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Kitamura T, Ramesh K, Terranova JI. Understanding Others' Distress Through Past Experiences: The Role of Memory Engram Cells in Observational Fear. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 38:215-234. [PMID: 39008018 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-62983-9_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
For individuals to survive and function in society, it is essential that they recognize, interact with, and learn from other conspecifics. Observational fear (OF) is the well-conserved empathic ability of individuals to understand the other's aversive situation. While it is widely known that factors such as prior similar aversive experience and social familiarity with the demonstrator facilitate OF, the neural circuit mechanisms that explicitly regulate experience-dependent OF (Exp OF) were unclear. In this review, we examine the neural circuit mechanisms that regulate OF, with an emphasis on rodent models, and then discuss emerging evidence for the role of fear memory engram cells in the regulation of Exp OF. First, we examine the neural circuit mechanisms that underlie Naive OF, which is when an observer lacks prior experiences relevant to OF. In particular, the anterior cingulate cortex to basolateral amygdala (BLA) neural circuit is essential for Naive OF. Next, we discuss a recent study that developed a behavioral paradigm in mice to examine the neural circuit mechanisms that underlie Exp OF. This study found that fear memory engram cells in the BLA of observers, which form during a prior similar aversive experience with shock, are reactivated by ventral hippocampal neurons in response to shock delivery to the familiar demonstrator to elicit Exp OF. Finally, we discuss the implications of fear memory engram cells in Exp OF and directions of future research that are of both translational and basic interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Kitamura
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - Kritika Ramesh
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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Jiang J, Tan S, Feng X, Peng Y, Long C, Yang L. Distinct ACC Neural Mechanisms Underlie Authentic and Transmitted Anxiety Induced by Maternal Separation in Mice. J Neurosci 2023; 43:8201-8218. [PMID: 37845036 PMCID: PMC10697407 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0558-23.2023] [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: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
It is known that humans and rodents are capable of transmitting stress to their naive partners via social interaction. However, a comprehensive understanding of transmitted stress, which may differ from authentic stress, thus revealing unique neural mechanisms of social interaction resulting from transmitted stress and the associated anxiety, is missing. We used, in the present study, maternal separation (MS) as a stress model to investigate whether MS causes abnormal behavior in adolescence. A key concern in the analysis of stress transmission is whether the littermates of MS mice who only witness MS stress ("Partners") exhibit behavioral abnormalities similar to those of MS mice themselves. Of special interest is the establishment of the neural mechanisms underlying transmitted stress and authentic stress. The results show that Partners, similar to MS mice, exhibit anxiety-like behavior and hyperalgesia after witnessing littermates being subjected to early-life repetitive MS. Electrophysiological analysis revealed that mice subjected to MS demonstrate a reduction in both the excitatory and inhibitory synaptic activities of parvalbumin interneurons (PVINs) in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). However, Partners differed from MS mice in showing an increase in the number and excitability of GABAergic PVINs in the ACC and in the ability of chemogenetic PVIN inactivation to eliminate abnormal behavior. Furthermore, the social transfer of anxiety-like behavior required intact olfactory, but not visual, perception. This study suggests a functional involvement of ACC PVINs in mediating the distinct neural basis of transmitted anxiety.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is a critical brain area in physical and social pain and contributes to the exhibition of abnormal behavior. ACC glutamatergic neurons have been shown to encode transmitted stress, but it remains unclear whether inhibitory ACC neurons also play a role. We evaluate, in this study, ACC neuronal, synaptic and network activities and uncover a critical role of parvalbumin interneurons (PVINs) in the expression of transmitted stress in adolescent mice who had witnessed MS of littermates in infancy. Furthermore, inactivation of ACC PVINs blocks transmitted stress. The results suggest that emotional contagion has a severe effect on brain function, and identify a potential target for the treatment of transmitted anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinxiang Jiang
- School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
- School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Shuyi Tan
- School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Xiaoyi Feng
- School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Yigang Peng
- School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Cheng Long
- School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Li Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
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Rosen JB, Schulkin J. Hyperexcitability: From Normal Fear to Pathological Anxiety and Trauma. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 16:727054. [PMID: 35993088 PMCID: PMC9387392 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.727054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hyperexcitability in fear circuits is suggested to be important for development of pathological anxiety and trauma from adaptive mechanisms of fear. Hyperexcitability is proposed to be due to acquired sensitization in fear circuits that progressively becomes more severe over time causing changing symptoms in early and late pathology. We use the metaphor and mechanisms of kindling to examine gains and losses in function of one excitatory and one inhibitory neuropeptide, corticotrophin releasing factor and somatostatin, respectively, to explore this sensitization hypothesis. We suggest amygdala kindling induced hyperexcitability, hyper-inhibition and loss of inhibition provide clues to mechanisms for hyperexcitability and progressive changes in function initiated by stress and trauma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey B. Rosen
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
- *Correspondence: Jeffrey B. Rosen,
| | - Jay Schulkin
- School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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Terranova JI, Yokose J, Osanai H, Marks WD, Yamamoto J, Ogawa SK, Kitamura T. Hippocampal-amygdala memory circuits govern experience-dependent observational fear. Neuron 2022; 110:1416-1431.e13. [PMID: 35139362 PMCID: PMC9035063 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The empathic ability to vicariously experience the other's fearful situation, a process called observational fear (OF), is critical to survive in nature and function in society. OF can be facilitated by both prior similar fear experience in the observer and social familiarity with the demonstrator. However, the neural circuit mechanisms of experience-dependent OF (Exp OF) remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate that hippocampal-basolateral amygdala (HPC-BLA) circuits in mice without involving the anterior cingulate cortex, considered a center of OF, mediate Exp OF. Dorsal HPC neurons generate fear memory engram cells in BLA encoding prior similar fear experiences, which are essential for Exp OF. On the other hand, ventral HPC neurons respond to the familiar demonstrator's aversive situation during Exp OF, which reactivates the fear memory engram cells in BLA to elicit Exp OF. Our study provides new insights into the memory engram-dependent perception-action coupling that underlies empathic behaviors like Exp OF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph I Terranova
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Jun Yokose
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Hisayuki Osanai
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - William D Marks
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Jun Yamamoto
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Sachie K Ogawa
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Takashi Kitamura
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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Keeping the Balance: GABAB Receptors in the Developing Brain and Beyond. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12040419. [PMID: 35447949 PMCID: PMC9031223 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12040419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The main neurotransmitter in the brain responsible for the inhibition of neuronal activity is γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). It plays a crucial role in circuit formation during development, both via its primary effects as a neurotransmitter and also as a trophic factor. The GABAB receptors (GABABRs) are G protein-coupled metabotropic receptors; on one hand, they can influence proliferation and migration; and, on the other, they can inhibit cells by modulating the function of K+ and Ca2+ channels, doing so on a slower time scale and with a longer-lasting effect compared to ionotropic GABAA receptors. GABABRs are expressed pre- and post-synaptically, at both glutamatergic and GABAergic terminals, thus being able to shape neuronal activity, plasticity, and the balance between excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission in response to varying levels of extracellular GABA concentration. Furthermore, given their subunit composition and their ability to form complexes with several associated proteins, GABABRs display heterogeneity with regard to their function, which makes them a promising target for pharmacological interventions. This review will describe (i) the latest results concerning GABABRs/GABABR-complex structures, their function, and the developmental time course of their appearance and functional integration in the brain, (ii) their involvement in manifestation of various pathophysiological conditions, and (iii) the current status of preclinical and clinical studies involving GABABR-targeting drugs.
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Abstract
GABAB receptors are implicated in numerous central nervous system-based behaviours and mechanisms, including cognitive processing in preclinical animal models. Homeostatic changes in the expression and function of these receptors across brain structures have been found to affect cognitive processing. Numerous preclinical studies have focused on the role of GABAB receptors in learning, memory and cognition per se with some interesting, although sometimes contradictory, findings. The majority of the existing clinical literature focuses on alterations in GABAB receptor function in conditions and disorders whose main symptomatology includes deficits in cognitive processing. The aim of this chapter is to delineate the role of GABAB receptors in cognitive processes in health and disease of animal models and human clinical populations. More specifically, this review aims to present literature on the role of GABAB receptors in animal models with cognitive deficits, especially those of learning and memory. Further, it aims to capture the progress and advances of research studies on the effects of GABAB receptor compounds in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative conditions with cognitive dysfunctions. The neurodevelopmental conditions covered include autism spectrum disorders, fragile X syndrome and Down's syndrome and the neurodegenerative conditions discussed are Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy and autoimmune anti-GABAB encephalitis. Although some findings are contradictory, results indicate a possible therapeutic role of GABAB receptor compounds for the treatment of cognitive dysfunction and learning/memory impairments for some of these conditions, especially in neurodegeneration. Moreover, future research efforts should aim to develop selective GABAB receptor compounds with minimal, if any, side effects.
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Adler AB, Svetlitzky V, Gutierrez IA. Post-traumatic stress disorder risk and witnessing team members in acute psychological stress during combat. BJPsych Open 2020; 6:e98. [PMID: 32878671 PMCID: PMC7488310 DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2020.81] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Occupational groups operating in dangerous environments may witness the development of acute stress reaction (ASR) in team members. Witnessing ASR in team members may increase the risk of developing subsequent post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. AIMS To describe ASR symptoms that individuals witness, assess the relationship between witnessing a team member exhibiting ASR symptoms and an individual's own PTSD symptoms, and describe common intervention responses by peers. METHOD Cross-sectional, anonymous surveys were conducted with US soldiers who were previously deployed (sample 1; n = 176) and currently deployed sample 2; n = 497). Surveys assessed combat experiences, PTSD (PTSD Checklist-5), ASR exposure and intervention responses. Analyses included frequencies and binary logistic regression. RESULTS Witnessing at least one ASR symptom during a combat-related event was reported by 51.7% in sample 1 and 42.4% in sample 2; the most commonly observed symptoms were being unable to function or being detached. Controlling for combat experiences, high levels of witnessing a team member exhibit ASR symptoms was associated with increased risk of subthreshold PTSD or PTSD in sample 1 (odds ratio (OR) = 8.69, 95% CI 2.29-42.60) and approached significance in sample 2 (OR = 1.67, 95% CI 0.98-2.81). Common intervention responses included providing a directive or yelling; many also reported being unsure how to respond. CONCLUSIONS Witnessing team members who exhibit ASR symptoms appears to be associated with screening positive for subthreshold PTSD or PTSD. Results suggest the need for further research into how to prepare individuals to manage ASR in team members and to examine ASR in other high-risk occupations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy B Adler
- Research Transition Office, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, USA
| | - Vlad Svetlitzky
- Research Transition Office, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, USA
| | - Ian A Gutierrez
- Research Transition Office, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, USA
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Dawitz J, Kroon T, Hjorth JJJ, Mansvelder HD, Meredith RM. Distinct Synchronous Network Activity During the Second Postnatal Week of Medial Entorhinal Cortex Development. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:91. [PMID: 32372917 PMCID: PMC7186407 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) contains specialized cell types whose firing is tuned to aspects of an animal’s position and orientation in the environment, reflecting a neuronal representation of space. The spatially tuned firing properties of these cells quickly emerge during the third postnatal week of development in rodents. Spontaneous synchronized network activity (SSNA) has been shown to play a crucial role in the development of neuronal circuits prior to week 3. SSNA in MEC is well described in rodents during the first postnatal week, but there are little data about its development immediately prior to eye opening and spatial exploration. Furthermore, existing data lack single-cell resolution and are not integrated across layers. In this study, we addressed the question of whether the characteristics and underlying mechanisms of SSNA during the second postnatal week resemble that of the first week or whether distinct features emerge during this period. Using a combined calcium imaging and electrophysiology approach in vitro, we confirm that in mouse MEC during the second postnatal week, SSNA persists and in fact peaks, and is dependent on ionotropic glutamatergic signaling. However, SSNA differs from that observed during the first postnatal week in two ways: First, EC does not drive network activity in the hippocampus but only in neighboring neocortex (NeoC). Second, GABA does not drive network activity but influences it in a manner that is dependent both on age and receptor type. Therefore, we conclude that while there is a partial mechanistic overlap in SSNA between the first and second postnatal weeks, unique mechanistic features do emerge during the second week, suggestive of different or additional functions of MEC within the hippocampal-entorhinal circuitry with increasing maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Dawitz
- Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Tim Kroon
- Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - J J Johannes Hjorth
- Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Huib D Mansvelder
- Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Rhiannon M Meredith
- Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Cheng Z, Cui R, Ge T, Yang W, Li B. Optogenetics: What it has uncovered in potential pathways of depression. Pharmacol Res 2020; 152:104596. [DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2019.104596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 11/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Burgos-Robles A, Gothard KM, Monfils MH, Morozov A, Vicentic A. Conserved features of anterior cingulate networks support observational learning across species. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 107:215-228. [PMID: 31509768 PMCID: PMC6875610 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The ability to observe, interpret, and learn behaviors and emotions from conspecifics is crucial for survival, as it bypasses direct experience to avoid potential dangers and maximize rewards and benefits. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and its extended neural connections are emerging as important networks for the detection, encoding, and interpretation of social signals during observational learning. Evidence from rodents and primates (including humans) suggests that the social interactions that occur while individuals are exposed to important information in their environment lead to transfer of information across individuals that promotes adaptive behaviors in the form of either social affiliation, alertness, or avoidance. In this review, we first showcase anatomical and functional connections of the ACC in primates and rodents that contribute to the perception of social signals. We then discuss species-specific cognitive and social functions of the ACC and differentiate between neural activity related to 'self' and 'other', extending into the difference between social signals received and processed by the self, versus observing social interactions among others. We next describe behavioral and neural events that contribute to social learning via observation. Finally, we discuss some of the neural mechanisms underlying observational learning within the ACC and its extended network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Burgos-Robles
- Department of Biology, Neuroscience Institute, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Katalin M Gothard
- Department of Physiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA
| | - Marie H Monfils
- Department of Psychology, Institute for Mental Health Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Alexei Morozov
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Roanoke, VA 24016, USA
| | - Aleksandra Vicentic
- Division of Neuroscience and Basic Behavioral Science, National Institute of Mental Health, Rockville, MD 20852, USA.
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Keum S, Shin HS. Neural Basis of Observational Fear Learning: A Potential Model of Affective Empathy. Neuron 2019; 104:78-86. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Revised: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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Holley SM, Galvan L, Kamdjou T, Dong A, Levine MS, Cepeda C. Major Contribution of Somatostatin-Expressing Interneurons and Cannabinoid Receptors to Increased GABA Synaptic Activity in the Striatum of Huntington's Disease Mice. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2019; 11:14. [PMID: 31139071 PMCID: PMC6527892 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2019.00014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a heritable neurological disorder that affects cognitive and motor performance in patients carrying the mutated huntingtin (HTT) gene. In mouse models of HD, previous reports showed a significant increase in spontaneous GABAA receptor-mediated synaptic activity in striatal spiny projection neurons (SPNs). In this study, using optogenetics and slice electrophysiology, we examined the contribution of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic parvalbumin (PV)- and somatostatin (SOM)-expressing interneurons to the increase in GABA neurotransmission using the Q175 (heterozygote) mouse model of HD. Patch clamp recordings in voltage-clamp mode were performed on SPNs from brain slices of presymptomatic (2 months) and symptomatic (8 and 12 months) Q175 mice and wildtype (WT) littermates. While inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) evoked in SPNs following optical activation of PV- and SOM-expressing interneurons differed in amplitude, no genotype-dependent differences were observed at all ages from both interneuron types; however, responses evoked by either type were found to have faster kinetics in symptomatic mice. Since SOM-expressing interneurons are constitutively active in striatal brain slices, we then examined the effects of acutely silencing these neurons in symptomatic mice with enhanced Natronomonas pharaonis halorhodopsin (eNpHR). Optically silencing SOM-expressing interneurons resulted in a greater decrease in the frequency of spontaneous IPSCs (sIPSCs) in a subset of SPNs from Q175 mice compared to WTs, suggesting that SOM-expressing interneurons are the main contributors to the overall increased GABA synaptic activity in HD SPNs. Additionally, the effects of activating GABAB and cannabinoid (CB1) receptors were investigated to determine whether these receptors were involved in modulating interneuron-specific GABA synaptic transmission and if this modulation differed in HD mice. When selectively activating PV- and SOM-expressing interneurons in the presence of the CB1 receptor agonist WIN-55,212, the magnitudes of the evoked IPSCs in SPNs decreased for both interneuron types although this change was less prominent in symptomatic Q175 SPNs during SOM-expressing interneuron activation. Overall, these findings show that dysfunction of SOM-expressing interneurons contributes to the increased GABA synaptic activity found in HD mouse models and that dysregulation of the endocannabinoid system may contribute to this effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra M Holley
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Laurie Galvan
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Talia Kamdjou
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Ashley Dong
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Michael S Levine
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Carlos Cepeda
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Meyza K, Knapska E. What can rodents teach us about empathy? Curr Opin Psychol 2018; 24:15-20. [PMID: 29609059 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2017] [Revised: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 03/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
While many consider empathy an exclusively human trait, non-human animals are capable of simple forms of empathy, such as emotional contagion, as well as consolation and helping behavior. Rodent models are particularly useful for describing the neuronal background of these phenomena. They offer the possibility of employing single-cell resolution mapping of the neuronal activity as well as novel techniques for manipulation of in vivo activity, which are currently unavailable in human studies. Here, we review recent developments in the field of rodent empathy research with special emphasis on behavioral paradigms and data on neuronal correlates of emotional contagion. We hope that the use of rodent models will enhance our understanding of social deficits in neuropsychiatric disorders characterized with empathy impairments and the evolutionary continuity of the empathic trait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ksenia Meyza
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland
| | - Ewelina Knapska
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland.
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