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Dingwall R, May C, Letschert J, Renoir T, Hannan AJ, Burrows EL. Attenuated responses to attention-modulating drugs in the neuroligin-3 R451C mouse model of autism. J Neurochem 2024. [PMID: 39092656 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Attention deficits are frequently reported within the clinical autism population. Despite not being a core diagnostic feature, some aetiological theories place atypical attention at the centre of autism development. Drugs used to treat attention dysfunction are therefore increasingly prescribed to autistic patients, though currently off-label with uncertain efficacy. We utilised a rodent-translated touchscreen test of sustained attention in mice carrying an autism-associated R451C mutation in the neuroligin-3 gene (Nlgn3R451C). In doing so, we replicated their cautious but accurate response profile and probed it using two widely prescribed attention-modulating drugs: methylphenidate (MPH) and atomoxetine (ATO). In wild-type mice, acute administration of MPH (3 mg/kg) promoted impulsive responding at the expense of accuracy, while ATO (3 mg/kg) broadly reduced impulsive responding. These drug effects were absent in Nlgn3R451C mice, other than a small reduction in blank touches to the screen following ATO administration. The absence of drug effects in Nlgn3R451C mice likely arises from their altered behavioural baseline and underlying neurobiology, highlighting caveats to the use of classic attention-modulating drugs across disorders and autism subsets. It further suggests that altered dopaminergic and/or norepinephrinergic systems may drive behavioural differences in the Nlgn3R451C mouse model of autism, supporting further targeted investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Dingwall
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - C May
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - J Letschert
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - T Renoir
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - A J Hannan
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - E L Burrows
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Geisler CE, Décarie-Spain L, Loh MK, Trumbauer W, Gaisinsky J, Klug ME, Pelletier C, Davis JF, Schmidt HD, Roitman MF, Kanoski SE, Hayes MR. Amylin Modulates a Ventral Tegmental Area-to-Medial Prefrontal Cortex Circuit to Suppress Food Intake and Impulsive Food-Directed Behavior. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 95:938-950. [PMID: 37517705 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A better understanding of the neural mechanisms regulating impaired satiety to palatable foods is essential to treat hyperphagia linked with obesity. The satiation hormone amylin signals centrally at multiple nuclei including the ventral tegmental area (VTA). VTA-to-medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) projections encode food reward information to influence behaviors including impulsivity. We hypothesized that modulation of VTA-to-mPFC neurons underlies amylin-mediated decreases in palatable food-motivated behaviors. METHODS We used a variety of pharmacological, behavioral, genetic, and viral approaches (n = 4-16/experiment) to investigate the anatomical and functional circuitry of amylin-controlled VTA-to-mPFC signaling in rats. RESULTS To first establish that VTA amylin receptor (calcitonin receptor) activation can modulate mPFC activity, we showed that intra-VTA amylin decreased food-evoked mPFC cFos. VTA amylin delivery also attenuated food-directed impulsive behavior, implicating VTA amylin signaling as a regulator of mPFC functions. Palatable food activates VTA dopamine and mPFC neurons. Accordingly, dopamine receptor agonism in the mPFC blocked the hypophagic effect of intra-VTA amylin, and VTA amylin injection reduced food-evoked phasic dopamine levels in the mPFC, supporting the idea that VTA calcitonin receptor activation decreases dopamine release in the mPFC. Surprisingly, calcitonin receptor expression was not found on VTA-to-mPFC projecting neurons but was instead found on GABAergic (gamma-aminobutyric acidergic) interneurons in the VTA that provide monosynaptic inputs to this pathway. Blocking intra-VTA GABA signaling, through GABA receptor antagonists and DREADD (designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drugs)-mediated GABAergic neuronal silencing, attenuated intra-VTA amylin-induced hypophagia. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that VTA amylin signaling stimulates GABA-mediated inhibition of dopaminergic projections to the mPFC to mitigate impulsive consumption of palatable foods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline E Geisler
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Léa Décarie-Spain
- Department of Biological Sciences, Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Maxine K Loh
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Wolf Trumbauer
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Jane Gaisinsky
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Molly E Klug
- Department of Biological Sciences, Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Caitlyn Pelletier
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Jon F Davis
- Novo Nordisk Research Center Seattle, Seattle, Washington
| | - Heath D Schmidt
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Department of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Mitchell F Roitman
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Scott E Kanoski
- Department of Biological Sciences, Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Matthew R Hayes
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Department of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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Chernoff CS, Hynes TJ, Schumacher JD, Ramaiah S, Avramidis DK, Mortazavi L, Floresco SB, Winstanley CA. Noradrenergic regulation of cue-guided decision making and impulsivity is doubly dissociable across frontal brain regions. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024; 241:767-783. [PMID: 38001266 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06508-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Win-paired stimuli can promote risk taking in experimental gambling paradigms in both rats and humans. We previously demonstrated that atomoxetine, a noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor, and guanfacine, a selective α2A adrenergic receptor agonist, reduced risk taking on the cued rat gambling task (crGT), a rodent assay of risky choice in which wins are accompanied by salient cues. Both compounds also decreased impulsive premature responding. OBJECTIVE The key neural loci mediating these effects were unknown. The lateral orbitofrontal cortex (lOFC) and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), which are highly implicated in risk assessment, action selection, and impulse control, receive dense noradrenergic innervation. We therefore infused atomoxetine and guanfacine directly into either the lOFC or prelimbic (PrL) mPFC prior to task performance. RESULTS When infused into the lOFC, atomoxetine improved decision making score and adaptive lose-shift behaviour in males, but not in females, without altering motor impulsivity. Conversely, intra-PrL atomoxetine improved impulse control in risk preferring animals of both sexes, but did not alter decision making. Guanfacine administered into the PrL, but not lOFC, also altered motor impulsivity in all subjects, though in the opposite direction to atomoxetine. CONCLUSIONS These data highlight a double dissociation between the behavioural effects of noradrenergic signaling across frontal regions with respect to risky choice and impulsive action. Given that the influence of noradrenergic manipulations on motor impulsivity could depend on baseline risk preference, these data also suggest that the noradrenaline system may function differently in subjects that are susceptible to the risk-promoting lure of win-associated cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe S Chernoff
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- Department of Psychology, Downing Site, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Tristan J Hynes
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Downing Site, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jackson D Schumacher
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Shrishti Ramaiah
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Dimitrios K Avramidis
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Concordia, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Leili Mortazavi
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Stan B Floresco
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Catharine A Winstanley
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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Cubello J, Marvin E, Conrad K, Merrill AK, George JV, Welle K, Jackson BP, Chalupa D, Oberdörster G, Sobolewski M, Cory-Slechta DA. The contributions of neonatal inhalation of copper to air pollution-induced neurodevelopmental outcomes in mice. Neurotoxicology 2024; 100:55-71. [PMID: 38081392 PMCID: PMC10842733 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2023.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Exposures to ambient ultrafine particle (UFP) air pollution (AP) during the early postnatal period in mice (equivalent to human third trimester brain development) produce male-biased changes in brain structure, including ventriculomegaly, reduced brain myelination, alterations in neurotransmitters and glial activation, as well as impulsive-like behavioral characteristics, all of which are also features characteristic of male-biased neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). The purpose of this study was to ascertain the extent to which inhaled Cu, a common contaminant of AP that is also dysregulated across multiple NDDs, might contribute to these phenotypes. For this purpose, C57BL/6J mice were exposed from postnatal days 4-7 and 10-13 for 4 hr/day to inhaled copper oxide (CuxOy) nanoparticles at an environmentally relevant concentration averaging 171.9 ng/m3. Changes in brain metal homeostasis and neurotransmitter levels were determined following termination of exposure (postnatal day 14), while behavioral changes were assessed in adulthood. CuxOy inhalation modified cortical metal homeostasis and produced male-biased disruption of striatal neurotransmitters, with marked increases in dopaminergic function, as well as excitatory/inhibitory imbalance and reductions in serotonergic function. Impulsive-like behaviors in a fixed ratio (FR) waiting-for-reward schedule and a fixed interval (FI) schedule of food reward occurred in both sexes, but more prominently in males, effects which could not be attributed to altered locomotor activity or short-term memory. Inhaled Cu as from AP exposures, at environmentally relevant levels experienced during development, may contribute to impaired brain function, as shown by its ability to disrupt brain metal homeostasis and striatal neurotransmission. In addition, its ability to evoke impulsive-like behavior, particularly in male offspring, may be related to striatal dopaminergic dysfunction that is known to mediate such behaviors. As such, regulation of air Cu levels may be protective of public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine Cubello
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
| | - Elena Marvin
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Katherine Conrad
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Alyssa K Merrill
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Jithin V George
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Kevin Welle
- Proteomics Core, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Brian P Jackson
- Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - David Chalupa
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Günter Oberdörster
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Marissa Sobolewski
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Deborah A Cory-Slechta
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
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Kyriakidou M, Caballero-Puntiverio M, Andreasen JT, Thomsen M. Relationship between two forms of impulsivity in mice at baseline and under acute and sub-chronic atomoxetine treatment. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2023; 127:110841. [PMID: 37586638 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2023.110841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Impulsivity is a symptom of various mental disorders, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, and addiction. Impulsivity is not a unitary construct, but is present in different forms, yet only a few rodent studies have explored the relationship between these forms within individual subjects. OBJECTIVES In this study, we compared behaviors representing two impulsivity forms, delay discounting (choice impulsivity) and premature responding (waiting impulsivity), within the same mice. METHODS C57BL/6J male mice were concurrently trained and tested in the delay discounting task and the rodent continuous performance test in a counterbalanced design. The effects of the ADHD medication atomoxetine were tested in both tasks, after both acute (0.3-5.0 mg/kg) and sub-chronic (0.3 mg/kg twice daily for seven days) administration. RESULTS There was no correlation between the two impulsivity forms at baseline. Acute atomoxetine treatment (1, 3, and 5 mg/kg) significantly reduced premature responding. Furthermore, sub-chronic treatment with 0.3 mg/kg of atomoxetine caused a stable decrease in premature responding. Atomoxetine had no significant effect on delay discounting after acute or sub-chronic administration, although the acute administration of 1 mg/kg showed a trend towards increasing delay discounting. CONCLUSIONS The present results support that delay discounting and premature responding represent two different forms of impulsivity that show dissimilar responses to atomoxetine treatment. The consistency with findings in humans lends support to the translatability of the results in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Kyriakidou
- Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen, Mental Health Services in the Capital Region of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Jesper T Andreasen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Morgane Thomsen
- Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen, Mental Health Services in the Capital Region of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Hornborg C, Axrud R, Vicente RP, Merlo J. Socioeconomic disparities in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Sweden: An intersectional ecological niches analysis of individual heterogeneity and discriminatory accuracy (IEN-AIHDA). PLoS One 2023; 18:e0294741. [PMID: 37983221 PMCID: PMC10659213 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
We aimed (i) to gain a better understanding of the demographic and socioeconomical distribution of ADHD risk in Sweden; and (ii) to contribute to the critical discussion on medicalization, i.e., the tendency to define and treat behavioural and social problems as medical entities. For this purpose, we analysed the risk of suffering from ADHD in the whole Swedish population aged between 5 and 60 years, across 96 different strata defined by combining categories of gender, age, income, and country of birth. The stratified analysis evidenced considerable risk heterogeneity, with prevalence values ranging from 0.03% in high income immigrant women aged 50-59, to 6.18% in middle income immigrant boys aged 10-14. Our study questions the established idea that behavioural difficulties conceptualized as ADHD should be primarily perceived as a neurological abnormality. Rather, our findings suggest that there is a strong sociological component behind how some individuals become impaired and subject to medicalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoffer Hornborg
- Department of Sociology and Work Science, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
- Unit for Social Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
- Centre for Welfare, Social Innovation and Sustainability in Rural Areas, Campus Västervik, Västervik, Sweden
| | - Rebecca Axrud
- Unit for Social Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Raquel Pérez Vicente
- Unit for Social Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Juan Merlo
- Unit for Social Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
- Centre for Primary Health Care Research, Region Skåne, Malmö, Sweden
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Koszałka A, Lustyk K, Pytka K. Sex-dependent differences in animal cognition. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 153:105374. [PMID: 37634555 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
The differences in cognitive processes driven by biological sex are the issues that have gotten growing attention recently. Considering the increasing population suffering from various cognitive impairments and the development of therapeutic strategies, it is essential that we recognize the mechanisms responsible for discrepancies observed in male and female learning and memory functions. In this review, we discuss recent reports from preclinical studies on rodents regarding selected cognitive domains to explore the state of knowledge on sex-dependent differences and point to challenges encountered during such research. We focus on spatial, recognition, and emotional memory, as well as on executive functions, such as attention, cognitive flexibility, and working memory. This review will help to acknowledge sex-related differences in cognition and indicate some fields that lack sufficient data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Koszałka
- Jagiellonian University Medical College, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacodynamics, Medyczna 9, 30-688 Krakow, Poland; Jagiellonian University Medical College, Doctoral School of Medical and Health Sciences, Św. Łazarza 16, 31-530 Krakow, Poland
| | - Klaudia Lustyk
- Jagiellonian University Medical College, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacodynamics, Medyczna 9, 30-688 Krakow, Poland
| | - Karolina Pytka
- Jagiellonian University Medical College, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacodynamics, Medyczna 9, 30-688 Krakow, Poland.
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Velazquez-Sanchez C, Muresan L, Marti-Prats L, Belin D. The development of compulsive coping behaviour is associated with a downregulation of Arc in a Locus Coeruleus neuronal ensemble. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:653-663. [PMID: 36635597 PMCID: PMC9938202 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01522-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Some compulsive disorders have been considered to stem from the loss of control over coping strategies, such as displacement. However, the cellular mechanisms involved in the acquisition of coping behaviours and their subsequent compulsive manifestation in vulnerable individuals have not been elucidated. Considering the role of the locus coeruleus (LC) noradrenaline-dependent system in stress and related excessive behaviours, we hypothesised that neuroplastic changes in the LC may be associated with the acquisition of an adjunctive polydipsic water drinking, a prototypical displacement behaviour, and the ensuing development of compulsion in vulnerable individuals. Thus, male Sprague Dawley rats were characterised for their tendency, or not, to develop compulsive polydipsic drinking in a schedule-induced polydipsia (SIP) procedure before their fresh brains were harvested. A new quantification tool for RNAscope assays revealed that the development of compulsive adjunctive behaviour was associated with a low mRNA copy number of the plasticity marker Arc in the LC which appeared to be driven by specific adaptations in an ensemble of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)+, zif268- neurons. This ensemble was specifically engaged by the expression of compulsive adjunctive behaviour, not by stress, because its functional recruitment was not observed in individuals that no longer had access to the water bottle before sacrifice, while it consistently correlated with the levels of polydipsic water drinking only when it had become compulsive. Together these findings suggest that downregulation of Arc mRNA levels in a population of a TH+/zif268- LC neurons represents a signature of the tendency to develop compulsive coping behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Velazquez-Sanchez
- CLIC (Cambridge Laboratory for research on Impulsive/Compulsive disorders), Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Leila Muresan
- Cambridge Advanced Imaging Centre, Department of Physiology Development and Neuroscience of the University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Lucia Marti-Prats
- CLIC (Cambridge Laboratory for research on Impulsive/Compulsive disorders), Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - David Belin
- CLIC (Cambridge Laboratory for research on Impulsive/Compulsive disorders), Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.
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Flores-Dourojeanni JP, van den Munkhof MH, Luijendijk MCM, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Adan RAH. Inhibition of ventral tegmental area projections to the nucleus accumbens shell increases premature responding in the five-choice serial reaction time task in rats. Brain Struct Funct 2023; 228:787-798. [PMID: 36843155 PMCID: PMC10147763 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-023-02618-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2023]
Abstract
Exaggerated impulsivity and attentional impairments are hallmarks of certain disorders of behavioural control such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), schizophrenia and addiction. Pharmacological studies have implicated elevated dopamine (DA) levels in the nucleus accumbens shell (NAcbS) in impulsive actions. The NAcbS receives its DA input from the ventral tegmental area (VTA), and we have previously shown that optogenetic activation of VTA-NAcbS projections impaired impulse control and attention in the five-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) in rats. To better understand the role of VTA-NAcbS projections in impulsivity and attention, the present study sought to inhibit this projection using optogenetics. We demonstrate that inhibiting VTA-NAcbS efferents during the last seconds of the inter-trial interval (i.e. immediately before presentation of the instructive cue) induces exaggerated impulsive action, in the absence of changes in attentional or motivational parameters in the 5-CSRTT. Together with our earlier observations, this suggests that impulse control in the 5-CSRTT is tightly controlled by VTA-NAcbS activity, with deviations in both directions resulting in increased impulsivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacques P Flores-Dourojeanni
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3508, GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Population Health Sciences, Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584, CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marleen H van den Munkhof
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3508, GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mieneke C M Luijendijk
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3508, GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584, CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Roger A H Adan
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3508, GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands. .,Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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Hervig MES, Toschi C, Petersen A, Vangkilde S, Gether U, Robbins TW. Theory of visual attention (TVA) applied to rats performing the 5-choice serial reaction time task: differential effects of dopaminergic and noradrenergic manipulations. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2023; 240:41-58. [PMID: 36434307 PMCID: PMC9816296 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-022-06269-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Attention is compromised in many psychiatric disorders, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). While dopamine and noradrenaline systems have been implicated in ADHD, their exact role in attentional processing is yet unknown. OBJECTIVES We applied the theory of visual attention (TVA) model, adapted from human research, to the rat 5-choice serial reaction time task (5CSRTT) to investigate catecholaminergic modulation of visual attentional processing in healthy subjects of high- and low-attention phenotypes. METHODS Rats trained on the standard 5CSRTT and tested with variable stimulus durations were treated systemically with noradrenergic and/or dopaminergic agents (atomoxetine, methylphenidate, amphetamine, phenylephrine and atipamezole). TVA modelling was applied to estimate visual processing speed for correct and incorrect visual perceptual categorisations, independent of motor reaction times, as measures of attentional capacity. RESULTS Atomoxetine and phenylephrine decreased response frequencies, including premature responses, increased omissions and slowed responding. In contrast, methylphenidate, amphetamine and atipamezole sped up responding and increased premature responses. Visual processing speed was also affected differentially. Atomoxetine and phenylephrine slowed, whereas methylphenidate and atipamezole sped up, visual processing, both for correct and incorrect categorisations. Amphetamine selectively improved visual processing for correct, though not incorrect, responses in high-attention rats only, possibly reflecting improved attention. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate that the application of TVA to the 5CSRTT provides an enhanced sensitivity to capturing attentional effects. Unexpectedly, we found overall slowing effects, including impaired visual processing, following drugs either increasing extracellular noradrenaline (atomoxetine) or activating the α1-adrenoceptor (phenylephrine), while also ameliorating premature responses (impulsivity). In contrast, amphetamine had potential pro-attentional effects by enhancing visual processing, probably due to central dopamine upregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona El-Sayed Hervig
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. .,Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Chiara Toschi
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Anders Petersen
- Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Signe Vangkilde
- Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ulrik Gether
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Trevor W. Robbins
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Remonde CG, Gonzales EL, Adil KJ, Jeon SJ, Shin CY. Augmented impulsive behavior in febrile seizure-induced mice. Toxicol Res 2023; 39:37-51. [PMID: 36726823 PMCID: PMC9839938 DOI: 10.1007/s43188-022-00145-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Febrile seizure (FS) is one of the most prevalent etiological events in childhood affecting 2-5% of children from 3 months to 5 years old. Debates on whether neurodevelopmental consequences rise in later life following a febrile seizure or not are still ongoing however there is limited evidence of its effect, especially in a laboratory setting. Moreover, the comparative study using both male and female animal models is sparse. To examine the effect of FS on the behavioral features of mice, both sexes of ICR mice were induced with hyperthermic seizures through exposure to an infrared heat lamp. The mice were divided into two groups, one receiving a single febrile seizure at postnatal day 11 (P11) and one receiving three FS at P11, P13, and P15. Starting at P30 the FS-induced mice were subjected to a series of behavioral tests. Mice with seizures showed no locomotor and motor coordination deficits, repetitive, and depressive-like behavior. However, the FS-induced mice showed impulsive-like behavior in both elevated plus maze and cliff avoidance tests, which is more prominent in male mice. A greater number of mice displayed impaired CAT in both males and females in the three-time FS-induced group compared to the single induction group. These results demonstrate that after induction of FS, male mice have a higher susceptibility to consequences of febrile seizure than female mice and recurrent febrile seizure has a higher chance of subsequent disorders associated with decreased anxiety and increased impulsivity. We confirmed the dysregulated expression of impulsivity-related genes such as 5-HT1A and tryptophan hydroxylase 2 from the prefrontal cortices of FS-induced mice implying that the 5-HT system would be one of the mechanisms underlying the increased impulsivity after FS. Taken together, these findings are useful in unveiling future discoveries about the effect of childhood febrile seizure and the mechanism behind it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chilly Gay Remonde
- School of Medicine and Center for Neuroscience Research, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029 Republic of Korea
| | - Edson Luck Gonzales
- School of Medicine and Center for Neuroscience Research, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029 Republic of Korea
| | - Keremkleroo Jym Adil
- School of Medicine and Center for Neuroscience Research, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029 Republic of Korea
| | - Se Jin Jeon
- School of Medicine and Center for Neuroscience Research, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029 Republic of Korea
| | - Chan Young Shin
- School of Medicine and Center for Neuroscience Research, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029 Republic of Korea
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12
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Abstract
Deciding whether to forgo a good choice in favour of exploring a potentially more rewarding alternative is one of the most challenging arbitrations both in human reasoning and in artificial intelligence. Humans show substantial variability in their exploration, and theoretical (but only limited empirical) work has suggested that excessive exploration is a critical mechanism underlying the psychiatric dimension of impulsivity. In this registered report, we put these theories to test using large online samples, dimensional analyses, and computational modelling. Capitalising on recent advances in disentangling distinct human exploration strategies, we not only demonstrate that impulsivity is associated with a specific form of exploration—value-free random exploration—but also explore links between exploration and other psychiatric dimensions. The Stage 1 protocol for this Registered Report was accepted in principle on 19/03/2021. The protocol, as accepted by the journal, can be found at 10.6084/m9.figshare.14346506.v1. Deciding between known rewarding options and exploring novel avenues is central to decision making. Humans show variability in their exploration. Here, the authors show that impulsivity is associated to an increased usage of a cognitively cheap (and sometimes sub-optimal) exploration strategy.
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13
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Sanchez EO, Bangasser DA. The effects of early life stress on impulsivity. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 137:104638. [PMID: 35341796 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Elevated impulsivity is a symptom shared by various psychiatric disorders such as substance use disorder, bipolar disorder, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. However, impulsivity is not a unitary construct and impulsive behaviors fall into two subcategories: impulsive action and impulsive choice. Impulsive choice refers to the tendency to prefer immediate, small rewards over delayed, large rewards, whereas impulsive action involves difficulty inhibiting rash, premature, or mistimed behaviors. These behaviors are mediated by the mesocorticolimbic dopamine (DA) system, which consists of projections from the ventral tegmental area to the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex. Early life stress (ELS) alters both impulsive choice and impulsive action in rodents. ELS also changes DA receptor expression, transmission, and activity within the mesocorticolimbic system. This review integrates the dopamine, impulsivity, and ELS literature to provide evidence that ELS alters impulsivity via inducing changes in the mesocorticolimbic DA system. Understanding how ELS affects brain circuits associated with impulsivity can help advance treatments aimed towards reducing impulsivity symptoms in a variety of psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn Ordoñes Sanchez
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA.
| | - Debra A Bangasser
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA.
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14
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Calderon CB, Verguts T, Frank MJ. Thunderstruck: The ACDC model of flexible sequences and rhythms in recurrent neural circuits. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1009854. [PMID: 35108283 PMCID: PMC8843237 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Adaptive sequential behavior is a hallmark of human cognition. In particular, humans can learn to produce precise spatiotemporal sequences given a certain context. For instance, musicians can not only reproduce learned action sequences in a context-dependent manner, they can also quickly and flexibly reapply them in any desired tempo or rhythm without overwriting previous learning. Existing neural network models fail to account for these properties. We argue that this limitation emerges from the fact that sequence information (i.e., the position of the action) and timing (i.e., the moment of response execution) are typically stored in the same neural network weights. Here, we augment a biologically plausible recurrent neural network of cortical dynamics to include a basal ganglia-thalamic module which uses reinforcement learning to dynamically modulate action. This “associative cluster-dependent chain” (ACDC) model modularly stores sequence and timing information in distinct loci of the network. This feature increases computational power and allows ACDC to display a wide range of temporal properties (e.g., multiple sequences, temporal shifting, rescaling, and compositionality), while still accounting for several behavioral and neurophysiological empirical observations. Finally, we apply this ACDC network to show how it can learn the famous “Thunderstruck” song intro and then flexibly play it in a “bossa nova” rhythm without further training. How do humans flexibly adapt action sequences? For instance, musicians can learn a song and quickly speed up or slow down the tempo, or even play the song following a completely different rhythm (e.g., a rock song using a bossa nova rhythm). In this work, we build a biologically plausible network of cortico-basal ganglia interactions that explains how this temporal flexibility may emerge in the brain. Crucially, our model factorizes sequence order and action timing, respectively represented in cortical and basal ganglia dynamics. This factorization allows full temporal flexibility, i.e. the timing of a learned action sequence can be recomposed without interfering with the order of the sequence. As such, our model is capable of learning asynchronous action sequences, and flexibly shift, rescale, and recompose them, while accounting for biological data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Buc Calderon
- Department of Cognitive, Linguistic & Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Tom Verguts
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Michael J. Frank
- Department of Cognitive, Linguistic & Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
- Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
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15
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Piszczek L, Constantinescu A, Kargl D, Lazovic J, Pekcec A, Nicholson JR, Haubensak W. Dissociation of impulsive traits by subthalamic metabotropic glutamate receptor 4. eLife 2022; 11:62123. [PMID: 34982027 PMCID: PMC8803315 DOI: 10.7554/elife.62123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Behavioral strategies require gating of premature responses to optimize outcomes. Several brain areas control impulsive actions, but the neuronal basis of natural variation in impulsivity between individuals remains largely unknown. Here, by combining a Go/No-Go behavioral assay with resting-state (rs) functional MRI in mice, we identified the subthalamic nucleus (STN), a known gate for motor control in the basal ganglia, as a major hotspot for trait impulsivity. In vivo recorded STN neural activity encoded impulsive action as a separable state from basic motor control, characterized by decoupled STN/substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) mesoscale networks. Optogenetic modulation of STN activity bidirectionally controlled impulsive behavior. Pharmacological and genetic manipulations showed that these impulsive actions are modulated by metabotropic glutamate receptor 4 (mGlu4) function in STN and its coupling to SNr in a behavioral trait-dependent manner, and independently of general motor function. In conclusion, STN circuitry multiplexes motor control and trait impulsivity, which are molecularly dissociated by mGlu4. This provides a potential mechanism for the genetic modulation of impulsive behavior, a clinically relevant predictor for developing psychiatric disorders associated with impulsivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukasz Piszczek
- The Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Department of Neuroscience, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andreea Constantinescu
- The Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Department of Neuroscience, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Dominic Kargl
- The Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Department of Neuroscience, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Neuronal Cell Biology, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jelena Lazovic
- Preclinical Imaging Facility, Vienna BioCenter Core Facilities (VBCF), Vienna, Austria
| | - Anton Pekcec
- Div Research Germany, Boehringer Ingelheim, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Janet R Nicholson
- Div Research Germany, Boehringer Ingelheim, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Wulf Haubensak
- The Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Department of Neuroscience, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Neuronal Cell Biology, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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16
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Serotonin 2C Antagonism in the Lateral Orbitofrontal Cortex Ameliorates Cue-Enhanced Risk Preference and Restores Sensitivity to Reinforcer Devaluation in Male Rats. eNeuro 2021; 8:ENEURO.0341-21.2021. [PMID: 34815296 PMCID: PMC8670605 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0341-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous research has indicated that reward-paired cues can enhance disadvantageous risky choice in both humans and rodents. Systemic administration of a serotonin 2C receptor antagonist can attenuate this cue-induced risk preference in rats. However, the neurocognitive mechanisms mediating this effect are currently unknown. We therefore assessed whether the serotonin 2C receptor antagonist RS 102221 is able to attenuate cue-enhanced risk preference via its actions in the lateral orbitofrontal cortex (lOFC) or prelimbic (PrL) area of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). A total of 32 male Long–Evans rats were trained on the cued version of the rat gambling task (rGT), a rodent analog of the human Iowa gambling task, and bilateral guide cannulae were implanted into the lOFC or PrL. Intra-lOFC infusions of the 5-HT2C antagonist RS 102221 reduced risky choice in animals that showed a preference for the risky options of the rGT at baseline. This effect was not observed in optimal decision-makers, nor those that received infusions targeting the PrL. Given prior data showing that 5-HT2C antagonists also improve reversal learning through the same neural locus, we hypothesized that reward-concurrent cues may amplify risky decision-making through cognitive inflexibility. We therefore devalued the sugar pellet rewards used in the cued rGT (crGT) through satiation and observed that decision-making patterns did not shift unless animals also received intra-lOFC RS 102221. Collectively, these data suggest that the lOFC is one critical site through which reward-concurrent cues promote risky choice patterns that are insensitive to reinforcer devaluation, and that 5-HT2C antagonism may optimize choice by facilitating exploration.
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17
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Functional Connectivity of Nucleus Accumbens Is Associated with Lifelong Premature Ejaculation in Male Adults : A Resting-state fMRI Study. Clin Neuroradiol 2021; 32:655-663. [PMID: 34714363 DOI: 10.1007/s00062-021-01105-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Ejaculation represents a crucial component of sexual behavior in men, which is involved in reward functions of certain brain areas including the nucleus accumbens (NAcc). Lifelong premature ejaculation (PE) is one of the most prevalent sexual dysfunctions in men. It is suggested to be related to abnormal brain function. This study aimed to explore changes of the functional connectivity patterns of NAcc and possible correlations of the neuroimaging abnormalities with clinical features in lifelong PE patients. METHODS The sample consisted with 42 lifelong PE patients and 30 healthy controls. All participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging scans and clinical symptoms. The functional connectivity (FC) approach was applied to investigate differences of NAcc-seed intrinsic connectivity between two groups and correlation analysis was used to access possible relationships between the imaging findings and clinical features, such as premature ejaculation diagnostic tool (PEDT) or intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT). RESULTS Results showed that lifelong PE patients had decreased FC between the NAcc and thalamus, superior temporal pole, superior temporal cortex (STC), inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), orbitofrontal cortex, caudate and putamen. A significantly negative correlation between the PEDT score and NAcc-STC connectivity (r = -0.46) was found in lifelong PE patients, while IELT score positively correlated with the NAcc-IFG connectivity (r = 0.48) and NAcc-thalamus connectivity (r = 0.46). CONCLUSION The findings may facilitate a more sophisticated understanding of neural mechanisms of lifelong PE, particularly associated with the NAcc-related intrinsic connectivity during the resting state.
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18
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Toschi C, Hervig MES, Moazen P, Parker MG, Dalley JW, Gether U, Robbins TW. Adaptive aspects of impulsivity and interactions with effects of catecholaminergic agents in the 5-choice serial reaction time task: implications for ADHD. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2021; 238:2601-2615. [PMID: 34104987 PMCID: PMC8373759 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-05883-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Work in humans has shown that impulsivity can be advantageous in certain settings. However, evidence for so-called functional impulsivity is lacking in experimental animals. AIMS This study investigated the contexts in which high impulsive (HI) rats show an advantage in performance compared with mid- (MI) and low impulsive (LI) rats. We also assessed the effects of dopaminergic and noradrenergic agents to investigate underlying neurotransmitter mechanisms. METHODS We tested rats on a variable inter-trial interval (ITI) version of the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5CSRTT). Rats received systemic injections of methylphenidate (MPH, 1 mg/kg and 3 mg/kg), atomoxetine (ATO, 0.3 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg), amphetamine (AMPH, 0.2 mg/kg), the alpha-2a adrenoceptor antagonist atipamezole (ATI, 0.3 mg/kg) and the alpha-1 adrenoceptor agonist phenylephrine (PHEN, 1 mg/kg) prior to behavioural testing. RESULTS Unlike LI rats, HI rats exhibited superior performance, earning more reinforcers, on short ITI trials, when the task required rapid responding. MPH, AMPH and ATI improved performance on short ITI trials and increased impulsivity in long ITI trials, recapitulating the behavioural profile of HI. In contrast, ATO and PHEN impaired performance on short ITI trials and decreased impulsivity, thus mimicking the behavioural profile of LI rats. The effects of ATO were greater on MI rats and LI rats. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that impulsivity can be advantageous when rapid focusing and actions are required, an effect that may depend on increased dopamine neurotransmission. Conversely, activation of the noradrenergic system, with ATO and PHEN, led to a general inhibition of responding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Toschi
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing St., CB2 3EB, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Mona El-Sayed Hervig
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing St., CB2 3EB, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Parisa Moazen
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing St., CB2 3EB, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maximilian G Parker
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing St., CB2 3EB, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jeffrey W Dalley
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing St., CB2 3EB, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ulrik Gether
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing St., CB2 3EB, Cambridge, UK
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19
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Sign tracking predicts suboptimal behavior in a rodent gambling task. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2021; 238:2645-2660. [PMID: 34191111 PMCID: PMC8500220 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-05887-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Reward-associated cues can promote maladaptive behavior, including risky decision-making in a gambling setting. A propensity for sign tracking over goal tracking-i.e., interaction with a reward-predictive cue rather than the site of reward-demonstrates an individual's tendency to transfer motivational value to a cue. However, the relationship of sign tracking to risky decision-making remains unclear. OBJECTIVES To determine whether sign tracking predicts risky choice, we used a Pavlovian conditioned approach task to evaluate the tendency of male rats to sign track to a lever cue and then trained rats on a rodent gambling task (rGT) with win-associated cues. We also tested the effects of D-amphetamine, quinpirole (a D2/D3 receptor agonist), and PD128907 (a D3 receptor agonist) on gambling behavior in sign tracker and goal tracker individuals. RESULTS Increased sign tracking relative to goal tracking was associated with suboptimal performance on the rGT, including decreased selection of the optimal choice, increased selection of a high-risk/high-reward option, and increased impulsive premature choices. Amphetamine increased choices of a low-risk/low-reward option at the expense of optimal and high-risk choices, whereas quinpirole and PD128907 had little effect on choice allocation, but reduced impulsivity. Drug effects were similar across sign tracker and goal tracker individuals. CONCLUSIONS Cue reactivity, as measured by sign tracking, is predictive and may be an important driver of risky and impulsive choices in a gambling setting laden with salient audiovisual cues. Evaluating an individual's sign tracking behavior may be an avenue to predict vulnerability to pathological gambling and the efficacy of treatments.
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20
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A sex-dependent role for the prelimbic cortex in impulsive action both before and following early cocaine abstinence. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:1565-1573. [PMID: 33972695 PMCID: PMC8280154 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01024-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Although impulsive action is strongly associated with addiction, the neural underpinnings of this relationship and how they are influenced by sex have not been well characterized. Here, we used a titrating reaction time task to assess differences in impulsive action in male and female Long Evans rats both before and after short (4-6 days) or long (25-27 days) abstinence from 2 weeks of cocaine or water/saline self-administration (6 h daily access). Neural activity in the prelimbic cortex (PrL) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) core was assessed at each time point. We found that a history of cocaine self-administration increased impulsivity in all rats following short, but not long, abstinence. Furthermore, male rats with an increased ratio of excited to inhibited neurons in the PrL at the start of each trial in the task exhibited higher impulsivity in the naïve state (before self-administration). Following short abstinence from cocaine, PrL activity in males became more inhibited, and this change in activity predicted the shift in impulsivity. However, PrL activity did not track impulsivity in female rats. Additionally, although the NAc core tracked several aspects of behavior in the task, it did not track impulsivity in either sex. Together, these findings demonstrate a sex-dependent role for the PrL in impulsivity both before and after a history of cocaine.
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21
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Oleson EB, Hamilton LR, Gomez DM. Cannabinoid Modulation of Dopamine Release During Motivation, Periodic Reinforcement, Exploratory Behavior, Habit Formation, and Attention. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2021; 13:660218. [PMID: 34177546 PMCID: PMC8222827 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2021.660218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Motivational and attentional processes energize action sequences to facilitate evolutionary competition and promote behavioral fitness. Decades of neuropharmacology, electrophysiology and electrochemistry research indicate that the mesocorticolimbic DA pathway modulates both motivation and attention. More recently, it was realized that mesocorticolimbic DA function is tightly regulated by the brain's endocannabinoid system and greatly influenced by exogenous cannabinoids-which have been harnessed by humanity for medicinal, ritualistic, and recreational uses for 12,000 years. Exogenous cannabinoids, like the primary psychoactive component of cannabis, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, produce their effects by acting at binding sites for naturally occurring endocannabinoids. The brain's endocannabinoid system consists of two G-protein coupled receptors, endogenous lipid ligands for these receptor targets, and several synthetic and metabolic enzymes involved in their production and degradation. Emerging evidence indicates that the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol is necessary to observe concurrent increases in DA release and motivated behavior. And the historical pharmacology literature indicates a role for cannabinoid signaling in both motivational and attentional processes. While both types of behaviors have been scrutinized under manipulation by either DA or cannabinoid agents, there is considerably less insight into prospective interactions between these two important signaling systems. This review attempts to summate the relevance of cannabinoid modulation of DA release during operant tasks designed to investigate either motivational or attentional control of behavior. We first describe how cannabinoids influence DA release and goal-directed action under a variety of reinforcement contingencies. Then we consider the role that endocannabinoids might play in switching an animal's motivation from a goal-directed action to the search for an alternative outcome, in addition to the formation of long-term habits. Finally, dissociable features of attentional behavior using both the 5-choice serial reaction time task and the attentional set-shifting task are discussed along with their distinct influences by DA and cannabinoids. We end with discussing potential targets for further research regarding DA-cannabinoid interactions within key substrates involved in motivation and attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik B. Oleson
- Department of Psychology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Lindsey R. Hamilton
- Department of Psychology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Devan M. Gomez
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, United States
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22
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Jones JA, Zuhlsdorff K, Dalley JW. Neurochemical substrates linked to impulsive and compulsive phenotypes in addiction: A preclinical perspective. J Neurochem 2021; 157:1525-1546. [PMID: 33931861 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 04/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Drug compulsion manifests in some but not all individuals and implicates multifaceted processes including failures in top-down cognitive control as drivers for the hazardous pursuit of drug use in some individuals. As a closely related construct, impulsivity encompasses rash or risky behaviour without foresight and underlies most forms of drug taking behaviour, including drug use during adverse emotional states (i.e., negative urgency). While impulsive behavioural dimensions emerge from drug-induced brain plasticity, burgeoning evidence suggests that impulsivity also predates the emergence of compulsive drug use. Although the neural substrates underlying the apparently causal relationship between trait impulsivity and drug compulsion are poorly understood, significant advances have come from the interrogation of defined limbic cortico-striatal circuits involved in motivated behaviour and response inhibition, together with chemical neuromodulatory influences from the ascending neurotransmitter systems. We review what is presently known about the neurochemical mediation of impulsivity, in its various forms, and ask whether commonalities exist in the neurochemistry of compulsive drug-motivated behaviours that might explain individual risk for addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolyon A Jones
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Jeffrey W Dalley
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Department of Psychiatry, Hershel Smith Building for Brain and Mind Sciences, Cambridge, UK
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23
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Temporally Specific Roles of Ventral Tegmental Area Projections to the Nucleus Accumbens and Prefrontal Cortex in Attention and Impulse Control. J Neurosci 2021; 41:4293-4304. [PMID: 33837050 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0477-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Deficits in impulse control and attention are prominent in the symptomatology of mental disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), substance addiction, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder, yet the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. Frontostriatal structures, such as the nucleus accumbens (NAcb), the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and their dopaminergic innervation from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) have been implicated in impulse control and attention. What remains unclear is how the temporal pattern of activity of these VTA projections contributes to these processes. Here, we optogenetically stimulated VTA dopamine (DA) cells, as well as VTA projections to the NAcb core (NAcbC), NAcb shell (NAcbS), and the mPFC in male rats performing the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT). Our data show that stimulation of VTA DA neurons, and VTA projections to the NAcbC and the mPFC immediately before presentation of the stimulus cue, impaired attention but spared impulse control. Importantly, in addition to reducing attention, activation of VTA-NAcbS also increased impulsivity when tested under a longer intertrial interval (ITI), to provoke impulsive behavior. Optogenetic stimulation at the beginning of the ITI only partially replicated these effects. In sum, our data show how attention and impulsivity are modulated by neuronal activity in distinct ascending output pathways from the VTA in a temporally specific manner. These findings increase our understanding of the intricate mechanisms by which mesocorticolimbic circuits contribute to cognition.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Deficits in impulse control and attention are prominent in the symptomatology of several mental disorders, yet the brain mechanisms involved are incompletely understood. Since frontostriatal circuits have been implicated in impulse control and attention, we here examined the role of ascending projections from the midbrain ventral tegmental area (VTA) to the nucleus accumbens (NAcb) and prefrontal cortex (PFC). Using optogenetics to individually stimulate these projections with time-locked precision, we distinguished the role that each of these projections plays, in both impulse control and attention. As such, our study enhances our understanding of the neuronal circuitry that drives impulsive and attentive behavior.
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Rinehart L, Spencer S. Which came first: Cannabis use or deficits in impulse control? Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021; 106:110066. [PMID: 32795592 PMCID: PMC7750254 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Impulse control deficits are often found to co-occur with substance use disorders (SUDs). On the one hand, it is well known that chronic intake of drugs of abuse remodels the brain with significant consequences for a range of cognitive behaviors. On the other hand, individual variation in impulse control may contribute to differences in susceptibility to SUDs. Both of these relationships have been described, thus leading to a "chicken or the egg" debate which remains to be fully resolved. Does impulsivity precede drug use or does it manifest as a function of problematic drug usage? The link between impulsivity and SUDs has been most strongly established for cocaine and alcohol use disorders using both preclinical models and clinical data. Much less is known about the potential link between impulsivity and cannabis use disorder (CUD) or the directionality of this relationship. The initiation of cannabis use occurs most often during adolescence prior to the brain's maturation, which is recognized as a critical period of development. The long-term effects of chronic cannabis use on the brain and behavior have started to be explored. In this review we will summarize these observations, especially as they pertain to the relationship between impulsivity and CUD, from both a psychological and biological perspective. We will discuss impulsivity as a multi-dimensional construct and attempt to reconcile the results obtained across modalities. Finally, we will discuss possible avenues for future research with emerging longitudinal data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Rinehart
- University of Minnesota, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
| | - Sade Spencer
- University of Minnesota, Department of Pharmacology, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
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25
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Justinussen J, Dall C, Dencker D, Gjedde A, Fink-Jensen A, Thomsen M. Revealing a compulsive phenotype in cholinergic M 4-/- mice depends on the inter-trial interval initiation settings in a five choice serial reaction time task. Behav Brain Res 2020; 389:112649. [PMID: 32344038 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor 4 (M4) modulates dopaminergic neurotransmission and is a target for novel treatments of schizophrenia, cognitive deficits, and addiction. Impulsive and compulsive behaviors are key traits of addiction, yet the importance of M4 receptor signaling to these traits is poorly understood. We investigated impulsive action and compulsivity by measuring premature and perseverative responses in the five choice serial reaction time task (5CSRTT). Furthermore, we hypothesized that inter-trial interval (ITI) initiation settings affected training durations and test performances in these experiments. METHODS M4-/- and wildtype mice were trained and tested on two versions of the 5CSRTT with different ITI initiation settings. One setting, the head-in condition, allowed the ITI to start while the mouse's head remained in the reward receptacle (magazine). The other setting, the head-out condition, required the mouse to remove its head from the magazine to initiate the ITI. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION We did not observe differences in premature or perseverative responses in M4-/- mice in either condition, but found evidence of reward-related compulsive behavior in M4-/- mice. In the head-in condition, M4-/- mice were slower to acquire the 5CSRTT, had more omissions, and had longer correct response latencies than wildtype mice. In the head-out condition, genotypes did not differ in training, but M4-/- mice showed small decreases in accuracy. Our findings demonstrate that ITI initiation settings contribute to different training durations and tested behaviors in M4-/- mice, suggesting ITI initiation settings are an important consideration for the general use of the 5CSRTT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Justinussen
- Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Mental Health Services, Capital Region Denmark, Denmark; Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Camilla Dall
- Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Mental Health Services, Capital Region Denmark, Denmark
| | - Ditte Dencker
- Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Mental Health Services, Capital Region Denmark, Denmark
| | - Albert Gjedde
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Odense University Hospital and University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Anders Fink-Jensen
- Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Mental Health Services, Capital Region Denmark, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Morgane Thomsen
- Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Mental Health Services, Capital Region Denmark, Denmark.
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Sala-Bayo J, Fiddian L, Nilsson SRO, Hervig ME, McKenzie C, Mareschi A, Boulos M, Zhukovsky P, Nicholson J, Dalley JW, Alsiö J, Robbins TW. Dorsal and ventral striatal dopamine D1 and D2 receptors differentially modulate distinct phases of serial visual reversal learning. Neuropsychopharmacology 2020; 45:736-744. [PMID: 31940660 PMCID: PMC7075980 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-0612-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Revised: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Impaired cognitive flexibility in visual reversal-learning tasks has been observed in a wide range of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. Although both human and animal studies have implicated striatal D2-like and D1-like receptors (D2R; D1R) in this form of flexibility, less is known about the contribution they make within distinct sub-regions of the striatum and the different phases of visual reversal learning. The present study investigated the involvement of D2R and D1R during the early (perseverative) phase of reversal learning as well as in the intermediate and late stages (new learning) after microinfusions of D2R and D1R antagonists into the nucleus accumbens core and shell (NAcC; NAcS), the anterior and posterior dorsomedial striatum (DMS) and the dorsolateral striatum (DLS) on a touchscreen visual serial reversal-learning task. Reversal learning was improved after dopamine receptor blockade in the nucleus accumbens; the D1R antagonist, SCH23390, in the NAcS and the D2R antagonist, raclopride, in the NAcC selectively reduced early, perseverative errors. In contrast, reversal learning was impaired by D2R antagonism, but not D1R antagonism, in the dorsal striatum: raclopride increased errors in the intermediate phase after DMS infusions, and increased errors across phases after DLS infusions. These findings indicate that D1R and D2R modulate different stages of reversal learning through effects localised to different sub-regions of the striatum. Thus, deficits in behavioral flexibility observed in disorders linked to dopamine perturbations may be attributable to specific D1R and D2R dysfunction in distinct striatal sub-regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Júlia Sala-Bayo
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 2EB, UK
| | - Leanne Fiddian
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 2EB, UK
| | - Simon R O Nilsson
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 2EB, UK
| | - Mona E Hervig
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 2EB, UK
| | - Colin McKenzie
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 2EB, UK
| | - Alexis Mareschi
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 2EB, UK
| | - Maria Boulos
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 2EB, UK
| | - Peter Zhukovsky
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 2EB, UK
| | - Janet Nicholson
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Div. Research Germany, Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Jeffrey W Dalley
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 2EB, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 2QQ, UK
| | - Johan Alsiö
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 2EB, UK
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 2EB, UK.
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Sholler DJ, Merritt CR, Davis-Reyes BD, Golovko G, Anastasio NC, Cunningham KA. Inherent Motor Impulsivity Associates with Specific Gene Targets in the Rat Medial Prefrontal Cortex. Neuroscience 2020; 435:161-173. [PMID: 32240784 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.03.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
High impulsivity characterizes a myriad of neuropsychiatric diseases, and identifying targets for neuropharmacological intervention to reduce impulsivity could reveal transdiagnostic treatment strategies. Motor impulsivity (impulsive action) reflects in part the failure of "top-down" executive control by the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). The present study profiled the complete set of mRNA molecules expressed from genes (transcriptome) in the mPFC of male, outbred rats stably expressing high (HI) or low (LI) motor impulsivity based upon premature responses in the 1-choice serial reaction time (1-CSRT) task. RNA-sequencing identified expression of 18 genes that was higher in the mPFC of HI vs. LI rats. Functional gene enrichment revealed that biological processes related to calcium homeostasis and G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling pathways, particularly glutamatergic, were overrepresented in the mPFC of HI vs. LI rats. Transcription factor enrichment identified mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 4 (SMAD4) and RE1 silencing transcription factor (REST) as overrepresented in the mPFC of HI rats relative to LI rats, while in silico analysis predicted a conserved SMAD binding site within the voltage-gated calcium channel subunit alpha1 E (CACNA1E) promoter region. qRT-PCR analyses confirmed that mRNA expression of CACNA1E, as well as expression of leucyl and cystinyl aminopeptidase (LNPEP), were higher in the mPFC of HI vs. LI rats. These outcomes establish a transcriptomic landscape in the mPFC that is related to individual differences in motor impulsivity and propose novel gene targets for future impulsivity research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis J Sholler
- Center for Addiction Research, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Christina R Merritt
- Center for Addiction Research, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Brionna D Davis-Reyes
- Center for Addiction Research, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - George Golovko
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Noelle C Anastasio
- Center for Addiction Research, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Kathryn A Cunningham
- Center for Addiction Research, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.
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Nazari A, Perez-Fernandez C, Flores P, Moreno M, Sánchez-Santed F. Age-dependent effects of repeated methamphetamine exposure on locomotor activity and attentional function in rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2020; 191:172879. [PMID: 32088359 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2020.172879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Revised: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Many adolescents use amphetamines which are the second most common abused illegal drugs. Methamphetamine (Meth), as a potent amphetamine affects attentional functions. However, the most significant factor for susceptibility to Meth is the age of exposure, most studies have examined the effects of Meth after early adolescence stage. The present experiment was aimed to investigate some possible short- and long-term effects of Meth at two distinct points of adolescence stage (early versus late) on 1) locomotor activity in adolescent rats and 2) attentional functions in their adulthood. Rats received Meth (5 mg/kg, i.p., for consecutive 10 days) during early adolescence (postnatal days (PND) 30-39) or late adolescence (PND 50-59). Locomotor activity was assessed after the first and tenth injections. Then, in adulthood, rats were trained and tested on the Five-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) to display possible attentional impairments. The first Meth administration in early exposed adolescent (EEA) group produced the highest level of activity, compared with the first exposure in late exposed adolescent (LEA) group and tenth administrations in both groups. In adulthood, LEA group significantly delayed learning the 5-CSRTT and exhibited attentional impairments, as demonstrated by significant reduced response accuracy and increased omission errors under pharmacological challenge, compared with control group. The susceptibility to Meth depends on the age of exposure and Meth administration during late adolescence stage may cause prolonged attentional deficits in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azadeh Nazari
- Department of Neuroscience and Addiction Studies, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, No, 88, Italia Street, Qods Street, 14177-55469 Tehran, Iran.
| | - Cristian Perez-Fernandez
- Department of Psychology, and Heath Research Center, Universidad de Almería, Carretera de Sacramento s/n, 04120 Almería, Spain.
| | - Pilar Flores
- Department of Psychology, and Heath Research Center, Universidad de Almería, Carretera de Sacramento s/n, 04120 Almería, Spain.
| | - Margarita Moreno
- Department of Psychology, and Heath Research Center, Universidad de Almería, Carretera de Sacramento s/n, 04120 Almería, Spain.
| | - Fernando Sánchez-Santed
- Department of Psychology, and Heath Research Center, Universidad de Almería, Carretera de Sacramento s/n, 04120 Almería, Spain.
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Dalley JW, Ersche KD. Neural circuitry and mechanisms of waiting impulsivity: relevance to addiction. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 374:20180145. [PMID: 30966923 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Impatience-the failure to wait or tolerate delayed rewards (e.g. food, drug and monetary incentives)-is a common behavioural tendency in humans. However, when rigidly and rapidly expressed with limited regard for future, often negative consequences, impatient or impulsive actions underlie and confer susceptibility for such diverse brain disorders as drug addiction, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and major depressive disorder. Consequently, 'waiting' impulsivity has emerged as a candidate endophenotype to inform translational research on underlying neurobiological mechanisms and biomarker discovery for many of the so-called impulse-control disorders. Indeed, as reviewed in this article, this research enterprise has revealed a number of unexpected targets and mechanisms for intervention. However, in the context of drug addiction, impulsive decisions that maximize short-term gains (e.g. acute drug consumption) over longer-term punishment (e.g. unemployment, homelessness, personal harm) defines one aspect of impulsivity, which may or may not be related to rapid, unrestrained actions over shorter timescales. We discuss the relevance of this distinction in impulsivity subtypes for drug addiction with reference to translational research in humans and other animals. This article is part of the theme issue 'Risk taking and impulsive behaviour: fundamental discoveries, theoretical perspectives and clinical implications'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey W Dalley
- 1 Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge , Cambridge CB2 3EB , UK.,2 Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge , Cambridge CB2 0SZ , UK
| | - Karen D Ersche
- 1 Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge , Cambridge CB2 3EB , UK
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30
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Abstract
Neuropharmacological interventions in preclinical translational models of impulsivity have tremendously contributed to a better understanding of the neurochemistry and neural basis of impulsive behaviour. In this regard, much progress has been made over the last years, also due to the introduction of novel techniques in behavioural neuroscience such as optogenetics and chemogenetics. In this chapter, we will provide an update of how the behavioural pharmacology field has progressed and built upon existing data since an earlier review we wrote in 2008. To this aim, we will first give a brief background on preclinical translational models of impulsivity. Next, recent interesting evidence of monoaminergic modulation of impulsivity will be highlighted with a focus on the neurotransmitters dopamine and noradrenaline. Finally, we will close the chapter by discussing some novel directions and drug leads in the neuropharmacological modulation of impulsivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommy Pattij
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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31
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Anastasio NC, Stutz SJ, Price AE, Davis-Reyes BD, Sholler DJ, Ferguson SM, Neumaier JF, Moeller FG, Hommel JD, Cunningham KA. Convergent neural connectivity in motor impulsivity and high-fat food binge-like eating in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:1752-1761. [PMID: 31003231 PMCID: PMC6785029 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-019-0394-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2019] [Revised: 04/05/2019] [Accepted: 04/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Food intake is essential for survival, but maladaptive patterns of intake, possibly encoded by a preexisting vulnerability coupled with the influence of environmental variables, can modify the reward value of food. Impulsivity, a predisposition toward rapid unplanned reactions to stimuli, is one of the multifaceted determinants underlying the etiology of dysregulated eating and its evolving pathogenesis. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is a major neural director of reward-driven behavior and impulsivity. Compromised signaling between the mPFC and nucleus accumbens shell (NAcSh) is thought to underlie the cognitive inability to withhold prepotent responses (motor impulsivity) and binge intake of high-fat food (HFF) seen in binge eating disorder. To explore the relationship between motor impulsivity and binge-like eating in rodents, we identified high (HI) and low impulsive (LI) rats in the 1-choice serial reaction time task and employed a rat model of binge-like eating behavior. HFF binge rats consumed significantly greater calories relative to control rats maintained on continual access to standard food or HFF. HI rats repeatedly exhibited significantly higher bingeing on HFF vs. LI rats. Next, we employed dual viral vector chemogenetic technology which allows for the targeted and isolated modulation of ventral mPFC (vmPFC) neurons that project to the NAcSh. Chemogenetic activation of the vmPFC to NAcSh pathway significantly suppressed motor impulsivity and binge-like intake for high-fat food. Thus, inherent motor impulsivity and binge-like eating are linked and the vmPFC to NAcSh pathway serves as a 'brake' over both behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelle C. Anastasio
- 0000 0001 1547 9964grid.176731.5Center for Addiction Research and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX USA
| | - Sonja J. Stutz
- 0000 0001 1547 9964grid.176731.5Center for Addiction Research and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX USA
| | - Amanda E. Price
- 0000 0001 1547 9964grid.176731.5Center for Addiction Research and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX USA
| | - Brionna D. Davis-Reyes
- 0000 0001 1547 9964grid.176731.5Center for Addiction Research and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX USA
| | - Dennis J. Sholler
- 0000 0001 1547 9964grid.176731.5Center for Addiction Research and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX USA
| | - Susan M. Ferguson
- 0000 0000 9026 4165grid.240741.4Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA USA ,0000000122986657grid.34477.33Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
| | - John F. Neumaier
- 0000000122986657grid.34477.33Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
| | - F. Gerard Moeller
- 0000 0004 0458 8737grid.224260.0Department of Psychiatry and Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA USA
| | - Jonathan D. Hommel
- 0000 0001 1547 9964grid.176731.5Center for Addiction Research and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX USA
| | - Kathryn A. Cunningham
- 0000 0001 1547 9964grid.176731.5Center for Addiction Research and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX USA
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Optogenetic and chemogenetic approaches to manipulate attention, impulsivity and behavioural flexibility in rodents. Behav Pharmacol 2019; 29:560-568. [PMID: 30169376 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Studies manipulating neural activity acutely with optogenetic or chemogenetic intervention in behaving rodents have increased considerably in recent years. More often, these circuit-level neural manipulations are tested within an existing framework of behavioural testing that strives to model complex executive functions or symptomologies relevant to multidimensional psychiatric disorders in humans, such as attentional control deficits, impulsivity or behavioural (in)flexibility. This methods perspective argues in favour of carefully implementing these acute circuit-based approaches to better understand and model cognitive symptomologies or their similar isomorphic animal behaviours, which often arise and persist in overlapping brain circuitries. First, we offer some practical considerations for combining long-term, behavioural paradigms with optogenetic or chemogenetic interventions. Next, we examine how cell-type or projection-specific manipulations to the ascending neuromodulatory systems, local brain region or descending cortical glutamatergic projections influence aspects of cognitive control. For this, we primarily focus on the influence exerted on attentional and motor impulsivity performance in the (3-choice or) 5-choice serial reaction time task, and impulsive, risky or inflexible choice biases during alternative preference, reward discounting or reversal learning tasks.
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Fitzpatrick CM, Runegaard AH, Christiansen SH, Hansen NW, Jørgensen SH, McGirr JC, de Diego Ajenjo A, Sørensen AT, Perrier JF, Petersen A, Gether U, Woldbye DPD, Andreasen JT. Differential effects of chemogenetic inhibition of dopamine and norepinephrine neurons in the mouse 5-choice serial reaction time task. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 90:264-276. [PMID: 30529002 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Revised: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a psychiatric disorder characterized by inattention, aberrant impulsivity, and hyperactivity. Although the underlying pathophysiology of ADHD remains unclear, dopamine and norepinephrine signaling originating from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and locus coeruleus (LC) is thought to be critically involved. In this study, we employ Designer Receptor Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs) together with the mouse 5-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task (5-CSRTT) to investigate the necessary roles of these catecholamines in ADHD-related behaviors, including attention, impulsivity, and motivation. By selective inhibition of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive VTA dopamine neurons expressing the Gi-coupled DREADD (hM4Di), we observed a marked impairment of effort-based motivation and subsequently speed and overall vigor of responding. At the highest clozapine N-oxide (CNO) dose tested (i.e. 2 mg/kg) to activate hM4Di, we detected a reduction in locomotor activity. DREADD-mediated inhibition of LC norepinephrine neurons reduced attentional performance in a variable stimulus duration test designed to increase task difficulty, specifically by increasing trials omissions, reducing mean score, and visual processing speed. These findings show that VTA dopamine and LC norepinephrine neurons differentially affect attention, impulsive and motivational control. In addition, this study highlights how molecular genetic probing of selective catecholamine circuits can provide valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying ADHD-relevant behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciarán M Fitzpatrick
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen DK-2100, Denmark; Molecular Neuropharmacology and Genetics Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen DK-2100, Denmark.
| | - Annika H Runegaard
- Molecular Neuropharmacology and Genetics Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Søren H Christiansen
- Molecular Neuropharmacology and Genetics Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Nikolaj W Hansen
- Neuronal Signaling Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen DK-2200, Denmark
| | - Søren H Jørgensen
- Molecular Neuropharmacology and Genetics Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Julia C McGirr
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Amaia de Diego Ajenjo
- Molecular Neuropharmacology and Genetics Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Andreas T Sørensen
- Molecular Neuropharmacology and Genetics Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Jean-François Perrier
- Neuronal Signaling Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen DK-2200, Denmark
| | - Anders Petersen
- Center for Visual Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen DK-1353, Denmark
| | - Ulrik Gether
- Molecular Neuropharmacology and Genetics Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen DK-2100, Denmark
| | - David P D Woldbye
- Molecular Neuropharmacology and Genetics Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Jesper T Andreasen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen DK-2100, Denmark
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Fitzpatrick CM, Andreasen JT. Differential effects of ADHD medications on impulsive action in the mouse 5-choice serial reaction time task. Eur J Pharmacol 2019; 847:123-129. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2019.01.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2018] [Revised: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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35
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Sasamori H, Ohmura Y, Yoshida T, Yoshioka M. Noradrenaline reuptake inhibition increases control of impulsive action by activating D1-like receptors in the infralimbic cortex. Eur J Pharmacol 2019; 844:17-25. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2018.11.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Revised: 11/24/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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D'Souza MS. Brain and Cognition for Addiction Medicine: From Prevention to Recovery Neural Substrates for Treatment of Psychostimulant-Induced Cognitive Deficits. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:509. [PMID: 31396113 PMCID: PMC6667748 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Addiction to psychostimulants like cocaine, methamphetamine, and nicotine poses a continuing medical and social challenge both in the United States and all over the world. Despite a desire to quit drug use, return to drug use after a period of abstinence is a common problem among individuals dependent on psychostimulants. Recovery for psychostimulant drug-dependent individuals is particularly challenging because psychostimulant drugs induce significant changes in brain regions associated with cognitive functions leading to cognitive deficits. These cognitive deficits include impairments in learning/memory, poor decision making, and impaired control of behavioral output. Importantly, these drug-induced cognitive deficits often impact adherence to addiction treatment programs and predispose abstinent addicts to drug use relapse. Additionally, these cognitive deficits impact effective social and professional rehabilitation of abstinent addicts. The goal of this paper is to review neural substrates based on animal studies that could be pharmacologically targeted to reverse psychostimulant-induced cognitive deficits such as impulsivity and impairment in learning and memory. Further, the review will discuss neural substrates that could be used to facilitate extinction learning and thus reduce emotional and behavioral responses to drug-associated cues. Moreover, the review will discuss some non-pharmacological approaches that could be used either alone or in combination with pharmacological compounds to treat the above-mentioned cognitive deficits. Psychostimulant addiction treatment, which includes treatment for cognitive deficits, will help promote abstinence and allow for better rehabilitation and integration of abstinent individuals into society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoranjan S D'Souza
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, The Raabe College of Pharmacy, Ohio Northern University, Ada, OH, United States
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GIRK currents in VTA dopamine neurons control the sensitivity of mice to cocaine-induced locomotor sensitization. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E9479-E9488. [PMID: 30228121 PMCID: PMC6176583 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1807788115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
GABABR-dependent activation of G protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium channels (GIRK or KIR3) provides a well-known source of inhibition in the brain, but the details on how this important inhibitory pathway affects neural circuits are lacking. We used sorting nexin 27 (SNX27), an endosomal adaptor protein that associates with GIRK2c and GIRK3 subunits, to probe the role of GIRK channels in reward circuits. A conditional knockout of SNX27 in both substantia nigra pars compacta and ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons leads to markedly smaller GABABR- and dopamine D2R-activated GIRK currents, as well as to suprasensitivity to cocaine-induced locomotor sensitization. Expression of the SNX27-insensitive GIRK2a subunit in SNX27-deficient VTA dopamine neurons restored GIRK currents and GABABR-dependent inhibition of spike firing, while also resetting the mouse's sensitivity to cocaine-dependent sensitization. These results establish a link between slow inhibition mediated by GIRK channels in VTA dopamine neurons and cocaine addiction, revealing a therapeutic target for treating addiction.
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Phillips AG, Geyer MA, Robbins TW. Effective Use of Animal Models for Therapeutic Development in Psychiatric and Substance Use Disorders. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 83:915-923. [PMID: 29478700 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2017] [Revised: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Athina Markou and others argue forcefully for the adoption of a "translational-back translational strategy" for central nervous system drug discovery involving novel application of drugs with established safety profiles in proof-of-principle studies in humans, which in turn encourage parallel studies using experimental animals to provide vital data on the neural systems and neuropharmacological mechanisms related to the actions of the candidate drugs. Encouraged by the increasing adoption of drug-development strategies involving reciprocal information exchange between preclinical animal studies and related clinical research programs, this review presents additional compelling examples related to the following: 1) the treatment of cognitive deficits that define attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; 2) the development of fast-acting antidepressants based on promising clinical effects with low doses of the anesthetic ketamine; and 3) new and effective medications for the treatment of substance misuse. In the context of addressing the unmet medical need for new and effective drugs for treatment of mental ill health, now may be the time to launch major new academic-industry consortia committed to open access of all preclinical and clinical data generated by this research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony G Phillips
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
| | - Mark A Geyer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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39
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Boisgontier MP, Cheval B, van Ruitenbeek P, Cuypers K, Leunissen I, Sunaert S, Meesen R, Zivari Adab H, Renaud O, Swinnen SP. Cerebellar gray matter explains bimanual coordination performance in children and older adults. Neurobiol Aging 2018; 65:109-120. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2018.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Revised: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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Early life stress induces long-term changes in limbic areas of a teleost fish: the role of catecholamine systems in stress coping. Sci Rep 2018; 8:5638. [PMID: 29618742 PMCID: PMC5884775 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-23950-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) shapes the way individuals cope with future situations. Animals use cognitive flexibility to cope with their ever-changing environment and this is mainly processed in forebrain areas. We investigated the performance of juvenile gilthead seabream, previously subjected to an ELS regime. ELS fish showed overall higher brain catecholaminergic (CA) signalling and lower brain derived neurotrophic factor (bdnf) and higher cfos expression in region-specific areas. All fish showed a normal cortisol and serotonergic response to acute stress. Brain dopaminergic activity and the expression of the α2Α adrenergic receptor were overall higher in the fish homologue to the lateral septum (Vv), suggesting that the Vv is important in CA system regulation. Interestingly, ELS prevented post-acute stress downregulation of the α2Α receptor in the amygdala homologue (Dm3). There was a lack of post-stress response in the β2 adrenergic receptor expression and a downregulation in bdnf in the Dm3 of ELS fish, which together indicate an allostatic overload in their stress coping ability. ELS fish showed higher neuronal activity (cfos) post-acute stress in the hippocampus homologue (Dlv) and the Dm3. Our results show clear long-term effects on limbic systems of seabream that may compromise their future coping ability to environmental challenges.
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41
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Egervari G, Ciccocioppo R, Jentsch JD, Hurd YL. Shaping vulnerability to addiction - the contribution of behavior, neural circuits and molecular mechanisms. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 85:117-125. [PMID: 28571877 PMCID: PMC5708151 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2017] [Revised: 05/11/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Substance use disorders continue to impose increasing medical, financial and emotional burdens on society in the form of morbidity and overdose, family disintegration, loss of employment and crime, while advances in prevention and treatment options remain limited. Importantly, not all individuals exposed to abused substances effectively develop the disease. Genetic factors play a significant role in determining addiction vulnerability and interactions between innate predisposition, environmental factors and personal experiences are also critical. Thus, understanding individual differences that contribute to the initiation of substance use as well as on long-term maladaptations driving compulsive drug use and relapse propensity is of critical importance to reduce this devastating disorder. In this paper, we discuss current topics in the field of addiction regarding individual vulnerability related to behavioral endophenotypes, neural circuits, as well as genetics and epigenetic mechanisms. Expanded knowledge of these factors is of importance to improve and personalize prevention and treatment interventions in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabor Egervari
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 10029 New York, NY, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 10029 New York, NY, USA
| | - Roberto Ciccocioppo
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy
| | - J David Jentsch
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, 13902 Binghamton, NY, USA
| | - Yasmin L Hurd
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 10029 New York, NY, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 10029 New York, NY, USA.
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Chronic atomoxetine treatment during adolescence does not influence decision-making on a rodent gambling task, but does modulate amphetamine's effect on impulsive action in adulthood. Behav Pharmacol 2017; 27:350-63. [PMID: 26650252 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
In addition to the symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder exhibit impaired performance on tests of real-world cost/benefit decision-making. Atomoxetine, a nonstimulant drug approved for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor administered chronically during adolescence, a time during which the frontal brain regions necessary for executive function undergo extensive maturation. This treatment protocol can affect behavior well into adulthood, but whether it produces long-term changes in complex decision-making has not been investigated. Twenty-four Long-Evans rats were administered saline or 1.0 mg/kg atomoxetine daily from postnatal day 40 to 54. Two weeks after treatment, the adult rats were trained and assessed on the rodent gambling task, in which the animals chose from four options varying in reward, punishment, and uncertainty. Impulsive action was also measured by recording the number of premature responses made. Regardless of the treatment administered during adolescence, rats learned to favor the advantageous options characterized by small, low-penalty rewards in lieu of the larger, higher-penalty reward options. Rodent gambling task performance was then assessed following acute treatment with atomoxetine (0.1-1.0 mg/kg) and amphetamine (0.3-1.5 mg/kg). Across groups, the highest dose of atomoxetine impaired decision-making and decreased premature responding at all doses tested. Amphetamine also impaired choice performance, but selectively increased impulsive action in rats that had previously received atomoxetine treatment during adolescence. These findings contribute to our understanding of the long-term effects associated with chronic adolescent atomoxetine exposure and suggest that this treatment does not alter decision-making under conditions of risk and uncertainty in adulthood.
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43
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Dalley JW, Robbins TW. Fractionating impulsivity: neuropsychiatric implications. Nat Rev Neurosci 2017; 18:158-171. [PMID: 28209979 DOI: 10.1038/nrn.2017.8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 363] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The ability to make decisions and act quickly without hesitation can be advantageous in many settings. However, when persistently expressed, impulsive decisions and actions are considered risky, maladaptive and symptomatic of such diverse brain disorders as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, drug addiction and affective disorders. Over the past decade, rapid progress has been made in the identification of discrete neural networks that underlie different forms of impulsivity - from impaired response inhibition and risky decision making to a profound intolerance of delayed rewards. Herein, we review what is currently known about the neural and psychological mechanisms of impulsivity, and discuss the relevance and application of these new insights to various neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey W Dalley
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, UK.,Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK.,Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
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Chemogenetic Activation of Midbrain Dopamine Neurons Affects Attention, but not Impulsivity, in the Five-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task in Rats. Neuropsychopharmacology 2017; 42:1315-1325. [PMID: 27748741 PMCID: PMC5437879 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2016] [Revised: 09/30/2016] [Accepted: 10/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Attentional impairments and exaggerated impulsivity are key features of psychiatric disorders, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia, and addiction. These deficits in attentional performance and impulsive behaviors have been associated with aberrant dopamine (DA) signaling, but it remains unknown whether these deficits result from enhanced DA neuronal activity in the midbrain. Here, we took a novel approach by testing the impact of chemogenetically activating DA neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) or substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) on attention and impulsivity in the five-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) in rats. We found that activation of DA neurons in both the VTA and SNc impaired attention by increasing trial omissions. In addition, SNc DA neuron activation decreased attentional accuracy. Surprisingly, enhanced DA neuron activity did not affect impulsive action in this task. These results show that enhanced midbrain DA neuronal activity induces deficits in attentional performance, but not impulsivity. Furthermore, DA neurons in the VTA and SNc have different roles in regulating attention. These findings contribute to our understanding of the neural substrates underlying attention deficits and impulsivity, and provide valuable insights to improve treatment of these symptoms.
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45
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Nautiyal KM, Okuda M, Hen R, Blanco C. Gambling disorder: an integrative review of animal and human studies. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2017; 1394:106-127. [PMID: 28486792 PMCID: PMC5466885 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2016] [Revised: 03/08/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Gambling disorder (GD), previously called pathological gambling and classified as an impulse control disorder in DSM-III and DSM-IV, has recently been reclassified as an addictive disorder in the DSM-5. It is widely recognized as an important public health problem associated with substantial personal and social costs, high rates of psychiatric comorbidity, poor physical health, and elevated suicide rates. A number of risk factors have been identified, including some genetic polymorphisms. Animal models have been developed in order to study the underlying neural basis of GD. Here, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of the risk factors, disease course, and pathophysiology. A focus on a phenotype-based dissection of the disorder is included in which known neural correlates from animal and human studies are reviewed. Finally, current treatment approaches are discussed, as well as future directions for GD research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M. Nautiyal
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Mayumi Okuda
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Rene Hen
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York
- Departments of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Carlos Blanco
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, Rockville, Maryland
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46
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Schippers MC, Bruinsma B, Gaastra M, Mesman TI, Denys D, De Vries TJ, Pattij T. Deep Brain Stimulation of the Nucleus Accumbens Core Affects Trait Impulsivity in a Baseline-Dependent Manner. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:52. [PMID: 28386221 PMCID: PMC5362621 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2016] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the nucleus accumbens (NA) is explored as a treatment for refractory psychiatric disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), depressive disorder (MDD), and substance use disorder (SUD). A common feature of some of these disorders is pathological impulsivity. Here, the effects of NAcore DBS on impulsive choice and impulsive action, two distinct forms of impulsive behavior, were investigated in translational animal tasks, the delayed reward task (DRT) and five-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT), respectively. In both tasks, the effects of NAcore DBS were negatively correlated with baseline impulsive behavior, with more pronounced effects in the 5-CSRTT. To further examine the effects of DBS on trait impulsive action, rats were screened for high (HI) and low (LI) impulsive responding in the 5-CSRTT. NAcore DBS decreased impulsive, premature responding in HI rats under conventional conditions. However, upon challenged conditions to increase impulsive responding, NAcore DBS did not alter impulsivity. These results strongly suggest a baseline-dependent effect of DBS on impulsivity, which is in line with clinical observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria C Schippers
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Bastiaan Bruinsma
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Mathijs Gaastra
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Tanja I Mesman
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Damiaan Denys
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Taco J De Vries
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Tommy Pattij
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Juengst SB, Myrga JM, Fann JR, Wagner AK. Cross-Lagged Panel Analysis of Depression and Behavioral Dysfunction in the First Year After Moderate-to-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 2017; 29:260-266. [PMID: 28294709 PMCID: PMC5533513 DOI: 10.1176/appi.neuropsych.16100217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Timely treatment of depression and behavioral dysfunction after moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) could improve health, function, and quality of life. The authors hypothesized that 6-month depression would be the stronger contributor to later depression and behavioral dysfunction in a sample of 88 adults with moderate-to-severe TBI. A structural equation modeling cross-lagged panel analysis, adjusting for all 6-month predictors, revealed that 6-month depression had a stronger relationship to 12-month depression (βstand=0.55, p=0.002) and behavioral dysfunction (βstand=0.41, p=0.004) than did 6-month behavioral dysfunction (βstand=0.17, p=0.270, βstand=0.30, p=0.035). Depression may be in the developmental pathway to behavioral dysfunction, triggering a cycle of reciprocal causality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon B Juengst
- From the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh (S.B.J., J.M.M., A.K.W.); and the Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rehabilitation Medicine, and Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle (J.R.F.)
| | - John M Myrga
- From the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh (S.B.J., J.M.M., A.K.W.); and the Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rehabilitation Medicine, and Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle (J.R.F.)
| | - Jesse R Fann
- From the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh (S.B.J., J.M.M., A.K.W.); and the Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rehabilitation Medicine, and Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle (J.R.F.)
| | - Amy K Wagner
- From the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh (S.B.J., J.M.M., A.K.W.); and the Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rehabilitation Medicine, and Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle (J.R.F.)
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48
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Boisgontier MP, Cheval B, Chalavi S, van Ruitenbeek P, Leunissen I, Levin O, Nieuwboer A, Swinnen SP. Individual differences in brainstem and basal ganglia structure predict postural control and balance loss in young and older adults. Neurobiol Aging 2017; 50:47-59. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2016.10.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Revised: 10/14/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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49
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Benn A, Robinson ESJ. Differential roles for cortical versus sub-cortical noradrenaline and modulation of impulsivity in the rat. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2017; 234:255-266. [PMID: 27744551 PMCID: PMC5203835 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-016-4458-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2016] [Accepted: 10/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Atomoxetine is a noradrenaline re-uptake inhibitor licensed for the treatment of adult and childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Although atomoxetine has established efficacy, the mechanisms which mediate its effects are not well understood. OBJECTIVES In this study, we investigated the role of cortical versus sub-cortical noradrenaline by using focal dopamine beta hydroxylase-saporin-induced lesions, to the prefrontal cortex (n = 16) or nucleus accumbens shell (n = 18). METHODS Healthy animals were tested by using the forced-choice serial reaction time task to assess the impact of the lesion on baseline performance and the response to atomoxetine and the psychostimulant amphetamine. RESULTS We observed attenuation in the efficacy of atomoxetine in animals with lesions to the nucleus accumbens shell, but not the prefrontal cortex. Amphetamine-induced increases in premature responses were potentiated in animals with lesions to the prefrontal cortex, but not the nucleus accumbens shell. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that noradrenaline in the nucleus accumbens shell plays an important role in the effects of atomoxetine. Under these conditions, prefrontal cortex noradrenaline did not appear to contribute to atomoxetine's effects suggesting a lack of cortical-mediated "top-down" modulation. Noradrenaline in the prefrontal cortex appears to contribute to the modulation of impulsive responding in amphetamine-treated animals, with a loss of noradrenaline associated with potentiation of its effects. These data demonstrate a potential dissociation between cortical and sub-cortical noradrenergic mechanisms and impulse control in terms of the actions of atomoxetine and amphetamine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail Benn
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Emma S J Robinson
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK.
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50
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Robbins TW, Dalley JW. Dissecting Impulsivity: Brain Mechanisms and Neuropsychiatric Implications. NEBRASKA SYMPOSIUM ON MOTIVATION 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-51721-6_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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