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Liu D, Zheng X, Hui Y, Xu Y, Du J, Du Z, Che Y, Wu F, Yu G, Zhang J, Gong X, Guo G. Lateral hypothalamus orexinergic projection to the medial prefrontal cortex modulates chronic stress-induced anhedonia but not anxiety and despair. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:149. [PMID: 38493173 PMCID: PMC10944479 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02860-9] [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: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic stress-induced anxiodepression is a common health problem, however its potential neurocircuitry mechanism remains unclear. We used behavioral, patch-clamp electrophysiology, chemogenetic, and optogenetic approaches to clarify the response of the lateral hypothalamus (LH) and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) to stress, confirmed the structural connections between the LH and mPFC, and investigated the role of the LH-mPFC pathway in chronic stress-induced anxiodepression symptoms. Unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) caused anxiodepression-like behaviors, including anxiety, anhedonia, and despair behaviors. We discovered that the activity of the LH and mPFC was both increased after restraint stress (RS), a stressor of UCMS. Then we found that the orexinergic neurons in the LH predominantly project to the glutamatergic neurons in the mPFC, and the excitability of these neurons were increased after UCMS. In addition, overactivated LH orexinergic terminals in the mPFC induced anhedonia but not anxiety and despair behaviors in naive mice. Moreover, chemogenetically inhibited LH-mPFC orexinergic projection neurons and blocked the orexin receptors in the mPFC alleviated anhedonia but not anxiety and despair behaviors in UCMS-treated mice. Our study identified a new neurocircuit from LH orexinergic neurons to mPFC and revealed its role in regulating anhedonia in response to stress. Overactivation of LHOrx-mPFC pathway selectively mediated chronic stress-induced anhedonia. In normal mice, the LHOrx-mPFC pathway exhibits relatively low activity. However, after chronic stress, the activity of orexinergic neuron in LH is overactivated, leading to an increased release of orexin into the mPFC. This heightened orexin concentration results in increased excitability of the mPFC through OX1R and OX2R, consequently triggering anhedonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danlei Liu
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Xuefeng Zheng
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Yuqing Hui
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Yuanyuan Xu
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Jinjiang Du
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Zean Du
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Yichen Che
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Fengming Wu
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Guangyin Yu
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Jifeng Zhang
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
| | - Xiaobing Gong
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
| | - Guoqing Guo
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
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Gorka SM, Khorrami KJ, Manzler CA, Phan KL. Acute orexin antagonism selectively modulates anticipatory anxiety in humans: implications for addiction and anxiety. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:308. [PMID: 35918313 PMCID: PMC9345881 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02090-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Research indicates that heightened anticipatory anxiety underlies several forms of psychopathology. Anticipatory anxiety can be reliably and objectively measured in the laboratory using the No-Predictable-Unpredictable (NPU) threat paradigm. The NPU paradigm is an ideal research tool for the NIH 'Fast-Fail' approach of screening promising compounds and testing human target engagement. Evidence from preclinical studies suggests that the hypocretin/orexin (ORX) hypothalamic neuropeptide system is a potential means for modulating anticipatory anxiety and disrupting stress-related alcohol use. The current study tested this question using a psychophysiological probe of the ORX system in humans. We examined whether a single dose of suvorexant (SUV; 10 mg; dual ORX receptor antagonist) can effectively and selectively target a well-validated human laboratory index of exaggerated anticipatory anxiety using a within-subjects placebo-controlled design. A total of twenty-one volunteers completed two laboratory sessions during acute administration of 10 mg SUV or placebo. Across sessions, we administered the NPU paradigm probing sustained anticipatory anxiety and fear while startle eyeblink was recorded as an index of aversive reactivity. Questionnaires assessing mood states and subjective drug effects were also collected. Results indicated SUV was well-tolerated. Compared with placebo, SUV was associated with decreased startle reactivity during anticipatory anxiety but not fear or no-threat conditions. Therefore, SUV selectively and effectively reduced objective indicators of anticipatory anxiety in humans and engaged our laboratory target of psychopathology. ORX antagonism may be a promising strategy for modulating human anxiety and potentially, stress-related alcohol use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie M. Gorka
- grid.412332.50000 0001 1545 0811Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 370 W. 9th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210 USA ,grid.261331.40000 0001 2285 7943Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH 43210 USA
| | - Kia J. Khorrami
- grid.412332.50000 0001 1545 0811Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 370 W. 9th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210 USA ,grid.261331.40000 0001 2285 7943Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH 43210 USA
| | - Charles A. Manzler
- grid.412332.50000 0001 1545 0811Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 370 W. 9th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210 USA ,grid.261331.40000 0001 2285 7943Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH 43210 USA
| | - K. Luan Phan
- grid.412332.50000 0001 1545 0811Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 370 W. 9th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210 USA
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Tufvesson-Alm M, Shevchouk OT, Jerlhag E. Insight into the role of the gut-brain axis in alcohol-related responses: Emphasis on GLP-1, amylin, and ghrelin. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:1092828. [PMID: 36699502 PMCID: PMC9868418 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1092828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) contributes substantially to global morbidity and mortality. Given the heterogenicity of this brain disease, available pharmacological treatments only display efficacy in sub-set of individuals. The need for additional treatment options is thus substantial and is the goal of preclinical studies unraveling neurobiological mechanisms underlying AUD. Although these neurobiological processes are complex and numerous, one system gaining recent attention is the gut-brain axis. Peptides of the gut-brain axis include anorexigenic peptide like glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and amylin as well as the orexigenic peptide ghrelin. In animal models, agonists of the GLP-1 or amylin receptor and ghrelin receptor (GHSR) antagonists reduce alcohol drinking, relapse drinking, and alcohol-seeking. Moreover, these three gut-brain peptides modulate alcohol-related responses (behavioral and neurochemical) in rodents, suggesting that the alcohol reduction may involve a suppression of alcohol's rewarding properties. Brain areas participating in the ability of these gut-brain peptides to reduce alcohol-mediated behaviors/neurochemistry involve those important for reward. Human studies support these preclinical studies as polymorphisms of the genes encoding for GLP-1 receptor or the ghrelin pathway are associated with AUD. Moreover, a GLP-1 receptor agonist decreases alcohol drinking in overweight patients with AUD and an inverse GHSR agonist reduces alcohol craving. Although preclinical and clinical studies reveal an interaction between the gut-brain axis and AUD, additional studies should explore this in more detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Tufvesson-Alm
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Olesya T Shevchouk
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Elisabet Jerlhag
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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