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Hejazi J, Amiri R, Nozarian S, Tavasolian R, Rahimlou M. Genetic determinants of food preferences: a systematic review of observational studies. BMC Nutr 2024; 10:24. [PMID: 38308303 PMCID: PMC10835975 DOI: 10.1186/s40795-024-00828-y] [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: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Over the last decade, the results of several studies have indicated that adults' food preferences, consumption, and dietary choices vary depending on their genotype characteristics. However, the results of studies related to genes and polymorphisms involved in this phenomenon are contradictory. This study is a systematic review designed to evaluate the genetic determinants of food preferences. METHODS This study was conducted following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Searches were conducted to identify articles testing the impact of genotypes on food choices, preferences, and intake in healthy adults. The search included all relevant keywords, and studies published between 1/1/1994 and October 2022 were considered. We assessed the quality of included studies and evaluated the risk of bias using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) for observational studies. RESULTS A total of 8,510 records were identified through our search method, and finally, 50 studies were included in this study. The majority of the studies evaluated the association of genetic variants with preferences for macronutrients, sweet, bitter, and fatty foods. The results of our study suggest a significant correlation between TAS2R38 variants (rs713598, rs1726866, rs10246939) and bitter and sweet taste preferences. Additionally, we found a considerable association between the T102C polymorphism of the 5-HT2A receptor gene and a higher intake of protein, and rs1761667 (CD36) was associated with fat preference. CONCLUSION In conclusion, this study revealed a significant association between certain genetic variants and food preferences among adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jalal Hejazi
- Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
| | - Roksaneh Amiri
- Department of Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Shadi Nozarian
- Department of Nutrition, Ahvaz Jondishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Ronia Tavasolian
- Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
| | - Mehran Rahimlou
- Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
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Boyle CC, Bower JE, Eisenberger NI, Irwin MR. Stress to inflammation and anhedonia: Mechanistic insights from preclinical and clinical models. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105307. [PMID: 37419230 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Anhedonia, as evidenced by impaired pleasurable response to reward, reduced reward motivation, and/or deficits in reward-related learning, is a common feature of depression. Such deficits in reward processing are also an important clinical target as a risk factor for depression onset. Unfortunately, reward-related deficits remain difficult to treat. To address this gap and inform the development of effective prevention and treatment strategies, it is critical to understand the mechanisms that drive impairments in reward function. Stress-induced inflammation is a plausible mechanism of reward deficits. The purpose of this paper is to review evidence for two components of this psychobiological pathway: 1) the effects of stress on reward function; and 2) the effects of inflammation on reward function. Within these two areas, we draw upon preclinical and clinical models, distinguish between acute and chronic effects of stress and inflammation, and address specific domains of reward dysregulation. By addressing these contextual factors, the review reveals a nuanced literature which might be targeted for additional scientific inquiry to inform the development of precise interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe C Boyle
- Norman Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA, USA.
| | - Julienne E Bower
- Norman Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA, USA; Department of Psychology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Michael R Irwin
- Norman Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA, USA
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PPARα Signaling: A Candidate Target in Psychiatric Disorder Management. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12050723. [PMID: 35625650 PMCID: PMC9138493 DOI: 10.3390/biom12050723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Peroxisome proliferator-activator receptors (PPARs) regulate lipid and glucose metabolism, control inflammatory processes, and modulate several brain functions. Three PPAR isoforms have been identified, PPARα, PPARβ/δ, and PPARγ, which are expressed in different tissues and cell types. Hereinafter, we focus on PPARα involvement in the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders, which is underscored by PPARα localization in neuronal circuits involved in emotion modulation and stress response, and its role in neurodevelopment and neuroinflammation. A multiplicity of downstream pathways modulated by PPARα activation, including glutamatergic neurotransmission, upregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and neurosteroidogenic effects, encompass mechanisms underlying behavioral regulation. Modulation of dopamine neuronal firing in the ventral tegmental area likely contributes to PPARα effects in depression, anhedonia, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Based on robust preclinical evidence and the initial results of clinical studies, future clinical trials should assess the efficacy of PPARα agonists in the treatment of mood and neurodevelopmental disorders, such as depression, schizophrenia, and ASD.
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MacLellan A, Fureix C, Polanco A, Mason G. Can animals develop depression? An overview and assessment of ‘depression-like’ states. BEHAVIOUR 2021. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Describing certain animal behaviours as ‘depression-like’ or ‘depressive’ has become common across several fields of research. These typically involve unusually low activity or unresponsiveness and/or reduced interest in pleasure (anhedonia). While the term ‘depression-like’ carefully avoids directly claiming that animals are depressed, this narrative review asks whether stronger conclusions can be legitimate, with animals developing the clinical disorder as seen in humans (cf., DSM-V/ICD-10). Here, we examine evidence from animal models of depression (especially chronically stressed rats) and animals experiencing poor welfare in conventional captive conditions (e.g., laboratory mice and production pigs in barren environments). We find troubling evidence that animals are indeed capable of experiencing clinical depression, but demonstrate that a true diagnosis has yet to be confirmed in any case. We thus highlight the importance of investigating the co-occurrence of depressive criteria and discuss the potential welfare and ethical implications of animal depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aileen MacLellan
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1
| | - Carole Fureix
- Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford, UK
| | - Andrea Polanco
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1
| | - Georgia Mason
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1
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Scheggi S, Guzzi F, Braccagni G, De Montis MG, Parenti M, Gambarana C. Targeting PPARα in the rat valproic acid model of autism: focus on social motivational impairment and sex-related differences. Mol Autism 2020; 11:62. [PMID: 32718349 PMCID: PMC7385875 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-020-00358-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The social motivational theory of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) focuses on social anhedonia as key causal feature of the impaired peer relationships that characterize ASD patients. ASD prevalence is higher in boys, but increasing evidence suggests underdiagnosis and undertreatment in girls. We showed that stress-induced motivational anhedonia is relieved by repeated treatment with fenofibrate (FBR), a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) agonist. Here, we used the valproic acid (VPA) model of ASD in rats to examine male and female phenotypes and assess whether FBR administration from weaning to young adulthood relieved social impairments. METHODS Male and female rats exposed to saline or VPA at gestational day 12.5 received standard or FBR-enriched diet from postnatal day 21 to 48-53, when behavioral tests and ex vivo neurochemical analyses were performed. Phosphorylation levels of DARPP-32 in response to social and nonsocial cues, as index of dopamine D1 receptor activation, levels of expression of PPARα, vesicular glutamatergic and GABAergic transporters, and postsynaptic density protein PSD-95 were analyzed by immunoblotting in selected brain regions. RESULTS FBR administration relieved social impairment and perseverative behavior in VPA-exposed male and female rats, but it was only effective on female stereotypies. Dopamine D1 receptor signaling triggered by social interaction in the nucleus accumbens shell was blunted in VPA-exposed rats, and it was rescued by FBR treatment only in males. VPA-exposed rats of both sexes exhibited an increased ratio of striatal excitatory over inhibitory synaptic markers that was normalized by FBR treatment. LIMITATIONS This study did not directly address the extent of motivational deficit in VPA-exposed rats and whether FBR administration restored the likely decreased motivation to operate for social reward. Future studies using operant behavior protocols will address this relevant issue. CONCLUSIONS The results support the involvement of impaired motivational mechanisms in ASD-like social deficits and suggest the rationale for a possible pharmacological treatment. Moreover, the study highlights sex-related differences in the expression of ASD-like symptoms and their differential responses to FBR treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Scheggi
- Department Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro, 2, Siena, Italy.
| | - Francesca Guzzi
- Department Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Giulia Braccagni
- Department Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro, 2, Siena, Italy
| | - Maria Graziella De Montis
- Department Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro, 2, Siena, Italy
| | - Marco Parenti
- Department Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Carla Gambarana
- Department Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro, 2, Siena, Italy
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Scheggi S, Braccagni G, De Montis MG, Gambarana C. Heightened reward response is associated with HCN2 overexpression in the ventral tegmental area in morphine-sensitized rats. Behav Pharmacol 2020; 31:283-292. [DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Scheggi S, De Montis MG, Gambarana C. DARPP-32 in the orchestration of responses to positive natural stimuli. J Neurochem 2018; 147:439-453. [PMID: 30043390 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.14558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Revised: 07/09/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Dopamine- and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein (Mr 32 kDa, DARPP-32) is an integrator of multiple neuronal signals and plays a crucial role particularly in mediating the dopaminergic component of the systems involved in the evaluation of stimuli and the ensuing elaboration of complex behavioral responses (e.g., responses to reinforcers and stressors). Dopamine neurons can fire tonically or phasically in distinct timescales and in specific brain regions to code different behaviorally relevant information. Dopamine signaling is mediated mainly through the regulation of adenylyl cyclase activity, stimulated by D1-like or inhibited by D2-like receptors, respectively, that modulates cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) function. The activity of DARPP-32 is finely regulated by its phosphorylation at multiple sites. Phosphorylation at the threonine (Thr) 34 residue by PKA converts DARPP-32 into an inhibitor of protein phosphatase 1, while the phosphorylation at the Thr75 residue turns it into an inhibitor of PKA. Thus, DARPP-32 is critically implicated in regulating striatal output in response to the convergent pathways that influence signaling of the cAMP/PKA pathway. This review summarizes some of the landmark and recent studies of DARPP-32-mediated signaling in the attempt to clarify the role played by DARPP-32 in the response to rewarding natural stimuli. Particularly, the review deals with data derived from rodents studies and discusses the involvement of the cAMP/PKA/DARPP-32 pathway in: 1) appetitive food-sustained motivated behaviors, 2) motivated behaviors sustained by social reward, 3) sexual behavior, and 4) responses to environmental enrichment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Scheggi
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | | | - Carla Gambarana
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
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Scheggi S, Pelliccia T, Cuomo A, De Montis MG, Gambarana C. Antidepressant and pro-motivational effects of repeated lamotrigine treatment in a rat model of depressive symptoms. Heliyon 2018; 4:e00849. [PMID: 30338306 PMCID: PMC6190531 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2018.e00849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Revised: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Methods Results Limitations Conclusions
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Scheggi S, De Montis MG, Gambarana C. Making Sense of Rodent Models of Anhedonia. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2018; 21:1049-1065. [PMID: 30239762 PMCID: PMC6209858 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyy083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
A markedly reduced interest or pleasure in activities previously considered pleasurable is a main symptom in mood disorder and psychosis and is often present in other psychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. This condition can be labeled as "anhedonia," although in its most rigorous connotation the term refers to the lost capacity to feel pleasure that is one aspect of the complex phenomenon of processing and responding to reward. The responses to rewarding stimuli are relatively easy to study in rodents, and the experimental conditions that consistently and persistently impair these responses are used to model anhedonia. To this end, long-term exposure to environmental aversive conditions is primarily used, and the resulting deficits in reward responses are often accompanied by other deficits that are mainly reminiscent of clinical depressive symptoms. The different components of impaired reward responses induced by environmental aversive events can be assessed by different tests or protocols that require different degrees of time allocation, technical resources, and equipment. Rodent models of anhedonia are valuable tools in the study of the neurobiological mechanisms underpinning impaired behavioral responses and in the screening and characterization of drugs that may reverse these behavioral deficits. In particular, the antianhedonic or promotivational effects are relevant features in the spectrum of activities of drugs used in mood disorders or psychosis. Thus, more than the model, it is the choice of tests that is crucial since it influences which facets of anhedonia will be detected and should be tuned to the purpose of the study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Scheggi
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena
| | | | - Carla Gambarana
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena,Correspondence: Carla Gambarana, Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro, 2 – 53100 Siena, Italy ()
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Aripiprazole relieves motivational anhedonia in rats. J Affect Disord 2018; 227:192-197. [PMID: 29100151 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2017.10.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Revised: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anhedonia is considered a relevant feature in depression and psychosis, characterized by poor treatment outcome, and associated with deficits in mesolimbic dopaminergic responsiveness. Clinical studies suggest the potential utility of aripiprazole as adjunctive therapy for resistant depression. Since aripiprazole can stabilize the dopaminergic system, in search of tailored therapeutic strategies for reward dysfunctions, we investigated whether the drug restored motivation toward positive stimuli in a rat model. METHODS Anhedonia is modeled in non food-deprived 9-week old male Sprague-Dawley rats by exposing them to a chronic unavoidable stress protocol, consisting in repeated exposure to tail-shock or restrain, which disrupts the motivation to acquire a reward-directed behavior and the competence to escape aversive stimuli. We evaluated whether long-term aripiprazole administration (1mg/kg/day, i.p.) restored in chronically stressed rats, a) the disrupted dopaminergic response to sucrose consumption measuring DARPP-32 phosphorylation levels in the nucleus accumbens shell by immunoblotting; b) the motivation to operate in a sucrose self-administration protocol. RESULTS Long-term aripiprazole administration restored DARPP-32 phosphorylation changes in response to sucrose and reinstated the motivational drive to acquire the reward in the progressive ratio task. However, it did not restore reactivity to aversive stimuli. LIMITATIONS The results obtained in our model may not fully translate to the clinic, as anhedonia is a complex construct in patients, where motivational aspects represent a central but not unique feature. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that aripiprazole relieved motivational anhedonia in a stress-induced model and warrants further studies to ascertain whether this activity is clinically relevant for antipsychotic or adjunctive antidepressant treatments.
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Saito S, Fujii K, Ozeki Y, Ohmori K, Honda G, Mori H, Kato K, Kuroda J, Aoki A, Asahi H, Sato H, Shimoda K, Akiyama K. Cognitive function, treatment response to lithium, and social functioning in Japanese patients with bipolar disorder. Bipolar Disord 2017; 19:552-562. [PMID: 28691278 DOI: 10.1111/bdi.12521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Patients with bipolar disorder often suffer from cognitive impairment that significantly influences their functional outcome. However, it remains unknown whether lithium has a central role in cognition and functional outcome. We examined whether cognition and functional outcome were predicted by demographic and clinical variables, including the response to lithium, in lithium-treated patients with bipolar disorder. METHODS We evaluated 96 lithium-treated euthymic patients with bipolar disorder and 196 age- and-gender-matched healthy controls, using the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS). The patients were also assessed using the Social Functioning Scale (SFS) and "The Retrospective Criteria of Long-Term Treatment Response in Research Subjects with Bipolar Disorder" (Alda) scale, which was evaluated as either a continuous measure of the total scale or a dichotomous criterion. RESULTS Multiple regression analysis revealed two key findings: first, that the premorbid intelligence quotient, age, and number of mood episodes were predictors of the BACS composite score; and, second, that the BACS composite score, negative symptoms, and continuous measure on the total Alda scale (but not its dichotomy) predicted the total SFS score. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to confirm these findings, and additionally revealed that the Alda scale was significantly associated with negative symptoms and also the number of mood episodes, regardless of how it was evaluated. CONCLUSIONS SEM delineated how demographic and clinical variables, cognitive performance, and response to lithium treatment were causally associated with, and converged on, social function. The putative role of the Alda scale for social function warrants further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Saito
- Department of Biological Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, Mibu, Tochigi, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, Mibu, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Kumiko Fujii
- Department of Psychiatry, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, Mibu, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Yuji Ozeki
- Department of Psychiatry, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, Mibu, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Kenichi Ohmori
- Shiseikai, Takizawa Hospital, Utsunomiya, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Gyo Honda
- Seiseido Kohseikai, Mori Hospital, Utsunomiya, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Harunobu Mori
- Seiseido Kohseikai, Mori Hospital, Utsunomiya, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Kazuko Kato
- Sakura La Mental Clinic, Utsunomiya, Tochigi, Japan
| | | | - Akiko Aoki
- Department of Psychiatry, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, Mibu, Tochigi, Japan
| | | | | | - Kazutaka Shimoda
- Department of Psychiatry, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, Mibu, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Kazufumi Akiyama
- Department of Biological Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, Mibu, Tochigi, Japan
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Malhi GS, Outhred T. Therapeutic Mechanisms of Lithium in Bipolar Disorder: Recent Advances and Current Understanding. CNS Drugs 2016; 30:931-49. [PMID: 27638546 DOI: 10.1007/s40263-016-0380-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Lithium is the most effective and well established treatment for bipolar disorder, and it has a broad array of effects within cellular pathways. However, the specific processes through which therapeutic effects occur and are maintained in bipolar disorder remain unclear. This paper provides a timely update to an authoritative review of pertinent findings that was published in CNS Drugs in 2013. A literature search was conducted using the Scopus database, and was limited by year (from 2012). There has been a resurgence of interest in lithium therapy mechanisms, perhaps driven by technical advancements in recent years that permit the examination of cellular mechanisms underpinning the effects of lithium-along with the reuptake of lithium in clinical practice. Recent research has further cemented glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) inhibition as a key mechanism, and the inter-associations between GSK3β-mediated neuroprotective, anti-oxidative and neurotransmission mechanisms have been further elucidated. In addition to highly illustrative cellular research, studies examining higher-order biological systems, such as circadian rhythms, as well as employing innovative animal and human models, have increased our understanding of how lithium-induced changes at the cellular level possibly translate to changes at behavioural and clinical levels. Neural circuitry research is yet to identify clear mechanisms of change in bipolar disorder in response to treatment with lithium, but important structural findings have demonstrated links to the modulation of cellular mechanisms, and peripheral marker and pharmacogenetic studies are showing promising findings that will likely inform the exploration for predictors of lithium treatment response. With a deeper understanding of lithium's therapeutic mechanisms-from the cellular to clinical levels of investigation-comes the opportunity to develop predictive models of lithium treatment response and identify novel drug targets, and recent findings have provided important leads towards these goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gin S Malhi
- Academic Department of Psychiatry, Kolling Institute, Northern Sydney Local Health District, St Leonards, NSW, 2065, Australia. .,Sydney Medical School Northern, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia. .,CADE Clinic Level 3, Main Hospital Building, Royal North Shore Hospital, Northern Sydney Local Health District, St Leonards, NSW, 2065, Australia.
| | - Tim Outhred
- Academic Department of Psychiatry, Kolling Institute, Northern Sydney Local Health District, St Leonards, NSW, 2065, Australia.,Sydney Medical School Northern, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.,CADE Clinic Level 3, Main Hospital Building, Royal North Shore Hospital, Northern Sydney Local Health District, St Leonards, NSW, 2065, Australia
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Scheggi S, Marandino A, Del Monte D, De Martino L, Pelliccia T, Del Rosario Fusco M, Petenatti EM, Gambarana C, De Feo V. The protective effect of Hypericum connatum on stress-induced escape deficit in rat is related to its flavonoid content. PHARMACEUTICAL BIOLOGY 2016; 54:1782-1792. [PMID: 26731632 DOI: 10.3109/13880209.2015.1127979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2015] [Revised: 10/30/2015] [Accepted: 12/01/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Context Hypericum perforatum L. (Hypericaceae), used in moderate depression treatment, is active in experimental tests for antidepressant activity. For H. connatum Lam., a South American species lacking hyperforin, antidepressant effects have not been demonstrated. Objective This study evaluates the antidepressant-like effect of H. connatum in rats and identifies the components involved in this activity. Materials and methods First, the effects of acute and 14-d oral administrations of an extract derived from H. connatum aerial parts were studied using the Escape Deficit (ED) test. Next, methanol-extracted flavonoid-enriched fractions B and C and fraction-purified flavonoids (quercetin, rutin and isoquercitrin) were evaluated in the ED test after acute administration. To rule out possible confounding effects of the flavonoids, we examined nociceptive threshold using the tail-flick test and anxious behaviour using the elevated plus maze (EPM) test. Results Hypericum connatum increased reactivity of unavoidable stress-exposed rats after acute (0.5 and 1 g/kg: ED = 18.6/30 and 19.8/30, respectively) and repeated administration (0.5 g/kg twice daily: ED = 17.8/30). Protective effects were observed for fractions B and C (250 mg/kg: ED = 18.1/30 and 18.8/30, respectively), quercetin (2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg: ED = 15.3/30, 18.3/30 and 21.6/30, respectively), rutin (5 and 10 mg/kg: ED = 15.4/30 and 13.0/30, respectively) and isoquercitrin (2.5 mg/kg: ED = 19.2/30). The flavonoids did not modify nociceptive threshold or performance in the EPM test. Discussion and conclusion Hypericum connatum showed protective activity in the ED test, a correlate of potential antidepressant-like effects that appeared to be related to the flavonoid components of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Scheggi
- a Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine , University of Siena , Siena , Italy
| | - Aurelio Marandino
- b Department of Pharmacy , University of Salerno , Fisciano , Salerno , Italy
| | - Donato Del Monte
- b Department of Pharmacy , University of Salerno , Fisciano , Salerno , Italy
| | - Laura De Martino
- b Department of Pharmacy , University of Salerno , Fisciano , Salerno , Italy
| | - Teresa Pelliccia
- a Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine , University of Siena , Siena , Italy
| | - Maria Del Rosario Fusco
- c School of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Pharmacy , National University of San Luis , San Luis , Argentina
| | - Elisa M Petenatti
- c School of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Pharmacy , National University of San Luis , San Luis , Argentina
| | - Carla Gambarana
- a Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine , University of Siena , Siena , Italy
| | - Vincenzo De Feo
- b Department of Pharmacy , University of Salerno , Fisciano , Salerno , Italy
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Scheggi S, Melis M, De Felice M, Aroni S, Muntoni AL, Pelliccia T, Gambarana C, De Montis MG, Pistis M. PPARα modulation of mesolimbic dopamine transmission rescues depression-related behaviors. Neuropharmacology 2016; 110:251-259. [PMID: 27457507 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.07.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2016] [Revised: 06/19/2016] [Accepted: 07/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Depressive disorders cause a substantial burden for the individual and the society. Key depressive symptoms can be modeled in animals and enable the development of novel therapeutic interventions. Chronic unavoidable stress disrupts rats' competence to escape noxious stimuli and self-administer sucrose, configuring a depression model characterized by escape deficit and motivational anhedonia associated to impaired dopaminergic responses to sucrose in the nucleus accumbens shell (NAcS). Repeated treatments that restore these responses also relieve behavioral symptoms. Ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons encode reward and motivation and are implicated in the neuropathology of depressive-like behaviors. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors type-α (PPARα) acutely regulate VTA dopamine neuron firing via β2 subunit-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (β2*nAChRs) through phosphorylation and this effect is predictive of antidepressant-like effects. Here, by combining behavioral, electrophysiological and biochemical techniques, we studied the effects of repeated PPARα stimulation by fenofibrate on mesolimbic dopamine system. We found decreased β2*nAChRs phosphorylation levels and a switch from tonic to phasic activity of dopamine cells in the VTA, and increased phosphorylation of dopamine and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein Mr 32,000 (DARPP-32) in the NAcS. We then investigated whether long-term fenofibrate administration to stressed rats reinstated the decreased DARPP-32 response to sucrose and whether this effect translated into antidepressant-like properties. Fenofibrate restored dopaminergic responses to appetitive stimuli, reactivity to aversive stimuli and motivation to self-administer sucrose. Overall, this study suggests PPARα as new targets for antidepressant therapies endowed with motivational anti-anhedonic properties, further supporting the role of an unbalanced mesolimbic dopamine system in pathophysiology of depressive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Scheggi
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Miriam Melis
- Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy
| | - Marta De Felice
- Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy
| | - Sonia Aroni
- Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy
| | - Anna Lisa Muntoni
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council of Italy, Section of Cagliari, Italy
| | - Teresa Pelliccia
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Carla Gambarana
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | | | - Marco Pistis
- Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council of Italy, Section of Cagliari, Italy.
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15
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Pirastu N, Kooyman M, Traglia M, Robino A, Willems SM, Pistis G, Amin N, Sala C, Karssen LC, Van Duijn C, Toniolo D, Gasparini P. A Genome-Wide Association Study in isolated populations reveals new genes associated to common food likings. Rev Endocr Metab Disord 2016; 17:209-19. [PMID: 27129595 DOI: 10.1007/s11154-016-9354-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Food preferences are the first factor driving food choice and thus nutrition. They involve numerous different senses such as taste and olfaction as well as various other factors such as personal experiences and hedonistic aspects. Although it is clear that several of these have a genetic basis, up to now studies have focused mostly on the effects of polymorphisms of taste receptor genes. Therefore, we have carried out one of the first large scale (4611 individuals) GWAS on food likings assessed for 20 specific food likings belonging to 4 different categories (vegetables, fatty, dairy and bitter). A two-step meta-analysis using three different isolated populations from Italy for the discovery step and two populations from The Netherlands and Central Asia for replication, revealed 15 independent genome-wide significant loci (p < 5 × 10(-8)) for 12 different foods. None of the identified genes coded for either taste or olfactory receptors suggesting that genetics impacts in determining food likings in a much broader way than simple differences in taste perception. These results represent a further step in uncovering the genes that underlie liking of common foods that in the end will greatly help understanding the genetics of human nutrition in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Pirastu
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Trieste, Italy.
- University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
| | - Maarten Kooyman
- Genetic Epidemiology Unit, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michela Traglia
- Division of Genetics and Cell Biology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano, Italy
| | - Antonietta Robino
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Trieste, Italy
| | - Sara M Willems
- Genetic Epidemiology Unit, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Giorgio Pistis
- Division of Genetics and Cell Biology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano, Italy
| | - Najaf Amin
- Genetic Epidemiology Unit, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Cinzia Sala
- Division of Genetics and Cell Biology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano, Italy
| | - Lennart C Karssen
- Genetic Epidemiology Unit, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- PolyOmica, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Cornelia Van Duijn
- Genetic Epidemiology Unit, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Centre for Medical Systems Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Daniela Toniolo
- Division of Genetics and Cell Biology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano, Italy
| | - Paolo Gasparini
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Trieste, Italy
- University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
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16
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Scheggi S, Pelliccia T, Ferrari A, De Montis M, Gambarana C. Impramine, fluoxetine and clozapine differently affected reactivity to positive and negative stimuli in a model of motivational anhedonia in rats. Neuroscience 2015; 291:189-202. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2014] [Revised: 01/11/2015] [Accepted: 02/04/2015] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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17
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Toker L, Bersudsky Y, Plaschkes I, Chalifa-Caspi V, Berry GT, Buccafusca R, Moechars D, Belmaker RH, Agam G. Inositol-related gene knockouts mimic lithium's effect on mitochondrial function. Neuropsychopharmacology 2014; 39:319-28. [PMID: 23924600 PMCID: PMC3870788 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2013.194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2013] [Revised: 07/17/2013] [Accepted: 07/18/2013] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The inositol-depletion hypothesis proposes that lithium attenuates phosphatidylinositol signaling. Knockout (KO) mice of two genes (IMPA1 or Slc5a3), each encoding for a protein related to inositol metabolism, were studied in comparison with lithium-treated mice. Since we previously demonstrated that these KO mice exhibit a lithium-like neurochemical and behavioral phenotype, here we searched for pathways that may mediate lithium's/the KO effects. We performed a DNA-microarray study searching for pathways affected both by chronic lithium treatment and by the KO of each of the genes. The data were analyzed using three different bioinformatics approaches. We found upregulation of mitochondria-related genes in frontal cortex of lithium-treated, IMPA1 and Slc5a3 KO mice. Three out of seven genes differentially expressed in all three models, Cox5a, Ndufs7, and Ndufab, all members of the mitochondrial electron transfer chain, have previously been associated with bipolar disorder and/or lithium treatment. Upregulation of the expression of these genes was verified by real-time PCR. To further support the link between mitochondrial function and lithium's effect on behavior, we determined the capacity of chronic low-dose rotenone, a mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I inhibitor, to alter lithium-induced behavior as measured by the forced-swim and the amphetamine-induced hyperlocomotion paradigms. Rontenone treatment counteracted lithium's effect on behavior, supporting the proposition suggested by the bioinformatics analysis for a mitochondrial function involvement in behavioral effects of lithium mediated by inositol metabolism alterations.The results provide support for the notion that mitochondrial dysfunction is linked to bipolar disorder and can be ameliorated by lithium. The phenotypic similarities between lithium-treated wild-type mice and the two KO models suggest that lithium may affect behavior by altering inositol metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilach Toker
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel,Psychiatry Research Unit, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel,Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Yuly Bersudsky
- Psychiatry Research Unit, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel,Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel,Mental Health Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Inbar Plaschkes
- National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev (NIBN), Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Vered Chalifa-Caspi
- National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev (NIBN), Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Gerard T Berry
- Metabolism Program Division of Genetics, Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Roberto Buccafusca
- Metabolism Program Division of Genetics, Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dieder Moechars
- Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development, Beerse, Belgium
| | - R H Belmaker
- Psychiatry Research Unit, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel,Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel,Mental Health Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Galila Agam
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel,Psychiatry Research Unit, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel,Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel,Division of Basic Sciences, Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, and Psychiatry Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Mental Health Center, PO Box 4600, Beer-Sheva 84170, Israel, Tel: +972 8640 1737, E-mail:
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18
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Pettorruso M, De Risio L, Di Nicola M, Martinotti G, Conte G, Janiri L. Allostasis as a conceptual framework linking bipolar disorder and addiction. Front Psychiatry 2014; 5:173. [PMID: 25520673 PMCID: PMC4253530 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2014.00173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2014] [Accepted: 11/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Bipolar disorders (BDs) and addictions constitute reciprocal risk factors and are best considered under a unitary perspective. The concepts of allostasis and allostatic load (AL) may contribute to the understanding of the complex relationships between BD and addictive behaviors. Allostasis entails the safeguarding of reward function stability by recruitment of changes in the reward and stress system neurocircuitry and it may help to elucidate neurobiological underpinnings of vulnerability to addiction in BD patients. Conceptualizing BD as an illness involving the cumulative build-up of allostatic states, we hypothesize a progressive dysregulation of reward circuits clinically expressed as negative affective states (i.e., anhedonia). Such negative affective states may render BD patients more vulnerable to drug addiction, fostering a very rapid transition from occasional drug use to addiction, through mechanisms of negative reinforcement. The resulting addictive behavior-related ALs, in turn, may contribute to illness progression. This framework could have a heuristic value to enhance research on pathophysiology and treatment of BD and addiction comorbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauro Pettorruso
- Department of Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, Catholic University of Sacred Heart , Rome , Italy
| | - Luisa De Risio
- Department of Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, Catholic University of Sacred Heart , Rome , Italy
| | - Marco Di Nicola
- Department of Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, Catholic University of Sacred Heart , Rome , Italy
| | - Giovanni Martinotti
- Department of Neuroscience and Imaging, Institute of Psychiatry, "G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara , Chieti , Italy
| | - Gianluigi Conte
- Department of Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, Catholic University of Sacred Heart , Rome , Italy
| | - Luigi Janiri
- Department of Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, Catholic University of Sacred Heart , Rome , Italy
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