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Lee D, Woo CW, Heo H, Ko Y, Jang JS, Na S, Kim N, Woo DC, Kim KW, Lee DW. Mapping Changes in Glutamate with Glutamate-Weighted MRI in Forced Swim Test Model of Depression in Rats. Biomedicines 2024; 12:384. [PMID: 38397986 PMCID: PMC10887078 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12020384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Chemical exchange saturation transfer with glutamate (GluCEST) imaging is a novel technique for the non-invasive detection and quantification of cerebral Glu levels in neuromolecular processes. Here we used GluCEST imaging and 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) to assess in vivo changes in Glu signals within the hippocampus in a rat model of depression induced by a forced swim test. The forced swimming test (FST) group exhibited markedly reduced GluCEST-weighted levels and Glu concentrations when examined using 1H MRS in the hippocampal region compared to the control group (GluCEST-weighted levels: 3.67 ± 0.81% vs. 5.02 ± 0.44%, p < 0.001; and Glu concentrations: 6.560 ± 0.292 μmol/g vs. 7.133 ± 0.397 μmol/g, p = 0.001). Our results indicate that GluCEST imaging is a distinctive approach to detecting and monitoring Glu levels in a rat model of depression. Furthermore, the application of GluCEST imaging may provide a deeper insight into the neurochemical involvement of glutamate in various psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donghoon Lee
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Higher Colleges of Technology, Fujairah P.O. Box 1626, United Arab Emirates;
| | - Chul-Woong Woo
- Convergence Medicine Research Center, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea; (C.-W.W.); (D.-C.W.)
| | - Hwon Heo
- Department of Convergence Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea;
| | - Yousun Ko
- Department of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea;
| | - Ji Sung Jang
- Biomedical Research Center, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea; (J.S.J.); (S.N.)
| | - Seongwon Na
- Biomedical Research Center, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea; (J.S.J.); (S.N.)
| | - Nari Kim
- Department of Medical Science, Asan Medical Institute of Convergence Science and Technology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea;
| | - Dong-Cheol Woo
- Convergence Medicine Research Center, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea; (C.-W.W.); (D.-C.W.)
- Department of Convergence Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea;
- Department of Medical Science, Asan Medical Institute of Convergence Science and Technology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea;
| | - Kyung Won Kim
- Department of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea;
- Department of Medical Science, Asan Medical Institute of Convergence Science and Technology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea;
| | - Do-Wan Lee
- Department of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea;
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Pavlova I, Ruda-Kucerova J. Brain metabolic derangements examined using 1H MRS and their (in)consistency among different rodent models of depression. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2023; 127:110808. [PMID: 37301420 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2023.110808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is underlined by neurochemical changes in the brain. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) is a useful tool for their examination as it provides information about the levels of metabolites. This review summarises the current knowledge of 1H MRS findings from rodent models of MDD, assesses the results from both a biological and a technical perspective, and identifies the main sources of bias. From a technical point of view, bias-introducing factors are the diversity of the measured volumes and their positioning in the brain, the data processing, and the metabolite concentration expression. The biological variables are strain, sex, and species, as well as the model itself, and in vivo vs. ex vivo exploration. This review identified some consistency in the 1H MRS findings in the models of MDD: lower levels of glutamine, glutamate + glutamine, and higher levels of myo-inositol and taurine in most of the brain regions of MDD models. This may suggest changes in regional metabolism, neuronal dysregulation, inflammation, and a compensatory effect reaction in the MDD rodent models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iveta Pavlova
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 147, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Jana Ruda-Kucerova
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic.
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Pavlova I, Drazanova E, Kratka L, Amchova P, Macicek O, Starcukova J, Starcuk Z, Ruda-Kucerova J. Laterality in functional and metabolic state of the bulbectomised rat brain detected by ASL and 1H MRS: A pilot study. World J Biol Psychiatry 2022; 24:414-428. [PMID: 36102141 DOI: 10.1080/15622975.2022.2124450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Pilot study validating the animal model of depression - the bilateral olfactory bulbectomy in rats - by two nuclear magnetic resonance methods, indirectly detecting the metabolic state of the brain. Furthermore, the study focussed on potential differences in brain laterality. METHODS Arterial spin labelling assessed cerebral brain flow in prefrontal, sensorimotor, and piriform cortices, nucleus accumbens, hippocampus, thalamus, circle of Willis, and whole brain. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy provided information about relative metabolite concentrations in the cortex and hippocampus. RESULTS Arterial spin labelling found no differences in cerebral perfusion in the group comparison but revealed lateralisation in the thalamus of the control group and the sensorimotor cortex of the bulbectomized rats. Lower Cho/tCr and Cho/NAA levels were found in the right hippocampus in bulbectomized rats. The differences in lateralisation were shown in the hippocampus: mI/tCr in the control group, Cho/NAA, NAA/tCr, Tau/tCr in the model group, and in the cortex: NAA/tCr, mI/tCr in the control group. CONCLUSION Olfactory bulbectomy affects the neuronal and biochemical profile of the rat brain laterally and, as a model of depression, was validated by two nuclear magnetic resonance methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iveta Pavlova
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Drazanova
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Kratka
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Amchova
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ondrej Macicek
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Starcukova
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Zenon Starcuk
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Ruda-Kucerova
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
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Gondré-Lewis MC, Bassey R, Blum K. Pre-clinical models of reward deficiency syndrome: A behavioral octopus. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 115:164-188. [PMID: 32360413 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with mood disorders or with addiction, impulsivity and some personality disorders can share in common a dysfunction in how the brain perceives reward, where processing of natural endorphins or the response to exogenous dopamine stimulants is impaired. Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS) is a polygenic trait with implications that suggest cross-talk between different neurological systems that include the known reward pathway, neuroendocrine systems, and motivational systems. In this review we evaluate well-characterized animal models for their construct validity and as potential models for RDS. Animal models used to study substance use disorder, major depressive disorder (MDD), early life stress, immune dysregulation, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), compulsive gambling and compulsive eating disorders are discussed. These disorders recruit underlying reward deficiency mechanisms in multiple brain centers. Because of the widespread and remarkable array of associated/overlapping behavioral manifestations with a common root of hypodopaminergia, the basic endophenotype recognized as RDS is indeed likened to a behavioral octopus. We conclude this review with a look ahead on how these models can be used to investigate potential therapeutics that target the underlying common deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjorie C Gondré-Lewis
- Department of Anatomy, Howard University College of Medicine, 520 W Street, NW, Washington D.C., 20059, United States; Developmental Neuropsychopharmacology Laboratory, Howard University College of Medicine, 520 W Street, NW, Washington D.C., 20059, United States.
| | - Rosemary Bassey
- Developmental Neuropsychopharmacology Laboratory, Howard University College of Medicine, 520 W Street, NW, Washington D.C., 20059, United States; Department of Science Education, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/ Northwell, 500 Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY 11549, United States
| | - Kenneth Blum
- Western University Health Sciences, Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences, Pomona, California, United States
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Neuro-metabolite profiles of rodent models of psychiatric dysfunctions characterised by MR spectroscopy. Neuropharmacology 2018; 146:109-116. [PMID: 30472272 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.11.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Neuroimaging endophenotypes in animal models provide an objective and translationally-relevant alternative to cognitive/behavioral traits in human psychopathologies. Metabolic alterations, such as those involved in the glutamate-cycle, have been proposed to play a preponderant role in both depression and schizophrenia. Chronic Mild Unpredictable Stress (CMUS) and sub-chronic administration of NMDA receptor antagonist generate animal models of depression and schizophrenia, respectively. The models are based on etiologically-relevant factors related to the induction and support of these psychopathologies. To test metabolic alterations within the glutamate-cycle and in other major neurochemicals, single-voxel Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy was recorded within the hippocampus in both rat models and control animals. Surprisingly, altered glutamate-related metabolites were observed in the CMUS model, but not NMDA-based model, as indicated by decreased glutamine and increased GABA levels. However, both models presented elevated total visible choline and inositol levels relative to controls. These results indicate the presence cell membrane metabolic alterations and inflammatory processes shared in both models, comparable to evidence presented in schizophrenia and depression and other comparable animal models. These translationally-relevant biomarkers may thus form the basis for drug-development targets in both psychopathologies.
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Metabolic effects of light deprivation in the prefrontal cortex of rats with depression-like behavior: In vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 7T. Brain Res 2018; 1687:95-103. [PMID: 29501652 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2018.02.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Revised: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Recent evidence suggests that the glutamate system plays an important role in the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of light deprivation (LD) in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of animals with depression-like behavior, targeting the glutamate system, using in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were housed in constant darkness for six weeks (n = 12; LD group), while controls (n = 8) were housed under normal light cycles. The animals were assessed with forced swim tests. Point-resolved spectroscopy was used to quantify metabolite levels in the PFC. To substantiate the validity of the use of in vivo1H MRS in this study, the spectra obtained in the in vivo1H MRS, parametrically matched spectral simulation, and in vitro experiments were analyzed. The results of the spectral analyses showed that the quantification of glutamate and glutamine was not significantly affected by spectral overlaps. Thus, these results suggested that in vivo1H MRS can be used to reliably investigate the glutamate system. The results of the forced swim test showed LD-induced behavioral despairs in the animals. The levels of glutamate, myo-inositol, phosphocreatine, and total creatine were found significantly (p < 0.010) increased in the PFC of the LD animals compared with the controls. These results suggested that the LD-induced metabolic changes were consistent with the previous findings in patients with MDD and that short-echo-time in vivo1H MRS can be used to effectively measure depression-induced alterations in glutamate systems.
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McIntosh AL, Gormley S, Tozzi L, Frodl T, Harkin A. Recent Advances in Translational Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Animal Models of Stress and Depression. Front Cell Neurosci 2017; 11:150. [PMID: 28596724 PMCID: PMC5442179 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2017.00150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a valuable translational tool that can be used to investigate alterations in brain structure and function in both patients and animal models of disease. Regional changes in brain structure, functional connectivity, and metabolite concentrations have been reported in depressed patients, giving insight into the networks and brain regions involved, however preclinical models are less well characterized. The development of more effective treatments depends upon animal models that best translate to the human condition and animal models may be exploited to assess the molecular and cellular alterations that accompany neuroimaging changes. Recent advances in preclinical imaging have facilitated significant developments within the field, particularly relating to high resolution structural imaging and resting-state functional imaging which are emerging techniques in clinical research. This review aims to bring together the current literature on preclinical neuroimaging in animal models of stress and depression, highlighting promising avenues of research toward understanding the pathological basis of this hugely prevalent disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shane Gormley
- Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College DublinDublin, Ireland
| | - Leonardo Tozzi
- Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College DublinDublin, Ireland
| | - Thomas Frodl
- Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College DublinDublin, Ireland.,Universitätsklinikum A.ö.R, Universitätsklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Medizinische Fakultät, Otto von Guericke UniversitätMagdeburg, Germany
| | - Andrew Harkin
- Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College DublinDublin, Ireland.,School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical sciences, Trinity College DublinDublin, Ireland
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8
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Schulz D, Henn FA, Petri D, Huston JP. Rats bred for helplessness exhibit positive reinforcement learning deficits which are not alleviated by an antidepressant dose of the MAO-B inhibitor deprenyl. Neuroscience 2016; 329:83-92. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.04.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2016] [Revised: 04/16/2016] [Accepted: 04/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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9
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Temperament type specific metabolite profiles of the prefrontal cortex and serum in cattle. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0125044. [PMID: 25927228 PMCID: PMC4416037 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0125044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2014] [Accepted: 03/08/2015] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In the past decade the number of studies investigating temperament in farm animals has increased greatly because temperament has been shown not only to affect handling but also reproduction, health and economically important production traits. However, molecular pathways underlying temperament and molecular pathways linking temperament to production traits, health and reproduction have yet to be studied in full detail. Here we report the results of metabolite profiling of the prefrontal cortex and serum of cattle with distinct temperament types that were performed to further explore their molecular divergence in the response to the slaughter procedure and to identify new targets for further research of cattle temperament. By performing an untargeted comprehensive metabolite profiling, 627 and 1097 metabolite features comprising 235 and 328 metabolites could be detected in the prefrontal cortex and serum, respectively. In total, 54 prefrontal cortex and 51 serum metabolite features were indicated to have a high relevance in the classification of temperament types by a sparse partial least square discriminant analysis. A clear discrimination between fearful/neophobic-alert, interested-stressed, subdued/uninterested-calm and outgoing/neophilic-alert temperament types could be observed based on the abundance of the identified relevant prefrontal cortex and serum metabolites. Metabolites with high relevance in the classification of temperament types revealed that the main differences between temperament types in the response to the slaughter procedure were related to the abundance of glycerophospholipids, fatty acyls and sterol lipids. Differences in the abundance of metabolites related to C21 steroid metabolism and oxidative stress indicated that the differences in the metabolite profiles of the four extreme temperament types could be the result of a temperament type specific regulation of molecular pathways that are known to be involved in the stress and fear response.
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Bogdanova OV, Abdullah O, Kanekar S, Bogdanov VB, Prescot AP, Renshaw PF. Neurochemical alterations in frontal cortex of the rat after one week of hypobaric hypoxia. Behav Brain Res 2014; 263:203-9. [PMID: 24486259 PMCID: PMC4699295 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.01.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2013] [Revised: 01/16/2014] [Accepted: 01/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Residing at high altitude may lead to reduced blood oxygen saturation in the brain and altered metabolism in frontal cortical brain areas, probably due to chronic hypobaric hypoxia. These changes may underlie the increased rates of depression and suicidal behavior that have been associated with life at higher altitudes. To test the hypothesis that hypobaric hypoxia is responsible for development of mood disorders due to alterations in neurochemistry, we assessed depression-like behavior in parallel to levels of brain metabolites in rats housed at simulated altitude. 32 female Sprague Dawley rats were housed either in a hypobaric hypoxia chamber at 10,000 ft of simulated altitude for 1 week or at local conditions (4500 ft of elevation in Salt Lake City, Utah). Depression-like behavior was assessed using the forced swim test (FST) and levels of neurometabolites were estimated by in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the frontal cortex, the striatum and the hippocampus at baseline and after a week of exposure to hypobaric hypoxia. After hypoxia exposure the animals demonstrated increased immobility behavior and shortened latency to immobility in the FST. Elevated ratios of myo-inositol, glutamate, and the sum of myo-inositol and glycine to total creatine were observed in the frontal cortex of hypoxia treated rats. A decrease in the ratio of alanine to total creatine was also noted. This study shows that hypoxia induced alterations in frontal lobe brain metabolites, aggravated depression-like behavior and might be a factor in increased rates of psychiatric disorders observed in populations living at high altitudes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olena V Bogdanova
- Brain Institute, University of Utah, 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City 84108, UT USA.
| | - Osama Abdullah
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Utah, 36 S. Wasatch Drive, Salt Lake City 84112, UT USA
| | - Shami Kanekar
- Brain Institute, University of Utah, 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City 84108, UT USA; Psychiatry Department, University of Utah, 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City 84108, UT USA
| | - Volodymyr B Bogdanov
- INRA, Nutrition et Neurobiologie Intégrée and University Bordeaux, Nutrition et Neurobiologie Intégrée, UMR 1286, 146 rue Léo-Saignat, Bordeaux Cedex 33076, France
| | - Andrew P Prescot
- Brain Institute, University of Utah, 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City 84108, UT USA; Department of Radiology, University of Utah, 30 North 1900 East, Salt Lake City 84132, UT USA
| | - Perry F Renshaw
- Brain Institute, University of Utah, 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City 84108, UT USA; Psychiatry Department, University of Utah, 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City 84108, UT USA; VISN19 MIRECC Salt Lake City UAMC, 500 Foothill Drive, Salt Lake City 84148, UT USA
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Niciu MJ, Ionescu DF, Richards EM, Zarate CA. Glutamate and its receptors in the pathophysiology and treatment of major depressive disorder. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2013; 121:907-24. [PMID: 24318540 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-013-1130-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2013] [Accepted: 11/25/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Monoaminergic neurotransmitter (serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine) mechanisms of disease dominated the research landscape in the pathophysiology and treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) for more than 50 years and still dominate available treatment options. However, the sum of all brain neurons that use monoamines as their primary neurotransmitter is <20%. In addition, most patients treated with monoaminergic antidepressants are left with significant residual symptoms and psychosocial disability not to mention side effects, e.g., sexual dysfunction. In the past several decades, there has been greater focus on the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the human brain, glutamate, in the pathophysiology and treatment of MDD. Although several preclinical and human magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies had already implicated glutamatergic abnormalities in the human brain, it was rocketed by the discovery that the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist ketamine has rapid and potent antidepressant effects in even the most treatment-resistant MDD patients, including those who failed to respond to electroconvulsive therapy and who have active suicidal ideation. In this review, we will first provide a brief introduction to glutamate and its receptors in the mammalian brain. We will then review the clinical evidence for glutamatergic dysfunction in MDD, the discovery and progress-to-date with ketamine as a rapidly acting antidepressant, and other glutamate receptor modulators (including proprietary medications) for treatment-resistant depression. We will finally conclude by offering potential future directions necessary to realize the enormous therapeutic promise of glutamatergic antidepressants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark J Niciu
- Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, Intramural Research Program, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Building 10/CRC, Room 7-5545, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA,
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Richter SH, Zeuch B, Riva MA, Gass P, Vollmayr B. Environmental enrichment ameliorates depressive-like symptoms in young rats bred for learned helplessness. Behav Brain Res 2013; 252:287-92. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2013.06.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2013] [Revised: 06/11/2013] [Accepted: 06/15/2013] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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Seese RR, Chen LY, Cox CD, Schulz D, Babayan AH, Bunney WE, Henn FA, Gall CM, Lynch G. Synaptic abnormalities in the infralimbic cortex of a model of congenital depression. J Neurosci 2013; 33:13441-8. [PMID: 23946402 PMCID: PMC3742930 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2434-13.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2013] [Revised: 07/07/2013] [Accepted: 07/13/2013] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple lines of evidence suggest that disturbances in excitatory transmission contribute to depression. Whether these defects involve the number, size, or composition of glutamatergic contacts is unclear. This study used recently introduced procedures for fluorescence deconvolution tomography in a well-studied rat model of congenital depression to characterize excitatory synapses in layer I of infralimbic cortex, a region involved in mood disorders, and of primary somatosensory cortex. Three groups were studied: (1) rats bred for learned helplessness (cLH); (2) rats resistant to learned helplessness (cNLH); and (3) control Sprague Dawley rats. In fields within infralimbic cortex, cLH rats had the same numerical density of synapses, immunolabeled for either the postsynaptic density (PSD) marker PSD95 or the presynaptic protein synaptophysin, as controls. However, PSD95 immunolabeling intensities were substantially lower in cLH rats, as were numerical densities of synapse-sized clusters of the AMPA receptor subunit GluA1. Similar but less pronounced differences (comparable numerical densities but reduced immunolabeling intensity for PSD95) were found in the somatosensory cortex. In contrast, non-helpless rats had 25% more PSDs than either cLH or control rats without any increase in synaptophysin-labeled terminal frequency. Compared with controls, both cLH and cNLH rats had fewer GABAergic contacts. These results indicate that congenital tendencies that increase or decrease depression-like behavior differentially affect excitatory synapses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Daniela Schulz
- Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, and
| | | | | | - Fritz A. Henn
- Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, and
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724
| | - Christine M. Gall
- Departments of Anatomy and Neurobiology
- Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Gary Lynch
- Departments of Anatomy and Neurobiology
- Psychiatry and Human Behavior, and
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