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Daher F, Villalobos NA, Hanley M, Atack JR, Popa MO, Fogaça MV. Basmisanil, an α5-GABA AR negative allosteric modulator, produces rapid and sustained antidepressant-like responses in male mice. Neurosci Lett 2024; 833:137828. [PMID: 38772437 PMCID: PMC11146097 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2024.137828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
There is a critical need for safer and better-tolerated alternatives to address the current limitations of antidepressant treatments for major depressive disorder. Recently, drugs targeting the GABA system via α5-containing GABAA receptors (α5-GABAAR) as negative allosteric modulators (α5-NAMs) have shown promise in alleviating stress-related behaviors in preclinical studies, suggesting that α5-NAMs may have translational relevance as novel antidepressant medications. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of Basmisanil, an α5-NAM that has been evaluated in Phase 2 clinical studies as a cognitive enhancer, in a battery of behavioral tests relevant to coping strategies, motivation, and aversion in male mice, along with plasma and brain pharmacokinetic measurements. Our findings reveal that Basmisanil induces dose-dependent rapid antidepressant-like responses in the forced swim test and sucrose splash test without promoting locomotor stimulating effects. Furthermore, Basmisanil elicits sustained behavioral responses in the female urine sniffing test and sucrose splash test, observed 24 h and 48 h post-treatment, respectively. Bioanalysis of plasma and brain samples confirms effective blood-brain barrier penetration by Basmisanil and extrapolation to previously published data suggest that effects were observed at doses (10 and 30 mg/kg i.p.) corresponding to relatively modest levels of α5-GABAAR occupancy (40-65 %). These results suggest that Basmisanil exhibits a combination of rapid and sustained antidepressant-like effects highlighting the potential of α5-NAMs as a novel therapeutic strategy for depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Daher
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Narcy A Villalobos
- Medicines Discovery Institute, Cardiff University, Park Place, CF10 3AT, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
| | - Marcus Hanley
- Medicines Discovery Institute, Cardiff University, Park Place, CF10 3AT, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
| | - John R Atack
- Medicines Discovery Institute, Cardiff University, Park Place, CF10 3AT, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
| | - Mariana O Popa
- Medicines Discovery Institute, Cardiff University, Park Place, CF10 3AT, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
| | - Manoela V Fogaça
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
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2
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Thompson SM. Modulators of GABA A receptor-mediated inhibition in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders: past, present, and future. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024; 49:83-95. [PMID: 37709943 PMCID: PMC10700661 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01728-8] [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: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
The predominant inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), acts at ionotropic GABAA receptors to counterbalance excitation and regulate neuronal firing. GABAA receptors are heteropentameric channels comprised from subunits derived from 19 different genes. GABAA receptors have one of the richest and well-developed pharmacologies of any therapeutic drug target, including agonists, antagonists, and positive and negative allosteric modulators (PAMs, NAMs). Currently used PAMs include benzodiazepine sedatives and anxiolytics, barbiturates, endogenous and synthetic neurosteroids, and general anesthetics. In this article, I will review evidence that these drugs act at several distinct binding sites and how they can be used to alter the balance between excitation and inhibition. I will also summarize existing literature regarding (1) evidence that changes in GABAergic inhibition play a causative role in major depression, anxiety, postpartum depression, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and schizophrenia and (2) whether and how GABAergic drugs exert beneficial effects in these conditions, focusing on human studies where possible. Where these classical therapeutics have failed to exert benefits, I will describe recent advances in clinical and preclinical drug development. I will also highlight opportunities to advance a generation of GABAergic therapeutics, such as development of subunit-selective PAMs and NAMs, that are engendering hope for novel tools to treat these devastating conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott M Thompson
- Center for Novel Therapeutics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 12700 E. 19th Ave., Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
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3
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Ngoupaye GT, Mokgokong M, Madlala T, Mabandla MV. Alteration of the α5 GABA receptor and 5HTT lead to cognitive deficits associated with major depressive-like behaviors in a 14-day combined stress rat model. Int J Neurosci 2023; 133:959-976. [PMID: 34937496 DOI: 10.1080/00207454.2021.2019033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Current models used to study the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD) are laborious and time consuming. This study examined the effect of a 14-day combined stress model (CS; corticosterone injection and restraint stress) in male Sprague-Dawley rats and also compare the effect of CS versus 28-day corticosterone treatment on depressive-like behaviour and cognitive deficits. MATERIEL AND METHODS Depressive-like behaviours and cognitive deficits were assessed in the forced swim test (FST), sucrose preference (SPT), Morris water maze (MWM) and novel object recognition (NORT) tests. Real-time PCR and ELISA were respectively used to detect expression of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT), serotonin 1 A receptor (5-HT1A), α5 GABAA receptor, and the concentrations of corticosterone (plasma), GABA and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the hippocampus and Prefrontal cortex (PFC).Results CS group showed increased immobility time in the FST, time to reach the MWM platform, higher corticosterone level, and increased expressions of hippocampal and PFC 5-HT1A and α5 GABAA receptors, and AChE compared to their control groups. In contrast, reductions in SPT ratio, discrimination index in NORT, time in target quadrant, and hippocampal 5-HTT expression was noted relative to their control group. Compared to the 28-day corticosterone only group, PFC 5-HT1A, Hippocampal 5-HTT were reduced, while PFC 5-HTT, Hippocampal α5 GABAA receptors, and AChE concentrations were higher in the CS group. CONCLUSION Our CS model induced depressive-like behaviour with early cognitive deficits in rats affecting both hippocampus and PFC. The CS model may be useful in investigating new and comprehensive treatment strategies for MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwladys Temkou Ngoupaye
- Discipline of Human Physiology, School of Laboratory Medicine & Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
- Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon
| | - Makwena Mokgokong
- Discipline of Human Physiology, School of Laboratory Medicine & Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Thobeka Madlala
- Discipline of Human Physiology, School of Laboratory Medicine & Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Musa Vuyisile Mabandla
- Discipline of Human Physiology, School of Laboratory Medicine & Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
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4
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Nuwer JL, Povysheva N, Jacob TC. Long-term α5 GABA A receptor negative allosteric modulator treatment reduces NMDAR-mediated neuronal excitation and maintains basal neuronal inhibition. Neuropharmacology 2023; 237:109587. [PMID: 37270156 PMCID: PMC10527172 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
α5 subunit-containing GABA type-A receptors (α5 GABAARs) are enriched in the hippocampus and play critical roles in neurodevelopment, synaptic plasticity, and cognition. α5 GABAAR preferring negative allosteric modulators (α5 NAMs) show promise mitigating cognitive impairment in preclinical studies of conditions characterized by excess GABAergic inhibition, including Down syndrome and memory deficits post-anesthesia. However, previous studies have primarily focused on acute application or single-dose α5 NAM treatment. Here, we measured the effects of chronic (7-day) in vitro treatment with L-655,708 (L6), a highly selective α5 NAM, on glutamatergic and GABAergic synapses in rat hippocampal neurons. We previously showed that 2-day in vitro treatment with L6 enhanced synaptic levels of the glutamate NMDA receptor (NMDAR) GluN2A subunit without modifying surface α5 GABAAR expression, inhibitory synapse function, or L6 sensitivity. We hypothesized that chronic L6 treatment would further increase synaptic GluN2A subunit levels while maintaining GABAergic inhibition and L6 efficacy, thus increasing neuronal excitation and glutamate-evoked intracellular calcium responses. Immunofluorescence experiments revealed that 7-day L6 treatment slightly increased the synaptic levels of gephyrin and surface α5 GABAARs. Functional studies showed that chronic α5 NAM treatment did not alter inhibition or α5 NAM sensitivity. Surprisingly, chronic L6 exposure decreased surface levels of GluN2A and GluN2B subunits, concurrent with reduced NMDAR-mediated neuronal excitation as seen by faster synaptic decay rates and reduced glutamate-evoked calcium responses. Together, these results show that chronic in vitro treatment with an α5 NAM leads to subtle homeostatic changes in inhibitory and excitatory synapses that suggest an overall dampening of excitability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Nuwer
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Nadya Povysheva
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Tija C Jacob
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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Luscher B, Maguire JL, Rudolph U, Sibille E. GABA A receptors as targets for treating affective and cognitive symptoms of depression. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2023; 44:586-600. [PMID: 37543478 PMCID: PMC10511219 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2023.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
In the past 20 years, our understanding of the pathophysiology of depression has evolved from a focus on an imbalance of monoaminergic neurotransmitters to a multifactorial picture including an improved understanding of the role of glutamatergic excitatory and GABAergic inhibitory neurotransmission. FDA-approved treatments targeting the glutamatergic [esketamine for major depressive disorder (MDD)] and GABAergic (brexanolone for peripartum depression) systems have become available. This review focuses on the GABAA receptor (GABAAR) system as a target for novel antidepressants and discusses the mechanisms by which modulation of δ-containing GABAARs with neuroactive steroids (NASs) or of α5-containing GABAARs results in antidepressant or antidepressant-like actions and discusses clinical data on NASs. Moreover, a potential mechanism by which α5-GABAAR-positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) may improve cognitive deficits in depression is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernhard Luscher
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Penn State Neuroscience Institute, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Jamie L Maguire
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Uwe Rudolph
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61802, USA; Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61802, USA.
| | - Etienne Sibille
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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6
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Bailey AM, Barrett A, Havens L, Leyder E, Merchant T, Starnes H, Thompson SM. Changes in social, sexual, and hedonic behaviors in rats in response to stress and restoration by a negative allosteric modulator of α5-subunit containing GABA receptor. Behav Brain Res 2023; 452:114554. [PMID: 37356670 PMCID: PMC10528636 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating and costly human condition. Treatment for MDD relies heavily on the use of antidepressants that are slow to produce mood-related changes and are not effective in all patients, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Several novel compounds, including negative allosteric modulators of GABA-A receptors containing the α5-subunit (GABA-NAMs), are under investigation for potential fast acting therapeutic use in MDD. Preclinical evidence that these compounds produce a rapid antidepressant-like response comes primarily from simple tests of escape behavior and preference for rewarding stimuli after chronic stress. To increase the ethological relevance of these compounds, we tested the hypothesis that the GABA-NAM, L-655,708, would produce an antidepressant-like response in more complex stress-sensitive social and sex behaviors, which are of relevance to the symptoms of human depression. In male rats subjected to chronic restraint stress, injection of L-655,708 increased reward in a sexual conditioned place preference task, increased male sexual activity with a receptive female, and re-established male social dominance hierarchies within 24 h. We also report increased sucrose preference in the social defeat stress (SDS) model of depression following GABA-NAM administration, demonstrating that its antidepressant-like actions are independent of the type of chronic stress administered. This work extends the impact of GABA-NAMs beyond traditional tests of anhedonia and further supports the development of alpha5 subunit-selective GABA-NAMs as a potential fast-acting therapeutic approach for treating human MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aileen M Bailey
- Department of Psychology, St. Mary's College of Maryland, St. Mary's City, MD, United States.
| | - Allison Barrett
- Department of Psychology, St. Mary's College of Maryland, St. Mary's City, MD, United States
| | - Lane Havens
- Department of Psychology, St. Mary's College of Maryland, St. Mary's City, MD, United States
| | - Erica Leyder
- Department of Psychology, St. Mary's College of Maryland, St. Mary's City, MD, United States
| | - Taylor Merchant
- Department of Psychology, St. Mary's College of Maryland, St. Mary's City, MD, United States
| | - Hannah Starnes
- Department of Psychology, St. Mary's College of Maryland, St. Mary's City, MD, United States
| | - Scott M Thompson
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
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7
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Li X, Du ZJ, Xu JN, Liang ZM, Lin S, Chen H, Li SJ, Li XW, Yang JM, Gao TM. mGluR5 in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons mediates stress-induced anxiety-like behavior. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:1164-1174. [PMID: 36797374 PMCID: PMC10267178 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01548-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [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] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Pharmacological manipulation of mGluR5 has showed that mGluR5 is implicated in the pathophysiology of anxiety and mGluR5 has been proposed as a potential drug target for anxiety disorders. Nevertheless, the mechanism underlying the mGluR5 involvement in stress-induced anxiety-like behavior remains largely unknown. Here, we found that chronic restraint stress induced anxiety-like behavior and decreased the expression of mGluR5 in hippocampal CA1. Specific knockdown of mGluR5 in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons produced anxiety-like behavior. Furthermore, both chronic restraint stress and mGluR5 knockdown impaired inhibitory synaptic inputs in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. Notably, positive allosteric modulator of mGluR5 rescued stress-induced anxiety-like behavior and restored the inhibitory synaptic inputs. These findings point to an essential role for mGluR5 in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons in mediating stress-induced anxiety-like behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Institute of Brain Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University; Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhuo-Jun Du
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Institute of Brain Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University; Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jun-Nan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Institute of Brain Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University; Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhi-Man Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Institute of Brain Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University; Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Song Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Institute of Brain Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University; Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Institute of Brain Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University; Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shu-Ji Li
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Institute of Brain Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University; Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Wen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Institute of Brain Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University; Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jian-Ming Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Institute of Brain Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University; Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tian-Ming Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Institute of Brain Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University; Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
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8
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Huang Y, Wang Q, Peng Y, Du W, Wang Q, Qi J, Hao Z, Wang Y. Spatiotemporal expression patterns of genes coding for plasmalemmal chloride transporters and channels in neurological diseases. Mol Brain 2023; 16:30. [PMID: 36934242 PMCID: PMC10024392 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-023-01018-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuronal voltage changes which are dependent on chloride transporters and channels are involved in forming neural functions during early development and maintaining their stability until adulthood. The intracellular chloride concentration maintains a steady state, which is delicately regulated by various genes coding for chloride transporters and channels (GClTC) on the plasmalemma; however, the synergistic effect of these genes in central nervous system disorders remains unclear. In this study, we first defined 10 gene clusters with similar temporal expression patterns, and identified 41 GClTC related to brain developmental process. Then, we found 4 clusters containing 22 GClTC were enriched for the neuronal functions. The GClTC from different clusters presented distinct cell type preferences and anatomical heterogeneity. We also observed strong correlations between clustered genes and diseases, most of which were nervous system disorders. Finally, we found that one of the most well-known GClTC, SLC12A2, had a more profound effect on glial cell-related diseases than on neuron-related diseases, which was in accordance with our observation that SLC12A2 was mainly expressed in oligodendrocytes during brain development. Our findings provide a more comprehensive understanding of the temporal and spatial expression characteristics of GClTC, which can help us understand the complex roles of GClTC in the development of the healthy human brain and the etiology of brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanruo Huang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Qihang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yunsong Peng
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, School of Biomedical Engineering (Suzhou), University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
- Medical Imaging Department, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215163, China
| | - Wenjie Du
- Department of Anesthesiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Qi Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Jiangtao Qi
- Department of Anesthesiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Zijian Hao
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
- MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - Yingwei Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China.
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9
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Johnston JN, Kadriu B, Allen J, Gilbert JR, Henter ID, Zarate CA. Ketamine and serotonergic psychedelics: An update on the mechanisms and biosignatures underlying rapid-acting antidepressant treatment. Neuropharmacology 2023; 226:109422. [PMID: 36646310 PMCID: PMC9983360 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The discovery of ketamine as a rapid-acting antidepressant spurred significant research to understand its underlying mechanisms of action and to identify other novel compounds that may act similarly. Serotonergic psychedelics (SPs) have shown initial promise in treating depression, though the challenge of conducting randomized controlled trials with SPs and the necessity of long-term clinical observation are important limitations. This review summarizes the similarities and differences between the psychoactive effects associated with both ketamine and SPs and the mechanisms of action of these compounds, with a focus on the monoaminergic, glutamatergic, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic, opioid, and inflammatory systems. Both molecular and neuroimaging aspects are considered. While their main mechanisms of action differ-SPs increase serotonergic signaling while ketamine is a glutamatergic modulator-evidence suggests that the downstream mechanisms of action of both ketamine and SPs include mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling and downstream GABAA receptor activity. The similarities in downstream mechanisms may explain why ketamine, and potentially SPs, exert rapid-acting antidepressant effects. However, research on SPs is still in its infancy compared to the ongoing research that has been conducted with ketamine. For both therapeutics, issues with regulation and proper controls should be addressed before more widespread implementation. This article is part of the Special Issue on "Ketamine and its Metabolites".
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenessa N Johnston
- Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Bashkim Kadriu
- Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Josh Allen
- The Alfred Centre, Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Jessica R Gilbert
- Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Ioline D Henter
- Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Carlos A Zarate
- Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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10
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Lv S, Yao K, Zhang Y, Zhu S. NMDA receptors as therapeutic targets for depression treatment: Evidence from clinical to basic research. Neuropharmacology 2023; 225:109378. [PMID: 36539011 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Ketamine, functioning as a channel blocker of the excitatory glutamate-gated N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, displays compelling fast-acting and sustained antidepressant effects for treatment-resistant depression. Over the past decades, clinical and preclinical studies have implied that the pathology of depression is associated with dysfunction of glutamatergic transmission. In particular, the discovery of antidepressant agents modulating NMDA receptor function has prompted breakthroughs for depression treatment compared with conventional antidepressants targeting the monoaminergic system. In this review, we first summarized the signalling pathway of the ketamine-mediated antidepressant effects, based on the glutamate hypothesis of depression. Second, we reviewed the hypotheses of the synaptic mechanism and network of ketamine antidepressant effects within different brain areas and distinct subcellular localizations, including NMDA receptor antagonism on GABAergic interneurons, extrasynaptic and synaptic NMDA receptor-mediated antagonism, and ketamine blocking bursting activities in the lateral habenula. Third, we reviewed the different roles of NMDA receptor subunits in ketamine-mediated cognitive and psychiatric behaviours in genetically-manipulated rodent models. Finally, we summarized the structural basis of NMDA receptor channel blockers and discussed NMDA receptor modulators that have been reported to exert potential antidepressant effects in animal models or in clinical trials. Integrating the cutting-edge technologies of cryo-EM and artificial intelligence-based drug design (AIDD), we expect that the next generation of first-in-class rapid antidepressants targeting NMDA receptors would be an emerging direction for depression therapeutics. This article is part of the Special Issue on 'Ketamine and its Metabolites'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyun Lv
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kejie Yao
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Youyi Zhang
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shujia Zhu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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11
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Tang XH, Diao YG, Ren ZY, Zang YY, Zhang GF, Wang XM, Duan GF, Shen JC, Hashimoto K, Zhou ZQ, Yang JJ. A role of GABA A receptor α1 subunit in the hippocampus for rapid-acting antidepressant-like effects of ketamine. Neuropharmacology 2023; 225:109383. [PMID: 36565851 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Ketamine can produce rapid-acting antidepressant effects in treatment-resistant patients with depression. Although alterations in glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission in the brain play a role in depression, the precise molecular mechanisms in these neurotransmission underlying ketamine's antidepressant actions remain largely unknown. Mice exposed to FSS (forced swimming stress) showed depression-like behavior and decreased levels of GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid), but not glutamate, in the hippocampus. Ketamine increased GABA levels and decreased glutamate levels in the hippocampus of mice exposed to FSS. There was a correlation between GABA levels and depression-like behavior. Furthermore, ketamine increased the levels of enzymes and transporters on the GABAergic neurons (SAT1, GAD67, GAD65, VGAT and GAT1) and astrocytes (EAAT2 and GAT3), without affecting the levels of enzymes and transporters (SAT2, VGluT1 and GABAAR γ2) on glutamatergic neurons. Moreover, ketamine caused a decreased expression of GABAAR α1 subunit, which was specifically expressed on GABAergic neurons and astrocytes, an increased GABA synthesis and metabolism in GABAergic neurons, a plasticity change in astrocytes, and an increase in ATP (adenosine triphosphate) contents. Finally, GABAAR antagonist bicuculline or ATP exerted a rapid antidepressant-like effect whereas pretreatment with GABAAR agonist muscimol blocked the antidepressant-like effects of ketamine. In addition, pharmacological activation and inhibition of GABAAR modulated the synthesis and metabolism of GABA, and the plasticity of astrocytes in the hippocampus. The present data suggest that ketamine could increase GABA synthesis and astrocyte plasticity through downregulation of GABAAR α1, increases in GABA, and conversion of GABA into ATP, resulting in a rapid-acting antidepressant-like action. This article is part of the Special Issue on 'Ketamine and its Metabolites'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Hui Tang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yu-Gang Diao
- Department of Anesthesiology, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, China
| | - Zhuo-Yu Ren
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yan-Yu Zang
- Minister of Education Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Guang-Fen Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Xing-Ming Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China; Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Chiba University Center for Forensic Mental Health, Chiba, Japan
| | - Gui-Fang Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jin-Chun Shen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Kenji Hashimoto
- Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Chiba University Center for Forensic Mental Health, Chiba, Japan
| | - Zhi-Qiang Zhou
- Department of Anesthesiology, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Jian-Jun Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
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12
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Zanos P, Brown KA, Georgiou P, Yuan P, Zarate CA, Thompson SM, Gould TD. NMDA Receptor Activation-Dependent Antidepressant-Relevant Behavioral and Synaptic Actions of Ketamine. J Neurosci 2023; 43:1038-1050. [PMID: 36596696 PMCID: PMC9908316 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1316-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Ketamine is a well-characterized NMDA receptor (NMDAR) antagonist, although the relevance of this pharmacology to its rapid (within hours of administration) antidepressant actions, which depend on mechanisms convergent with strengthening of excitatory synapses, is unclear. Activation of synaptic NMDARs is necessary for the induction of canonical long-term potentiation (LTP) leading to a sustained expression of increased synaptic strength. We tested the hypothesis that induction of rapid antidepressant effects requires NMDAR activation, by using behavioral pharmacology, western blot quantification of hippocampal synaptoneurosomal protein levels, and ex vivo hippocampal slice electrophysiology in male mice. We found that ketamine exerts an inverted U-shaped dose-response in antidepressant-sensitive behavioral tests, suggesting that an excessive NMDAR inhibition can prevent ketamine's antidepressant effects. Ketamine's actions to induce antidepressant-like behavioral effects, up-regulation of hippocampal AMPAR subunits GluA1 and GluA2, as well as metaplasticity measured ex vivo using electrically-stimulated LTP, were abolished by pretreatment with other non-antidepressant NMDAR antagonists, including MK-801 and CPP. Similarly, the antidepressant-like actions of other putative rapid-acting antidepressant drugs (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine (ketamine metabolite), MRK-016 (GABAAα5 negative allosteric modulator), and LY341495 (mGlu2/3 receptor antagonist) were blocked by NMDAR inhibition. Ketamine acted synergistically with an NMDAR positive allosteric modulator to exert antidepressant-like behavioral effects and activation of the NMDAR subunit GluN2A was necessary and sufficient for such relevant effects. We conclude rapid-acting antidepressant compounds share a common downstream NMDAR-activation dependent effector mechanism, despite variation in initial pharmacological targets. Promoting NMDAR signaling or other approaches that enhance NMDAR-dependent LTP-like synaptic potentiation may be an effective antidepressant strategy.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The anesthetic and antidepressant drug ketamine is well-characterized as an NMDA receptor (NMDAR) antagonist; though, the relevance and full impact of this pharmacology to its antidepressant actions is unclear. We found that NMDAR activation, which occurs downstream of their initial actions, is necessary for the beneficial effects of ketamine and several other putative antidepressant compounds. As such, promoting NMDAR signaling, or other approaches that enhance NMDAR-dependent long-term potentiation (LTP)-like synaptic potentiation in vivo may be an effective antidepressant strategy directly, or acting synergistically with other drug or interventional treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panos Zanos
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
- Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus, Nicosia 2109, Cyprus
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
| | - Kyle A Brown
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
| | - Polymnia Georgiou
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
- Department of Biology, University of Cyprus, Nicosia 2109, Cyprus
| | - Peixiong Yuan
- Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Carlos A Zarate
- Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Scott M Thompson
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
| | - Todd D Gould
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
- Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
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13
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Thompson SM. Plasticity of synapses and reward circuit function in the genesis and treatment of depression. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:90-103. [PMID: 36057649 PMCID: PMC9700729 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01422-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
What changes in brain function cause the debilitating symptoms of depression? Can we use the answers to this question to invent more effective, faster acting antidepressant drug therapies? This review provides an overview and update of the converging human and preclinical evidence supporting the hypothesis that changes in the function of excitatory synapses impair the function of the circuits they are embedded in to give rise to the pathological changes in mood, hedonic state, and thought processes that characterize depression. The review also highlights complementary human and preclinical findings that classical and novel antidepressant drugs relieve the symptoms of depression by restoring the functions of these same synapses and circuits. These findings offer a useful path forward for designing better antidepressant compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott M Thompson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, 80045, CO, USA.
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14
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Carreno FR. From Ketamine to Drugs Targeting Subtype-Selective Benzodiazepine Site-Containing Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid A Receptors as Novel Rapid-Acting Antidepressants. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 92:175-176. [PMID: 35835504 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Flavia Regina Carreno
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas; Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, Texas.
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15
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Troppoli TA, Zanos P, Georgiou P, Gould TD, Rudolph U, Thompson SM. Negative Allosteric Modulation of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid A Receptors at α5 Subunit-Containing Benzodiazepine Sites Reverses Stress-Induced Anhedonia and Weakened Synaptic Function in Mice. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 92:216-226. [PMID: 35120711 PMCID: PMC9198111 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.11.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Abnormal reward processing, typically anhedonia, is a hallmark of human depression and is accompanied by altered functional connectivity in reward circuits. Negative allosteric modulators of GABAA (gamma-aminobutyric acid A) receptors (GABA-NAMs) have rapid antidepressant-like properties in rodents and exert few adverse effects, but molecular targets underlying their behavioral and synaptic effects remain undetermined. We hypothesized that GABA-NAMs act at the benzodiazepine site of GABAA receptors containing α5 subunits to increase gamma oscillatory activity, strengthen synapses in reward circuits, and reverse anhedonia. METHODS Anhedonia was induced by chronic stress in male mice and assayed by preferences for sucrose and female urine (n = 5-7 mice/group). Hippocampal slices were then prepared for electrophysiological recording (n = 1-6 slices/mouse, 4-6 mice/group). Electroencephalography power was quantified in response to GABA-NAM and ketamine administration (n = 7-9 mice/group). RESULTS Chronic stress reduced sucrose and female urine preferences and hippocampal temporoammonic-CA1 synaptic strength. A peripheral injection of the GABA-NAM MRK-016 restored hedonic behavior and AMPA-to-NMDA ratios in wild-type mice. These actions were prevented by pretreatment with the benzodiazepine site antagonist flumazenil. MRK-016 administration increased gamma power over the prefrontal cortex in wild-type mice but not α5 knockout mice, whereas ketamine promoted gamma power in both genotypes. Hedonic behavior and AMPA-to-NMDA ratios were only restored by MRK-016 in stressed wild-type mice but not α5 knockout mice. CONCLUSIONS α5-Selective GABA-NAMs exert rapid anti-anhedonic actions and restore the strength of synapses in reward regions by acting at the benzodiazepine site of α5-containing GABAA receptors. These results encourage human studies using GABA-NAMs to treat depression by providing readily translatable measures of target engagement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy A. Troppoli
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21201,Molecular Medicine Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21201
| | - Panos Zanos
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21201,Current address: Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus, 1 Panepistimiou Avenue, Aglantzia, 2109, PO Box 1678, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Polymnia Georgiou
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21201
| | - Todd D. Gould
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21201,Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21201,Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21201,Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD, 21201
| | - Uwe Rudolph
- Department of Comparative Biosciences and Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2001 S Lincoln Ave, Urbana, IL 61802-6178
| | - Scott M. Thompson
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21201,Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21201,To whom correspondence should be addressed:
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16
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Gbadamosi IT, Henneh IT, Aluko OM, Yawson EO, Fokoua AR, Koomson A, Torbi J, Olorunnado SE, Lewu FS, Yusha'u Y, Keji-Taofik ST, Biney RP, Tagoe TA. Depression in Sub-Saharan Africa. IBRO Neurosci Rep 2022; 12:309-322. [PMID: 35746974 PMCID: PMC9210463 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2022.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Mood disorders can be considered among the most common and debilitating mental disorders. Major depression, as an example of mood disorders, is known to severely reduce the quality of life as well as psychosocial functioning of those affected. Its impact on the burden of disease worldwide has been enormous, with the World Health Organisation projecting depression to be the leading cause of mental illness by 2030. Despite several studies on the subject, little has been done to contextualise the condition in Africa, coupled with the fact that there is still much to be understood on the subject. This review attempts to shed more light on the prevalence of depression in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), its pathophysiology, risk factors, diagnosis and the experimental models available to study depression within the sub-region. It also evaluates the contribution of the sub-region to the global research output of depression as well as bottlenecks associated with full exploitation of the sub region's resources to manage the disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismail Temitayo Gbadamosi
- Department of Anatomy, University of Ilorin, Nigeria
- Laboratory for Translational Research in Neuropsychiatric Disorders, BRAINCITY Nencki-EMBL Center of Excellence for Neural Plasticty and Brain Disorders, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Isaac Tabiri Henneh
- Department of Pharmacotherapeutics and Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Oritoke Modupe Aluko
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
| | | | | | - Awo Koomson
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology University of Ghana, Ghana
| | - Joseph Torbi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology University of Ghana, Ghana
| | | | | | - Yusuf Yusha'u
- Department of Human Physiology Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
| | | | - Robert Peter Biney
- Department of Pharmacotherapeutics and Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Ghana
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17
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Impact of stress on inhibitory neuronal circuits, our tribute to Bruce McEwen. Neurobiol Stress 2022; 19:100460. [PMID: 35734023 PMCID: PMC9207718 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2022.100460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
This manuscript is dedicated to the memory of Bruce S. McEwen, to commemorate the impact he had on how we understand stress and neuronal plasticity, and the profound influence he exerted on our scientific careers. The focus of this review is the impact of stressors on inhibitory circuits, particularly those of the limbic system, but we also consider other regions affected by these adverse experiences. We revise the effects of acute and chronic stress during different stages of development and lifespan, taking into account the influence of the sex of the animals. We review first the influence of stress on the physiology of inhibitory neurons and on the expression of molecules related directly to GABAergic neurotransmission, and then focus on specific interneuron subpopulations, particularly on parvalbumin and somatostatin expressing cells. Then we analyze the effects of stress on molecules and structures related to the plasticity of inhibitory neurons: the polysialylated form of the neural cell adhesion molecule and perineuronal nets. Finally, we review the potential of antidepressants or environmental manipulations to revert the effects of stress on inhibitory circuits.
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18
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Wang YT, Zhang NN, Liu LJ, Jiang H, Hu D, Wang ZZ, Chen NH, Zhang Y. Glutamatergic receptor and neuroplasticity in depression: Implications for ketamine and rapastinel as the rapid-acting antidepressants. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2022; 594:46-56. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.01.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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19
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Perez SM, McCoy AM, Prevot TD, Mian MY, Carreno FR, Frazer A, Cook JM, Sibille E, Lodge DJ. Hippocampal α5-GABA A Receptors Modulate Dopamine Neuron Activity in the Rat Ventral Tegmental Area. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 3:78-86. [PMID: 36712569 PMCID: PMC9874136 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2021.12.010] [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: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Aberrant dopamine neuron activity is attributable to hyperactivity in hippocampal subfields driving a pathological increase in dopamine neuron activity, which is positively correlated with psychosis in humans. Evidence indicates that hippocampal hyperactivity is due to loss of intrinsic GABAergic (gamma-aminobutyric acidergic) inhibition. We have previously demonstrated that hippocampal GABAergic neurotransmission can be modulated by targeting α5-GABAA receptors, which are preferentially expressed in hippocampal regions. Positive and negative allosteric modulators of α5-GABAA receptors (α5-PAMs and α5-NAMs) elicit effects on hippocampal-dependent behaviors. We posited that the selective manipulation of hippocampal inhibition, using α5-PAMs or α5-NAMs, would modulate dopamine activity in control rats. Further, α5-PAMs would reverse aberrant dopamine neuron activity in a rodent model with schizophrenia-related pathophysiologies (methylazoxymethanol acetate [MAM] model). Methods We performed in vivo extracellular recordings of ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons in anesthetized rats to compare the effects of two novel, selective α5-PAMs (GL-II-73, MP-III-022), a nonselective α-PAM (midazolam), and two selective α5-NAMs (L-655,708, TB 21007) in control and MAM-treated male Sprague Dawley rats (n = 5-9). Results Systemic or intracranial administration of selective α5-GABAA receptor modulators regulated dopamine activity. Specifically, both α5-NAMs increased dopamine neuron activity in control rats, whereas GL-II-73, MP-III-022, and L-655,708 attenuated aberrant dopamine neuron activity in MAM-treated rats, an effect mediated by the ventral hippocampus. Conclusions This study demonstrated that α5-GABAA receptor modulation can regulate dopamine neuron activity under control or abnormal activity, providing additional evidence that α5-PAMs and α5-NAMs may have therapeutic applications in psychosis and other psychiatric diseases where aberrant hippocampal activity is present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie M. Perez
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas,Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, Texas,Address correspondence to Stephanie M. Perez, Ph.D.
| | - Alexandra M. McCoy
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas,Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Thomas D. Prevot
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Md Yeunus Mian
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Flavia R. Carreno
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Alan Frazer
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas,Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, Texas
| | - James M. Cook
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Etienne Sibille
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Daniel J. Lodge
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas,Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, Texas
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20
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Light-dependent effects on mood: Mechanistic insights from animal models. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2022; 273:71-95. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2022.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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21
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Fernández-Teruel A. From Inhibition of GABA-A Receptor-Mediated Synaptic Transmission by Conventional Antidepressants to Negative Allosteric Modulators of Alpha5-GABA-A Receptors as Putative Fast-Acting Antidepressant Drugs: Closing the Circle? Curr Neuropharmacol 2021; 20:85-89. [PMID: 34736382 PMCID: PMC9199546 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x19666211104144650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The present perspective paper shortly and specifically addresses the issues of whether inhibition of GABA-A receptor-mediated synaptic transmission may be involved in antidepressant-like actions and the therapeutic effects of conventional antidepressant (AD) drugs, and whether the recent development of negative allosteric modulators (NAMs) of the alpha5-GABA-A receptor may constitute significant progress in our knowledge on the neurobiology and the treatment of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona. Sri Lanka
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22
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Benham RS, Choi C, Hodgson NW, Hewage NB, Kastli R, Donahue RJ, Muschamp JW, Engin E, Carlezon WA, Hensch TK, Rudolph U. α2-containing γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors promote stress resiliency in male mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:2197-2206. [PMID: 34408277 PMCID: PMC8505491 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01144-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [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] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Brain α2-containing GABAA receptors play a critical role in the modulation of anxiety- and fear-like behavior. However, it is unknown whether these receptors also play a role in modulating resilience to chronic stress, and in which brain areas and cell types such an effect would be mediated. We evaluated the role of α2-containing GABAA receptors following chronic social defeat stress using male mice deficient in the α2 subunit globally or conditionally in dopamine D1- or D2-receptor-expressing neurons, e.g., within the nucleus accumbens (NAc). In addition, we examined the effect of the lack of the α2 subunit on intermediates of the glutathione synthesis pathway. We found that α2-containing GABAA receptors on D2-receptor-positive but not on D1-receptor-positive neurons promote resiliency to chronic social defeat stress, as reflected in social interaction tests. The pro-resiliency effects of α2-containing GABAA receptors on D2-receptor-positive neurons do not appear to be directly related to alterations in anxiety-like behavior, as reflected in the elevated plus-maze, light-dark box, and novel open field tests. Increases in indices of oxidative stress-reflected by increases in cystathionine levels and reductions in GSH/GSSG ratios-were found in the NAc and prefrontal cortex but not in the hippocampus of mice lacking α2-containing GABAA receptors. We conclude that α2-containing GABAA receptors within specific brain areas and cell populations promote stress resiliency independently of direct effects on anxiety-like behaviors. A potential mechanism contributing to this increased resiliency is the protection that α2-containing GABAA receptors provide against oxidative stress in NAc and the prefrontal cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca S Benham
- Laboratory of Genetic Neuropharmacology, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Catherine Choi
- Laboratory of Genetic Neuropharmacology, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nathaniel W Hodgson
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Brain Science, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Nishani B Hewage
- Laboratory of Genetic Neuropharmacology, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rahel Kastli
- Laboratory of Genetic Neuropharmacology, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rachel J Donahue
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - John W Muschamp
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
- Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Elif Engin
- Laboratory of Genetic Neuropharmacology, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - William A Carlezon
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Takao K Hensch
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Brain Science, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Uwe Rudolph
- Laboratory of Genetic Neuropharmacology, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
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23
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Anesthesiology: Resetting Our Sights on Long-term Outcomes: The 2020 John W. Severinghaus Lecture on Translational Science. Anesthesiology 2021; 135:18-30. [PMID: 33901279 DOI: 10.1097/aln.0000000000003798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Anesthesiologists have worked relentlessly to improve intraoperative anesthesia care. They are now well positioned to expand their horizons and address many of the longer-term adverse consequences of anesthesia and surgery. Perioperative neurocognitive disorders, chronic postoperative pain, and opioid misuse are not inevitable adverse outcomes; rather, they are preventable and treatable conditions that deserve attention. The author's research team has investigated why patients experience new cognitive deficits after anesthesia and surgery. Their animal studies have shown that anesthetic drugs trigger overactivity of "memory-blocking receptors" that persists after the drugs are eliminated, and they have discovered new strategies to preserve brain function by repurposing available drugs and developing novel therapeutics that inhibit these receptors. Clinical trials are in progress to examine the cognitive outcomes of such strategies. This work is just one example of how anesthesiologists are advancing science with the goal of improving the lives of patients.
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Nuwer JL, Brady ML, Povysheva NV, Coyne A, Jacob TC. Sustained treatment with an α5 GABA A receptor negative allosteric modulator delays excitatory circuit development while maintaining GABAergic neurotransmission. Neuropharmacology 2021; 197:108724. [PMID: 34284042 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108724] [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: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
α5 subunit GABA type A receptor (GABAAR) preferring negative allosteric modulators (NAMs) are cognitive enhancers with antidepressant-like effects. α5-NAM success in treating mouse models of neurodevelopmental disorders with excessive inhibition have led to Phase 2 clinical trials for Down syndrome. Despite in vivo efficacy, no study has examined the effects of continued α5-NAM treatment on inhibitory and excitatory synapse plasticity to identify mechanisms of action. Here we used L-655,708, an imidazobenzodiazepine that acts as a highly selective but weak α5-NAM, to investigate the impact of sustained treatment on hippocampal neuron synapse and dendrite development. We show that 2-day pharmacological reduction of α5-GABAAR signaling from DIV12-14, when GABAARs contribute to depolarization, delays dendritic spine maturation and the NMDA receptor (NMDAR) GluN2B/GluN2A developmental shift. In contrast, α5-NAM treatment from DIV19-21, when hyperpolarizing GABAAR signaling predominates, enhances surface synaptic GluN2A while decreasing GluN2B. Despite changes in NMDAR subtype surface levels and localization, total levels of key excitatory synapse proteins were largely unchanged, and mEPSCs were unaltered. Importantly, 2-day α5-NAM treatment does not alter the total surface levels or distribution of α5-GABAARs, reduce the gephyrin inhibitory synaptic scaffold, or impair phasic or tonic inhibition. Furthermore, α5-NAM inhibition of the GABAAR tonic current in mature neurons is maintained after 2-day α5-NAM treatment, suggesting reduced tolerance liability, in contrast to other clinically relevant GABAAR-targeting drugs such as benzodiazepines. Together, these results show that α5-GABAARs contribute to dendritic spine maturation and excitatory synapse development via a NMDAR dependent mechanism without perturbing overall neuronal excitability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Nuwer
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Megan L Brady
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Nadya V Povysheva
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Amanda Coyne
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Tija C Jacob
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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25
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Mester JR, Bazzigaluppi P, Dorr A, Beckett T, Burke M, McLaurin J, Sled JG, Stefanovic B. Attenuation of tonic inhibition prevents chronic neurovascular impairments in a Thy1-ChR2 mouse model of repeated, mild traumatic brain injury. Am J Cancer Res 2021; 11:7685-7699. [PMID: 34335958 PMCID: PMC8315057 DOI: 10.7150/thno.60190] [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: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), the most common type of brain trauma, frequently leads to chronic cognitive and neurobehavioral deficits. Intervening effectively is impeded by our poor understanding of its pathophysiological sequelae. Methods: To elucidate the long-term neurovascular sequelae of mTBI, we combined optogenetics, two-photon fluorescence microscopy, and intracortical electrophysiological recordings in mice to selectively stimulate peri-contusional neurons weeks following repeated closed-head injury and probe individual vessel's function and local neuronal reactivity. Results: Compared to sham-operated animals, mTBI mice showed doubled cortical venular speeds (115 ± 25%) and strongly elevated cortical venular reactivity (53 ± 17%). Concomitantly, the pericontusional neurons exhibited attenuated spontaneous activity (-57 ± 79%) and decreased reactivity (-47 ± 28%). Post-mortem immunofluorescence revealed signs of peri-contusional senescence and DNA damage, in the absence of neuronal loss or gliosis. Alteration of neuronal and vascular functioning was largely prevented by chronic, low dose, systemic administration of a GABA-A receptor inverse agonist (L-655,708), commencing 3 days following the third impact. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that repeated mTBI leads to dramatic changes in the neurovascular unit function and that attenuation of tonic inhibition can prevent these alterations. The sustained disruption of the neurovascular function may underlie the concussed brain's long-term susceptibility to injury, and calls for development of better functional assays as well as of neurovascularly targeted interventions.
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26
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Basmisanil, a highly selective GABA A-α5 negative allosteric modulator: preclinical pharmacology and demonstration of functional target engagement in man. Sci Rep 2021; 11:7700. [PMID: 33833333 PMCID: PMC8032764 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87307-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
GABAA-α5 subunit-containing receptors have been shown to play a key modulatory role in cognition and represent a promising drug target for cognitive dysfunction, as well as other disorders. Here we report on the preclinical and early clinical profile of a novel GABAA-α5 selective negative allosteric modulator (NAM), basmisanil, which progressed into Phase II trials for intellectual disability in Down syndrome and cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia. Preclinical pharmacology studies showed that basmisanil is the most selective GABAA-α5 receptor NAM described so far. Basmisanil bound to recombinant human GABAA-α5 receptors with 5 nM affinity and more than 90-fold selectivity versus α1, α2, and α3 subunit-containing receptors. Moreover, basmisanil inhibited GABA-induced currents at GABAA-α5 yet had little or no effect at the other receptor subtypes. An in vivo occupancy study in rats showed dose-dependent target engagement and was utilized to establish the plasma exposure to receptor occupancy relationship. At estimated receptor occupancies between 30 and 65% basmisanil attenuated diazepam-induced spatial learning impairment in rats (Morris water maze), improved executive function in non-human primates (object retrieval), without showing anxiogenic or proconvulsant effects in rats. During the Phase I open-label studies, basmisanil showed good safety and tolerability in healthy volunteers at maximum GABAA-α5 receptor occupancy as confirmed by PET analysis with the tracer [11C]-Ro 15-4513. An exploratory EEG study provided evidence for functional activity of basmisanil in human brain. Therefore, these preclinical and early clinical studies show that basmisanil has an ideal profile to investigate potential clinical benefits of GABAA-α5 receptor negative modulation.
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27
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Yin JB, Liang SH, Li F, Zhao WJ, Bai Y, Sun Y, Wu ZY, Ding T, Sun Y, Liu HX, Lu YC, Zhang T, Huang J, Chen T, Li H, Chen ZF, Cao J, Ren R, Peng YN, Yang J, Zang WD, Li X, Dong YL, Li YQ. dmPFC-vlPAG projection neurons contribute to pain threshold maintenance and antianxiety behaviors. J Clin Invest 2021; 130:6555-6570. [PMID: 32841213 DOI: 10.1172/jci127607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) has been recognized as a key cortical area for nociceptive modulation. However, the underlying neural pathway and the function of specific cell types remain largely unclear. Here, we show that lesions in the dmPFC induced an algesic and anxious state. Using multiple tracing methods including a rabies-based transsynaptic tracing method, we outlined an excitatory descending neural pathway from the dmPFC to the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG). Specific activation of the dmPFC/vlPAG neural pathway by optogenetic manipulation produced analgesic and antianxiety effects in a mouse model of chronic pain. Inhibitory neurons in the dmPFC were specifically activated using a chemogenetic approach, which logically produced an algesic and anxious state under both normal and chronic pain conditions. Antagonists of the GABAA receptor (GABAAR) or mGluR1 were applied to the dmPFC, which produced analgesic and antianxiety effects. In summary, the results of our study suggest that the dmPFC/vlPAG neural pathway might participate in the maintenance of pain thresholds and antianxiety behaviors under normal conditions, while silencing or suppressing the dmPFC/vlPAG pathway might be involved in the initial stages and maintenance of chronic pain and the emergence of anxiety-like behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Bin Yin
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Department of Neurology, the 960th Hospital of PLA, Jinan, China.,Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.,Key Laboratory of Brain Science Research and Transformation in the Tropical Environment of Hainan Province, Haikou, China
| | - Shao-Hua Liang
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Department of Human Anatomy, Binzhou Medical College, Yantai, China
| | - Fei Li
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Cadet Brigade, and
| | - Wen-Jun Zhao
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Cadet Brigade, and
| | - Yang Bai
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Yi Sun
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.,Department of Human Anatomy, Binzhou Medical College, Yantai, China
| | - Zhen-Yu Wu
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Tan Ding
- Department of Orthopedics, Xijing Hospital, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | | | - Hai-Xia Liu
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Ya-Cheng Lu
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jing Huang
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Tao Chen
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Zhou-Feng Chen
- Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Jing Cao
- Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Rui Ren
- Key Laboratory of Brain Science Research and Transformation in the Tropical Environment of Hainan Province, Haikou, China
| | - Ya-Nan Peng
- Key Laboratory of Brain Science Research and Transformation in the Tropical Environment of Hainan Province, Haikou, China
| | - Juan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Brain Science Research and Transformation in the Tropical Environment of Hainan Province, Haikou, China
| | - Wei-Dong Zang
- Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiang Li
- Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yu-Lin Dong
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yun-Qing Li
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Key Laboratory of Brain Science Research and Transformation in the Tropical Environment of Hainan Province, Haikou, China.,Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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28
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Abstract
The discovery of the rapid antidepressant effects of the dissociative anaesthetic ketamine, an uncompetitive N-Methyl-D-Aspartate receptor antagonist, is arguably the most important breakthrough in depression research in the last 50 years. Ketamine remains an off-label treatment for treatment-resistant depression with factors that limit widespread use including its dissociative effects and abuse potential. Ketamine is a racemic mixture, composed of equal amounts of (S)-ketamine and (R)-ketamine. An (S)-ketamine nasal spray has been developed and approved for use in treatment-resistant depression in the United States and Europe; however, some concerns regarding efficacy and side effects remain. Although (R)-ketamine is a less potent N-Methyl-D-Aspartate receptor antagonist than (S)-ketamine, increasing preclinical evidence suggests (R)-ketamine may have more potent and longer lasting antidepressant effects than (S)-ketamine, alongside fewer side effects. Furthermore, a recent pilot trial of (R)-ketamine has demonstrated rapid-acting and sustained antidepressant effects in individuals with treatment-resistant depression. Research is ongoing to determine the specific cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the antidepressant actions of ketamine and its component enantiomers in an effort to develop future rapid-acting antidepressants that lack undesirable effects. Here, we briefly review findings regarding the antidepressant effects of ketamine and its enantiomers before considering underlying mechanisms including N-Methyl-D-Aspartate receptor antagonism, γ-aminobutyric acid-ergic interneuron inhibition, α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic receptor activation, brain-derived neurotrophic factor and tropomyosin kinase B signalling, mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase signalling, inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3 and inhibition of lateral habenula bursting, alongside potential roles of the monoaminergic and opioid receptor systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke A Jelen
- Department of Psychological
Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s
College London, London, United Kingdom,South London and Maudsley NHS
Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom,Luke A Jelen, Department of
Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and
Neuroscience, King’s College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London SE5
8AF, United Kingdom.
| | - Allan H Young
- Department of Psychological
Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s
College London, London, United Kingdom,South London and Maudsley NHS
Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - James M Stone
- Department of Psychological
Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s
College London, London, United Kingdom,South London and Maudsley NHS
Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
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29
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Fee C, Prevot TD, Misquitta K, Knutson DE, Li G, Mondal P, Cook JM, Banasr M, Sibille E. Behavioral Deficits Induced by Somatostatin-Positive GABA Neuron Silencing Are Rescued by Alpha 5 GABA-A Receptor Potentiation. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2021; 24:505-518. [PMID: 33438026 PMCID: PMC8278801 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyab002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Deficits in somatostatin-positive gamma-aminobutyric acid interneurons (SST+ GABA cells) are commonly reported in human studies of mood and anxiety disorder patients. A causal link between SST+ cell dysfunction and symptom-related behaviors has been proposed based on rodent studies showing that chronic stress, a major risk factor for mood and anxiety disorders, induces a low SST+ GABA cellular phenotype across corticolimbic brain regions; that lowering Sst, SST+ cell, or GABA functions induces depressive-/anxiety-like behaviors (a rodent behavioral construct collectively defined as "behavioral emotionality"); and that disinhibiting SST+ cells has antidepressant-like effects. Recent studies found that compounds preferentially potentiating receptors mediating SST+ cell functions, α5-GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulators (α5-PAMs), achieved antidepressant-like effects. Together, the evidence suggests that SST+ cells regulate mood and cognitive functions that are disrupted in mood disorders and that rescuing SST+ cell function via α5-PAM may represent a targeted therapeutic strategy. METHODS We developed a mouse model allowing chemogenetic manipulation of brain-wide SST+ cells and employed behavioral characterization 30 minutes after repeated acute silencing to identify contributions to symptom-related behaviors. We then assessed whether an α5-PAM, GL-II-73, could rescue behavioral deficits. RESULTS Brain-wide SST+ cell silencing induced features of stress-related illnesses, including elevated neuronal activity and plasma corticosterone levels, increased anxiety- and anhedonia-like behaviors, and impaired short-term memory. GL-II-73 led to antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like improvements among behavioral deficits induced by brain-wide SST+ cell silencing. CONCLUSION Our data validate SST+ cells as regulators of mood and cognitive functions and demonstrate that bypassing low SST+ cell function via α5-PAM represents a targeted therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey Fee
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Thomas D Prevot
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Keith Misquitta
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Daniel E Knutson
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Guanguan Li
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA,Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Small Molecule Drug Discovery and Synthesis, Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Prithu Mondal
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - James M Cook
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Mounira Banasr
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Etienne Sibille
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada,Correspondence: Etienne Sibille, PhD, CAMH, 250 College Street, Room 134, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada ()
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30
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Altered GABA-mediated information processing and cognitive dysfunctions in depression and other brain disorders. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:151-167. [PMID: 32346158 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-0727-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive dysfunctions, including impaired attention, learning, memory, planning and problem solving, occur in depressive episodes, often persist during remission, predict relapse, worsen with recurrent episodes, and are not treated by current antidepressants or other medications. Cognitive symptoms are also present in other psychiatric disorders, are a hallmark of aging, and define several late-life disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. This pervasive occurrence suggests either a non-specific outcome of a diseased brain, or a shared underlying pathology contributing to this symptom dimension. Recent findings suggest a role for altered GABAergic inhibition in cognitive symptoms. Cellular, molecular and biochemical studies in human subjects report changes affecting the gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) system, specifically somatostatin-expressing (SST+) GABAergic interneurons, across brain disorders and during aging. SST+ neurons gate excitatory input onto pyramidal neurons within cortical microcircuits. Experimentally reducing the function of these neurons affects excitatory signal-to-noise ratio, reduces synchronized cellular and neural activity, and leads to cognitive dysfunctions. Conversely, augmenting SST+ cell post-synaptic α5-GABA-A receptor activity has pro-cognitive efficacy in stress and aging models. Together, this suggests that reduced signaling of the SST+ neuron/α5-GABA-A receptor pathway contributes to cognitive dysfunctions, and that it represents a novel therapeutic target for remediating mood and cognitive symptoms in depression, other psychiatric disorders and during aging.
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31
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Mechanisms associated with the antidepressant-like effects of L-655,708. Neuropsychopharmacology 2020; 45:2289-2298. [PMID: 32688367 PMCID: PMC7785005 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-0772-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Previous research has demonstrated that selective modulation of hippocampal transmission by systemic administration of an α5-GABAA receptor negative allosteric modulator, L-655,708, reproduces the sustained antidepressant-like (AD-like) effect of R,S-ketamine in the absence of any psychotomimetic or abuse-related effects. Pharmacological, electrophysiological (whole-cell patch clamp), and behavioral approaches were used to examine the mechanisms by which L-655,708 produces plasticity within the hippocampus that accounts for its sustained AD-like effect in rats. Inhibitors of either transcription or translation prevented the sustained AD-like effect of L-655,708. Unlike R,S-ketamine, L-655,708 did not cause an increase in the phosphorylation of the receptor for BDNF, TrkB, in the ventral hippocampus (vHipp) 30 or 60 min after its administration nor did administration of the TrkB inhibitor, K252a, directly into the vHipp, block the sustained AD-like effect of L-655,708. Similar to previous results with R,S-ketamine, administration of L-655,709 increased levels of GluA1 in the mPFC and, blockade of such receptors by direct administration of NBQX into the mPFC blocked the sustained AD-like effect of L-655,708. Patch-clamp recordings of ventral CA1 pyramidal cells 24 h after a single systemic administration of L-655,708 revealed a significant increase in input resistance, which resulted in an approximately two-fold increase in action potential frequency. These experiments indicate that the sustained AD-like effects of L-655,708 require protein synthesis and plasticity of GluA1 glutamate receptors in the mPFC. The drug also caused changes in GABAA receptor gating properties in the vHipp with resultant changes in ventral CA1 that indirectly increases neuronal excitability. Such effects likely contribute to its sustained AD-like activity.
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32
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Kim HR, Lee YJ, Kim TW, Lim RN, Hwang DY, Moffat JJ, Kim S, Seo JW, Ka M. Asparagus cochinchinensis extract ameliorates menopausal depression in ovariectomized rats under chronic unpredictable mild stress. BMC Complement Med Ther 2020; 20:325. [PMID: 33109198 PMCID: PMC7590795 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-020-03121-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depression is a serious and common psychiatric disorder generally affecting more women than men. A woman's risk of developing depression increases steadily with age, and higher incidence is associated with the onset of menopause. Here we evaluated the antidepressant properties of Asparagus cochinchinensis (AC) extract and investigated its underlying mechanisms in a rat menopausal depression model. METHODS To model this menopausal depression, we induced a menopause-like state in rats via ovariectomy and exposed them to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) for 6 weeks, which promotes the development of depression-like symptoms. During the final 4 weeks of CUMS, rats were treated with either AC extract (1000 or 2000 mg/kg, PO), which has been reported to provide antidepressant effects, or with the tricyclic antidepressant imipramine (10 mg/kg, IP). RESULTS We report that CUMS promotes depression-like behavior and significantly increases serum corticosterone and inflammatory cytokine levels in the serum of ovariectomized (OVX) rats. We also found that CUMS decreases the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its primary receptor, tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB), in OVX rats, and treatment with AC extract rescues both BDNF and TrkB expression levels. CONCLUSION These results suggest that AC extract exerts antidepressant effects, possibly via modulation of the BDNF-TrkB pathway, in a rat model of menopausal depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye Ryeong Kim
- Pharmacology and Drug Abuse Research Group, Research Center for Convergence Toxicology, Korea Institute of Toxicology, KRICT, Daejeon, 34114, Republic of Korea.,Department of Biomaterials Science, College of Natural Resources and Life Science/Life and Industry Convergence Research Institute, Pusan National University, Miryang, 50463, Republic of Korea.,Laboratory Animal Center, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, 61062, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Ju Lee
- Pharmacology and Drug Abuse Research Group, Research Center for Convergence Toxicology, Korea Institute of Toxicology, KRICT, Daejeon, 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Wan Kim
- Pharmacology and Drug Abuse Research Group, Research Center for Convergence Toxicology, Korea Institute of Toxicology, KRICT, Daejeon, 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Ri-Na Lim
- Pharmacology and Drug Abuse Research Group, Research Center for Convergence Toxicology, Korea Institute of Toxicology, KRICT, Daejeon, 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Dae Youn Hwang
- Department of Biomaterials Science, College of Natural Resources and Life Science/Life and Industry Convergence Research Institute, Pusan National University, Miryang, 50463, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeffrey J Moffat
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Soonil Kim
- Olmanfood Co., Ltd, Seoul, 03709, Republic of Korea
| | - Joung-Wook Seo
- Pharmacology and Drug Abuse Research Group, Research Center for Convergence Toxicology, Korea Institute of Toxicology, KRICT, Daejeon, 34114, Republic of Korea.
| | - Minhan Ka
- Pharmacology and Drug Abuse Research Group, Research Center for Convergence Toxicology, Korea Institute of Toxicology, KRICT, Daejeon, 34114, Republic of Korea.
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33
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Shen M, Lv D, Li S, Zhang Y, Wang Z, Zhao C, Chen X, Wang C. Positive Allosteric Modulation of AMPAR by PF-4778574 Produced Rapid Onset Antidepressant Actions in Mice. Cereb Cortex 2020; 29:4438-4451. [PMID: 30566581 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Revised: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
It has been reported that fast-acting antidepressants enhance glutamatergic neurotransmission in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) regions via alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) activation. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the fast-acting antidepressants lead to an activation of AMPAR pathways remain largely unclear. To address this issue, a novel AMPAR positive allosteric agonist, PF-4778574, was used to test the rapid effects and the role of VGF (nonacronymic)/brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)/tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB)/AKT signaling in these actions in mice. We found that PF-4778574 rapidly alleviated chronic unpredictable stress-induced depression-like behaviors in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, knock down of vesicular glutamate transporter 1 (VGLUT1) in the PFC of mice induced depression-like behaviors, whereas treatment with PF-4778574 was sufficient to alleviate it, indicating a presynaptic VGLUT1 independent effect. Furthermore, we demonstrate that pharmacological inhibitors of AMPAR or of L-type voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel (L-VDCC) blocked the antidepressants' effect on behaviors and the upregulation on the AMPAR-mediated VGF/BDNF/TrkB/AKT signaling of PF-4778574. Together, our findings indicate that postsynaptic AMPAR activation followed by activation of L-VDCC and subsequent VGF/BDNF/TrkB/AKT signaling are required for the rapid antidepressant effects of PF-4778574. Our data support a promising therapeutic profile for PF-4778574 as a new fast-acting antidepressant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengxin Shen
- Ningbo Key Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Ningbo University School of Medicine, 818 Fenghua Road, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.,Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Ningbo University School of Medicine, 818 Fenghua Road, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Ningbo University School of Medicine, 818 Fenghua Road, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
| | - Dan Lv
- Ningbo Key Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Ningbo University School of Medicine, 818 Fenghua Road, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.,Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Ningbo University School of Medicine, 818 Fenghua Road, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Ningbo University School of Medicine, 818 Fenghua Road, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shuting Li
- Ningbo Key Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Ningbo University School of Medicine, 818 Fenghua Road, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.,Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Ningbo University School of Medicine, 818 Fenghua Road, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Ningbo University School of Medicine, 818 Fenghua Road, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yanhua Zhang
- Ningbo Key Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Ningbo University School of Medicine, 818 Fenghua Road, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.,Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Ningbo University School of Medicine, 818 Fenghua Road, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Ningbo University School of Medicine, 818 Fenghua Road, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory for Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Chiyu Zhao
- Ningbo Key Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Ningbo University School of Medicine, 818 Fenghua Road, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.,Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Ningbo University School of Medicine, 818 Fenghua Road, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Ningbo University School of Medicine, 818 Fenghua Road, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xuejie Chen
- Ningbo Key Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Ningbo University School of Medicine, 818 Fenghua Road, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.,Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Ningbo University School of Medicine, 818 Fenghua Road, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Ningbo University School of Medicine, 818 Fenghua Road, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chuang Wang
- Ningbo Key Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Ningbo University School of Medicine, 818 Fenghua Road, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.,Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Ningbo University School of Medicine, 818 Fenghua Road, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Ningbo University School of Medicine, 818 Fenghua Road, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
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Widman AJ, McMahon LL. Effects of ketamine and other rapidly acting antidepressants on hippocampal excitatory and inhibitory transmission. ADVANCES IN PHARMACOLOGY 2020; 89:3-41. [PMID: 32616211 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apha.2020.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
A single sub-anesthetic intravascular dose of the use-dependent NMDAR antagonist, ketamine, improves mood in patients with treatment resistant depression within hours that can last for days, creating an entirely new treatment strategy for the most seriously ill patients. However, the psychomimetic effects and abuse potential of ketamine require that new therapies be developed that maintain the rapid antidepressant effects of ketamine without the unwanted side effects. This necessitates a detailed understanding of what cellular and synaptic mechanisms are immediately activated once ketamine reaches the brain that triggers the needed changes to elicit the improved behavior. Intense research has centered on the effects of ketamine, and the other rapidly acting antidepressants, on excitatory and inhibitory circuits in hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex to determine common mechanisms, including key modifications in synaptic transmission and the precise location of the NMDARs that mediate the rapid and sustained antidepressant response. We review data comparing the effects of ketamine with other NMDAR receptor modulators and the muscarinic M1 acetylcholine receptor antagonist, scopolamine, together with evidence supporting the disinhibition hypothesis and the direct inhibition hypothesis of ketamine's mechanism of action on synaptic circuits using preclinical models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allie J Widman
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Lori L McMahon
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States.
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Ozcan H, Aydın N, Aydın MD, Oral E, Gündoğdu C, Şipal S, Halıcı Z. Olfactory bulbectomy and raphe nucleus relationship: a new vision for well-known depression model. Nord J Psychiatry 2020; 74:194-200. [PMID: 31724476 DOI: 10.1080/08039488.2019.1689294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Background/aim: The olfactory bulbectomy (OBX) technic is a well-known animal model for depression. According to serotonin hypothesis of depression, one of the possible explanations to this mechanism is the destroying effect of OBX on raphe nuclei which especially include serotonergic neurons. In this study, we aimed to explore histopathological findings in raphe nuclei in OBX rats.Materials and methods: Forty-eight rats (8 control group, 10 sham group, and 30 as the study group) were used. No procedure was applied to the control group. Only frontal burr holes were performed at the level of olfactory bulbs (OBs) on the sham group. Mechanical OBX by compression was applied to 20 rats and the OBs of 10 rats were cauterized. Their OBs, olfactory cortices, raphe nuclei were extracted, tissue specimens were taken than examined by using histopathological methods including hematoxylin and eosin, S-100, and TUNEL staining. Physical dissector method was used to evaluate the number of living and apoptotic neurons in the raphe nuclei.Results: Prominent neuronal loss and morphological changes in the dorsal raphe nuclei were detected in study groups.Conclusion: Raphe nuclei degeneration, related alterations in neurotransmitter system activities and functional brain connectivity might be related to neurobiology of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halil Ozcan
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey
| | - Nazan Aydın
- Department of Psychiatry, Bakirkoy Prof. Dr. Mazhar Osman Mental Health and Neurological Diseases Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Dumlu Aydın
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Faculty, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey
| | - Elif Oral
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, İzmir Katip Çelebi University, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Cemal Gündoğdu
- Department of Pathology, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey
| | - Sare Şipal
- Department of Pathology, Medical Faculty, Giresun University, Giresun, Turkey
| | - Zekai Halıcı
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty, University of Ataturk, Erzurum, Turkey
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Carreno FR, Lodge DJ, Frazer A. Ketamine: Leading us into the future for development of antidepressants. Behav Brain Res 2020; 383:112532. [PMID: 32023492 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Numerous randomized double-blind clinical trials have consistently shown that that a single intravenous administration of a subanesthetic dose of ketamine to treatment-resistant depressed patients significantly improved depressive symptomatology rapidly, within two hours, with the effect lasting up to seven days. Despite its very promising effects, ketamine has long been associated with potential for abuse as it can cause psychotropic side effects, such as hallucinations, false beliefs, and severe impairments in judgment and other cognitive processes. Consequently, within the last two decades preclinical research has been carried out aimed at understanding its mechanisms of action and the brain circuits involved in ketamine's antidepressant effects, both of which are discussed in this review. Furthermore, with the hippocampus being a key target for ketamine's beneficial antidepressant effects, we and others have begun to examine behavioral and neurochemical effects of drugs that act selectively on the hippocampus due to the preferential location of their receptor targets. Such drugs are negative allosteric modulators (NAMs) and positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of the α5-GABAA receptor. Such compounds are discussed within the framework of how lessons learned with ketamine point to novel classes of drugs, targeting the GABAergic system, that can recapitulate the antidepressant effects of ketamine without its adverse effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavia R Carreno
- Department of Pharmacology & Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, United States.
| | - Daniel J Lodge
- Department of Pharmacology & Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, United States; South Texas Veterans Health Care System, Audie L. Murphy Division, United States
| | - Alan Frazer
- Department of Pharmacology & Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, United States; South Texas Veterans Health Care System, Audie L. Murphy Division, United States
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Paine TA, Chang S, Poyle R. Contribution of GABA A receptor subunits to attention and social behavior. Behav Brain Res 2020; 378:112261. [PMID: 31560920 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION GABA dysfunction is associated with a number of psychiatric conditions including schizophrenia, autism and depression. Blocking cortical GABAA receptors in rodents causes behavioral deficits, including impaired attention and sociability, that are consistent with the symptoms of these conditions. The subunit composition of GABAA receptors is diverse and can affect receptor function. The current experiment examined the role of GABAA receptors containing different α-subunits in social behavior and attention. METHODS Male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered FG7142 (0.0-5.0 mg/kg; a non-selective GABAA receptor inverse agonist), L-655,708 (0-1.0 mg/kg; a low efficacy inverse agonist at α5-containing GABAA receptors), MRK-016 (0.0-2.0 mg/kg; a high efficacy inverse agonist at α5-containing GABAA receptors), or L-838,417 (0.0-3.0 mg/kg; an antagonist at α1-containing receptors and a partial agonist at α2, α3, α5-containing GABAA receptors) and either tested on the social interaction and social preference tests or the 5-choice serial reaction time task. RESULTS FG7142 decreased social interactions and impaired attention. MRK-016 impaired attention but did not affect social behavior. Neither L-655,708 nor L-838,417 significantly affected either social behavior or attention. DISCUSSION Systemic reduction in GABAA receptor signaling decreased sociability and attention, a result consistent with past research demonstrating cortical GABAA receptor blockade impairs social behavior and attention. Overall, the effects of the receptor subtype selective ligands were minimal; α5-containing GABAA receptors may contribute to the attentional deficit but do not contribute to the decrease in sociability. Further research is needed to determine the GABAA receptor subunits that contribute to social behavior and attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracie A Paine
- Department of Neuroscience, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH, 44074, United States.
| | - Sara Chang
- Department of Neuroscience, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH, 44074, United States
| | - Rachel Poyle
- Department of Neuroscience, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH, 44074, United States
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Duman RS, Shinohara R, Fogaça MV, Hare B. Neurobiology of rapid-acting antidepressants: convergent effects on GluA1-synaptic function. Mol Psychiatry 2019; 24:1816-1832. [PMID: 30894661 PMCID: PMC6754322 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-019-0400-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2018] [Revised: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Efforts to develop efficacious antidepressant agents with novel mechanisms have been largely unsuccessful since the 1950's until the discovery of ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist that produces rapid and sustained antidepressant actions even in treatment-resistant patients. This finding has ushered in a new era for the development of novel rapid-acting antidepressants that act at the NMDA receptor complex, but without dissociative and psychotomimetic side effects of ketamine. Here, we review the current state of rapid-acting antidepressant drug development, including NMDA channel blockers, glycine site agents, and allosteric modulators, as well as ketamine stereoisomers and metabolites. In addition, we focus on the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the actions of these diverse agents and discuss evidence of convergent mechanisms including increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor signaling, increased synthesis of synaptic proteins, and most notably increased GluR1 and synaptic connectivity in the medial prefrontal cortex. These convergent mechanisms provide insight for potential additional novel targets for drug development (e.g., agents that increase synaptic protein synthesis and plasticity). Importantly, the convergent effects on synapse formation and plasticity also reverse the well-documented neuronal and synaptic deficits associated with stress and depression, and thereby target the underlying pathophysiology of major depressive disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald S Duman
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Ryota Shinohara
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Manoela V Fogaça
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Brendan Hare
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
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Maramai S, Benchekroun M, Ward SE, Atack JR. Subtype Selective γ-Aminobutyric Acid Type A Receptor (GABAAR) Modulators Acting at the Benzodiazepine Binding Site: An Update. J Med Chem 2019; 63:3425-3446. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b01312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Samuele Maramai
- Sussex Drug Discovery Centre, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QJ, U.K
| | - Mohamed Benchekroun
- Sussex Drug Discovery Centre, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QJ, U.K
- Équipe de Chimie Moléculaire, Laboratoire de Génomique Bioinformatique et Chimie Moléculaire, GBCM, EA7528, Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers, 2 rue Conté, 75003 Paris, France
| | - Simon E. Ward
- Medicines Discovery Institute, Cardiff University, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, U.K
| | - John R. Atack
- Medicines Discovery Institute, Cardiff University, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, U.K
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Roberts AJ, Khom S, Bajo M, Vlkolinsky R, Polis I, Cates-Gatto C, Roberto M, Gruol DL. Increased IL-6 expression in astrocytes is associated with emotionality, alterations in central amygdala GABAergic transmission, and excitability during alcohol withdrawal. Brain Behav Immun 2019; 82:188-202. [PMID: 31437534 PMCID: PMC6800653 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.08.185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2019] [Revised: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence from preclinical and clinical studies has implicated a role for the cytokine IL-6 in a variety of CNS diseases including anxiety-like and depressive-like behaviors, as well as alcohol use disorder. Here we use homozygous and heterozygous transgenic mice expressing elevated levels of IL-6 in the CNS due to increased astrocyte expression and non-transgenic littermates to examine a role for astrocyte-produced IL-6 in emotionality (response to novelty, anxiety-like, and depressive-like behaviors). Our results from homozygous IL-6 mice in a variety of behavioral tests (light/dark transfer, open field, digging, tail suspension, and forced swim tests) support a role for IL-6 in stress-coping behaviors. Ex vivo electrophysiological studies of neuronal excitability and inhibitory GABAergic synaptic transmission in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) of the homozygous transgenic mice revealed increased inhibitory GABAergic signaling and increased excitability of CeA neurons, suggesting a role for astrocyte produced IL-6 in the amygdala in exploratory drive and depressive-like behavior. Furthermore, studies in the hippocampus of activation/expression of proteins associated with IL-6 signal transduction and inhibitory GABAergic mechanisms support a role for astrocyte produced IL-6 in depressive-like behaviors. Our studies indicate a complex and dose-dependent relationship between IL-6 and behavior and implicate IL-6 induced neuroadaptive changes in neuronal excitability and the inhibitory GABAergic system as important contributors to altered behavior associated with IL-6 expression in the CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J. Roberts
- Animal Models Core Facility, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037 U.S.A
| | - Sophia Khom
- Neuroscience Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037 U.S.A
| | - Michal Bajo
- Neuroscience Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037 U.S.A
| | - Roman Vlkolinsky
- Neuroscience Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037 U.S.A
| | - Ilham Polis
- Animal Models Core Facility, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037 U.S.A
| | - Chelsea Cates-Gatto
- Animal Models Core Facility, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037 U.S.A
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Neuroscience Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037 U.S.A
| | - Donna L. Gruol
- Neuroscience Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037 U.S.A,Corresponding Author: Dr. Donna L. Gruol, Neuroscience Department, SP30-1522, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, Phone: (858) 784-7060, Fax: (858) 784-7393,
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Hashimoto K. Rapid-acting antidepressant ketamine, its metabolites and other candidates: A historical overview and future perspective. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2019; 73:613-627. [PMID: 31215725 PMCID: PMC6851782 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.12902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 217] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Revised: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most disabling psychiatric disorders. Approximately one-third of the patients with MDD are treatment resistant to the current antidepressants. There is also a significant therapeutic time lag of weeks to months. Furthermore, depression in patients with bipolar disorder (BD) is typically poorly responsive to antidepressants. Therefore, there exists an unmet medical need for rapidly acting antidepressants with beneficial effects in treatment-resistant patients with MDD or BD. Accumulating evidence suggests that the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist ketamine produces rapid and sustained antidepressant effects in treatment-resistant patients with MDD or BD. Ketamine is a racemic mixture comprising equal parts of (R)-ketamine (or arketamine) and (S)-ketamine (or esketamine). Because (S)-ketamine has higher affinity for NMDAR than (R)-ketamine, esketamine was developed as an antidepressant. On 5 March 2019, esketamine nasal spray was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. However, preclinical data suggest that (R)-ketamine exerts greater potency and longer-lasting antidepressant effects than (S)-ketamine in animal models of depression and that (R)-ketamine has less detrimental side-effects than (R,S)-ketamine or (S)-ketamine. In this article, the author reviews the historical overview of the antidepressant actions of enantiomers of ketamine and its major metabolites norketamine and hydroxynorketamine. Furthermore, the author discusses the other potential rapid-acting antidepressant candidates (i.e., NMDAR antagonists and modulators, low-voltage-sensitive T-type calcium channel inhibitor, potassium channel Kir4.1 inhibitor, negative modulators of γ-aminobutyric acid, and type A [GABAA ] receptors) to compare them with ketamine. Moreover, the molecular and cellular mechanisms of ketamine's antidepressant effects are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenji Hashimoto
- Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Chiba University Center for Forensic Mental Health, Chiba, Japan
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Page CE, Coutellier L. Prefrontal excitatory/inhibitory balance in stress and emotional disorders: Evidence for over-inhibition. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 105:39-51. [PMID: 31377218 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.07.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Chronic stress-induced emotional disorders like anxiety and depression involve imbalances between the excitatory glutamatergic system and the inhibitory GABAergic system in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). However, the precise nature and trajectory of excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) imbalances in these conditions is not clear, with the literature reporting glutamatergic and GABAergic findings that are at times contradictory and inconclusive. Here we propose and discuss the hypothesis that chronic stress-induced emotional dysfunction involves hypoactivity of the PFC due to increased inhibition. We will also discuss E/I imbalances in the context of sex differences. In this review, we will synthesize research about how glutamatergic and GABAergic systems are perturbed by chronic stress and in related emotional disorders like anxiety and depression and propose ideas for reconciling contradictory findings in support of the hypothesis of over-inhibition. We will also discuss evidence for how aspects of the GABAergic system such as parvalbumin (PV) cells can be targeted therapeutically for reinstating activity and plasticity in the PFC and treating stress-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe E Page
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University, Columbus OH, United States
| | - Laurence Coutellier
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University, Columbus OH, United States; Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, Columbus OH, United States.
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Musings from an Unlikely Clinician-Scientist: 2018 American Society of Anesthesiologists Excellence in Research Award. Anesthesiology 2019; 131:795-800. [PMID: 31335546 DOI: 10.1097/aln.0000000000002881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
This article, which stems from the 2018 American Society of Anesthesiologists Excellence in Research Award Lecture, aims to encourage young investigators, offer advice, and share several early life experiences that have influenced the author's career as an anesthesiologist and clinician-scientist. The article also describes key discoveries that have increased understanding of the role of γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptors in health and disease. The author's research team identified the unique pharmacologic properties of extrasynaptic GABAA receptors and their role in the anesthetic state. The author's team also showed that extrasynaptic GABAA receptors expressed in neuronal and nonneuronal cells contribute to a variety of disorders and are novel drug targets. The author's overarching message is that young investigators must create their own unique narratives, train hard, be relentless in their studies and-most important-enjoy the journey of discovering new truths that will ultimately benefit patients.
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Jacob TC. Neurobiology and Therapeutic Potential of α5-GABA Type A Receptors. Front Mol Neurosci 2019; 12:179. [PMID: 31396049 PMCID: PMC6668551 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2019.00179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
α5 subunit containing GABA type A receptors (GABAARs) have long been an enigmatic receptor subtype of interest due to their specific brain distribution, unusual surface localization and key role in synaptic plasticity, cognition and memory. These receptors are uniquely positioned to sculpt both the developing and mature hippocampal circuitry due to high overall expression and a distinct peak within the critical synapse formation period during the second postnatal week. Unlike the majority of other GABAARs, they exhibit both receptor clustering at extrasynaptic sites via interactions with the radixin scaffold as well as synaptic sites via gephyrin, thus contributing respectively to tonic currents and synaptic GABAergic neurotransmission. α5 GABAAR signaling can be altered in neurodevelopmental disorders including autism and mental retardation and by inflammation in CNS injury and disease. Due to the unique physiology and pharmacology of α5 GABAARs, drugs targeting these receptors are being developed and tested as treatments for neurodevelopmental disorders, depression, schizophrenia, and mild cognitive impairment. This review article focuses on advances in understanding how the α5 subunit contributes to GABAAR neurobiology. In particular, I discuss both recent insights and remaining knowledge gaps for the functional role of these receptors, pathologies associated with α5 GABAAR dysfunction, and the effects and potential therapeutic uses of α5 receptor subtype targeted drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tija C Jacob
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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Pham TH, Gardier AM. Fast-acting antidepressant activity of ketamine: highlights on brain serotonin, glutamate, and GABA neurotransmission in preclinical studies. Pharmacol Ther 2019; 199:58-90. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2019.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Lüscher B, Möhler H. Brexanolone, a neurosteroid antidepressant, vindicates the GABAergic deficit hypothesis of depression and may foster resilience. F1000Res 2019; 8. [PMID: 31275559 PMCID: PMC6544078 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.18758.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The GABAergic deficit hypothesis of depression states that a deficit of GABAergic transmission in defined neural circuits is causal for depression. Conversely, an enhancement of GABA transmission, including that triggered by selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or ketamine, has antidepressant effects. Brexanolone, an intravenous formulation of the endogenous neurosteroid allopregnanolone, showed clinically significant antidepressant activity in postpartum depression. By allosterically enhancing GABA
A receptor function, the antidepressant activity of allopregnanolone is attributed to an increase in GABAergic inhibition. In addition, allopregnanolone may stabilize normal mood by decreasing the activity of stress-responsive dentate granule cells and thereby sustain resilience behavior. Therefore, allopregnanolone may augment and extend its antidepressant activity by fostering resilience. The recent structural resolution of the neurosteroid binding domain of GABA
A receptors will expedite the development of more selective ligands as a potential new class of central nervous system drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernhard Lüscher
- Department of Biology and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.,Center for Molecular Investigation of Neurological Disorders, The Huck Institutes for the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Hanns Möhler
- Institute of Pharmacology and Neuroscience Center, University of Zurich, Zurich, 8057, Switzerland.,Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, 8057, Switzerland
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47
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Van Dyke AM, Francis TC, Chen H, Bailey AM, Thompson SM. RETRACTED: Chronic fluoxetine treatment in vivo enhances excitatory synaptic transmission in the hippocampus. Neuropharmacology 2019; 150:38-45. [PMID: 30851310 PMCID: PMC6475886 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Revised: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal). This article has been retracted at the request of the Authors. After publication, Scott M. Thompson found significant concerns about the data and duly notified The University of Maryland. The University of Maryland conducted an internal investigation which confirmed that the article was compromised. Namely in Figure 2B, the Investigation Committee determined that the western blots used to create the figure were not the ones used for the quantification and concluded that the figure was falsified to fit the hypothesis. In Figure 2C and 2D, the Investigation Committee determined that the densitometry data (pCaMKII, pS831, CamKII and GluA1) used to create the histogram were falsified to fit the hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam M Van Dyke
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA; Training Programs in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA; Membrane Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - T Chase Francis
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA; Training Programs in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Haiwen Chen
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA; Training Programs in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA; Membrane Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Aileen M Bailey
- Department of Psychology, Saint Mary's College of Maryland, St. Mary's City, MD, USA
| | - Scott M Thompson
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
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48
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Duman RS, Sanacora G, Krystal JH. Altered Connectivity in Depression: GABA and Glutamate Neurotransmitter Deficits and Reversal by Novel Treatments. Neuron 2019; 102:75-90. [PMID: 30946828 PMCID: PMC6450409 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 496] [Impact Index Per Article: 99.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2018] [Revised: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology and treatment of depression and stress-related disorders remain unclear, but studies in depressed patients and rodent models are beginning to yield promising insights. These studies demonstrate that depression and chronic stress exposure cause atrophy of neurons in cortical and limbic brain regions implicated in depression, and brain imaging studies demonstrate altered connectivity and network function in the brains of depressed patients. Studies of the neurobiological basis of the these alterations have focused on both the principle, excitatory glutamate neurons, as well as inhibitory GABA interneurons. They demonstrate structural, functional, and neurochemical deficits in both major neuronal types that could lead to degradation of signal integrity in cortical and hippocampal regions. The molecular mechanisms underlying these changes have not been identified but are thought to be related to stress induced excitotoxic effects in combination with elevated adrenal glucocorticoids and inflammatory cytokines as well as other environmental factors. Transcriptomic studies are beginning to demonstrate important sex differences and, together with genomic studies, are starting to reveal mechanistic domains of overlap and uniqueness with regards to risk and pathophysiological mechanisms with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. These studies also implicate GABA and glutamate dysfunction as well as immunologic mechanisms. While current antidepressants have significant time lag and efficacy limitations, new rapid-acting agents that target the glutamate and GABA systems address these issues and offer superior therapeutic interventions for this widespread and debilitating disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald S Duman
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, New Haven, CT 06508, USA.
| | - Gerard Sanacora
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, New Haven, CT 06508, USA
| | - John H Krystal
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, New Haven, CT 06508, USA
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49
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Fogaça MV, Duman RS. Cortical GABAergic Dysfunction in Stress and Depression: New Insights for Therapeutic Interventions. Front Cell Neurosci 2019. [PMID: 30914923 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00087/full] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating illness characterized by neuroanatomical and functional alterations in limbic structures, notably the prefrontal cortex (PFC), that can be precipitated by exposure to chronic stress. For decades, the monoaminergic deficit hypothesis of depression provided the conceptual framework to understand the pathophysiology of MDD. However, accumulating evidence suggests that MDD and chronic stress are associated with an imbalance of excitation-inhibition (E:I) within the PFC, generated by a deficit of inhibitory synaptic transmission onto principal glutamatergic neurons. MDD patients and chronically stressed animals show a reduction in GABA and GAD67 levels in the brain, decreased expression of GABAergic interneuron markers, and alterations in GABAA and GABAB receptor levels. Moreover, genetically modified animals with deletion of specific GABA receptors subunits or interneuron function show depressive-like behaviors. Here, we provide further evidence supporting the role of cortical GABAergic interneurons, mainly somatostatin- and parvalbumin-expressing cells, required for the optimal E:I balance in the PFC and discuss how the malfunction of these cells can result in depression-related behaviors. Finally, considering the relatively low efficacy of current available medications, we review new fast-acting pharmacological approaches that target the GABAergic system to treat MDD. We conclude that deficits in cortical inhibitory neurotransmission and interneuron function resulting from chronic stress exposure can compromise the integrity of neurocircuits and result in the development of MDD and other stress-related disorders. Drugs that can establish a new E:I balance in the PFC by targeting the glutamatergic and GABAergic systems show promising as fast-acting antidepressants and represent breakthrough strategies for the treatment of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoela V Fogaça
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Ronald S Duman
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
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50
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Fogaça MV, Duman RS. Cortical GABAergic Dysfunction in Stress and Depression: New Insights for Therapeutic Interventions. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:87. [PMID: 30914923 PMCID: PMC6422907 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 191] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating illness characterized by neuroanatomical and functional alterations in limbic structures, notably the prefrontal cortex (PFC), that can be precipitated by exposure to chronic stress. For decades, the monoaminergic deficit hypothesis of depression provided the conceptual framework to understand the pathophysiology of MDD. However, accumulating evidence suggests that MDD and chronic stress are associated with an imbalance of excitation-inhibition (E:I) within the PFC, generated by a deficit of inhibitory synaptic transmission onto principal glutamatergic neurons. MDD patients and chronically stressed animals show a reduction in GABA and GAD67 levels in the brain, decreased expression of GABAergic interneuron markers, and alterations in GABAA and GABAB receptor levels. Moreover, genetically modified animals with deletion of specific GABA receptors subunits or interneuron function show depressive-like behaviors. Here, we provide further evidence supporting the role of cortical GABAergic interneurons, mainly somatostatin- and parvalbumin-expressing cells, required for the optimal E:I balance in the PFC and discuss how the malfunction of these cells can result in depression-related behaviors. Finally, considering the relatively low efficacy of current available medications, we review new fast-acting pharmacological approaches that target the GABAergic system to treat MDD. We conclude that deficits in cortical inhibitory neurotransmission and interneuron function resulting from chronic stress exposure can compromise the integrity of neurocircuits and result in the development of MDD and other stress-related disorders. Drugs that can establish a new E:I balance in the PFC by targeting the glutamatergic and GABAergic systems show promising as fast-acting antidepressants and represent breakthrough strategies for the treatment of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoela V Fogaça
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Ronald S Duman
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
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