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Xu J, Sun Y, Zhu X, Pan S, Tong Z, Jiang K. Tactile discrimination as a diagnostic indicator of cognitive decline in patients with mild cognitive impairment: A narrative review. Heliyon 2024; 10:e31256. [PMID: 38803967 PMCID: PMC11129005 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Tactile discrimination, a cognitive task reliant on fingertip touch for stimulus discrimination, encompasses the somatosensory system and working memory, with its acuity diminishing with advancing age. Presently, the evaluation of cognitive capacity to differentiate between individuals with early Alzheimer's disease (AD) and typical older adults predominantly relies on visual or auditory tasks, yet the efficacy of discrimination remains constrained. Aims To review the existing tactile cognitive tasks and explore the interaction between tactile perception and the pathological process of Alzheimer's disease. The tactile discrimination task may be used as a reference index of cognitive decline in patients with mild cognitive impairment and provide a new method for clinical evaluation. Methods We searched four databases (Embase, PubMed, Web of Science and Google scholar). The reference coverage was from 1936 to 2023. The search terms included "Alzheimer disease" "mild cognitive impairment" "tactile" "tactile discrimination" "tactile test" and so on. Reviews and experimental reports in the field were examined and the effectiveness of different types of tactile tasks was compared. Main results Individuals in the initial phases of Alzheimer's spectrum disease, specifically those in the stage of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), exhibit notable impairments in tasks involving tactile discrimination. These tasks possess certain merits, such as their quick and straightforward comparability, independence from educational background, and ability to circumvent the limitations associated with conventional cognitive assessment scales. Furthermore, tactile discrimination tasks offer enhanced accuracy compared to cognitive tasks that employ visual or auditory stimuli. Conclusions Tactile discrimination has the potential to serve as an innovative reference indicator for the swift diagnosis of clinical MCI patients, thereby assisting in the screening process on a clinical scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinan Xu
- Center for Applied Psychological Research (Ningbo), School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Cixi, 315300, China
- School of Mental Health, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Institute of Aging, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| | - Yuqi Sun
- Center for Applied Psychological Research (Ningbo), School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Cixi, 315300, China
- School of Mental Health, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| | - Xianghe Zhu
- Center for Applied Psychological Research (Ningbo), School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Cixi, 315300, China
- School of Mental Health, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Institute of Aging, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| | - Sipei Pan
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Institute of Aging, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| | - Zhiqian Tong
- Center for Applied Psychological Research (Ningbo), School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Cixi, 315300, China
- School of Mental Health, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Institute of Aging, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| | - Ke Jiang
- Center for Applied Psychological Research (Ningbo), School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Cixi, 315300, China
- School of Mental Health, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
- Center for Brain, Mind and Education, Shaoxing University, China
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Shi CN, Wu XM, Gao YZ, Ma DQ, Yang JJ, Ji MH. Oxytocin attenuates neuroinflammation-induced anxiety through restoration of excitation and inhibition balance in the anterior cingulate cortex in mice. J Affect Disord 2024; 362:341-355. [PMID: 38821372 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.05.144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Accumulative evidence suggested that the oxytocin system plays a role in socio-emotional disorders, although its role in neuroinflammation-induced anxiety remains unclear. METHOD In the present study, anxiety-like behavior was induced in cohorts of animals through repeated lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 0.5 mg/kg, daily, Escherichia coli O55:B5) i.p. injections for seven consecutive days. These different cohorts were subsequently used for anxiety-like behavior assessment with open field test, elevated plus maze, and novelty-suppressed feeding test or for electrophysiology (EEG) recordings of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs), miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs), or local field potential (LFP) in vivo or ex vivo settings. Samples of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) from some cohorts were harvested to conduct immunostaining or western blotting analysis of oxytocin, oxytocin receptor, CamkII, GABA, vGAT, vGLUT2, and c-fos. The dendritic spine density was assessed by Golgi-Cox staining. RESULTS Repeated LPS injections induced anxiety-like behavior with concurrent decreases of oxytocin, vGLUT2, mEPSC, dendritic spine, c-fos, membrane excitability, and EEG beta and gamma oscillations, but increased oxytocin receptor and vGAT expressions in the ACC; all these changes were ameliorated by oxytocin intranasal or local brain (via cannula) administration. CONCLUSION Taken together, our data suggested that oxytocin system may be a therapeutic target for developing treatment to tackle neuroinflammation-induced anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cui-Na Shi
- Department of Anesthesiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xin-Miao Wu
- Department of Anesthesiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yu-Zhu Gao
- Department of Anesthesiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Da-Qing Ma
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Systems Medicine laboratory, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Children's hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; Division of Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine & Intensive Care, Department of Surgery & Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, London, UK
| | - Jian-Jun Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
| | - Mu-Huo Ji
- Department of Anesthesiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
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Chen WJ, Chen H, Li ZM, Huang WY, Wu JL. Acetylcholine muscarinic M1 receptors in the rodent prefrontal cortex modulate cognitive abilities to establish social hierarchy. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024; 49:974-982. [PMID: 38135842 PMCID: PMC11039707 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01785-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
In most social species, the attainment of social dominance is strongly affected by personality traits. Dominant individuals show better cognitive abilities, however, whether an individual's cognition can determine its social status has remained inconclusive. We found that mice show better cognitive abilities tend to possess a higher social rank after cohousing. The dynamic release of acetylcholine (ACh) in the prelimbic cortex (PL) is correlated with mouse dominance behavior. ACh enhanced the excitability of the PL neurons via acetylcholine muscarinic M1 receptors (M1). Inhibition of M1 impaired mice cognitive performance and induced losing in social competition. Mice with M1 deficiency in the PL performed worse on cognitive behavioral tests, and exhibited lower status when re-grouped with others. Elevating ACh level in the PL of subordinate mice induced winning. These results provide direct evidence for the involvement of M1 in social hierarchy and suggest that social rank can be tuned by altering cognition through cholinergic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Jun Chen
- Medical Research and Experimental Center, Meizhou People's Hospital, Meizhou, 514031, China
- Guangdong Engineering Technological Research Center of Clinical Molecular Diagnosis and Antibody Drugs, Meizhou, 514031, China
| | - Hao Chen
- Department of Neurobiology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Zi-Ming Li
- Department of Neurobiology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Wei-Yuan Huang
- Orthopedic Center, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524001, China.
| | - Jian-Lin Wu
- Medical Research and Experimental Center, Meizhou People's Hospital, Meizhou, 514031, China.
- Guangdong Engineering Technological Research Center of Clinical Molecular Diagnosis and Antibody Drugs, Meizhou, 514031, China.
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Wu X, Liu Y, Wang X, Zheng L, Pan L, Wang H. Developmental Impairments of Synaptic Refinement in the Thalamus of a Mouse Model of Fragile X Syndrome. Neurosci Bull 2024; 40:439-450. [PMID: 38015349 PMCID: PMC11004103 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-023-01142-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
While somatosensory over-reactivity is a common feature of autism spectrum disorders such as fragile X syndrome (FXS), the thalamic mechanisms underlying this remain unclear. Here, we found that the developmental elimination of synapses formed between the principal nucleus of V (PrV) and the ventral posterior medial nucleus (VPm) of the somatosensory system was delayed in fragile X mental retardation 1 gene knockout (Fmr1 KO) mice, while the developmental strengthening of these synapses was disrupted. Immunohistochemistry showed excessive VGluT2 puncta in mutants at P12-13, but not at P7-8 or P15-16, confirming a delay in somatic pruning of PrV-VPm synapses. Impaired synaptic function was associated with a reduction in the frequency of quantal AMPA events, as well as developmental deficits in presynaptic vesicle size and density. Our results uncovered the developmental impairment of thalamic relay synapses in Fmr1 KO mice and suggest that a thalamic contribution to the somatosensory over-reactivity in FXS should be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotong Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Nanhu Brain-computer Interface Institute, Hangzhou, 311100, China
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain Machine Integration, Key Laboratory of Precise Treatment and Clinical Translational Research of Neurological Diseases, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yali Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain Machine Integration, Key Laboratory of Precise Treatment and Clinical Translational Research of Neurological Diseases, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Xiaomeng Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Nanhu Brain-computer Interface Institute, Hangzhou, 311100, China
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain Machine Integration, Key Laboratory of Precise Treatment and Clinical Translational Research of Neurological Diseases, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Lu Zheng
- Department of Neurosurgery of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain Machine Integration, Key Laboratory of Precise Treatment and Clinical Translational Research of Neurological Diseases, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Libiao Pan
- Department of Neurosurgery of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain Machine Integration, Key Laboratory of Precise Treatment and Clinical Translational Research of Neurological Diseases, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- Nanhu Brain-computer Interface Institute, Hangzhou, 311100, China.
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain Machine Integration, Key Laboratory of Precise Treatment and Clinical Translational Research of Neurological Diseases, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai, 200031, China.
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Zuo X, Zhang S, Bai H, Yu Q, Zhao Q, Sun M, Zhao X, Feng X. Effects of fluorene-9-bisphenol exposure on anxiety-like and social behavior in mice and protective potential of exogenous melatonin. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:29385-29399. [PMID: 38573577 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-33148-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Fluorene-9-bisphenol (BHPF) is widely used in the manufacture of plastic products and potentially disrupts several physiological processes, but its biological effects on social behavior remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of BHPF exposure on anxiety-like and social behavior in female mice and the potential mechanisms, thereby proposing a potential therapy strategy. We exposed female Balb/c mice to BHPF by oral gavage at different doses (0.5, 50 mg/kg bw/2-day) for 28 days, which were found BHPF (50 mg/kg) exposure affected motor activity in the open field test (OFT) and elevated cross maze (EPM), resulting in anxiety-like behaviors, as well as abnormal social behavioral deficits in the Social Interaction Test (SIT). Analysis of histopathological staining results showed that BHPF exposure caused damage to hippocampal neurons in the CA1/CA3/DG region and decreased Nissl pyramidal neurons in the CA1/CA3 regions of the hippocampus, as well as a decrease in parvalbumin neuron expression. In addition, BHPF exposure upregulated the expression of excitatory and inhibitory (E/I) vesicle transporter genes (Vglut1, Vglut2, VGAT, GAD67, Gabra) and axon growth gene (Dcc) in the mouse hippocampus. Interestingly, behavioral disturbances and E/I balance could be alleviated by exogenous melatonin (15 mg/kg bw/2-day) therapy. Our findings suggest that exogenous melatonin may be a potential therapy with protective potential for ameliorating or preventing BHPF-induced hippocampal neuronal damage and behavioral disturbances. This study provided new insight into the neurotoxicological effects on organisms exposed to endocrine-disrupting chemicals and aroused our vigilance in current environmental safety about chemical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Zuo
- College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Weijin Road 94, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Shuhui Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Weijin Road 94, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Huijuan Bai
- College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Weijin Road 94, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Qian Yu
- College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Weijin Road 94, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Qili Zhao
- Institute of Robotics & Automatic Information System, College of Artificial Intelligence, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Mingzhu Sun
- Institute of Robotics & Automatic Information System, College of Artificial Intelligence, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Xin Zhao
- Institute of Robotics & Automatic Information System, College of Artificial Intelligence, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Xizeng Feng
- College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Weijin Road 94, Tianjin, 300071, China.
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Han C, Li M, Li F, Wang Z, Hu X, Yang Y, Wang H, Lv S. Temporary sensory separation of lamb groups from ewes affects behaviors and serum levels of stress-related indicators of small-tailed Han lambs. Physiol Behav 2024; 277:114504. [PMID: 38408718 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2024.114504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Under the current meat sheep breeding system, newborn lambs usually live with their mothers until weaning, and in daily management, they often need to be separated from their ewes for a short period due to dehorning, disease treatment, etc. Such short-term separation was considered to be a high-intensity stress for the lambs. This study aimed to explore the effects of 1 h sensory separations on behaviors and the concentration of stress-related indicators of small-tailed Han lambs. Lambs were assigned to four groups: auditory, visual, and tactile separation (AVT) group; visual and tactile separation (VT) group; tactile separation (T) group; and control (C) group. Then they were separated from their mothers for one hour on postnatal days 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42. Results showed the separated lambs (AVT, VT, and T groups) spent less time lying down relaxing and more time looking around, exploring, vocalizing, and attempting to escape (P < 0.05). Lambs separated by lack of tactile contact only exhibited the most escaping and moving behavior. Twin-born lambs showed less moving, escaping, and vocalizing than single-born lambs (P < 0.05). The separation also led to a rise in serum globulin levels and a decrease in tetraiodothyronine. In conclusion, this study showed that temporary 1 h ewe-lamb separations could affect behaviors and the serum levels of stress indicators of lambs. The behavioral responses were more obvious when lambs were separated by lack of tactile contact only, and in single-born lambs. It can conclude that indicated that when lambs need to be temporarily separated from ewes in daily management production, it would be better to let them stay together with their littermates, and make them avoid hearing or seeing the ewes, such management may partially reduce the separation stress, thereby improving the welfare and breeding efficiency of sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengquan Han
- College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi, Shandong 276000, China
| | - Min Li
- College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi, Shandong 276000, China
| | - Fukuan Li
- College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi, Shandong 276000, China
| | - Zhennan Wang
- College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi, Shandong 276000, China
| | - Xiyi Hu
- College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi, Shandong 276000, China
| | - Yan Yang
- Linyi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Linyi, Shandong 276012, China
| | - Hui Wang
- College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi, Shandong 276000, China,.
| | - Shenjin Lv
- College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi, Shandong 276000, China,.
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Qianru Y, Teng Q, Li Y, Liu S, Gong S, Liu K. Noise-induced hearing loss reduces inhibitory neurotransmitter synthesis in ventral hippocampus and contributes to the social memory deficits of mice. Neurosci Lett 2024; 820:137592. [PMID: 38103631 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Despite affecting over 1.5 billion people globally, hearing loss (HL) has been referred to as an "invisible disability", with noise exposure being a major causative factor. Accumulating evidence suggests that HL can induce cognitive impairment. However, relatively little is known about the effects of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) on social memory. This study aimed to further investigate the effect of NIHL on social behaviours in mice. We established a rodent model of NIHL using 4-week-old C57BL/6J mice who experienced narrow noise exposure at 116 dB for 3 h per day over two consecutive days. Hearing ability was subsequently evaluated through auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing, and potential changes in the morphology of cochlear hair cells were assessed using immunofluorescence. The sociability and social memory of the mice were evaluated using the three-chamber social interaction test. Noise exposure resulted in complete and persistent HL in C57BL/6J mice, accompanied by severe loss of cochlear hair cells. More importantly, social memory was impaired in adult NIHL mice, whereas their sociability remained intact, these changes were accompanied by a decrease in the protein levels of the inhibitory neuron marker glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 (GAD67) in the ventral hippocampus. This study is the first to confirm that long-term auditory deprivation from HL induced by noise exposure results in social memory deficits in mice without altering their sociability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Qianru
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China; Clinical Center for Hearing Loss, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Qi Teng
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China; Clinical Center for Hearing Loss, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China; Clinical Center for Hearing Loss, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Shan Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China; Clinical Center for Hearing Loss, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Shusheng Gong
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China; Clinical Center for Hearing Loss, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China.
| | - Ke Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China; Clinical Center for Hearing Loss, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China.
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Wei X, Wang J, Yang E, Zhang Y, Qian Q, Li X, Huang F, Sun B. Efr3b is essential for social recognition by modulating the excitability of CA2 pyramidal neurons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2314557121. [PMID: 38190534 PMCID: PMC10801834 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2314557121] [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: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
CA2 pyramidal neurons (PNs) are associated with social behaviors. The mechanisms, however, remain to be fully investigated. Here, we report that Efr3b, a protein essential for phospholipid metabolism at the plasma membrane, is widely expressed in the brain, especially in the hippocampal CA2/CA3 areas. To assess the functional significance of Efr3b in the brain, we generated Efr3bf/f mice and crossed them with Nestin-cre mice to delete Efr3b specifically in the brain. We find that Efr3b deficiency in the brain leads to deficits of social novelty recognition and hypoexcitability of CA2 PNs. We then knocked down the expression of Efr3b specifically in CA2 PNs of C57BL/6J mice, and our results showed that reducing Efr3b in CA2 PNs also resulted in deficits of social novelty recognition and hypoexcitability of CA2 PNs. More interestingly, restoring the expression of Efr3b in CA2 PNs enhances their excitability and improves social novelty recognition in Efr3b-deficient mice. Furthermore, direct activation of CA2 PNs with chemogenetics improves social behaviors in Efr3b-deficient mice. Together, our data suggest that Efr3b is essential for social novelty by modulating the excitability of CA2 PNs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojie Wei
- Department of Anesthesiology of the Children’s Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine and National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou310058, China
- National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou310058, China
- Children’s Hospital and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310020, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology of the Children’s Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine and National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou310058, China
- National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou310058, China
- School of Medicine, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing312000, China
| | - Enlu Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology of the Children’s Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine and National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou310058, China
- National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou310058, China
| | - Yiping Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology of the Children’s Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine and National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou310058, China
- National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou310058, China
| | - Qi Qian
- Department of Anesthesiology of the Children’s Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine and National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou310058, China
- National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou310058, China
| | - Xuekun Li
- Children’s Hospital and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310020, China
| | - Fude Huang
- Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100190, China
- Nuo-Beta Pharmaceutical Technology, Co. Ltd., Shanghai201210, China
| | - Binggui Sun
- Department of Anesthesiology of the Children’s Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine and National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou310058, China
- National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou310058, China
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Janz P, Knoflach F, Bleicher K, Belli S, Biemans B, Schnider P, Ebeling M, Grundschober C, Benekareddy M. Selective oxytocin receptor activation prevents prefrontal circuit dysfunction and social behavioral alterations in response to chronic prefrontal cortex activation in male rats. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1286552. [PMID: 38145283 PMCID: PMC10745491 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1286552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Social behavioral changes are a hallmark of several neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric conditions, nevertheless the underlying neural substrates of such dysfunction remain poorly understood. Building evidence points to the prefrontal cortex (PFC) as one of the key brain regions that orchestrates social behavior. We used this concept with the aim to develop a translational rat model of social-circuit dysfunction, the chronic PFC activation model (CPA). Methods Chemogenetic designer receptor hM3Dq was used to induce chronic activation of the PFC over 10 days, and the behavioral and electrophysiological signatures of prolonged PFC hyperactivity were evaluated. To test the sensitivity of this model to pharmacological interventions on longer timescales, and validate its translational potential, the rats were treated with our novel highly selective oxytocin receptor (OXTR) agonist RO6958375, which is not activating the related vasopressin V1a receptor. Results CPA rats showed reduced sociability in the three-chamber sociability test, and a concomitant decrease in neuronal excitability and synaptic transmission within the PFC as measured by electrophysiological recordings in acute slice preparation. Sub-chronic treatment with a low dose of the novel OXTR agonist following CPA interferes with the emergence of PFC circuit dysfunction, abnormal social behavior and specific transcriptomic changes. Discussion These results demonstrate that sustained PFC hyperactivity modifies circuit characteristics and social behaviors in ways that can be modulated by selective OXTR activation and that this model may be used to understand the circuit recruitment of prosocial therapies in drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Janz
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Neuroscience and Rare Diseases Discovery and Translational Area, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Frederic Knoflach
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Neuroscience and Rare Diseases Discovery and Translational Area, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Konrad Bleicher
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Therapeutic Modalities, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sara Belli
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Science, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Barbara Biemans
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Neuroscience and Rare Diseases Discovery and Translational Area, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Schnider
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Therapeutic Modalities, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Martin Ebeling
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Science, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christophe Grundschober
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Neuroscience and Rare Diseases Discovery and Translational Area, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Madhurima Benekareddy
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Neuroscience and Rare Diseases Discovery and Translational Area, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Basel, Switzerland
- Calico Life Sciences, South San Francisco, CA, United States
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10
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Pardasani M, Ramakrishnan AM, Mahajan S, Kantroo M, McGowan E, Das S, Srikanth P, Pandey S, Abraham NM. Perceptual learning deficits mediated by somatostatin releasing inhibitory interneurons of olfactory bulb in an early life stress mouse model. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:4693-4706. [PMID: 37726451 PMCID: PMC10914616 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02244-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
Early life adversity (ELA) causes aberrant functioning of neural circuits affecting the health of an individual. While ELA-induced behavioural disorders resulting from sensory and cognitive disabilities can be assessed clinically, the neural mechanisms need to be probed using animal models by employing multi-pronged experimental approaches. As ELA can alter sensory perception, we investigated the effect of early weaning on murine olfaction. By implementing go/no-go odour discrimination paradigm, we observed olfactory learning and memory impairments in early life stressed (ELS) male mice. As olfactory bulb (OB) circuitry plays a critical role in odour learning, we studied the plausible changes in the OB of ELS mice. Lowered c-Fos activity in the external plexiform layer and a reduction in the number of dendritic processes of somatostatin-releasing, GABAergic interneurons (SOM-INs) in the ELS mice led us to hypothesise the underlying circuit. We recorded reduced synaptic inhibitory feedback on mitral/tufted (M/T) cells, in the OB slices from ELS mice, explaining the learning deficiency caused by compromised refinement of OB output. The reduction in synaptic inhibition was nullified by the photo-activation of ChR2-expressing SOM-INs in ELS mice. The role of SOM-INs was revealed by learning-dependent refinement of Ca2+dynamics quantified by GCaMP6f signals, which was absent in ELS mice. Further, the causal role of SOM-INs involving circuitry was investigated by optogenetic modulation during the odour discrimination learning. Photo-activating these neurons rescued the ELA-induced learning deficits. Conversely, photo-inhibition caused learning deficiency in control animals, while it completely abolished the learning in ELS mice, confirming the adverse effects mediated by SOM-INs. Our results thus establish the role of specific inhibitory circuit in pre-cortical sensory area in orchestrating ELA-dependent changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meenakshi Pardasani
- Laboratory of Neural Circuits and Behaviour (LNCB), Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, Maharashtra, 411008, India
| | - Anantha Maharasi Ramakrishnan
- Laboratory of Neural Circuits and Behaviour (LNCB), Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, Maharashtra, 411008, India
| | - Sarang Mahajan
- Laboratory of Neural Circuits and Behaviour (LNCB), Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, Maharashtra, 411008, India
| | - Meher Kantroo
- Laboratory of Neural Circuits and Behaviour (LNCB), Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, Maharashtra, 411008, India
| | - Eleanor McGowan
- Laboratory of Neural Circuits and Behaviour (LNCB), Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, Maharashtra, 411008, India
| | - Susobhan Das
- Laboratory of Neural Circuits and Behaviour (LNCB), Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, Maharashtra, 411008, India
| | - Priyadharshini Srikanth
- Laboratory of Neural Circuits and Behaviour (LNCB), Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, Maharashtra, 411008, India
| | - Sanyukta Pandey
- Laboratory of Neural Circuits and Behaviour (LNCB), Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, Maharashtra, 411008, India
| | - Nixon M Abraham
- Laboratory of Neural Circuits and Behaviour (LNCB), Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, Maharashtra, 411008, India.
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11
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Qi F, Zuo Z, Hu K, Wang R, Wu T, Liu H, Tang J, Wang Q, Xie Y, Tan L, Yang Y, Zhang X, Zheng J, Xu J, Yao Z, Wang S, Wu LJ, Guo K. VEGF-A in serum protects against memory impairment in APP/PS1 transgenic mice by blocking neutrophil infiltration. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:4374-4389. [PMID: 37280283 PMCID: PMC10827659 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02097-w] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Activation of innate immunity in the brain is a prominent feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The present study investigated the regulation of innate immunity by wild-type serum injection in a transgenic AD mouse model. We found that treatment with wild-type mouse serum significantly reduced the number of neutrophils and microglial reactivity in the brains of APP/PS1 mice. Mimicking this effect, neutrophil depletion via Ly6G neutralizing antibodies resulted in improvements in AD brain functions. Serum proteomic analysis identified vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (CXCL1) as factors enriched in serum samples, which are crucial for neutrophil migration and chemotaxis, leukocyte migration, and cell chemotaxis. Exogenous VEGF-A reversed amyloid β (Aβ)-induced decreases in cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) and increases in CXCL1 in vitro and blocked neutrophil infiltration into the AD brain. Endothelial Cdk5 overexpression conferred an inhibitory effect on CXCL1 and neutrophil infiltration, thereby restoring memory abilities in APP/PS1 mice. Our findings uncover a previously unknown link between blood-derived VEGF signaling and neutrophil infiltration and support targeting endothelial Cdk5 signaling as a potential therapeutic strategy for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangfang Qi
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
- Editorial Department of Journal of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Zejie Zuo
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, the Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Kaishun Hu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Rui Wang
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Tong Wu
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Hao Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Jiaoling Tang
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Qingbo Wang
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Yufeng Xie
- Five-year Programs of Clinical Medicine in the 2017 grade, School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 528406, China
| | - Liren Tan
- Department of Neurology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Yunjie Yang
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Xiaoran Zhang
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Jiaying Zheng
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Jie Xu
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Zhibin Yao
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Shengwen Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China.
| | - Long-Jun Wu
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
| | - Kaihua Guo
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
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12
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Wang YF, Kendrick KM, Chen XQ, Sha L. Editorial: Neuroendocrine research in health and disease, volume II. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1253725. [PMID: 37645369 PMCID: PMC10461568 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1253725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Feng Wang
- International Translational Neuroscience Research Institute, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Keith Maurice Kendrick
- MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Xue Qun Chen
- Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lei Sha
- Department of Neuroendocrine Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
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13
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Meng H, Li Q, Wang J, Yue W, Zhang D, Sun X, Wang L, Li J. The expansion of newborn neurons in hippocampus improves social recognition deficit in a mouse model of autism. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1162179. [PMID: 37215664 PMCID: PMC10196005 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1162179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by core symptoms of impaired social interaction and communication. The pathological mechanism and treatment are not clear and need further study. Our previous study found that the deletion of high-risk gene Autism Susceptibility 2 (AUTS2) in mice led to dentate gyrus (DG) hypoplasia that highly associated with impaired social novelty recognition. Here we aim to improve the social deficit through increasing the neurogenesis in the subgranular zone (SGZ) and expanding the newborn granule neurons in DG. Methods Three approaches including repeated oxytocin administration, feeding in enriched environment and overexpression of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (Cdk4)-CyclinD1 complex in DG neural stem cells (NSCs) at the post-weaning stage were conducted. Results We found that the number of EdU labeled proliferative NSCs or retrovirus labeled newborn neurons was significantly increased after manipulations. The social recognition deficit was also significantly improved. Discussion Our findings suggested a possible strategy to restore the social deficit through expansion of newborn neurons in hippocampus, which might provide a new insight into the treatment of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hu Meng
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Qiongwei Li
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Jinxin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Weihua Yue
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Dai Zhang
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
- Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation (IBRR), Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoxuan Sun
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Lifang Wang
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Jun Li
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
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14
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Gigliucci V, Busnelli M, Santini F, Paolini C, Bertoni A, Schaller F, Muscatelli F, Chini B. Oxytocin receptors in the Magel2 mouse model of autism: Specific region, age, sex and oxytocin treatment effects. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1026939. [PMID: 36998737 PMCID: PMC10043208 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1026939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The neurohormone oxytocin (OXT) has been implicated in the regulation of social behavior and is intensively investigated as a potential therapeutic treatment in neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by social deficits. In the Magel2-knockout (KO) mouse, a model of Schaaf-Yang Syndrome, an early postnatal administration of OXT rescued autistic-like behavior and cognition at adulthood, making this model relevant for understanding the actions of OXT in (re)programming postnatal brain development. The oxytocin receptor (OXTR), the main brain target of OXT, was dysregulated in the hippocampus of Magel2-KO adult males, and normalized upon OXT treatment at birth. Here we have analyzed male and female Magel2-KO brains at postnatal day 8 (P8) and at postnatal day 90 (P90), investigating age, genotype and OXT treatment effects on OXTR levels in several regions of the brain. We found that, at P8, male and female Magel2-KOs displayed a widespread, substantial, down-regulation of OXTR levels compared to wild type (WT) animals. Most intriguingly, the postnatal OXT treatment did not affect Magel2-KO OXTR levels at P8 and, consistently, did not rescue the ultrasonic vocalization deficits observed at this age. On the contrary, the postnatal OXT treatment reduced OXTR levels at P90 in male Magel2-KO in a region-specific way, restoring normal OXTR levels in regions where the Magel2-KO OXTR was upregulated (central amygdala, hippocampus and piriform cortex). Interestingly, Magel2-KO females, previously shown to lack the social deficits observed in Magel2-KO males, were characterized by a different trend in receptor expression compared to males; as a result, the dimorphic expression of OXTR observed in WT animals, with higher OXTR expression observed in females, was abolished in Magel2-KO mice. In conclusion, our data indicate that in Magel2-KO mice, OXTRs undergo region-specific modifications related to age, sex and postnatal OXT treatment. These results are instrumental to design precisely-timed OXT-based therapeutic strategies that, by acting at specific brain regions, could modify the outcome of social deficits in Schaaf-Yang Syndrome patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Gigliucci
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council, Vedano al Lambro, Italy
- NeuroMI Milan Center for Neuroscience, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Marta Busnelli
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council, Vedano al Lambro, Italy
- NeuroMI Milan Center for Neuroscience, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Santini
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council, Vedano al Lambro, Italy
- NeuroMI Milan Center for Neuroscience, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Camilla Paolini
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council, Vedano al Lambro, Italy
- NeuroMI Milan Center for Neuroscience, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Bice Chini
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council, Vedano al Lambro, Italy
- NeuroMI Milan Center for Neuroscience, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- *Correspondence: Bice Chini,
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