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Bloch S, Holleran KM, Kash TL, Vazey EM, Rinker JA, Lebonville CL, O'Hara K, Lopez MF, Jones SR, Grant KA, Becker HC, Mulholland PJ. Assessing negative affect in mice during abstinence from alcohol drinking: Limitations and future challenges. Alcohol 2022; 100:41-56. [PMID: 35181404 PMCID: PMC8983487 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2022.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is frequently comorbid with mood disorders, and these co-occurring neuropsychiatric disorders contribute to the development and maintenance of alcohol dependence and relapse. In preclinical models, mice chronically exposed to alcohol display anxiety-like and depressive-like behaviors during acute withdrawal and protracted abstinence. However, in total, results from studies using voluntary alcohol-drinking paradigms show variable behavioral outcomes in assays measuring negative affective behaviors. Thus, the main objective of this review is to summarize the literature on the variability of negative affective behaviors in mice after chronic alcohol exposure. We compare the behavioral phenotypes that emerge during abstinence across different exposure models, including models of alcohol and stress interactions. The complicated outcomes from these studies highlight the difficulties of assessing negative affective behaviors in mouse models designed for the study of AUD. We discuss new behavioral assays, comprehensive platforms, and unbiased machine-learning algorithms as promising approaches to better understand the interaction between alcohol and negative affect in mice. New data-driven approaches in the understanding of mouse behavior hold promise for improving the identification of mechanisms, cell subtypes, and neurocircuits that mediate negative affect. In turn, improving our understanding of the neurobehavioral basis of alcohol-associated negative affect will provide a platform to test hypotheses in mouse models that aim to improve the development of more effective strategies for treating individuals with AUD and co-occurring mood disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solal Bloch
- Department of Neuroscience, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, United States
| | - Katherine M Holleran
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, United States
| | - Thomas L Kash
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Elena M Vazey
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, United States
| | - Jennifer A Rinker
- Department of Neuroscience, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, United States
| | - Christina L Lebonville
- Department of Neuroscience, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, United States
| | - Krysten O'Hara
- Department of Neuroscience, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, United States
| | - Marcelo F Lopez
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, United States
| | - Sara R Jones
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, United States
| | - Kathleen A Grant
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, United States
| | - Howard C Becker
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, United States
| | - Patrick J Mulholland
- Department of Neuroscience, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, United States.
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Siedhoff HR, Chen S, Balderrama A, Sun GY, Koopmans B, DePalma RG, Cui J, Gu Z. Long-Term Effects of Low-Intensity Blast Non-Inertial Brain Injury on Anxiety-Like Behaviors in Mice: Home-Cage Monitoring Assessments. Neurotrauma Rep 2022; 3:27-38. [PMID: 35141713 PMCID: PMC8820222 DOI: 10.1089/neur.2021.0063] [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] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mild traumatic brain injury induced by low-intensity blast (LIB) exposure poses concerns in military personnel. Using an open-field, non-inertial blast model and assessments by conventional behavioral tests, our previous studies revealed early-phase anxiety-like behaviors in LIB-exposed mice. However, the impact of LIB upon long-term anxiety-like behaviors requires clarification. This study applied a highly sensitive automated home-cage monitoring (HCM) system, which minimized human intervention and environmental changes, to assess anxiety-like responses in mice 3 months after LIB exposure. Initial assessment of 72-h spontaneous activities in a natural cage condition over multiple light and dark phases showed altered sheltering behaviors. LIB-exposed mice exhibited a subtle, but significantly decreased, duration of short shelter visits as compared to sham controls. Other measured responses between LIB-exposed mice and sham controls were insignificant. When behavioral assessments were performed in a challenged condition using an aversive spotlight, LIB-exposed mice demonstrated a significantly higher frequency of movements of shorter distance and duration per movement. Taken together, these findings demonstrated the presence of chronic anxiety-like behaviors assessed by the HCM system under both natural and challenged conditions in mice occurring post-LIB exposure. This model thus provides a platform to test for screening and interventions on anxiety disorders occurring after LIB non-inertial brain injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather R. Siedhoff
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital Research Service, Columbia, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Shanyan Chen
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital Research Service, Columbia, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Ashley Balderrama
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital Research Service, Columbia, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Grace Y. Sun
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | | | - Ralph G. DePalma
- Office of Research and Development, Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC, USA; Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jiankun Cui
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital Research Service, Columbia, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Zezong Gu
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital Research Service, Columbia, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, Missouri, USA
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Grieco F, Bernstein BJ, Biemans B, Bikovski L, Burnett CJ, Cushman JD, van Dam EA, Fry SA, Richmond-Hacham B, Homberg JR, Kas MJH, Kessels HW, Koopmans B, Krashes MJ, Krishnan V, Logan S, Loos M, McCann KE, Parduzi Q, Pick CG, Prevot TD, Riedel G, Robinson L, Sadighi M, Smit AB, Sonntag W, Roelofs RF, Tegelenbosch RAJ, Noldus LPJJ. Measuring Behavior in the Home Cage: Study Design, Applications, Challenges, and Perspectives. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:735387. [PMID: 34630052 PMCID: PMC8498589 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.735387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The reproducibility crisis (or replication crisis) in biomedical research is a particularly existential and under-addressed issue in the field of behavioral neuroscience, where, in spite of efforts to standardize testing and assay protocols, several known and unknown sources of confounding environmental factors add to variance. Human interference is a major contributor to variability both within and across laboratories, as well as novelty-induced anxiety. Attempts to reduce human interference and to measure more "natural" behaviors in subjects has led to the development of automated home-cage monitoring systems. These systems enable prolonged and longitudinal recordings, and provide large continuous measures of spontaneous behavior that can be analyzed across multiple time scales. In this review, a diverse team of neuroscientists and product developers share their experiences using such an automated monitoring system that combines Noldus PhenoTyper® home-cages and the video-based tracking software, EthoVision® XT, to extract digital biomarkers of motor, emotional, social and cognitive behavior. After presenting our working definition of a "home-cage", we compare home-cage testing with more conventional out-of-cage tests (e.g., the open field) and outline the various advantages of the former, including opportunities for within-subject analyses and assessments of circadian and ultradian activity. Next, we address technical issues pertaining to the acquisition of behavioral data, such as the fine-tuning of the tracking software and the potential for integration with biotelemetry and optogenetics. Finally, we provide guidance on which behavioral measures to emphasize, how to filter, segment, and analyze behavior, and how to use analysis scripts. We summarize how the PhenoTyper has applications to study neuropharmacology as well as animal models of neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric illness. Looking forward, we examine current challenges and the impact of new developments. Examples include the automated recognition of specific behaviors, unambiguous tracking of individuals in a social context, the development of more animal-centered measures of behavior and ways of dealing with large datasets. Together, we advocate that by embracing standardized home-cage monitoring platforms like the PhenoTyper, we are poised to directly assess issues pertaining to reproducibility, and more importantly, measure features of rodent behavior under more ethologically relevant scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Briana J Bernstein
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | | | - Lior Bikovski
- Myers Neuro-Behavioral Core Facility, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- School of Behavioral Sciences, Netanya Academic College, Netanya, Israel
| | - C Joseph Burnett
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Jesse D Cushman
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | | | - Sydney A Fry
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - Bar Richmond-Hacham
- Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Judith R Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Martien J H Kas
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Helmut W Kessels
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Michael J Krashes
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Vaishnav Krishnan
- Laboratory of Epilepsy and Emotional Behavior, Baylor Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Sreemathi Logan
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Allied Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Maarten Loos
- Sylics (Synaptologics BV), Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Katharine E McCann
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | | | - Chaim G Pick
- Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- The Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Chair and Center for the Biology of Addictive Diseases, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Thomas D Prevot
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Gernot Riedel
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Lianne Robinson
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Mina Sadighi
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - August B Smit
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - William Sonntag
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Center for Geroscience, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | | | | | - Lucas P J J Noldus
- Noldus Information Technology BV, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Department of Biophysics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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Reconstructing the Intrinsic Statistical Properties of Intermittent Locomotion Through Corrections for Boundary Effects. Bull Math Biol 2021; 83:28. [PMID: 33594585 PMCID: PMC7886738 DOI: 10.1007/s11538-020-00848-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Locomotion characteristics are often recorded within bounded spaces, a constraint which introduces geometry-specific biases and potentially complicates the inference of behavioural features from empirical observations. We describe how statistical properties of an uncorrelated random walk, namely the steady-state stopping location probability density and the empirical step probability density, are affected by enclosure in a bounded space. The random walk here is considered as a null model for an organism moving intermittently in such a space, that is, the points represent stopping locations and the step is the displacement between them. Closed-form expressions are derived for motion in one dimension and simple two-dimensional geometries, in addition to an implicit expression for arbitrary (convex) geometries. For the particular choice of no-go boundary conditions, we demonstrate that the empirical step distribution is related to the intrinsic step distribution, i.e. the one we would observe in unbounded space, via a multiplicative transformation dependent solely on the boundary geometry. This conclusion allows in practice for the compensation of boundary effects and the reconstruction of the intrinsic step distribution from empirical observations.
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5
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Study of mouse behavior in different gravity environments. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2665. [PMID: 33514775 PMCID: PMC7846607 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82013-w] [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: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Many experiments have analyzed the effect of the space environment on various organisms. However, except for the group-rearing of mice in space, there has been little information on the behavior of organisms in response to gravity changes. In this study, we developed a simple Active Inactive Separation (AIS) method to extract activity and inactivity in videos obtained from the habitat cage unit of a space experiment. This method yields an activity ratio as a ratio of ‘activity’ within the whole. Adaptation to different gravitational conditions from 1g to hypergravity (HG) and from microgravity (MG) to artificial 1g (AG) was analyzed based on the amount of activity to calculate the activity ratio and the active interval. The result for the activity ratios for the ground control experiment using AIS were close to previous studies, so the effectiveness of this method was indicated. In the case of changes in gravity from 1g to HG, the ratio was low at the start of centrifugation, recovered sharply in the first week, and entered a stable period in another week. The trend in the AG and HG was the same; adapting to different gravity environments takes time.
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Sessa A, Fagnocchi L, Mastrototaro G, Massimino L, Zaghi M, Indrigo M, Cattaneo S, Martini D, Gabellini C, Pucci C, Fasciani A, Belli R, Taverna S, Andreazzoli M, Zippo A, Broccoli V. SETD5 Regulates Chromatin Methylation State and Preserves Global Transcriptional Fidelity during Brain Development and Neuronal Wiring. Neuron 2019; 104:271-289.e13. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Revised: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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7
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Bonapersona V, Damsteegt R, Adams ML, van Weert LTCM, Meijer OC, Joëls M, Sarabdjitsingh RA. Sex-Dependent Modulation of Acute Stress Reactivity After Early Life Stress in Mice: Relevance of Mineralocorticoid Receptor Expression. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:181. [PMID: 31440147 PMCID: PMC6693524 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) is considered a major risk factor for developing psychopathology. Increasing evidence points towards sex-dependent dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis as a contributing mechanism. Additionally, clinical studies suggest that the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) may further confer genetic vulnerability/resilience on a background of ELS. The link between ELS, sex and the HPA axis and how this interacts with MR genotype is understudied, yet important to understand vulnerability/resilience to stress. We used the early life-limited nesting and bedding model to test the effect of ELS on HPA properties in adult female and male mice carrying a forebrain-specific heterozygous knockout for MR. Basal HPA axis activity was measured by circadian peak and nadir corticosterone levels, in addition to body weight and weight of stress-sensitive tissues. HPA axis reactivity was assessed by mapping corticosterone levels after 10 min immobilization. Additionally, we measured the effects of ELS on steroid receptor [MR and glucocorticoid receptor (GR)] levels in the dorsal hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) with western blot. Finally, behavioral reactivity towards a novel environment was measured as a proxy for anxiety-like behavior. Results show that HPA axis activity under rest conditions was not affected by ELS. HPA axis reactivity after immobilization was decreased by ELS in females and increased, at trend-level in males. This effect in females was further exacerbated by low expression of the MR. We also observed a sex*ELS interaction regarding MR and GR expression in the dorsal hippocampus, with a significant upregulation of MR in males only. The sex-dependent interaction with ELS was not reflected in the behavioral response to novel environment and time spent in a sheltered compartment. We did find increased locomotor activity in all groups after a history of ELS, which attenuated after 4 h in males but not females regardless of condition. Our findings support that ELS alters HPA axis functioning sex-dependently. Genetic predisposition to low MR function may render females more susceptible to the harmful effect of ELS whereas in males low MR function promotes resilience. We propose that this model may be a useful tool to investigate the underlying mechanisms of sex-dependent and genetic vulnerability/resilience to stress-related psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Bonapersona
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Ruth Damsteegt
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Mirjam L Adams
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Lisa T C M van Weert
- Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Onno C Meijer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Marian Joëls
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.,University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Ratna Angela Sarabdjitsingh
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
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8
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van Elst K, Brouwers JF, Merkens JE, Broekhoven MH, Birtoli B, Helms JB, Kas MJH. Chronic dietary changes in n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratios cause developmental delay and reduce social interest in mice. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2019; 29:16-31. [PMID: 30563719 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2018.11.1106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Revised: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are one of the main cellular building blocks, and dietary changes in PUFA composition are proposed as a potential route to influence brain development. For example, initial studies indicated that there is a relation between blood omega-6(n-6)/omega-3(n-3) PUFA ratios and neurodevelopmental disease diagnosis. To study the consequences of dietary n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio changes, we investigated the impact of a n-3 supplemented and n-3 deficient diet in developing BTBR T + Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) - a mouse inbred strain displaying Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)-like symptomatology - and control C57BL/6J mice. This study showed that pre- and postnatal changed dietary n-6/n-3 ratio intake has a major impact on blood and brain PUFA composition, and led to delayed physical development and puberty onset in both strains. The PUFA induced developmental delay did not impact adult cognitive performance, but resulted in reduced social interest, a main ASD behavioral feature. Thus, both chronic dietary n-3 PUFA supplementation and depletion may not be beneficial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim van Elst
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jos F Brouwers
- Department of Biochemistry and Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
| | - Jessica E Merkens
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mark H Broekhoven
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - J Bernd Helms
- Department of Biochemistry and Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
| | - Martien J H Kas
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
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Qu W, Liu NK, Xie XMS, Li R, Xu XM. Automated monitoring of early neurobehavioral changes in mice following traumatic brain injury. Neural Regen Res 2016; 11:248-56. [PMID: 27073377 PMCID: PMC4810988 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.177732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury often causes a variety of behavioral and emotional impairments that can develop into chronic disorders. Therefore, there is a need to shift towards identifying early symptoms that can aid in the prediction of traumatic brain injury outcomes and behavioral endpoints in patients with traumatic brain injury after early interventions. In this study, we used the SmartCage system, an automated quantitative approach to assess behavior alterations in mice during an early phase of traumatic brain injury in their home cages. Female C57BL/6 adult mice were subjected to moderate controlled cortical impact (CCI) injury. The mice then received a battery of behavioral assessments including neurological score, locomotor activity, sleep/wake states, and anxiety-like behaviors on days 1, 2, and 7 after CCI. Histological analysis was performed on day 7 after the last assessment. Spontaneous activities on days 1 and 2 after injury were significantly decreased in the CCI group. The average percentage of sleep time spent in both dark and light cycles were significantly higher in the CCI group than in the sham group. For anxiety-like behaviors, the time spent in a light compartment and the number of transitions between the dark/light compartments were all significantly reduced in the CCI group than in the sham group. In addition, the mice suffering from CCI exhibited a preference of staying in the dark compartment of a dark/light cage. The CCI mice showed reduced neurological score and histological abnormalities, which are well correlated to the automated behavioral assessments. Our findings demonstrate that the automated SmartCage system provides sensitive and objective measures for early behavior changes in mice following traumatic brain injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenrui Qu
- Hand & Foot Surgery and Reparative & Reconstructive Surgery Center, Orthopaedic Hospital of the Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China; Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Group, Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Neurological Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Nai-Kui Liu
- Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Group, Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | | | - Rui Li
- Hand & Foot Surgery and Reparative & Reconstructive Surgery Center, Orthopaedic Hospital of the Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Xiao-Ming Xu
- Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Group, Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Neurological Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
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10
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The light spot test: Measuring anxiety in mice in an automated home-cage environment. Behav Brain Res 2015; 294:123-30. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2015] [Revised: 06/01/2015] [Accepted: 06/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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11
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BROŽÍČKOVÁ C, MIKULECKÁ A, OTÁHAL J. Effect of 7-Nitroindazole, a Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibitor, on Behavioral and Physiological Parameters. Physiol Res 2014; 63:637-48. [DOI: 10.33549/physiolres.932781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of brain derived nitric oxide in the physiology and behavior remains disputable. One of the reasons of the controversies might be systemic side effects of nitric oxide synthase inhibitors. Therefore, under nNOS inhibition by 7-nitroindazole (7-NI) we carried out recordings of blood gasses, blood pressure and spontaneous EEG in conscious adult rats. Locomotion and spontaneous behavior were assessed in an open field. In addition skilled walking and limb coordination were evaluated using a ladder rung walking test. The blood gas analysis revealed a significant increase in pCO2 180 min and 240 min after the application of 7-NI. The power and entropy decreased simultaneously with a shift of the mean frequency of the spontaneous EEG toward slow oscillations after 7-NI treatment. The thresholds of evoked potentials underwent a significant drop and a trend towards a slight increase in the I-O curve slope was observed. 7-NI significantly suppressed open field behavior expressed as distance moved, exploratory rearing and grooming. As for the ladder rung walking test the 7-NI treated animals had more errors in foot placement indicating impairment in limb coordination. Therefore our findings suggest that 7-NI increased cortical excitability and altered some physiological and behavioral parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - J. OTÁHAL
- Department of Developmental Epileptology, Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
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12
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Hager T, Jansen RF, Pieneman AW, Manivannan SN, Golani I, van der Sluis S, Smit AB, Verhage M, Stiedl O. Display of individuality in avoidance behavior and risk assessment of inbred mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2014; 8:314. [PMID: 25278853 PMCID: PMC4165351 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2014] [Accepted: 08/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Factors determining individuality are still poorly understood. Rodents are excellent model organisms to study individuality, due to a rich behavioral repertoire and the availability of well-characterized isogenic populations. However, most current behavioral assays for rodents have short test duration in novel test environments and require human interference, which introduce coercion, thereby limiting the assessment of naturally occurring individuality. Thus, we developed an automated behavior system to longitudinally monitor conditioned fear for assessing PTSD-like behavior in individual mice. The system consists of a safe home compartment connected to a risk-prone test compartment (TC). Entry and exploration of the TC is solely based on deliberate choice determined by individual fear responsiveness and fear extinction. In this novel ethological assay, C57BL/6J mice show homogeneous responses after shock exposure (innate fear), but striking variation in long-lasting fear responses based on avoidance and risk assessment (learned fear), including automated stretch-attend posture quantification. TC entry (retention) latencies after foot shock differed >24 h and the re-explored TC area differed >50% among inbred mice. Next, we compared two closely related C57BL/6 substrains. Despite substantial individual differences, previously observed higher fear of C57BL/6N vs. C57BL/6J mice was reconfirmed, whereas fear extinction was fast and did not differ. The observed variation in fear expression in isogenic mice suggests individual differences in coping style with PTSD-like avoidance. Investigating the assumed epigenetic mechanisms, with reduced interpretational ambiguity and enhanced translational value in this assay, may help improve understanding of personality type-dependent susceptibility and resilience to neuropsychiatric disorders such as PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Torben Hager
- Sylics BV Amsterdam, Netherlands ; Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands ; Department of Clinical Genetics, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - René F Jansen
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands ; Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Anton W Pieneman
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands ; Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Ilan Golani
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Sagol School for Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Sophie van der Sluis
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands ; Department of Clinical Genetics, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - August B Smit
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Matthijs Verhage
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands ; Department of Clinical Genetics, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Oliver Stiedl
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands ; Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Molenhuis RT, de Visser L, Bruining H, Kas MJ. Enhancing the value of psychiatric mouse models; differential expression of developmental behavioral and cognitive profiles in four inbred strains of mice. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2014; 24:945-54. [PMID: 24491952 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2014.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2013] [Revised: 11/29/2013] [Accepted: 01/11/2014] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The behavioral characterization of animal models of psychiatric disorders is often based upon independent traits measured at adult age. To model the neurodevelopmental aspects of psychiatric pathogenesis, we introduce a novel approach for a developmental behavioral analysis in mice. C57BL/6J (C57) mice were used as a reference strain and compared with 129S1/SvImJ (129Sv), BTBR T+tf/J (BTBR) and A/J (AJ) strains as marker strains for aberrant development. Mice were assessed at pre-adolescence (4 weeks), adolescence (6 weeks), early adulthood (8 weeks) and in adulthood (10-12 weeks) on a series of behavioral tasks measuring general health, neurological reflexes, locomotor activity, anxiety, short- and long-term memory and cognitive flexibility. Developmental delays in short-term object memory were associated with either a hypo-reactive profile in 129Sv mice or a hyper-reactive profile in BTBR mice. Furthermore, BTBR mice showed persistent high levels of repetitive grooming behavior during all developmental stages that was associated with the adult expression of cognitive rigidity. In addition, strain differences in development were observed in puberty onset, touch escape, and body position. These data showed that this longitudinal testing battery provides sufficient behavioral and cognitive resolution during different development stages and offers the opportunity to address the behavioral developmental trajectory in genetic mouse models for neurodevelopmental disorders. Furthermore, the data revealed that the assessment of multiple behavioral and cognitive domains at different developmental stages is critical to determine confounding factors (e.g., impaired motor behavior) that may interfere with the behavioral testing performance in mouse models for brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Remco T Molenhuis
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Leonie de Visser
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Hilgo Bruining
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Martien J Kas
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Kalueff AV, Nguyen M. Testing anxiolytic drugs in the C57BL/6J mouse strain. J Pharmacol Toxicol Methods 2014; 69:205-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vascn.2014.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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15
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Assessing behavioural and cognitive domains of autism spectrum disorders in rodents: current status and future perspectives. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2014; 231:1125-46. [PMID: 24048469 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-013-3268-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2013] [Accepted: 08/27/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The establishment of robust and replicable behavioural testing paradigms with translational value for psychiatric diseases is a major step forward in developing and testing etiology-directed treatment for these complex disorders. Based on the existing literature, we have generated an inventory of applied rodent behavioural testing paradigms relevant to autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This inventory focused on previously used paradigms that assess behavioural domains that are affected in ASD, such as social interaction, social communication, repetitive behaviours and behavioural inflexibility, cognition as well as anxiety behaviour. A wide range of behavioural testing paradigms for rodents were identified. However, the level of face and construct validity is highly variable. The predictive validity of these paradigms is unknown, as etiology-directed treatments for ASD are currently not on the market. To optimise these studies, future efforts should address aspects of reproducibility and take into account data about the neurodevelopmental underpinnings and trajectory of ASD. In addition, with the increasing knowledge of processes underlying ASD, such as sensory information processes and synaptic plasticity, phenotyping efforts should include multi-level automated analysis of, for example, representative task-related behavioural and electrophysiological read-outs.
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Clinical doses of citalopram or reboxetine differentially modulate passive and active behaviors of female Wistar rats with high or low immobility time in the forced swimming test. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2013; 110:89-97. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2013.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2012] [Revised: 05/29/2013] [Accepted: 06/04/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Kopsida E, Lynn PM, Humby T, Wilkinson LS, Davies W. Dissociable effects of Sry and sex chromosome complement on activity, feeding and anxiety-related behaviours in mice. PLoS One 2013; 8:e73699. [PMID: 24009762 PMCID: PMC3751882 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0073699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2013] [Accepted: 07/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Whilst gonadal hormones can substantially influence sexual differentiation of the brain, recent findings have suggested that sex-linked genes may also directly influence neurodevelopment. Here we used the well-established murine ‘four core genotype’ (FCG) model on a gonadally-intact, outbred genetic background to characterise the contribution of Sry-dependent effects (i.e. those arising from the expression of the Y-linked Sry gene in the brain, or from hormonal sequelae of gonadal Sry expression) and direct effects of sex-linked genes other than Sry (‘sex chromosome complement’ effects) to sexually dimorphic mouse behavioural phenotypes. Over a 24 hour period, XX and XY gonadally female mice (lacking Sry) exhibited greater horizontal locomotor activity and reduced food consumption per unit bodyweight than XX and XY gonadally male mice (possessing Sry); in two behavioural tests (the elevated plus and zero mazes) XX and XY gonadally female mice showed evidence for increased anxiety-related behaviours relative to XX and XY gonadally male mice. Exploratory correlational analyses indicated that these Sry-dependent effects could not be simply explained by brain expression of the gene, nor by circulating testosterone levels. We also noted a sex chromosome complement effect on food (but not water) consumption whereby XY mice consumed more over a 24hr period than XX mice, and a sex chromosome complement effect in a third test of anxiety-related behaviour, the light-dark box. The present data suggest that: i) the male-specific factor Sry may influence activity and feeding behaviours in mice, and ii) dissociable feeding and anxiety-related murine phenotypes may be differentially modulated by Sry and by other sex-linked genes. Our results may have relevance for understanding the molecular underpinnings of sexually dimorphic behavioural phenotypes in healthy men and women, and in individuals with abnormal sex chromosome constitutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Kopsida
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, United Kingdom
- Medical Research Council Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics and Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, United Kingdom
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, United Kingdom
| | - Phoebe M. Lynn
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, United Kingdom
- Medical Research Council Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics and Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, United Kingdom
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, United Kingdom
| | - Trevor Humby
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, United Kingdom
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, United Kingdom
| | - Lawrence S. Wilkinson
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, United Kingdom
- Medical Research Council Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics and Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, United Kingdom
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, United Kingdom
| | - William Davies
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, United Kingdom
- Medical Research Council Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics and Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, United Kingdom
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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de Mooij-van Malsen JG, van Lith HA, Laarakker MC, Brandys MK, Oppelaar H, Collier DA, Olivier B, Breen G, Kas MJ. Cross-species genetics converge to TLL2 for mouse avoidance behavior and human bipolar disorder. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2013; 12:653-7. [PMID: 23777486 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2013] [Revised: 05/21/2013] [Accepted: 06/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Interspecies genetic analysis of neurobehavioral traits is critical for identifying neurobiological mechanisms underlying psychiatric disorders, and for developing models for translational research. Recently, after screening a chromosome substitution strain panel in an automated home cage environment, chromosomes 15 and 19 were identified in female mice for carrying genetic loci that contribute to increased avoidance behavior (sheltering preference). Furthermore, we showed that the quantitative trait locus (QTL) for baseline avoidance behavior on chromosome 15 is homologous with a human linkage region for bipolar disorder (8q24). Similarly, we now performed comparative analysis on the QTL for avoidance behavior found on chromosome 19 and correspondingly revealed an overlap of the mouse interval and human homologous region 10q23-24, which has been previously linked to bipolar disorders. By means of a comparative genetic strategy within the human homologous region, we describe an association for TLL2 with bipolar disorder using the genome-wide association study (GWAS) data set generated by the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium (WTCCC). On the basis of genetic homology and mood stabilizer sensitivity, our data indicate the intriguing possibility that mouse home cage avoidance behavior may translate to a common biochemical mechanisms underlying bipolar disorder susceptibility. These findings pave new roads for the identification of the molecular mechanisms and novel treatment possibilities for this psychiatric disorder, as well as for the validity of translational research of associated psychiatric endophenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- J G de Mooij-van Malsen
- Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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Dual effects of exercise in dysferlinopathy. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2013; 182:2298-309. [PMID: 23624156 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2013.02.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2012] [Revised: 02/09/2013] [Accepted: 02/12/2013] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Dysferlinopathy refers to a group of autosomal recessive muscular dystrophies due to mutations in the dysferlin gene causing deficiency of a membrane-bound protein crucially involved in plasma membrane repair. The condition is characterized by marked clinical heterogeneity, the different phenotypes/modes of presentation being unrelated to the genotype. For unknown reasons, patients are often remarkably active before the onset of symptoms. Dysferlin deficiency-related persistence of mechanically induced sarcolemma disruptions causes myofiber damage and necrosis. We postulate that limited myodamage may initially remain hidden with well-preserved resistance to physical strains. By subjecting dysferlin-deficient B6.A/J-Dysf(prmd) mice to long-term swimming exercise, we observed that concentric/isometric strain improved muscle strength and alleviated muscular dystrophy by limiting the accumulation of membrane lesions. By contrast, eccentric strain induced by long-term running in a wheel worsened the dystrophic process. Myofiber damage induced by eccentric strain increased with age, reflecting the accumulation of non-necrotic membrane lesions up to a critical threshold. This phenomenon was modulated by daily spontaneous activity. Transposed to humans, our results may suggest that the past activity profile shapes the clinical phenotype of the myopathy and that patients with dysferlinopathy should likely benefit from concentric exercise-based physiotherapy.
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Maroteaux G, Loos M, van der Sluis S, Koopmans B, Aarts E, van Gassen K, Geurts A, Largaespada DA, Spruijt BM, Stiedl O, Smit AB, Verhage M. High-throughput phenotyping of avoidance learning in mice discriminates different genotypes and identifies a novel gene. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2012; 11:772-84. [PMID: 22846151 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-183x.2012.00820.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2012] [Revised: 04/27/2012] [Accepted: 07/03/2012] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Recognizing and avoiding aversive situations are central aspects of mammalian cognition. These abilities are essential for health and survival and are expected to have a prominent genetic basis. We modeled these abilities in eight common mouse inbred strains covering ∼75% of the species' natural variation and in gene-trap mice (>2000 mice), using an unsupervised, automated assay with an instrumented home cage (PhenoTyper) containing a shelter with two entrances. Mice visited this shelter for 20-1200 times/24 h and 71% of all mice developed a significant and often strong preference for one entrance. Subsequently, a mild aversive stimulus (shelter illumination) was automatically delivered when mice used their preferred entrance. Different genotypes developed different coping strategies. Firstly, the number of entries via the preferred entrance decreased in DBA/2J, C57BL/6J and 129S1/SvImJ, indicating that these genotypes associated one specific entrance with the aversive stimulus. Secondly, mice started sleeping outside (C57BL/6J, DBA/2J), indicating they associated the shelter, in general, with the aversive stimulus. Some mice showed no evidence for an association between the entrance and the aversive light, but did show markedly shorter shelter residence times in response to illumination, indicating they did perceive illumination as aversive. Finally, using this assay, we screened 43 different mutants, which yielded a novel gene, specc1/cytospinB. This mutant showed profound and specific delay in avoidance learning. Together, these data suggest that different genotypes express distinct learning and/or memory of associations between shelter entrance and aversive stimuli, and that specc1/cytospinB is involved in this aspect of cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Maroteaux
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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21
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de Mooij-van Malsen AJG, Vinkers CH, Peterse DP, Olivier B, Kas MJH. Cross-species behavioural genetics: A starting point for unravelling the neurobiology of human psychiatric disorders. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2011; 35:1383-90. [PMID: 20955750 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2010.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2010] [Revised: 09/14/2010] [Accepted: 10/03/2010] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Identifying the genetic and neurobiological mechanisms underlying certain behavioural traits is an important strategy to understand the aetiology of various psychiatric disorders and to find potential new treatment possibilities. It has proven a great challenge to develop paradigms that allow translational research for behavioural phenotypes that are relevant for disorders across the psychiatric spectrum. Recently, there has been increasing attention for studies that implement rodent behavioural paradigms in the home cage to assess the association between genetic backgrounds and behavioural traits. The application of interspecies genetics to unravel these traits has revealed novel insights in the genetic mechanisms that are encoding phenotypes relevant to biological processes underlying psychiatric disorders. By means of two examples, namely the stress-induced hyperthermia paradigm and the home cage environment, this review aims to show that by using individual genetic variations with phenotypes obtained from mice and across categories of neuropsychiatric disorders, novel insights in the neurobiological trajectory of psychiatric disorders can be obtained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annetrude J G de Mooij-van Malsen
- Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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22
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Kas MJH, Krishnan V, Gould TD, Collier DA, Olivier B, Lesch KP, Domenici E, Fuchs E, Gross C, Castrén E. Advances in multidisciplinary and cross-species approaches to examine the neurobiology of psychiatric disorders. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2011; 21:532-44. [PMID: 21237620 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2010.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2010] [Revised: 12/02/2010] [Accepted: 12/04/2010] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Current approaches to dissect the molecular neurobiology of complex neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and major depression have been rightly criticized for failing to provide benefits to patients. Improving the translational potential of our efforts will require the development and refinement of better disease models that consider a wide variety of contributing factors, such as genetic variation, gene-by-environment interactions, endophenotype or intermediate phenotype assessment, cross species analysis, sex differences, and developmental stages. During a targeted expert meeting of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) in Istanbul, we addressed the opportunities and pitfalls of current translational animal models of psychiatric disorders and agreed on a series of core guidelines and recommendations that we believe will help guiding further research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martien J H Kas
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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23
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de Jong S, Kas MJH, Kiernan J, de Mooij-van Malsen AG, Oppelaar H, Janson E, Vukobradovic I, Farber CR, Stanford WL, Ophoff RA. Hippocampal gene expression analysis highlights Ly6a/Sca-1 as candidate gene for previously mapped novelty induced behaviors in mice. PLoS One 2011; 6:e20716. [PMID: 21673958 PMCID: PMC3108967 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0020716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2010] [Accepted: 05/08/2011] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we show that the covariance between behavior and gene expression in the brain can help further unravel the determinants of neurobehavioral traits. Previously, a QTL for novelty induced motor activity levels was identified on murine chromosome 15 using consomic strains. With the goal of narrowing down the linked region and possibly identifying the gene underlying the quantitative trait, gene expression data from this F2-population was collected and used for expression QTL analysis. While genetic variation in these mice was limited to chromosome 15, eQTL analysis of gene expression showed strong cis-effects as well as trans-effects elsewhere in the genome. Using weighted gene co-expression network analysis, we were able to identify modules of co-expressed genes related to novelty induced motor activity levels. In eQTL analyses, the expression of Ly6a (a.k.a. Sca-1) was found to be cis-regulated by chromosome 15. Ly6a also surfaced in a group of genes resulting from the network analysis that was correlated with behavior. Behavioral analysis of Ly6a knock-out mice revealed reduced novelty induced motor activity levels when compared to wild type controls, confirming functional importance of Ly6a in this behavior, possibly through regulating other genes in a pathway. This study shows that gene expression profiling can be used to narrow down a previously identified behavioral QTL in mice, providing support for Ly6a as a candidate gene for functional involvement in novelty responsiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone de Jong
- Department of Medical Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Martien J. H. Kas
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jeffrey Kiernan
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Annetrude G. de Mooij-van Malsen
- Department of Molecular Animal Physiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen Center for Neuroscience, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Hugo Oppelaar
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Esther Janson
- Department of Medical Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Igor Vukobradovic
- Centre for Modeling Human Disease, Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Charles R. Farber
- Department of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics and Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - William L. Stanford
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Roel A. Ophoff
- Department of Medical Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Abstract
Eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia nervosa, are psychiatric disorders that are likely determined by a complex interaction between genetic variations, developmental processes, and certain life events. Cross-species analysis of traits related to eating disorders may provide a way to functionally and systematically study neurobiological mechanisms underlying these disorders. Interspecies trait genetics may offer opportunities to identify common neurobiological mechanisms underlying eating disorder characteristics relevant to the initiation, progression, and/or maintenance of the disease, such as cognitive rigidity, increased anxiety levels, and behavioral hyperactivity. These can subsequently be tested directly by studying allelic variation in mice and human subjects and by applying methods that can modify gene expression levels in rodent models. Increasing our knowledge about these traits and their underlying neurobiological mechanisms will be relevant to develop new therapies for patients within the heterogeneous eating disorder populations. Novel mouse genetic and phenotyping tools offer a way to study these neurobehavioral traits under controlled environmental and genetic background conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martien J H Kas
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Centre Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Voikar V, Colacicco G, Gruber O, Vannoni E, Lipp HP, Wolfer DP. Conditioned response suppression in the IntelliCage: assessment of mouse strain differences and effects of hippocampal and striatal lesions on acquisition and retention of memory. Behav Brain Res 2010; 213:304-12. [PMID: 20493907 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2010.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2010] [Revised: 05/09/2010] [Accepted: 05/12/2010] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The IntelliCage allows fully automated continuous testing of various behaviours in the home cage environment without handling the mice. Here we tested whether conditioned avoidance is retained after a time period delay spent outside the IntelliCage. During the training, nosepokes in one of the four learning corners were punished with an air-puff. After 24h of training, the mice were placed in regular cages for 24h. During the last 18h of this interval, the mice were water deprived and then returned to the IntelliCage for a probe trial where drinking was allowed in all corners. The C57BL/6 mice developed a significant suppression of nosepoking in the punished corner during training, and the avoidance was carried over to the following probe trial. Repetition of the experiment by delivering punishment in a different corner assigned to individual mice revealed a similar performance pattern. Comparison between the different strains revealed a reduced nosepoke suppression in DBA/2 and B6D2F1 mice as compared to C57BL/6 mice in the probe trial, despite similar error rates during the training with short (1-s) air-puffs. However, the performance of the three strains in the probe trial were equalised when the air-puffs were prolonged until the end of the corner visit. Significant extinction of the nosepoke suppression occurred after 6 days. A prolonged interval (7 days) between the training and the probe trial resulted in a loss of suppression in DBA/2 mice, but not in C57BL/6 and B6D2F1 mice. Additional experiments revealed that performance in the probe trial was dependent on a complex set of intramaze cues. Testing of mice with bilateral excitotoxic lesions of the hippocampus or dorso-lateral striatum revealed that learning this task was dependent on an intact hippocampus, but not on an intact striatum. In summary, the conditioned nosepoke suppression test presented here is sensitive to both genetic differences and hippocampal lesions. This test could be applied to the screening of mutant mice with impaired hippocampal functions more efficiently than those of the standard memory tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vootele Voikar
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Gelegen C, Pjetri E, Campbell IC, Collier DA, Oppelaar H, Kas MJH. Chromosomal mapping of excessive physical activity in mice in response to a restricted feeding schedule. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2010; 20:317-26. [PMID: 19896807 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2009.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2009] [Revised: 09/02/2009] [Accepted: 10/04/2009] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Excessive physical activity plays an important role in the progression of anorexia nervosa (AN) by accelerating weight loss during dietary restriction. To search for mechanisms underlying this trait, a panel of mouse chromosome substitution strains derived from C57BL/6J and A/J strains was exposed to a scheduled feeding paradigm and to voluntary running wheel (RW) access. Here, we showed that A/J chromosomes 4, 12 and 13 contribute to the development of a disrupted RW activity in response to daily restricted feeding. This pattern is characterized by intense RW activity during the habitual rest phase and leads to accelerated body weight loss. Regions on mouse chromosomes 4, 12 and 13 display homology with regions on human chromosomes linked with anxiety and obsessionality in AN cohorts. Therefore, our data open new roads for interspecies genetic studies of AN and for unraveling novel mechanisms and potential effective treatment strategies for these neurobehavioral traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Gelegen
- Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Kas MJH, Gelegen C, van Nieuwerburgh F, Westenberg HGM, Deforce D, Denys D. Compulsivity in mouse strains homologous with chromosomes 7p and 15q linked to obsessive-compulsive disorder. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2010; 153B:252-9. [PMID: 19514050 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.30994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a severe anxiety disorder characterized by obsessions and compulsions. The core symptom of OCD is compulsivity, the inability to stop thinking or acting when you want to, despite being aware of the uselessness of the content or the adverse consequences. To initiate a systematic search for genetic mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of compulsivity, a panel of chromosome substitution (CS) strains, derived from mice that suppress (C57BL/6J strain) or maintain (A/J strain) high levels of repetitive wheel running during 2 hr of daily limited food access, was screened for this compulsive behavior. Following the genetic screen, we found linkage between compulsive wheel running and mouse chromosomes 2, 6, and 7 that show overlap with recently identified human linkage regions for OCD on chromosomes 7p and 15q. In the overlapping (human/mouse) genomic region, the CRH receptor 2 (CRHR2) gene was tested in a human case-control study. An initial exploration in OCD cases versus controls failed to detect an association between four-candidate CRH2R SNP's within this homologous linkage region and OCD. Genetic fine mapping of compulsivity in mice provides new opportunities to reveal mechanisms underlying this significant psychiatric trait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martien J H Kas
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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The rapid hydrolysis of chlordiazepoxide to demoxepam may affect the outcome of chronic osmotic minipump studies. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2010; 208:555-62. [PMID: 20066402 PMCID: PMC2813522 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-009-1752-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2009] [Accepted: 12/02/2009] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In chronic studies, the classical benzodiazepine chlordiazepoxide (CDP) is often the preferred drug because, unlike other benzodiazepines, it is soluble in water. However, rapid CDP hydrolysis in solution has been described. This would diminish plasma levels in chronic minipump studies and introduce the corelease of active compounds. METHODS Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the putative hydrolysis of CDP in aqueous solution over time and to identify the hydrolysis products. Moreover, we aimed to characterize the hydrolysis products for their in vitro (3H-flunitrazepam binding and oocyte electrophysiology) and in vivo (stress-induced hyperthermia paradigm) GABAA receptor potency. RESULTS CDP in solution hydrolyzed to the ketone structure demoxepam which was confirmed using mass spectrometry. The hydrolysis was concentration dependent (first-order kinetics) and temperature dependent. CDP exerted greater potency compared to demoxepam in vitro (increased activity at GABAA receptors containing α1 subunits) and in vivo (stress-induced hyperthermia), although 3H-flunitrazepam binding was comparable. CONCLUSIONS The classical benzodiazepine CDP is rapidly hydrolyzed in solution to the active compound demoxepam which possesses a reduced activity at the GABAA receptor. Chronic studies that use CDP in aqueous solution should thus be interpreted with caution. It is therefore important to consider drug stability in chronic minipump applications.
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de Mooij-van Malsen AJG, van Lith HA, Oppelaar H, Hendriks J, de Wit M, Kostrzewa E, Breen G, Collier DA, Olivier B, Kas MJ. Interspecies trait genetics reveals association of Adcy8 with mouse avoidance behavior and a human mood disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2009; 66:1123-30. [PMID: 19691954 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2009] [Revised: 06/18/2009] [Accepted: 06/21/2009] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Identifying susceptibility genes for endophenotypes by studying analogous behaviors across species is an important strategy for understanding the pathophysiology underlying psychiatric disorders. This approach provides novel biological pathways plus validated animal models critical for selective drug development. One such endophenotype is avoidance behavior. METHODS In the present study, novel automated registration methods for longitudinal behavioral assessment in home cages are used to screen a panel of recently generated mouse chromosome substitution strains that are very powerful in quantitative trait loci (QTL) detection of complex traits. In this way, we identified chromosomes regulating avoidance behavior (increased sheltering preference) independent of motor activity levels (horizontal distance moved). Genetic information from the mouse QTL-interval was integrated with that from the homologous human linkage region for a mood disorder. RESULTS We genetically mapped a QTL for avoidance behavior on mouse chromosome 15, homologous with a human genome region (8q24) linked to bipolar disorder. Integrating the syntenic mouse QTL-interval with genotypes of 1868 BPD cases versus 14,311 control subjects revealed two associated genes (ADCY8 and KCNQ3). Adenylyl cyclase 8 (Adcy8) was differentially expressed in specific brain regions of mouse strains that differ in avoidance behavior levels. Finally, we showed that chronic infusion of the human mood stabilizer carbamazepine (that acts via adenylyl cyclase activity) significantly reduced mouse avoidance behavior, providing a further link between human mood disorders and this mouse home cage behavior. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that Adcy8 might encode a translational behavioral endophenotype of bipolar disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annetrude J G de Mooij-van Malsen
- Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Bidirectional modulation of classical fear conditioning in mice by 5-HT1A receptor ligands with contrasting intrinsic activities. Neuropharmacology 2009; 57:567-76. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2009.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2008] [Revised: 05/15/2009] [Accepted: 07/07/2009] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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de Mooij-van Malsen JG, Yu KL, Veldman H, Oppelaar H, van den Berg LH, Olivier B, Kas MJH. Variations in ventral root axon morphology and locomotor behavior components across different inbred strains of mice. Neuroscience 2009; 164:1477-83. [PMID: 19778584 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2009.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2009] [Revised: 08/25/2009] [Accepted: 09/02/2009] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Locomotion is a complex behavior affected by many different brain- and spinal cord systems, as well as by variations in the peripheral nervous system. Recently, we found increased gene expression for EphA4, a gene intricately involved in motor neuron development, between high-active parental strain C57BL/6J and the low-active chromosome substitution strain 1 (CSS1). CSS1 mice carry chromosome 1 from A/J mice in a C57BL/6J genetic background, allowing localization of quantitative trait loci (QTL) on chromosome 1. To find out whether differences in motor neuron anatomy, possibly related to the changes in EphA4 expression, are involved in the motor activity differences observed in these strains, motor performance in various behavioral paradigms and anatomical differences in the ventral roots were investigated. To correlate the behavioral profiles to the spinal motor neuron morphology, not only CSS1 and its parental strains C57BL/6J (host) and A/J (donor) were examined, but also a set of other mouse inbred strains (AKR/J, 129x1/SvJ and DBA/2J). Significant differences were found between inbred strains on home cage motor activity levels, the beam balance test, grip test performance, and on alternating versus synchronous hind limb movement (hind limb hopping). Also, considerable differences were found in spinal motor neuron morphology, with A/J and CSS1 showing smaller, possibly less developed, motor neuron axons compared to all other inbred strains. For CSS1 and C57BL/6J, only genetically different for chromosome 1, a correlation was found between motor activity levels, synchronous hind limb movement and neuro-anatomical differences in spinal motor neurons. Inclusion of the other inbred strains, however, did not show this direct correlation. These data verifies the complex nature of the mammalian motor system that may be further dissected using genetic mapping populations derived from these inbred strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- J G de Mooij-van Malsen
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Bolivar VJ. Intrasession and intersession habituation in mice: from inbred strain variability to linkage analysis. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2009; 92:206-14. [PMID: 19496240 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2009.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
When placed in a novel environment, mice tend to explore for a period of time, and then reduce the level of exploration. This reduction in locomotor or exploratory behavior is known as habituation and can occur within a single session or across sessions, respectively, termed intrasession and intersession habituation. Recent research indicates that there is a genetic component to habituation behavior and that some of the genes involved differ between the two types of habituation. The genetic evidence also suggests that intrasession habituation and intersession habituation are measuring somewhat different conceptual entities and with more such evidence may eventually help us understand the different pathways involved. Some of the genetic methods and tools used to unravel the roles of specific genes in both types of habituation are outlined here, with examples from the literature, as well as new data, to illustrate that this seemingly simple behavior is actually very complicated in terms of genetics. Evidence to date suggests that a number of genetic regions play roles in one or both types of habituation, and further research will be necessary to determine the specific genes involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie J Bolivar
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, 120 New Scotland Avenue, Albany, NY 12208, USA.
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Brooks SP, Dunnett SB. Tests to assess motor phenotype in mice: a user's guide. Nat Rev Neurosci 2009; 10:519-29. [DOI: 10.1038/nrn2652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 430] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Kas MJH, Kaye WH, Foulds Mathes W, Bulik CM. Interspecies genetics of eating disorder traits. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2009; 150B:318-27. [PMID: 18646037 PMCID: PMC2660386 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.30832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Family and twin studies have indicated that genetic factors play a role in the development of eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia nervosa, but novel views and tools may enhance the identification of neurobiological mechanisms underlying these conditions. Here we propose an integrative genetic approach to reveal novel biological substrates of eating disorder traits analogous in mouse and human. For example, comparable to behavioral hyperactivity that is observed in 40-80% of anorexia nervosa patients, inbred strains of mice with different genetic backgrounds are differentially susceptible to develop behavioral hyperactivity when food restricted. In addition, a list of characteristics that are relevant to eating disorders and approaches to their measurement in humans together with potential analogous rodent models has been generated. Interspecies genetics of neurobehavioral characteristics of eating disorders has the potential to open new roads to identify and functionally test genetic pathways that influence neurocircuits relevant for these heterogeneous psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martien J H Kas
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht, The Netherlands
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A robust automated system elucidates mouse home cage behavioral structure. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2008; 105:20575-82. [PMID: 19106295 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0809053106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Patterns of behavior exhibited by mice in their home cages reflect the function and interaction of numerous behavioral and physiological systems. Detailed assessment of these patterns thus has the potential to provide a powerful tool for understanding basic aspects of behavioral regulation and their perturbation by disease processes. However, the capacity to identify and examine these patterns in terms of their discrete levels of organization across diverse behaviors has been difficult to achieve and automate. Here, we describe an automated approach for the quantitative characterization of fundamental behavioral elements and their patterns in the freely behaving mouse. We demonstrate the utility of this approach by identifying unique features of home cage behavioral structure and changes in distinct levels of behavioral organization in mice with single gene mutations altering energy balance. The robust, automated, reproducible quantification of mouse home cage behavioral structure detailed here should have wide applicability for the study of mammalian physiology, behavior, and disease.
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Evidence for epigenetic interactions for loci on mouse chromosome 1 regulating open field activity. Behav Genet 2008; 39:176-82. [PMID: 19048365 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-008-9243-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2008] [Accepted: 11/07/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The expression of motor activity levels in response to novel situations is under complex genetic and environmental control. Several genetic loci have been implicated in the regulation of this behavioral phenotype, but their relationship to epigenetic and epistatic interactions is relatively unknown. Here, we report on a quantitative trait locus (QTL) on mouse chromosome 1 for novelty-induced motor activity in the open field, using chromosome substitution strains derived from a high active host strain (C57BL/6J) and a low active donor strain (A/J). The QTL for open field (horizontal distance moved) peaked at the location of Kcnj9, however, QTL detection was initially masked by an interplay of both grandparent genetic origin and genetic co-factors influencing behavior on chromosome 1. Our findings indicate that epigenetic interactions can play an important role in the identification of behavioral QTLs and must be taken into consideration when applying behavioral genetic strategies.
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Kas MJH, de Mooij-van Malsen JG, de Krom M, van Gassen KLI, van Lith HA, Olivier B, Oppelaar H, Hendriks J, de Wit M, Groot Koerkamp MJA, Holstege FCP, van Oost BA, de Graan PNE. High-resolution genetic mapping of mammalian motor activity levels in mice. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2008; 8:13-22. [PMID: 18721260 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-183x.2008.00435.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The generation of motor activity levels is under tight neural control to execute essential behaviors, such as movement toward food or for social interaction. To identify novel neurobiological mechanisms underlying motor activity levels, we studied a panel of chromosome substitution (CS) strains derived from mice with high (C57BL/6J strain) or low motor activity levels (A/J strain) using automated home cage behavioral registration. In this study, we genetically mapped the expression of baseline motor activity levels (horizontal distance moved) to mouse chromosome 1. Further genetic mapping of this trait revealed an 8.3-Mb quantitative trait locus (QTL) interval. This locus is distinct from the QTL interval for open-field anxiety-related motor behavior on this chromosome. By data mining, an existing phenotypic and genotypic data set of 2445 genetically heterogeneous mice (http://gscan.well.ox.ac.uk/), we confirmed linkage to the peak marker at 79 970 253 bp and refined the QTL to a 312-kb interval containing a single gene (A830043J08Rik). Sequence analysis showed a nucleotide deletion in the 3' untranslated region of the Riken gene. Genome-wide microarray gene expression profiling in brains of discordant F(2) individuals from CS strain 1 showed a significant upregulation of Epha4 in low-active F(2) individuals. Inclusion of a genetic marker for Epha4 confirmed that this gene is located outside of the QTL interval. Both Epha4 and A830043J08Rik are expressed in brain motor circuits, and similar to Epha4 mutants, we found linkage between reduced motor neurons number and A/J chromosome 1. Our findings provide a novel QTL and a potential downstream target underlying motor circuitry development and the expression of physical activity levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J H Kas
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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