neurobehavioral development. They also confirm the already documented locomotor hyperactivity, spatial reference memory impairment, and hyperresponsiveness to AMPH. Finally, our rseults show for the first time that NVHL disabled the development of behavioral routines, suggesting dramatic procedural memory deficits. The presence of procedural memory deficits in adult rats subjected to NHVL suggests that the lesions lead to a wider range of cognitive deficits than previously shown. Interestingly, procedural or implicit memory impairments have also been reported in schizophrenic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Lecourtier
- Laboratoire d'Imagerie et de Neurosciences Cognitives, UMR, 7237 Université de Strasbourg/CNRS, Strasbourg, France
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43
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Ducharme G, Lowe GC, Goutagny R, Williams S. Early alterations in hippocampal circuitry and theta rhythm generation in a mouse model of prenatal infection: implications for schizophrenia. PLoS One 2012; 7:e29754. [PMID: 22238649 PMCID: PMC3253085 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0029754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2011] [Accepted: 12/05/2011] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-mortem studies suggest that GABAergic neurotransmission is impaired in schizophrenia. However, it remains unclear if these changes occur early during development and how they impact overall network activity. To investigate this, we used a mouse model of prenatal infection with the viral mimic, polyriboinosinic–polyribocytidilic acid (poly I∶C), a model based on epidemiological evidence that an immune challenge during pregnancy increases the prevalence of schizophrenia in the offspring. We found that prenatal infection reduced the density of parvalbumin- but not somatostatin-positive interneurons in the CA1 area of the hippocampus and strongly reduced the strength of inhibition early during postnatal development. Furthermore, using an intact hippocampal preparation in vitro, we found reduced theta oscillation generated in the CA1 area. Taken together, these results suggest that redistribution in excitatory and inhibitory transmission locally in the CA1 is associated with a significant alteration in network function. Furthermore, given the role of theta rhythm in memory, our results demonstrate how a risk factor for schizophrenia can affect network function early in development that could contribute to cognitive deficits observed later in the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Ducharme
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Department of Psychiatry, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Germaine C. Lowe
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Department of Psychiatry, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Romain Goutagny
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Department of Psychiatry, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Sylvain Williams
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Department of Psychiatry, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- * E-mail:
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Heuer E, Bachevalier J. Neonatal hippocampal lesions in rhesus macaques alter the monitoring, but not maintenance, of information in working memory. Behav Neurosci 2011; 125:859-70. [PMID: 21928873 PMCID: PMC3226899 DOI: 10.1037/a0025541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Neonatal hippocampal damage in rodents impairs medial prefrontal working memory functions. To examine whether similar impairment will follow the same damage in primates, adult monkeys with neonatal hippocampal lesions and sham-operated controls were trained on two working memory tasks. The session-unique delayed nonmatch-to-sample (SU-DNMS) task measures maintenance of information in working memory mediated by the ventral lateral prefrontal cortex. The object self-ordered (Obj-SO) task measures monitoring of information in working memory mediated by the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Adult monkeys with neonatal hippocampal lesions performed as well as sham-operated controls on the SU-DNMS task at either the 5- or 30-s delays but were severely impaired on the Obj-SO task. These results extend the earlier findings in rodents by demonstrating that early lesions of the hippocampus in monkeys impair working memory processes known to require the integrity of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex while sparing lower order working memory processes such as recency. Although the present results suggest that the lack of functional hippocampal inputs may have altered the maturation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, future studies will be needed to determine whether the nature of the observed working memory deficit is due to an absence of the hippocampus, a maldevelopment of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, or both.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Heuer
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Jocelyne Bachevalier
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center Emory University, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Psychology Emory University, Atlanta, GA
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Transient inactivation of the neonatal ventral hippocampus permanently disrupts the mesolimbic regulation of prefrontal cholinergic transmission: implications for schizophrenia. Neuropsychopharmacology 2011; 36:2477-87. [PMID: 21814184 PMCID: PMC3194075 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2011.136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
These experiments determined the mesolimbic modulation of cortical cholinergic transmission in a neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia. Mesolimbic-cholinergic abnormalities are hypothesized to contribute to the cognitive deficits seen in schizophrenia. Stimulation of NMDA receptors in nucleus accumbens (NAC) increases acetylcholine (ACh) release in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), a mechanism recently demonstrated to contribute to the control of attentional performance. We determined the ability of intra-NAC administration of NMDA to increase prefrontal ACh levels in adult rats that had received bilateral infusions of tetrodotoxin (TTX) to transiently interrupt impulse flow in the ventral hippocampus (VH) during development. Rats received infusions of TTX or saline on postnatal day 7 (PD7) or day 32 (PD32), and the effects of NAC NMDA receptor stimulation on prefrontal cholinergic neurotransmission were assessed in adulthood. In animals treated as controls on PD7, NMDA increased prefrontal ACh levels by 121% above baseline. In contrast, PD7 infusions of TTX into the VH abolished the ability of NAC NMDA to activate prefrontal cholinergic neurotransmission (7% increase). In animals that received TTX infusions on PD32, NMDA-evoked cholinergic activity did not differ from controls, indicating a restricted, neonatal critical period during which VH TTX impacts the organization of mesolimbic-basal forebrain-cortical circuitry. Importantly, the failure of NAC NMDA to evoke cholinergic activity in rats treated with TTX on PD7 did not reflect a reduced excitability of corticopetal cholinergic neurons because administration of amphetamine produced similar elevations of prefrontal ACh levels in PD7 TTX and PD7 control animals. A third series of experiments demonstrated that the effects of PD7 TTX are a specific consequence of transient disruption of impulse flow in the VH. Intra-NAC NMDA evoked prefrontal ACh release in rats receiving TTX, on PD7, into the dorsal hippocampus (DH), basolateral amygdala, or NAC. Thus, impulse flow specifically within the VH, during a sensitive period of development, is necessary for the functional organization of a mesolimbic-cortical circuit known to mediate attentional control processes. Therefore, neonatal inactivation of VH represents an effective animal model for studying the basis of certain cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia.
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Brenhouse HC, Andersen SL. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory treatment prevents delayed effects of early life stress in rats. Biol Psychiatry 2011; 70:434-40. [PMID: 21679927 PMCID: PMC5237809 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2011.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2011] [Revised: 04/28/2011] [Accepted: 05/05/2011] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early developmental insults can cause dysfunction within parvalbumin (PVB)-containing interneurons in the prefrontal cortex. The neuropsychiatric disorders associated with such dysfunction might involve neuroinflammatory processes. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is a key mediator of inflammation and is therefore a potential target for preventive treatment. Here, we investigated whether the developmental trajectories of PVB expression and COX-2 induction in the prelimbic region of the prefrontal cortex are altered after maternal separation stress in male rats. METHODS Male rat pups were separated from their mother and littermates for 4 hours/day between postnatal Days 2 and 20. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were used to analyze PVB and COX-2 expression in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. A separate cohort of animals was treated with a COX-2 inhibitor during preadolescence and analyzed for PVB, COX-2, and working memory performance. RESULTS We demonstrate that maternal separation causes a reduction of PVB and an increase in COX-2 expression in the prefrontal cortex in adolescence, with concurrent working memory deficits. Parvalbumin was not affected earlier in development. Prophylactic COX-2 inhibition preadolescence prevents PVB loss and improves working memory deficits induced by maternal separation. CONCLUSIONS These data are the first to show a preventive pharmacological intervention for the delayed effects of early life stress on prefrontal cortex interneurons and working memory. Our results suggest a possible mechanism for the relationship between early life stress and interneuron dysfunction in adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather C Brenhouse
- Laboratory for Developmental Neuropharmacology, McLean Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, Massachusetts, USA.
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O'Donnell P. Cortical disinhibition in the neonatal ventral hippocampal lesion model of schizophrenia: new vistas on possible therapeutic approaches. Pharmacol Ther 2011; 133:19-25. [PMID: 21839776 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2011.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2011] [Accepted: 07/19/2011] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The neonatal ventral hippocampal lesion (NVHL) model of schizophrenia has been extensively used in many laboratories over the past couple of decades. With more than 120 publications from over 15 research groups, this developmental model yields a number of schizophrenia-relevant behavioral, neurochemical and electrophysiological deficits. An important aspect of this model is the delayed emergence of alterations, typically during adolescence despite the manipulation that causes them having been performed during the first postnatal week. Such delayed timing reflects the periadolescent onset of schizophrenia symptoms and may be related to the protracted maturation of cortical circuits, affected in both the disease and the NVHL model. Here, I will review the work we have done regarding the maturation of prefrontal cortical-accumbens circuits during adolescence, and how this maturation is affected in rats with a NVHL. One of the principal elements affected in NVHL rats is the dopamine modulation of prefrontal cortical interneurons, and this finding is convergent with data from many other developmental, genetic and pharmacological models. An altered maturation of interneuron function would yield a disinhibited cortex, and this opens the way to novel therapeutic approaches for treatment and even prevention of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricio O'Donnell
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, United States.
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Lazar NL, Neufeld RWJ, Cain DP. Contribution of nonprimate animal models in understanding the etiology of schizophrenia. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2011; 36:E5-29. [PMID: 21247514 PMCID: PMC3120891 DOI: 10.1503/jpn.100054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric disorder that is characterized by positive and negative symptoms and cognitive impairments. The etiology of the disorder is complex, and it is thought to follow a multifactorial threshold model of inheritance with genetic and neurodevelop mental contributions to risk. Human studies are particularly useful in capturing the richness of the phenotype, but they are often limited to the use of correlational approaches. By assessing behavioural abnormalities in both humans and rodents, nonprimate animal models of schizophrenia provide unique insight into the etiology and mechanisms of the disorder. This review discusses the phenomenology and etiology of schizophrenia and the contribution of current nonprimate animal models with an emphasis on how research with models of neuro transmitter dysregulation, environmental risk factors, neurodevelopmental disruption and genetic risk factors can complement the literature on schizophrenia in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah L Lazar
- Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.
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Mitterauer BJ, Kofler-Westergren B. Possible effects of synaptic imbalances on oligodendrocyte-axonic interactions in schizophrenia: a hypothetical model. Front Psychiatry 2011; 2:15. [PMID: 21647404 PMCID: PMC3102422 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2011.00015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2011] [Accepted: 03/28/2011] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A model of glial-neuronal interactions is proposed that could be explanatory for the demyelination identified in brains with schizophrenia. It is based on two hypotheses: (1) that glia-neuron systems are functionally viable and important for normal brain function, and (2) that disruption of this postulated function disturbs the glial categorization function, as shown by formal analysis. According to this model, in schizophrenia receptors on astrocytes in glial-neuronal synaptic units are not functional, loosing their modulatory influence on synaptic neurotransmission. Hence, an unconstrained neurotransmission flux occurs that hyperactivates the axon and floods the cognate receptors of neurotransmitters on oligodendrocytes. The excess of neurotransmitters may have a toxic effect on oligodendrocytes and myelin, causing demyelination. In parallel, an increasing impairment of axons may disconnect neuronal networks. It is formally shown how oligodendrocytes normally categorize axonic information processing via their processes. Demyelination decomposes the oligodendrocyte-axonic system making it incapable to generate categories of information. This incoherence may be responsible for symptoms of disorganization in schizophrenia, such as thought disorder, inappropriate affect and incommunicable motor behavior. In parallel, the loss of oligodendrocytes affects gap junctions in the panglial syncytium, presumably responsible for memory impairment in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernhard J. Mitterauer
- Volitronics – Institute for Basic Research, Psychopathology and Brain PhilosophyWals/Salzburg, Austria
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Enomoto T, Tse MT, Floresco SB. Reducing prefrontal gamma-aminobutyric acid activity induces cognitive, behavioral, and dopaminergic abnormalities that resemble schizophrenia. Biol Psychiatry 2011; 69:432-41. [PMID: 21146155 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2010.09.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2010] [Revised: 09/23/2010] [Accepted: 09/24/2010] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Perturbations in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-related markers have been reported in the prefrontal cortex of schizophrenic patients. However, a preclinical assessment of how suppression of prefrontal cortex GABA activity may reflect behavioral and cognitive pathologies observed in schizophrenia is forthcoming. METHODS We assessed the effects of pharmacologic blockade of prefrontal cortex GABA(A) receptors in rats on executive functions and other behaviors related to schizophrenia, as well as neural activity of midbrain dopamine neurons. RESULTS Blockade of prefrontal cortex GABA(A) receptors with bicuculline (12.5-50 ng) did not affect working memory accuracy but did increase response latencies, resembling speed of processing deficits observed in schizophrenia. Prefrontal cortex GABA(A) blockade did not impede simple discrimination or reversal learning but did impair set-shifting in a manner dependent on when these treatments were given. Reducing GABA activity before the set-shift impaired the ability to acquire a novel strategy, whereas treatment before the initial discrimination increased perseveration during the shift. Latent inhibition was unaffected by bicuculline infusions before the preexposure/conditioning phases, suggesting that reduced prefrontal cortex GABA activity does not impair "learned irrelevance." GABA(A) blockade increased locomotor activity and showed synergic effects with a subthreshold dose of amphetamine. Furthermore, reducing medial prefrontal cortex GABA activity selectively increased phasic burst firing of ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons, without altering the their overall population activity. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that prefrontal cortex GABA hypofunction may be a key contributing factor to deficits in speed of processing, cognitive flexibility, and enhanced phasic dopamine activity observed in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Enomoto
- Department of Psychology and Brain Research Centre, University of British Columbia, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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