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Hoops D, Yee Y, Hammill C, Wong S, Manitt C, Bedell BJ, Cahill L, Lerch JP, Flores C, Sled JG. Disproportionate neuroanatomical effects of DCC haploinsufficiency in adolescence compared with adulthood: links to dopamine, connectivity, covariance, and gene expression brain maps in mice. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2024; 49:E157-E171. [PMID: 38692693 PMCID: PMC11068426 DOI: 10.1503/jpn.230106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Critical adolescent neural refinement is controlled by the DCC (deleted in colorectal cancer) protein, a receptor for the netrin-1 guidance cue. We sought to describe the effects of reduced DCC on neuroanatomy in the adolescent and adult mouse brain. METHODS We examined neuronal connectivity, structural covariance, and molecular processes in a DCC-haploinsufficient mouse model, compared with wild-type mice, using new, custom analytical tools designed to leverage publicly available databases from the Allen Institute. RESULTS We included 11 DCC-haploinsufficient mice and 16 wild-type littermates. Neuroanatomical effects of DCC haploinsufficiency were more severe in adolescence than adulthood and were largely restricted to the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system. The latter finding was consistent whether we identified the regions of the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system a priori or used connectivity data from the Allen Brain Atlas to determine de novo where these dopamine axons terminated. Covariance analyses found that DCC haploinsufficiency disrupted the coordinated development of the brain regions that make up the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system. Gene expression maps pointed to molecular processes involving the expression of DCC, UNC5C (encoding DCC's co-receptor), and NTN1 (encoding its ligand, netrin-1) as underlying our structural findings. LIMITATIONS Our study involved a single sex (males) at only 2 ages. CONCLUSION The neuroanatomical phenotype of DCC haploinsufficiency described in mice parallels that observed in DCC-haploinsufficient humans. It is critical to understand the DCC-haploinsufficient mouse as a clinically relevant model system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Hoops
- From the Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Hammill, Wong, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Flores); the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Manitt, Flores); the Department of Chemistry, Memorial University, St. John's, N.L. (Hoops, Cahill); the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Bedell, Flores); the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, U.K. (Lerch); the Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Flores)
| | - Yohan Yee
- From the Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Hammill, Wong, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Flores); the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Manitt, Flores); the Department of Chemistry, Memorial University, St. John's, N.L. (Hoops, Cahill); the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Bedell, Flores); the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, U.K. (Lerch); the Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Flores)
| | - Christopher Hammill
- From the Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Hammill, Wong, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Flores); the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Manitt, Flores); the Department of Chemistry, Memorial University, St. John's, N.L. (Hoops, Cahill); the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Bedell, Flores); the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, U.K. (Lerch); the Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Flores)
| | - Sammi Wong
- From the Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Hammill, Wong, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Flores); the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Manitt, Flores); the Department of Chemistry, Memorial University, St. John's, N.L. (Hoops, Cahill); the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Bedell, Flores); the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, U.K. (Lerch); the Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Flores)
| | - Colleen Manitt
- From the Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Hammill, Wong, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Flores); the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Manitt, Flores); the Department of Chemistry, Memorial University, St. John's, N.L. (Hoops, Cahill); the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Bedell, Flores); the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, U.K. (Lerch); the Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Flores)
| | - Barry J Bedell
- From the Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Hammill, Wong, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Flores); the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Manitt, Flores); the Department of Chemistry, Memorial University, St. John's, N.L. (Hoops, Cahill); the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Bedell, Flores); the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, U.K. (Lerch); the Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Flores)
| | - Lindsay Cahill
- From the Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Hammill, Wong, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Flores); the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Manitt, Flores); the Department of Chemistry, Memorial University, St. John's, N.L. (Hoops, Cahill); the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Bedell, Flores); the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, U.K. (Lerch); the Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Flores)
| | - Jason P Lerch
- From the Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Hammill, Wong, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Flores); the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Manitt, Flores); the Department of Chemistry, Memorial University, St. John's, N.L. (Hoops, Cahill); the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Bedell, Flores); the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, U.K. (Lerch); the Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Flores)
| | - Cecilia Flores
- From the Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Hammill, Wong, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Flores); the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Manitt, Flores); the Department of Chemistry, Memorial University, St. John's, N.L. (Hoops, Cahill); the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Bedell, Flores); the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, U.K. (Lerch); the Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Flores)
| | - John G Sled
- From the Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Hammill, Wong, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Flores); the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Manitt, Flores); the Department of Chemistry, Memorial University, St. John's, N.L. (Hoops, Cahill); the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Bedell, Flores); the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, U.K. (Lerch); the Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Flores)
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2
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Avramescu RG, Hernandez G, Flores C. Rewiring the future: drugs abused in adolescence may predispose to mental illness in adult life by altering dopamine axon growth. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2024; 131:461-467. [PMID: 38036858 PMCID: PMC11055695 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-023-02722-6] [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: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Adolescence is a period of increased exploration and novelty-seeking, which includes new social behaviors, as well as drug experimentation, often spurred on by peer pressure. This is unfortunate, as the immature state of the adolescent brain makes it particularly susceptible to the negative developmental impact of drug use. During adolescence, dopamine terminals, which have migrated from the ventral tegmental area, pause in the nucleus accumbens, before segregating by either forming local connections or growing towards the prefrontal cortex (PFC). This developmentally late and lengthy process renders adolescent dopamine axon pathfinding vulnerable to disruption by substance use. Indeed, exposure to stimulant drugs in adolescent male mice, but not females, triggers dopamine axons to mistarget the nucleus accumbens and to grow ectopically to the PFC. Some evidence suggests that at this novel site, the functional organization of the ectopic dopamine axons mirrors that of the intended target. The structural rewiring dysregulates local synaptic connectivity, leading to poor impulse control ability, deficits of which are a core symptom of substance-use disorders. In the present commentary, we argue that different substances of abuse induce dopamine mistargeting events with the off-target trajectory prescribed by the type of drug, leading to psychiatric outcomes later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Giovanni Hernandez
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Cecilia Flores
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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3
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Pulcrano S, De Gregorio R, De Sanctis C, Volpicelli F, Piscitelli RM, Speranza L, Perrone-Capano C, di Porzio U, Caiazzo M, Martini A, Giacomet C, Medina D, Awatramani R, Viggiano D, Federici M, Mercuri NB, Guatteo E, Bellenchi GC. miR-218 Promotes Dopaminergic Differentiation and Controls Neuron Excitability and Neurotransmitter Release through the Regulation of a Synaptic-Related Genes Network. J Neurosci 2023; 43:8104-8125. [PMID: 37816598 PMCID: PMC10697421 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0431-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In the brain, microRNAs (miRNAs) are believed to play a role in orchestrating synaptic plasticity at a higher level by acting as an additional mechanism of translational regulation, alongside the mRNA/polysome system. Despite extensive research, our understanding of the specific contribution of individual miRNA to the function of dopaminergic neurons (DAn) remains limited. By performing a dopaminergic-specific miRNA screening, we have identified miR-218 as a critical regulator of DAn activity in male and female mice. We have found that miR-218 is specifically expressed in mesencephalic DAn and is able to promote dopaminergic differentiation of embryonic stem cells and functional maturation of transdifferentiated induced DA neurons. Midbrain-specific deletion of both genes encoding for miR-218 (referred to as miR-218-1 and mir218-2) affects the expression of a cluster of synaptic-related mRNAs and alters the intrinsic excitability of DAn, as it increases instantaneous frequencies of evoked action potentials, reduces rheobase current, affects the ionic current underlying the action potential after hyperpolarization phase, and reduces dopamine efflux in response to a single electrical stimulus. Our findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the involvement of miR-218 in the dopaminergic system and highlight its role as a modulator of dopaminergic transmission.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In the past decade, several miRNAs have emerged as potential regulators of synapse activity through the modulation of specific gene expression. Among these, we have identified a dopaminergic-specific miRNA, miR-218, which is able to promote dopaminergic differentiation and regulates the translation of an entire cluster of synapse related mRNAs. Deletion of miR-218 has notable effects on dopamine release and alters the intrinsic excitability of dopaminergic neurons, indicating a direct control of dopaminergic activity by miR-218.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salvatore Pulcrano
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Naples, 80131, Italy
| | - Roberto De Gregorio
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Naples, 80131, Italy
- Caryl and Israel Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine and New York Presbyterian, New York, New York 10021
| | - Claudia De Sanctis
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Naples, 80131, Italy
- Neuropathology Brain Bank at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029
| | - Floriana Volpicelli
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Naples, 80131, Italy
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, 80131, Italy
| | - Rosa Maria Piscitelli
- Fondazione Santa Lucia Istituto Di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome, 00143, Italy
| | - Luisa Speranza
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York 10461
| | - Carla Perrone-Capano
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Naples, 80131, Italy
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, 80131, Italy
| | - Umberto di Porzio
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Naples, 80131, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Caiazzo
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, 80131, Italy
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3584 CG, The Netherlands
| | - Alessandro Martini
- Fondazione Santa Lucia Istituto Di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome, 00143, Italy
| | - Cecilia Giacomet
- Fondazione Santa Lucia Istituto Di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome, 00143, Italy
| | - Diego Medina
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Pozzuoli, 80078, Italy
- Department of Medical and Translational Science, Federico II University, Naples, 80131, Italy
| | | | - Davide Viggiano
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli," Naples, 80131, Italy
| | - Mauro Federici
- Fondazione Santa Lucia Istituto Di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome, 00143, Italy
| | - Nicola B Mercuri
- Fondazione Santa Lucia Istituto Di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome, 00143, Italy
- University of Tor Vergata, Department of Systems Medicine, Rome, 00133, Italy
| | - Ezia Guatteo
- Fondazione Santa Lucia Istituto Di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome, 00143, Italy
- Department of Motor Science and Wellness, Parthenope University, Naples, 80133, Italy
| | - Gian Carlo Bellenchi
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Naples, 80131, Italy
- Fondazione Santa Lucia Istituto Di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome, 00143, Italy
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4
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Batra A, Cuesta S, Alves MB, Restrepo JM, Giroux M, Laureano DP, Mucellini Lovato AB, Miguel PM, Machado TD, Molle RD, Flores C, Silveira PP. Relationship between insulin and Netrin-1/DCC guidance cue pathway regulation in the prefrontal cortex of rodents exposed to prenatal dietary restriction. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2023; 14:501-507. [PMID: 37431265 PMCID: PMC10988268 DOI: 10.1017/s204017442300017x] [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] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Fetal restriction (FR) alters insulin sensitivity, but it is unknown how the metabolic profile associated with restriction affects development of the dopamine (DA) system and DA-related behaviors. The Netrin-1/DCC guidance cue system participates in maturation of the mesocorticolimbic DA circuitry. Therefore, our objective was to identify if FR modifies Netrin-1/DCC receptor protein expression in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) at birth and mRNA in adulthood in rodent males. We used cultured HEK293 cells to assess if levels of miR-218, microRNA regulator of DCC, are sensitive to insulin. To assess this, pregnant dams were subjected to a 50% FR diet from gestational day 10 until birth. Medial PFC (mPFC) DCC/Netrin-1 protein expression was measured at P0 at baseline and Dcc/Netrin-1 mRNA levels were quantified in adults 15 min after a saline/insulin injection. miR-218 levels in HEK-293 cells were measured in response to insulin exposure. At P0, Netrin-1 levels are downregulated in FR animals in comparison to controls. In adult rodents, insulin administration results in an increase in Dcc mRNA levels in control but not FR rats. In HEK293 cells, there is a positive correlation between insulin concentration and miR-218 levels. Since miR-218 is a Dcc gene expression regulator and our in vitro results show that insulin regulates miR-218 levels, we suggest that FR-induced changes in insulin sensitivity could be affecting Dcc expression via miR-218, impacting DA system maturation and organization. As fetal adversity is linked to nonadaptive behaviors later in life, this may contribute to early identification of vulnerability to chronic diseases associated with fetal adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aashita Batra
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Santiago Cuesta
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Marcio Bonesso Alves
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jose Maria Restrepo
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Michel Giroux
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Daniela Pereira Laureano
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde da Criança e do Adolescente, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Amanda Brondani Mucellini Lovato
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psiquiatria e Ciências do Comportamento, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Maidana Miguel
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Tania Diniz Machado
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde da Criança e do Adolescente, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Roberta Dalle Molle
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Cecilia Flores
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Patricia Pelufo Silveira
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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5
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Reynolds LM, Hernandez G, MacGowan D, Popescu C, Nouel D, Cuesta S, Burke S, Savell KE, Zhao J, Restrepo-Lozano JM, Giroux M, Israel S, Orsini T, He S, Wodzinski M, Avramescu RG, Pokinko M, Epelbaum JG, Niu Z, Pantoja-Urbán AH, Trudeau LÉ, Kolb B, Day JJ, Flores C. Amphetamine disrupts dopamine axon growth in adolescence by a sex-specific mechanism in mice. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4035. [PMID: 37419977 PMCID: PMC10329029 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39665-1] [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: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Initiating drug use during adolescence increases the risk of developing addiction or other psychopathologies later in life, with long-term outcomes varying according to sex and exact timing of use. The cellular and molecular underpinnings explaining this differential sensitivity to detrimental drug effects remain unexplained. The Netrin-1/DCC guidance cue system segregates cortical and limbic dopamine pathways in adolescence. Here we show that amphetamine, by dysregulating Netrin-1/DCC signaling, triggers ectopic growth of mesolimbic dopamine axons to the prefrontal cortex, only in early-adolescent male mice, underlying a male-specific vulnerability to enduring cognitive deficits. In adolescent females, compensatory changes in Netrin-1 protect against the deleterious consequences of amphetamine on dopamine connectivity and cognitive outcomes. Netrin-1/DCC signaling functions as a molecular switch which can be differentially regulated by the same drug experience as function of an individual's sex and adolescent age, and lead to divergent long-term outcomes associated with vulnerable or resilient phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Reynolds
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Plasticité du Cerveau CNRS UMR8249, École supérieure de physique et de chimie industrielles de la Ville de Paris (ESPCI Paris), Paris, France
| | | | - Del MacGowan
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Christina Popescu
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Dominique Nouel
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Santiago Cuesta
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Samuel Burke
- CNS Research Group, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Katherine E Savell
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Janet Zhao
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Jose Maria Restrepo-Lozano
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Michel Giroux
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Sonia Israel
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Taylor Orsini
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Susan He
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Radu G Avramescu
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Matthew Pokinko
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Julia G Epelbaum
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Zhipeng Niu
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Andrea Harée Pantoja-Urbán
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Louis-Éric Trudeau
- CNS Research Group, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Bryan Kolb
- Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - Jeremy J Day
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Cecilia Flores
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry and Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, Canada.
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6
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Kumaresan V, Lim Y, Juneja P, Tipton AE, de Guglielmo G, Carrette LLG, Kallupi M, Maturin L, Liu Y, George O, Zhang H. Abstinence from Escalation of Cocaine Intake Changes the microRNA Landscape in the Cortico-Accumbal Pathway. Biomedicines 2023; 11:1368. [PMID: 37239038 PMCID: PMC10216163 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11051368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Cocaine administration alters the microRNA (miRNA) landscape in the cortico-accumbal pathway. These changes in miRNA can play a major role in the posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression during withdrawal. This study aimed to investigate the changes in microRNA expression in the cortico-accumbal pathway during acute withdrawal and protracted abstinence following escalated cocaine intake. Small RNA sequencing (sRNA-seq) was used to profile miRNA transcriptomic changes in the cortico-accumbal pathway [infralimbic- and prelimbic-prefrontal cortex (IL and PL) and nucleus accumbens (NAc)] of rats with extended access to cocaine self-administration followed by an 18-h withdrawal or a 4-week abstinence. An 18-h withdrawal led to differential expression (fold-change > 1.5 and p < 0.05) of 21 miRNAs in the IL, 18 miRNAs in the PL, and two miRNAs in the NAc. The mRNAs potentially targeted by these miRNAs were enriched in the following pathways: gap junctions, neurotrophin signaling, MAPK signaling, and cocaine addiction. Moreover, a 4-week abstinence led to differential expression (fold-change > 1.5 and p < 0.05) of 23 miRNAs in the IL, seven in the PL, and five miRNAs in the NAc. The mRNAs potentially targeted by these miRNAs were enriched in pathways including gap junctions, cocaine addiction, MAPK signaling, glutamatergic synapse, morphine addiction, and amphetamine addiction. Additionally, the expression levels of several miRNAs differentially expressed in either the IL or the NAc were significantly correlated with addiction behaviors. Our findings highlight the impact of acute and protracted abstinence from escalated cocaine intake on miRNA expression in the cortico-accumbal pathway, a key circuit in addiction, and suggest developing novel biomarkers and therapeutic approaches to prevent relapse by targeting abstinence-associated miRNAs and their regulated mRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vidhya Kumaresan
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA;
| | - Yolpanhchana Lim
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA; (Y.L.); (P.J.); (Y.L.)
- Department of Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Poorva Juneja
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA; (Y.L.); (P.J.); (Y.L.)
- Department of Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Allison E. Tipton
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA;
| | - Giordano de Guglielmo
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (G.d.G.); (L.L.G.C.); (M.K.); (L.M.); (O.G.)
| | - Lieselot L. G. Carrette
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (G.d.G.); (L.L.G.C.); (M.K.); (L.M.); (O.G.)
| | - Marsida Kallupi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (G.d.G.); (L.L.G.C.); (M.K.); (L.M.); (O.G.)
| | - Lisa Maturin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (G.d.G.); (L.L.G.C.); (M.K.); (L.M.); (O.G.)
| | - Ying Liu
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA; (Y.L.); (P.J.); (Y.L.)
- Department of Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Olivier George
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (G.d.G.); (L.L.G.C.); (M.K.); (L.M.); (O.G.)
| | - Huiping Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA; (Y.L.); (P.J.); (Y.L.)
- Department of Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
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7
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Seyednejad SA, Sartor GC. Noncoding RNA therapeutics for substance use disorder. ADVANCES IN DRUG AND ALCOHOL RESEARCH 2022; 2:10807. [PMID: 36601439 PMCID: PMC9808746 DOI: 10.3389/adar.2022.10807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Although noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been shown to regulate maladaptive neuroadaptations that drive compulsive drug use, ncRNA-targeting therapeutics for substance use disorder (SUD) have yet to be clinically tested. Recent advances in RNA-based drugs have improved many therapeutic issues related to immune response, specificity, and delivery, leading to multiple successful clinical trials for other diseases. As the need for safe and effective treatments for SUD continues to grow, novel nucleic acid-based therapeutics represent an appealing approach to target ncRNA mechanisms in SUD. Here, we review ncRNA processes implicated in SUD, discuss recent therapeutic approaches for targeting ncRNAs, and highlight potential opportunities and challenges of ncRNA-targeting therapeutics for SUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyed Afshin Seyednejad
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
- Connecticut Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences (CT IBACS), Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Gregory C. Sartor
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
- Connecticut Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences (CT IBACS), Storrs, CT, United States
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8
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Vázquez-Ágredos A, Gámiz F, Gallo M. MicroRNA Regulation of the Environmental Impact on Adolescent Neurobehavioral Development: A Systematic Review. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:956609. [PMID: 35936504 PMCID: PMC9352948 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.956609] [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: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Adolescence is a late developmental period marked by pronounced reorganization of brain networks in which epigenetic mechanisms play a fundamental role. This brain remodeling is associated with a peculiar behavior characterized by novelty seeking and risky activities such as alcohol and drug abuse, which is associated with increased susceptibility to stress. Hence, adolescence is a vulnerable postnatal period since short- and long-term deleterious effects of alcohol drinking and drug abuse are a serious worldwide public health concern. Among several other consequences, it has been proposed that exposure to stress, alcohol, or other drugs disrupts epigenetic mechanisms mediated by small non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs). During adolescence, this modifies the expression of a variety of genes involved in neurodevelopmental processes such as proliferation, differentiation, synaptogenesis, neural plasticity, and apoptosis. Hence, the effect of miRNAs dysregulation during adolescence might contribute to a long-term impact on brain function. This systematic review focuses on the miRNA expression patterns in the adolescent rodent brain with special interest in the impact of stress and drugs such as amphetamine, cocaine, nicotine, cannabis, and ketamine. The results point to a relevant and complex role of miRNAs in the regulation of the molecular processes involved in adolescent brain development as part of a dynamic epigenetic network sensitive to environmental events with distinctive changes across adolescence. Several miRNAs have been assessed evidencing changing expression profiles during the adolescent transition which are altered by exposure to stress and drug abuse. Since this is an emerging rapidly growing field, updating the present knowledge will contribute to improving our understanding of the epigenetic regulation mechanisms involved in the neurodevelopmental changes responsible for adolescent behavior. It can be expected that increased knowledge of the molecular mechanisms mediating the effect of environmental threats during the adolescent critical developmental period will improve understanding of psychiatric and addictive disorders emerging at this stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Vázquez-Ágredos
- Department of Psychobiology, Institute of Neurosciences (CIBM), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Fernando Gámiz
- Department of Psychobiology, Institute of Neurosciences (CIBM), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Milagros Gallo
- Department of Psychobiology, Institute of Neurosciences (CIBM), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
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9
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Schell G, Roy B, Prall K, Dwivedi Y. miR-218: A Stress-Responsive Epigenetic Modifier. Noncoding RNA 2022; 8:ncrna8040055. [PMID: 35893238 PMCID: PMC9326663 DOI: 10.3390/ncrna8040055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the epigenetic role of microRNAs (miRNAs) has been a critical development in the field of neuropsychiatry and in understanding their underlying pathophysiology. Abnormalities in miRNA expression are often seen as key to the pathogenesis of many stress-associated mental disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD). Recent advances in omics biology have further contributed to this understanding and expanded the role of miRNAs in networking a diverse array of molecular pathways, which are essentially related to the stress adaptivity of a healthy brain. Studies have highlighted the role of many such miRNAs in causing maladaptive changes in the brain's stress axis. One such miRNA is miR-218, which is debated as a critical candidate for increased stress susceptibility. miR-218 is expressed throughout the brain, notably in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC). It is expressed at various levels through life stages, as seen by adolescent and adult animal models. Until now, a minimal number of studies have been conducted on human subjects to understand its role in stress-related abnormalities in brain circuits. However, several studies, including animal and cell-culture models, have been used to understand the impact of miR-218 on stress response and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function. So far, expression changes in this miRNA have been found to regulate signaling pathways such as glucocorticoid signaling, serotonergic signaling, and glutamatergic signaling. Recently, the developmental role of miR-218 has generated interest, given its increasing expression from adolescence to adulthood and targeting the Netrin-1/DCC signaling pathway. Since miR-218 expression affects neuronal development and plasticity, it is expected that a change in miR-218 expression levels over the course of development may negatively impact the process and make individuals stress-susceptible in adulthood. In this review, we describe the role of miR-218 in stress-induced neuropsychiatric conditions with an emphasis on stress-related disorders.
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10
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Transsynaptic cerebellin 4-neogenin 1 signaling mediates LTP in the mouse dentate gyrus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2123421119. [PMID: 35544694 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2123421119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
SignificanceSynapses are controlled by transsynaptic adhesion complexes that mediate bidirectional signaling between pre- and postsynaptic compartments. Long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic transmission is thought to enable synaptic modifications during memory formation, but the signaling mechanisms involved remain poorly understood. We show that binding of cerebellin-4 (Cbln4), a secreted ligand of presynaptic neurexin adhesion molecules, to neogenin-1, a postsynaptic surface protein known as a developmental netrin receptor, is essential for normal LTP at entorhinal cortex→dentate gyrus synapses in mice. Cbln4 and neogenin-1 are dispensable for basal synaptic transmission and not involved in establishing synaptic connections as such. Our data identify a netrin receptor as a postsynaptic organizer of synaptic plasticity that collaborates specifically with the presynaptic neurexin-ligand Cbln4.
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11
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Reynolds LM, Flores C. Mesocorticolimbic Dopamine Pathways Across Adolescence: Diversity in Development. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:735625. [PMID: 34566584 PMCID: PMC8456011 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.735625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Mesocorticolimbic dopamine circuity undergoes a protracted maturation during adolescent life. Stable adult levels of behavioral functioning in reward, motivational, and cognitive domains are established as these pathways are refined, however, their extended developmental window also leaves them vulnerable to perturbation by environmental factors. In this review, we highlight recent advances in understanding the mechanisms underlying dopamine pathway development in the adolescent brain, and how the environment influences these processes to establish or disrupt neurocircuit diversity. We further integrate these recent studies into the larger historical framework of anatomical and neurochemical changes occurring during adolescence in the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system. While dopamine neuron heterogeneity is increasingly appreciated at molecular, physiological, and anatomical levels, we suggest that a developmental facet may play a key role in establishing vulnerability or resilience to environmental stimuli and experience in distinct dopamine circuits, shifting the balance between healthy brain development and susceptibility to psychiatric disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Reynolds
- Plasticité du Cerveau CNRS UMR8249, École supérieure de physique et de chimie industrielles de la Ville de Paris (ESPCI Paris), Paris, France.,Neuroscience Paris Seine CNRS UMR 8246 INSERM U1130, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Cecilia Flores
- Department of Psychiatry and Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
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12
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MicroRNA regulation of prefrontal cortex development and psychiatric risk in adolescence. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 118:83-91. [PMID: 33933350 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
In this review, we examine the role of microRNAs in the development of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in adolescence and in individual differences in vulnerability to mental illness. We describe results from clinical and preclinical research indicating that adolescence coincides with drastic changes in local microRNA expression, including microRNAs that control gene networks involved in PFC and cognitive refinement. We highlight that altered levels of microRNAs in the PFC are associated with psychopathologies of adolescent onset, notably depression and schizophrenia. We show that microRNAs can be measured non-invasively in peripheral samples and could serve as longitudinal physiological readouts of brain expression and psychiatric risk in youth.
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13
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miR-218 in Adolescence Predicts and Mediates Vulnerability to Stress. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 89:911-919. [PMID: 33384174 PMCID: PMC8052258 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adolescence is a period of increased vulnerability to psychiatric disorders, including depression. Discovering novel biomarkers to identify individuals who are at high risk is very much needed. Our previous work shows that the microRNA miR-218 mediates susceptibility to stress and depression in adulthood by targeting the netrin-1 guidance cue receptor gene Dcc in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). METHODS Here, we investigated whether miR-218 regulates Dcc expression in adolescence and could serve as an early predictor of lifetime stress vulnerability in male mice. RESULTS miR-218 expression in the mPFC increases from early adolescence to adulthood and correlates negatively with Dcc levels. In blood, postnatal miR-218 expression parallels changes occurring in the mPFC. Notably, circulating miR-218 levels in adolescence associate with vulnerability to social defeat stress in adulthood, with high levels associated with social avoidance severity. Indeed, downregulation of miR-218 in the mPFC in adolescence promotes resilience to stress in adulthood. CONCLUSIONS miR-218 expression in adolescence may serve both as a marker of risk and as a target for early interventions.
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14
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Torres-Berrío A, Hernandez G, Nestler EJ, Flores C. The Netrin-1/DCC Guidance Cue Pathway as a Molecular Target in Depression: Translational Evidence. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 88:611-624. [PMID: 32593422 PMCID: PMC7529861 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.04.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The Netrin-1/DCC guidance cue pathway plays a critical role in guiding growing axons toward the prefrontal cortex during adolescence and in the maturational organization and adult plasticity of prefrontal cortex connectivity. In this review, we put forward the idea that alterations in prefrontal cortex architecture and function, which are intrinsically linked to the development of major depressive disorder, originate in part from the dysregulation of the Netrin-1/DCC pathway by a mechanism that involves microRNA-218. We discuss evidence derived from mouse models of stress and from human postmortem brain and genome-wide association studies indicating an association between the Netrin-1/DCC pathway and major depressive disorder. We propose a potential role of circulating microRNA-218 as a biomarker of stress vulnerability and major depressive disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angélica Torres-Berrío
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | | | - Eric J Nestler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Cecilia Flores
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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15
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Reynolds LM, Yetnikoff L, Pokinko M, Wodzinski M, Epelbaum JG, Lambert LC, Cossette MP, Arvanitogiannis A, Flores C. Early Adolescence is a Critical Period for the Maturation of Inhibitory Behavior. Cereb Cortex 2020; 29:3676-3686. [PMID: 30295713 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2018] [Revised: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychiatric conditions marked by impairments in cognitive control often emerge during adolescence, when the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and its inputs undergo structural and functional maturation and are vulnerable to disruption by external events. It is not known, however, whether there exists a specific temporal window within the broad range of adolescence when the development of PFC circuitry and its related behaviors are sensitive to disruption. Here we show, in male mice, that repeated exposure to amphetamine during early adolescence leads to impaired behavioral inhibition, aberrant PFC dopamine connectivity, and reduced PFC dopamine function in adulthood. Remarkably, these deficits are not observed following exposure to the exact same amphetamine regimen at later times. These findings demonstrate that there is a critical period for the disruption of the adolescent maturation of cognitive control and PFC dopamine function and suggest that early adolescence is particularly relevant to the emergence of psychopathology in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Reynolds
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry and Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Leora Yetnikoff
- Department of Psychology, College of Staten Island, City University of New York, Staten Island, NY, USA.,CUNY Neuroscience Collaborative, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Matthew Pokinko
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry and Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Michael Wodzinski
- Department of Psychiatry and Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Julia G Epelbaum
- Department of Psychiatry and Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Laura C Lambert
- Department of Psychiatry and Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Marie-Pierre Cossette
- Department of Psychology, Center for Studies in Behavioural Neurobiology, Concordia University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Andreas Arvanitogiannis
- Department of Psychology, Center for Studies in Behavioural Neurobiology, Concordia University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Cecilia Flores
- Department of Psychiatry and Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
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16
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Westbrook SR, Carrica LK, Banks A, Gulley JM. AMPed-up adolescents: The role of age in the abuse of amphetamines and its consequences on cognition and prefrontal cortex development. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2020; 198:173016. [PMID: 32828971 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2020.173016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Adolescent use of amphetamine and its closely related, methylated version methamphetamine, is alarmingly high in those who use drugs for nonmedical purposes. This raises serious concerns about the potential for this drug use to have a long-lasting, detrimental impact on the normal development of the brain and behavior that is ongoing during adolescence. In this review, we explore recent findings from both human and laboratory animal studies that investigate the consequences of amphetamine and methamphetamine exposure during this stage of life. We highlight studies that assess sex differences in adolescence, as well as those that are designed specifically to address the potential unique effects of adolescent exposure by including groups at other life stages (typically young adulthood). We consider epidemiological studies on age and sex as vulnerability factors for developing problems with the use of amphetamines, as well as human and animal laboratory studies that tap into age differences in use, its short-term effects on behavior, and the long-lasting consequences of this exposure on cognition. We also focus on studies of drug effects in the prefrontal cortex, which is known to be critically important for cognition and is among the later maturing brain regions. Finally, we discuss important issues that should be addressed in future studies so that the field can further our understanding of the mechanisms underlying adolescent use of amphetamines and its outcomes on the developing brain and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara R Westbrook
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
| | - Lauren K Carrica
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
| | - Asia Banks
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
| | - Joshua M Gulley
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA; Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA; Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA.
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17
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Cuesta S, Restrepo-Lozano JM, Popescu C, He S, Reynolds LM, Israel S, Hernandez G, Rais R, Slusher BS, Flores C. DCC-related developmental effects of abused- versus therapeutic-like amphetamine doses in adolescence. Addict Biol 2020; 25:e12791. [PMID: 31192517 PMCID: PMC8301742 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The guidance cue receptor DCC controls mesocortical dopamine development in adolescence. Repeated exposure to an amphetamine regimen of 4 mg/kg during early adolescence induces, in male mice, downregulation of DCC expression in dopamine neurons by recruiting the Dcc microRNA repressor, microRNA-218 (miR-218). This adolescent amphetamine regimen also disrupts mesocortical dopamine connectivity and behavioral control in adulthood. Whether low doses of amphetamine in adolescence induce similar molecular and developmental effects needs to be established. Here, we quantified plasma amphetamine concentrations in early adolescent mice following a 4 or 0.5 mg/kg dose and found peak levels corresponding to those seen in humans following recreational and therapeutic settings, respectively. In contrast to the high doses, the low amphetamine regimen does not alter Dcc mRNA or miR-218 expression; instead, it upregulates DCC protein levels. Furthermore, high, but not low, drug doses downregulate the expression of the DCC receptor ligand, Netrin-1, in the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex. Exposure to the low-dose regimen did not alter the expanse of mesocortical dopamine axons or their number/density of presynaptic sites in adulthood. Strikingly, adolescent exposure to the low-dose drug regimen does not impair behavioral inhibition in adulthood; instead, it induces an overall increase in performance in a go/no-go task. These results show that developmental consequences of exposure to therapeutic- versus abused-like doses of amphetamine in adolescence have dissimilar molecular signatures and opposite behavioral effects. These findings have important clinical relevance since amphetamines are widely used for therapeutic purposes in youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Cuesta
- Department of Psychiatry and Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - José Maria Restrepo-Lozano
- Department of Psychiatry and Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Christina Popescu
- Department of Psychiatry and Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Susan He
- Department of Psychiatry and Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Lauren M. Reynolds
- Department of Psychiatry and Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sonia Israel
- Department of Psychiatry and Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Giovanni Hernandez
- Department of Psychiatry and Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Cecilia Flores
- Department of Psychiatry and Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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18
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Cuesta S, Nouel D, Reynolds LM, Morgunova A, Torres-Berrío A, White A, Hernandez G, Cooper HM, Flores C. Dopamine Axon Targeting in the Nucleus Accumbens in Adolescence Requires Netrin-1. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:487. [PMID: 32714924 PMCID: PMC7344302 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00487] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The fine arrangement of neuronal connectivity during development involves the coordinated action of guidance cues and their receptors. In adolescence, the dopamine circuitry is still developing, with mesolimbic dopamine axons undergoing target-recognition events in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), while mesocortical projections continue to grow toward the prefrontal cortex (PFC) until adulthood. This segregation of mesolimbic versus mesocortical dopamine pathways is mediated by the guidance cue receptor DCC, which signals dopamine axons intended to innervate the NAcc to recognize this region as their final target. Whether DCC-dependent mesolimbic dopamine axon targeting in adolescence requires the action of its ligand, Netrin-1, is unknown. Here we combined shRNA strategies, quantitative analysis of pre- and post-synaptic markers of neuronal connectivity, and pharmacological manipulations to address this question. Similar to DCC levels in the ventral tegmental area, Netrin-1 expression in the NAcc is dynamic across postnatal life, transitioning from high to low expression across adolescence. Silencing Netrin-1 in the NAcc in adolescence results in an increase in the expanse of the dopamine input to the PFC in adulthood, with a corresponding increase in the number of presynaptic dopamine sites. This manipulation also results in altered dendritic spine density and morphology of medium spiny neurons in the NAcc in adulthood and in reduced sensitivity to the behavioral activating effects of the stimulant drug of abuse, amphetamine. These cellular and behavioral effects mirror those induced by Dcc haploinsufficiency within dopamine neurons in adolescence. Dopamine targeting in adolescence requires the complementary interaction between DCC receptors in mesolimbic dopamine axons and Netrin-1 in the NAcc. Factors regulating either DCC or Netrin-1 in adolescence can disrupt mesocorticolimbic dopamine development, rendering vulnerability or protection to phenotypes associated with psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Cuesta
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Dominique Nouel
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Lauren M Reynolds
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Alice Morgunova
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Angélica Torres-Berrío
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Amanda White
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Giovanni Hernandez
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Helen M Cooper
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Cecilia Flores
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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19
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Expression of Genes Involved in Axon Guidance: How Much Have We Learned? Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21103566. [PMID: 32443632 PMCID: PMC7278939 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21103566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal axons are guided to their target during the development of the brain. Axon guidance allows the formation of intricate neural circuits that control the function of the brain, and thus the behavior. As the axons travel in the brain to find their target, they encounter various axon guidance cues, which interact with the receptors on the tip of the growth cone to permit growth along different signaling pathways. Although many scientists have performed numerous studies on axon guidance signaling pathways, we still have an incomplete understanding of the axon guidance system. Lately, studies on axon guidance have shifted from studying the signal transduction pathways to studying other molecular features of axon guidance, such as the gene expression. These new studies present evidence for different molecular features that broaden our understanding of axon guidance. Hence, in this review we will introduce recent studies that illustrate different molecular features of axon guidance. In particular, we will review literature that demonstrates how axon guidance cues and receptors regulate local translation of axonal genes and how the expression of guidance cues and receptors are regulated both transcriptionally and post-transcriptionally. Moreover, we will highlight the pathological relevance of axon guidance molecules to specific diseases.
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20
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Torres-Berrío A, Nouel D, Cuesta S, Parise EM, Restrepo-Lozano JM, Larochelle P, Nestler EJ, Flores C. MiR-218: a molecular switch and potential biomarker of susceptibility to stress. Mol Psychiatry 2020; 25:951-964. [PMID: 30980043 PMCID: PMC6790160 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-019-0421-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Revised: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Low miR-218 expression in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is a consistent trait of depression. Here we assessed whether miR-218 in the mPFC confers resilience or susceptibility to depression-like behaviors in adult mice, using the chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) model of depression. We also investigated whether stress-induced variations of miR-218 expression in the mPFC can be detected in blood. We find that downregulation of miR-218 in the mPFC increases susceptibility to a single session of social defeat, whereas overexpression of miR-218 selectively in mPFC pyramidal neurons promotes resilience to CSDS and prevents stress-induced morphological alterations to those neurons. After CSDS, susceptible mice have low levels of miR-218 in blood, as compared with control or resilient groups. We show further that upregulation and downregulation of miR-218 levels specifically in the mPFC correlate with miR-218 expression in blood. Our results suggest that miR-218 in the adult mPFC might function as a molecular switch that determines susceptibility vs. resilience to chronic stress, and that stress-induced variations in mPFC levels of miR-218 could be detected in blood. We propose that blood expression of miR-218 might serve as potential readout of vulnerability to stress and as a proxy of mPFC function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angélica Torres-Berrío
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dominique Nouel
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Santiago Cuesta
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Eric M Parise
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - José María Restrepo-Lozano
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Pier Larochelle
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Cecilia Flores
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
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21
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Reynolds LM, Flores C. Guidance cues: linking drug use in adolescence with psychiatric disorders. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:225-226. [PMID: 30275561 PMCID: PMC6235858 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0221-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M. Reynolds
- 0000 0004 1936 8649grid.14709.3bIntegrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, QC Canada ,0000 0001 2353 5268grid.412078.8Department of Psychiatry and Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC Canada
| | - Cecilia Flores
- Department of Psychiatry and Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada.
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22
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Torres-Berrio A, Cuesta S, Lopez-Guzman S, Nava-Mesa MO. Interaction Between Stress and Addiction: Contributions From Latin-American Neuroscience. Front Psychol 2018; 9:2639. [PMID: 30622500 PMCID: PMC6308142 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug addiction is a chronic neuropsychiatric disorder that escalates from an initial exposure to drugs of abuse, such as cocaine, cannabis, or heroin, to compulsive drug-seeking and intake, reduced ability to inhibit craving-induced behaviors, and repeated cycles of abstinence and relapse. It is well-known that chronic changes in the brain’s reward system play an important role in the neurobiology of addiction. Notably, environmental factors such as acute or chronic stress affect this system, and increase the risk for drug consumption and relapse. Indeed, the HPA axis, the autonomic nervous system, and the extended amygdala, among other brain stress systems, interact with the brain’s reward circuit involved in addictive behaviors. There has been a growing interest in studying the molecular, cellular, and behavioral mechanisms of stress and addiction in Latin-America over the last decade. Nonetheless, these contributions may not be as strongly acknowledged by the broad scientific audience as studies coming from developed countries. In this review, we compile for the first time a series of studies conducted by Latin American-based neuroscientists, who have devoted their careers to studying the interaction between stress and addiction, from a neurobiological and clinical perspective. Specific contributions about this interaction include the study of CRF receptors in the lateral septum, investigations on the neural mechanisms of cross-sensitization for psychostimulants and ethanol, the identification of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway as a critical neural substrate for stress and addiction, and the emergence of the cannabinoid system as a promising therapeutic target. We highlight animal and human studies, including for instance, reports coming from Latin American laboratories on single nucleotide polymorphisms in stress-related genes and potential biomarkers of vulnerability to addiction, that aim to bridge the knowledge from basic science to clinical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angélica Torres-Berrio
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Santiago Cuesta
- Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Silvia Lopez-Guzman
- Neuroscience Research Group, Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Mauricio O Nava-Mesa
- Neuroscience Research Group, Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
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