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Oleksiak CR, Plas SL, Carriaga D, Vasudevan K, Maren S, Moscarello JM. Ventral hippocampus mediates inter-trial responding in signaled active avoidance. Behav Brain Res 2024; 470:115071. [PMID: 38806099 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.115071] [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: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
The hippocampus has a central role in regulating contextual processes in memory. We have shown that pharmacological inactivation of ventral hippocampus (VH) attenuates the context-dependence of signaled active avoidance (SAA) in rats. Here, we explore whether the VH mediates intertrial responses (ITRs), which are putative unreinforced avoidance responses that occur between trials. First, we examined whether VH inactivation would affect ITRs. Male rats underwent SAA training and subsequently received intra-VH infusions of saline or muscimol before retrieval tests in the training context. Rats that received muscimol performed significantly fewer ITRs, but equivalent avoidance responses, compared to controls. Next, we asked whether chemogenetic VH activation would increase ITR vigor. In male and female rats expressing excitatory (hM3Dq) DREADDs, systemic CNO administration produced a robust ITR increase that was not due to nonspecific locomotor effects. Then, we examined whether chemogenetic VH activation potentiated ITRs in an alternate (non-training) test context and found it did. Finally, to determine if context-US associations mediate ITRs, we exposed rats to the training context for three days after SAA training to extinguish the context. Rats submitted to context extinction did not show a reliable decrease in ITRs during a retrieval test, suggesting that context-US associations are not responsible for ITRs. Collectively, these results reveal an important role for the VH in context-dependent ITRs during SAA. Further work is required to explore the neural circuits and associative basis for these responses, which may be underlie pathological avoidance that occurs in humans after threat has passed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecily R Oleksiak
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA; Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA
| | - Samantha L Plas
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA; Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA
| | - Denise Carriaga
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, TX 78539
| | - Krithika Vasudevan
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA; Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA
| | - Stephen Maren
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA; Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA
| | - Justin M Moscarello
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA; Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA.
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Masala N, Mittag M, Giovannetti EA, O'Neil DA, Distler FJ, Rupprecht P, Helmchen F, Yuste R, Fuhrmann M, Beck H, Wenzel M, Kelly T. Aberrant hippocampal Ca 2+ microwaves following synapsin-dependent adeno-associated viral expression of Ca 2+ indicators. eLife 2024; 13:RP93804. [PMID: 39042440 PMCID: PMC11265795 DOI: 10.7554/elife.93804] [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: 07/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Genetically encoded calcium indicators (GECIs) such as GCaMP are invaluable tools in neuroscience to monitor neuronal activity using optical imaging. The viral transduction of GECIs is commonly used to target expression to specific brain regions, can be conveniently used with any mouse strain of interest without the need for prior crossing with a GECI mouse line, and avoids potential hazards due to the chronic expression of GECIs during development. A key requirement for monitoring neuronal activity with an indicator is that the indicator itself minimally affects activity. Here, using common adeno-associated viral (AAV) transduction procedures, we describe spatially confined aberrant Ca2+ microwaves slowly travelling through the hippocampus following expression of GCaMP6, GCaMP7, or R-CaMP1.07 driven by the synapsin promoter with AAV-dependent gene transfer in a titre-dependent fashion. Ca2+ microwaves developed in hippocampal CA1 and CA3, but not dentate gyrus nor neocortex, were typically first observed at 4 wk after viral transduction, and persisted up to at least 8 wk. The phenomenon was robust and observed across laboratories with various experimenters and setups. Our results indicate that aberrant hippocampal Ca2+ microwaves depend on the promoter and viral titre of the GECI, density of expression, as well as the targeted brain region. We used an alternative viral transduction method of GCaMP which avoids this artefact. The results show that commonly used Ca2+-indicator AAV transduction procedures can produce artefactual Ca2+ responses. Our aim is to raise awareness in the field of these artefactual transduction-induced Ca2+ microwaves, and we provide a potential solution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Masala
- University of Bonn, Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Experimental Epileptology and Cognition Research (IEECR)BonnGermany
- University Hospital BonnBonnGermany
- Department of Epileptology, University Hospital BonnBonnGermany
| | - Manuel Mittag
- Neuroimmunology and Imaging Group, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)BonnGermany
| | | | - Darik A O'Neil
- NeuroTechnology Center, Columbia UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Fabian J Distler
- University of Bonn, Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Experimental Epileptology and Cognition Research (IEECR)BonnGermany
- University Hospital BonnBonnGermany
| | - Peter Rupprecht
- Brain Research Institute, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Fritjof Helmchen
- Brain Research Institute, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Rafael Yuste
- NeuroTechnology Center, Columbia UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Martin Fuhrmann
- Neuroimmunology and Imaging Group, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)BonnGermany
| | - Heinz Beck
- University of Bonn, Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Experimental Epileptology and Cognition Research (IEECR)BonnGermany
- University Hospital BonnBonnGermany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)BonnGermany
| | - Michael Wenzel
- University of Bonn, Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Experimental Epileptology and Cognition Research (IEECR)BonnGermany
- University Hospital BonnBonnGermany
- Department of Epileptology, University Hospital BonnBonnGermany
| | - Tony Kelly
- University of Bonn, Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Experimental Epileptology and Cognition Research (IEECR)BonnGermany
- University Hospital BonnBonnGermany
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3
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Matsushita MT, Xia Z. Cadmium inhibits calcium activity in hippocampal CA1 neurons of freely moving mice. Toxicol Sci 2024; 200:199-212. [PMID: 38579196 PMCID: PMC11199909 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfae048] [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: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) is a ubiquitous toxic heavy metal and a potential neurotoxicant due to its wide use in industrial manufacturing processes and commercial products, including fertilizers. The general population is exposed to Cd through food and smoking due to high transfer rates of Cd from contaminated soil. Cd has been shown to mimic calcium ions (Ca2+) and interfere with intracellular Ca2+ levels and Ca2+ signaling in in vitro studies. However, nothing is known about Cd's effects on Ca2+ activity in neurons in live animals. This study aimed to determine if Cd disrupts Ca2+ transients of neurons in CA1 region of the hippocampus during an associative learning paradigm. We utilized in vivo Ca2+ imaging in awake, freely moving C57BL/6 mice to measure Ca2+ activity in CA1 excitatory neurons expressing genetically encoded Ca2+ sensor GCaMP6 during an associative learning paradigm. We found that a smaller proportion of neurons are activated in Cd-treated groups compared with control during fear conditioning, suggesting that Cd may contribute to learning and memory deficit by reducing the activity of neurons. We observed these effects at Cd exposure levels that result in blood Cd levels comparable with the general U.S. population levels. This provides a possible molecular mechanism for Cd interference of learning and memory at exposure levels relevant to U.S. adults. To our knowledge, our study is the first to describe Cd effects on brain Ca2+ activity in vivo in freely behaving mice. This study provides evidence for impairment of neuronal calcium activity in hippocampal CA1 excitatory neurons in freely moving mice following cadmium exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megumi T Matsushita
- Toxicology Program, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98105, USA
| | - Zhengui Xia
- Toxicology Program, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98105, USA
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4
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Yokoi Y, Kubo A, Nishimura K, Takamura Y, Morishita Y, Minami M, Nomura H. Chemogenetic activation of histamine neurons promotes retrieval of apparently lost memories. Mol Brain 2024; 17:38. [PMID: 38877480 PMCID: PMC11179205 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-024-01111-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Memory retrieval can become difficult over time, but it is important to note that memories that appear to be forgotten might still be stored in the brain, as shown by their occasional spontaneous retrieval. Histamine in the central nervous system is a promising target for facilitating the recovery of memory retrieval. Our previous study demonstrated that histamine H3 receptor (H3R) inverse agonists/antagonists, activating histamine synthesis and release, enhance activity in the perirhinal cortex and help in retrieving forgotten long-term object recognition memories. However, it is unclear whether enhancing histaminergic activity alone is enough for the recovery of memory retrieval, considering that H3Rs are also located in other neuron types and affect the release of multiple neurotransmitters. In this study, we employed a chemogenetic method to determine whether specifically activating histamine neurons in the tuberomammillary nucleus facilitates memory retrieval. In the novel object recognition test, control mice did not show a preference for objects based on memory 1 week after training, but chemogenetic activation of histamine neurons before testing improved memory retrieval. This selective activation did not affect the locomotor activity or anxiety-related behavior. Administering an H2R antagonist directly into the perirhinal cortex inhibited the recovery of memory retrieval induced by the activation of histamine neurons. Furthermore, we utilized the Barnes maze test to investigate whether chemogenetic activation of histamine neurons influences the retrieval of forgotten spatial memories. Control mice explored all the holes in the maze equally 1 week after training, whereas mice with chemogenetically activated histamine neurons spent more time around the target hole. These findings indicate that chemogenetic activation of histamine neurons in the tuberomammillary nucleus can promote retrieval of seemingly forgotten object recognition and spatial memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuto Yokoi
- Endowed Department of Cognitive Function and Pathology, Institute of Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, 467-8601, Japan
| | - Ayame Kubo
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0812, Japan
| | - Kyoka Nishimura
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0812, Japan
| | - Yuki Takamura
- Endowed Department of Cognitive Function and Pathology, Institute of Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, 467-8601, Japan
| | - Yoshikazu Morishita
- Endowed Department of Cognitive Function and Pathology, Institute of Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, 467-8601, Japan
| | - Masabumi Minami
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0812, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nomura
- Endowed Department of Cognitive Function and Pathology, Institute of Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, 467-8601, Japan.
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0812, Japan.
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5
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Zuniga A, Han J, Miller-Crews I, Agee LA, Hofmann HA, Drew MR. Extinction training suppresses activity of fear memory ensembles across the hippocampus and alters transcriptomes of fear-encoding cells. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024:10.1038/s41386-024-01897-0. [PMID: 38877180 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01897-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Contextual fear conditioning has been shown to activate a set of "fear ensemble" cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) whose reactivation is necessary and sufficient for expression of contextual fear. We previously demonstrated that extinction learning suppresses reactivation of these fear ensemble cells and activates a competing set of DG cells-the "extinction ensemble." Here, we tested whether extinction was sufficient to suppress reactivation in other regions and used single nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) of cells in the dorsal dentate gyrus to examine how extinction affects the transcriptomic activity of fear ensemble and fear recall-activated cells. Our results confirm the suppressive effects of extinction in the dorsal and ventral dentate gyrus and demonstrate that this same effect extends to fear ensemble cells located in the dorsal CA1. Interestingly, the extinction-induced suppression of fear ensemble activity was not detected in ventral CA1. Our snRNA-seq analysis demonstrates that extinction training markedly changes transcription patterns in fear ensemble cells and that cells activated during recall of fear and recall of extinction have distinct transcriptomic profiles. Together, our results indicate that extinction training suppresses a broad portion of the fear ensemble in the hippocampus, and this suppression is accompanied by changes in the transcriptomes of fear ensemble cells and the emergence of a transcriptionally unique extinction ensemble.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo Zuniga
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Center for Learning and Memory, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, The College of Wooster, 1189 Beall Ave, Wooster, OH, 44691, USA
| | - Jiawei Han
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Graduate Programs, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Isaac Miller-Crews
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Laura A Agee
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Center for Learning and Memory, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Hans A Hofmann
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Graduate Programs, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
| | - Michael R Drew
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- Center for Learning and Memory, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
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6
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Huang M, Tao X, Bao J, Wang J, Gong X, Luo L, Pan S, Yang R, Gui Y, Zhou H, Xia Y, Yang Y, Sun B, Liu W, Shu X. GADD45B in the ventral hippocampal CA1 modulates aversive memory acquisition and spatial cognition. Life Sci 2024; 346:122618. [PMID: 38614306 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122618] [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: 02/03/2024] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
AIMS This study was designed to investigate the role of growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible β (GADD45B) in modulating fear memory acquisition and elucidate its underlying mechanisms. MAIN METHODS Adeno-associated virus (AAV) that knockdown or overexpression GADD45B were injected into ventral hippocampal CA1 (vCA1) by stereotactic, and verified by fluorescence and Western blot. The contextual fear conditioning paradigm was employed to examine the involvement of GADD45B in modulating aversive memory acquisition. The Y-maze and novel location recognition (NLR) tests were used to examine non-aversive cognition. The synaptic plasticity and electrophysiological properties of neurons were measured by slice patch clamp. KEY FINDINGS Knockdown of GADD45B in the vCA1 significantly enhanced fear memory acquisition, accompanied by an upregulation of long-term potentiation (LTP) expression and intrinsic excitability of vCA1 pyramidal neurons (PNs). Conversely, overexpression of GADD45B produced the opposite effects. Notably, silencing the activity of vCA1 neurons abolished the impact of GADD45B knockdown on fear memory development. Moreover, mice with vCA1 GADD45B overexpression exhibited impaired spatial cognition, whereas mice with GADD45B knockdown did not display such impairment. SIGNIFICANCE These results provided compelling evidence for the crucial involvement of GADD45B in the formation of aversive memory and spatial cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengbing Huang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cognitive and Affective Disorders, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - Xiaoqing Tao
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cognitive and Affective Disorders, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - Jian Bao
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cognitive and Affective Disorders, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - Ji Wang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cognitive and Affective Disorders, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - Xiaokang Gong
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cognitive and Affective Disorders, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - Laijie Luo
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cognitive and Affective Disorders, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - Sijie Pan
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cognitive and Affective Disorders, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - Rong Yang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cognitive and Affective Disorders, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - Yuran Gui
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cognitive and Affective Disorders, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - HongYan Zhou
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cognitive and Affective Disorders, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - Yiyuan Xia
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cognitive and Affective Disorders, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - Youhua Yang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cognitive and Affective Disorders, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - Binlian Sun
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cognitive and Affective Disorders, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cognitive and Affective Disorders, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China.
| | - Xiji Shu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cognitive and Affective Disorders, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China.
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7
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Zhang Y, Xu C, Gu Y. Context Processing in Contextual and Cued Fear Extinction. Neurosci Bull 2024; 40:835-839. [PMID: 38619694 PMCID: PMC11178715 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-024-01205-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yimu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Chun Xu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
| | - Yu Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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8
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Pennington ZT, LaBanca AR, Sompolpong P, Abdel-Raheim SD, Ko B, Christenson Wick Z, Feng Y, Dong Z, Francisco TR, Bacon ME, Chen L, Fulton SL, Maze I, Shuman T, Cai DJ. Dissociable contributions of the amygdala and ventral hippocampus to stress-induced changes in defensive behavior. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.02.27.530077. [PMID: 36945605 PMCID: PMC10028838 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.27.530077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Severe stress can produce multiple persistent changes in defensive behavior relevant to psychiatric illness. While much is known about the circuits supporting stress-induced associative fear, how stress-induced circuit plasticity supports non-associative changes in defensive behavior remains unclear. METHODS Mice were exposed to an acute severe stressor, and subsequently, both associative and non-associative defensive behavioral responses were assessed. A mixture of local protein synthesis inhibition, pan-neuronal chemogenetic inhibition, and projection-specific chemogenetic inhibition were utilized to isolate the roles of the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and ventral hippocampus (vHC) to the induction and expression of associative and non-associative defensive behavioral changes. RESULTS Stress-induced protein synthesis in the BLA was necessary for enhancements in stress sensitivity but not enhancements in anxiety-related behaviors, whereas protein synthesis in the vHC was necessary for enhancements in anxiety-related behavior but not enhancements in stress sensitivity. Like protein synthesis, neuronal activity of the BLA and vHC were found to differentially support the expression of these same defensive behaviors. Additionally, projection-specific inhibition of BLA-vHC connections failed to alter these behaviors, indicating that these defensive behaviors are regulated by distinct BLA and vHC circuits. Lastly, contributions of the BLA and vHC to stress sensitivity and anxiety-related behavior were independent of their contributions to associative fear. CONCLUSIONS Stress-induced plasticity in the BLA and vHC were found to support dissociable non-associative behavioral changes, with BLA supporting enhancements in stress sensitivity and vHC supporting increased anxiety-related behavior. These findings demonstrate that independent BLA and vHC circuits are critical for stress-induced defensive behaviors, and that differential targeting of BLA and vHC circuits may be needed in disease treatment.
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9
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Oleksiak CR, Plas SL, Carriaga D, Vasudevan K, Maren S, Moscarello JM. Ventral hippocampus mediates inter-trial responding in signaled active avoidance. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.18.585627. [PMID: 38562746 PMCID: PMC10983994 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.18.585627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The hippocampus has a central role in regulating contextual processes in memory. We have shown that pharmacological inactivation of ventral hippocampus (VH) attenuates the context-dependence of signaled active avoidance (SAA) in rats. Here, we explore whether the VH mediates intertrial responses (ITRs), which are putative unreinforced avoidance responses that occur between trials. First, we examined whether VH inactivation would affect ITRs. Male rats underwent SAA training and subsequently received intra-VH infusions of saline or muscimol before retrieval tests in the training context. Rats that received muscimol performed significantly fewer ITRs, but equivalent avoidance responses, compared to controls. Next, we asked whether chemogenetic VH activation would increase ITR vigor. In male and female rats expressing excitatory (hM3Dq) DREADDs, systemic CNO administration produced a robust ITR increase that was not due to nonspecific locomotor effects. Then, we examined whether chemogenetic VH activation potentiated ITRs in an alternate (non-training) test context and found it did. Finally, to determine if context-US associations mediate ITRs, we exposed rats to the training context for three days after SAA training to extinguish the context. Rats submitted to context extinction did not show a reliable decrease in ITRs during a retrieval test, suggesting that context-US associations are not responsible for ITRs. Collectively, these results reveal an important role for the VH in context-dependent ITRs during SAA. Further work is required to explore the neural circuits and associative basis for these responses, which may be underlie pathological avoidance that occurs in humans after threat has passed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecily R. Oleksiak
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845
| | - Samantha L. Plas
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845
| | - Denise Carriaga
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, TX 78539
| | - Krithika Vasudevan
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845
| | - Stephen Maren
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845
| | - Justin M. Moscarello
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845
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10
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Nguyen R, Sivakumaran S, Lambe EK, Kim JC. Ventral hippocampal cholecystokinin interneurons gate contextual reward memory. iScience 2024; 27:108824. [PMID: 38303709 PMCID: PMC10831933 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.108824] [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: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Associating contexts with rewards depends on hippocampal circuits, with local inhibitory interneurons positioned to play an important role in shaping activity. Here, we demonstrate that the encoding of context-reward memory requires a ventral hippocampus (vHPC) to nucleus accumbens (NAc) circuit that is gated by cholecystokinin (CCK) interneurons. In a sucrose conditioned place preference (CPP) task, optogenetically inhibiting vHPC-NAc terminals impaired the acquisition of place preference. Transsynaptic rabies tracing revealed vHPC-NAc neurons were monosynaptically innervated by CCK interneurons. Using intersectional genetic targeting of CCK interneurons, ex vivo optogenetic activation of CCK interneurons increased GABAergic transmission onto vHPC-NAc neurons, while in vivo optogenetic inhibition of CCK interneurons increased cFos in these projection neurons. Notably, CCK interneuron inhibition during sucrose CPP learning increased time spent in the sucrose-associated location, suggesting enhanced place-reward memory. Our findings reveal a previously unknown hippocampal microcircuit crucial for modulating the strength of contextual reward learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Nguyen
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Evelyn K. Lambe
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of OBGYN, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jun Chul Kim
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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11
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Wang Y, Liu N, Ma L, Yue L, Cui S, Liu FY, Yi M, Wan Y. Ventral Hippocampal CA1 Pyramidal Neurons Encode Nociceptive Information. Neurosci Bull 2024; 40:201-217. [PMID: 37440103 PMCID: PMC10838882 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-023-01086-x] [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: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023] Open
Abstract
As a main structure of the limbic system, the hippocampus plays a critical role in pain perception and chronicity. The ventral hippocampal CA1 (vCA1) is closely associated with negative emotions such as anxiety, stress, and fear, yet how vCA1 neurons encode nociceptive information remains unclear. Using in vivo electrophysiological recording, we characterized vCA1 pyramidal neuron subpopulations that exhibited inhibitory or excitatory responses to plantar stimuli and were implicated in encoding stimuli modalities in naïve rats. Functional heterogeneity of the vCA1 pyramidal neurons was further identified in neuropathic pain conditions: the proportion and magnitude of the inhibitory response neurons paralleled mechanical allodynia and contributed to the confounded encoding of innocuous and noxious stimuli, whereas the excitatory response neurons were still instrumental in the discrimination of stimulus properties. Increased theta power and theta-spike coupling in vCA1 correlated with nociceptive behaviors. Optogenetic inhibition of vCA1 pyramidal neurons induced mechanical allodynia in naïve rats, whereas chemogenetic reversal of the overall suppressed vCA1 activity had analgesic effects in rats with neuropathic pain. These results provide direct evidence for the representations of nociceptive information in vCA1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Wang
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Naizheng Liu
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Longyu Ma
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Lupeng Yue
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Shuang Cui
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Feng-Yu Liu
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Ming Yi
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100083, China
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education/National Health Commission, Peking University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - You Wan
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100083, China.
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education/National Health Commission, Peking University, Beijing, 100083, China.
- Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China.
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12
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Park K, Kohl MM, Kwag J. Memory encoding and retrieval by retrosplenial parvalbumin interneurons are impaired in Alzheimer's disease model mice. Curr Biol 2024; 34:434-443.e4. [PMID: 38157861 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.12.014] [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: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Memory deficits in Alzheimer's disease (AD) show a strong link with GABAergic interneuron dysfunctions.1,2,3,4,5,6,7 The ensemble dynamics of GABAergic interneurons represent memory encoding and retrieval,8,9,10,11,12 but how GABAergic interneuron dysfunction affects inhibitory ensemble dynamics in AD is unknown. As the retrosplenial cortex (RSC) is critical for episodic memory13,14,15,16 and is affected by β-amyloid accumulation in early AD,17,18,19,20,21 we address this question by performing Ca2+ imaging in RSC parvalbumin (PV)-expressing interneurons during a contextual fear memory task in healthy control mice and the 5XFAD mouse model of AD. We found that populations of PV interneurons responsive to aversive electric foot shocks during contextual fear conditioning (shock-responsive) significantly decreased in the 5XFAD mice, indicating dysfunctions in the recruitment of memory-encoding PV interneurons. In the control mice, ensemble activities of shock-responsive PV interneurons were selectively upregulated during the freezing epoch of the contextual fear memory retrieval, manifested by synaptic potentiation of PV interneuron-mediated inhibition. However, such changes in ensemble dynamics during memory retrieval and synaptic plasticity were both absent in the 5XFAD mice. Optogenetic silencing of PV interneurons during contextual fear conditioning in the control mice mimicked the memory deficits in the 5XFAD mice, while optogenetic activation of PV interneurons in the 5XFAD mice restored memory retrieval. These results demonstrate the critical roles of contextual fear memory-encoding PV interneurons for memory retrieval. Furthermore, synaptic dysfunction of PV interneurons may disrupt the recruitment of PV interneurons and their ensemble dynamics underlying contextual fear memory retrieval, subsequently leading to memory deficits in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyerl Park
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University, Gwanak-ro 1, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Korea; Department of Brain and Cognitive Engineering, Korea University, Anam-ro 145, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Korea
| | - Michael M Kohl
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Glasgow, University Avenue, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Jeehyun Kwag
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University, Gwanak-ro 1, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Korea.
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13
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Wee RWS, Mishchanchuk K, AlSubaie R, Church TW, Gold MG, MacAskill AF. Internal-state-dependent control of feeding behavior via hippocampal ghrelin signaling. Neuron 2024; 112:288-305.e7. [PMID: 37977151 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Hunger is an internal state that not only invigorates feeding but also acts as a contextual cue for higher-order control of anticipatory feeding-related behavior. The ventral hippocampus is crucial for differentiating optimal behavior across contexts, but how internal contexts such as hunger influence hippocampal circuitry is unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of the ventral hippocampus during feeding behavior across different states of hunger in mice. We found that activity of a unique subpopulation of neurons that project to the nucleus accumbens (vS-NAc neurons) increased when animals investigated food, and this activity inhibited the transition to begin eating. Increases in the level of the peripheral hunger hormone ghrelin reduced vS-NAc activity during this anticipatory phase of feeding via ghrelin-receptor-dependent increases in postsynaptic inhibition and promoted the initiation of eating. Together, these experiments define a ghrelin-sensitive hippocampal circuit that informs the decision to eat based on internal state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan W S Wee
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, Gower St., London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Karyna Mishchanchuk
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, Gower St., London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Rawan AlSubaie
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, Gower St., London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Timothy W Church
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, Gower St., London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Matthew G Gold
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, Gower St., London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Andrew F MacAskill
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, Gower St., London WC1E 6BT, UK.
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14
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Zuniga A, Han J, Miller-Crews I, Agee LA, Hofmann HA, Drew MR. Extinction Training Suppresses Activity of Fear Memory Ensembles Across the Hippocampus and Alters Transcriptomes of Fear-Encoding Cells. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.31.573787. [PMID: 38260411 PMCID: PMC10802378 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.31.573787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Contextual fear conditioning has been shown to activate a set of "fear ensemble" cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) whose reactivation is necessary and sufficient for expression of contextual fear. We previously demonstrated that extinction learning suppresses reactivation of these fear ensemble cells and activates a competing set of DG cells - the "extinction ensemble." Here, we tested whether extinction was sufficient to suppress reactivation in other regions and used single nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) of cells in the dorsal dentate gyrus to examine how extinction affects the transcriptomic activity of fear ensemble and fear recall-activated cells. Our results confirm the suppressive effects of extinction in the dorsal and ventral dentate gyrus and demonstrate that this same effect extends to fear ensemble cells located in the dorsal CA1. Interestingly, the extinction-induced suppression of fear ensemble activity was not detected in ventral CA1. Our snRNA-seq analysis demonstrates that extinction training markedly changes transcription patterns in fear ensemble cells and that cells activated during recall of fear and recall of extinction have distinct transcriptomic profiles. Together, our results indicate that extinction training suppresses a broad portion of the fear ensemble in the hippocampus, and this suppression is accompanied by changes in the transcriptomes of fear ensemble cells and the emergence of a transcriptionally unique extinction ensemble.
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15
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Ortega-de San Luis C, Pezzoli M, Urrieta E, Ryan TJ. Engram cell connectivity as a mechanism for information encoding and memory function. Curr Biol 2023; 33:5368-5380.e5. [PMID: 37992719 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.10.074] [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: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Information derived from experiences is incorporated into the brain as changes to ensembles of cells, termed engram cells, which allow memory storage and recall. The mechanism by which those changes hold specific information is unclear. Here, we test the hypothesis that the specific synaptic wiring between engram cells is the substrate of information storage. First, we monitor how learning modifies the connectivity pattern between engram cells at a monosynaptic connection involving the hippocampal ventral CA1 (vCA1) region and the amygdala. Then, we assess the functional significance of these connectivity changes by artificially activating or inhibiting its presynaptic and postsynaptic components, respectively. Finally, we identify a synaptic plasticity mechanism mediated by postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95), which impacts the connectivity pattern among engram cells and contributes to the long-term stability of the memory. These findings impact our theory of learning and memory by helping us explain the translation of specific information into engram cells and how these connections shape brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Ortega-de San Luis
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College of Dublin, Dublin D02 PN40, Ireland; Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin D02 PN40, Ireland
| | - Maurizio Pezzoli
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College of Dublin, Dublin D02 PN40, Ireland; Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Esteban Urrieta
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College of Dublin, Dublin D02 PN40, Ireland; Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin D02 PN40, Ireland
| | - Tomás J Ryan
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College of Dublin, Dublin D02 PN40, Ireland; Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin D02 PN40, Ireland; Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia; Child & Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada.
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16
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Pronier É, Morici JF, Girardeau G. The role of the hippocampus in the consolidation of emotional memories during sleep. Trends Neurosci 2023; 46:912-925. [PMID: 37714808 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Episodic memory relies on the hippocampus, a heterogeneous brain region with distinct functions. Spatial representations in the dorsal hippocampus (dHPC) are crucial for contextual memory, while the ventral hippocampus (vHPC) is more involved in emotional processing. Here, we review the literature in rodents highlighting the anatomical and functional properties of the hippocampus along its dorsoventral axis that underlie its role in contextual and emotional memory encoding, consolidation, and retrieval. We propose that the coordination between the dorsal and vHPC through theta oscillations during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and through sharp-wave ripples during non-REM (NREM) sleep, might facilitate the transfer of contextual information for integration with valence-related processing in other structures of the network. Further investigation into the physiology of the vHPC and its connections with other brain areas is needed to deepen the current understanding of emotional memory consolidation during sleep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Éléonore Pronier
- Institut du Fer à Moulin, Inserm U1270, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
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17
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Barth AM, Jelitai M, Vasarhelyi-Nagy MF, Varga V. Aversive stimulus-tuned responses in the CA1 of the dorsal hippocampus. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6841. [PMID: 37891171 PMCID: PMC10611787 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42611-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Throughout life animals inevitably encounter unforeseen threatening events. Activity of principal cells in the hippocampus is tuned for locations and for salient stimuli in the animals' environment thus forming a map known to be pivotal for guiding behavior. Here, we explored if a code of threatening stimuli exists in the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus of mice by recording neuronal response to aversive stimuli delivered at changing locations. We have discovered a rapidly emerging, location independent response to innoxious aversive stimuli composed of the coordinated activation of subgroups of pyramidal cells and connected interneurons. Activated pyramidal cells had higher basal firing rate, more probably participated in ripples, targeted more interneurons than place cells and many of them lacked place fields. We also detected aversive stimulus-coupled assemblies dominated by the activated neurons. Notably, these assemblies could be observed even before the delivery of the first aversive event. Finally, we uncovered the systematic shift of the spatial code from the aversive to, surprisingly, the reward location during the fearful stimulus. Our results uncovered components of the dorsal CA1 circuit possibly key for re-sculpting the spatial map in response to abrupt aversive events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert M Barth
- Subcortical Modulation Research Group, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, 1083, Hungary.
- Cerebral Cortex Research Group, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, 1083, Hungary.
| | - Marta Jelitai
- Subcortical Modulation Research Group, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, 1083, Hungary
| | | | - Viktor Varga
- Subcortical Modulation Research Group, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, 1083, Hungary.
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18
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Stubbendorff C, Hale E, Bast T, Cassaday HJ, Martin SJ, Suwansawang S, Halliday DM, Stevenson CW. Dopamine D1-like receptors modulate synchronized oscillations in the hippocampal-prefrontal-amygdala circuit in contextual fear. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17631. [PMID: 37848657 PMCID: PMC10582086 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44772-6] [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: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Contextual fear conditioning (CFC) is mediated by a neural circuit that includes the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and amygdala, but the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the regulation of CFC by neuromodulators remain unclear. Dopamine D1-like receptors (D1Rs) in this circuit regulate CFC and local synaptic plasticity, which is facilitated by synchronized oscillations between these areas. In rats, we determined the effects of systemic D1R blockade on CFC and oscillatory synchrony between dorsal hippocampus (DH), prelimbic (PL) cortex, basolateral amygdala (BLA), and ventral hippocampus (VH), which sends hippocampal projections to PL and BLA. D1R blockade altered DH-VH and reduced VH-PL and VH-BLA synchrony during CFC, as inferred from theta and gamma coherence and theta-gamma coupling. D1R blockade also impaired CFC, as indicated by decreased freezing at retrieval, which was characterized by altered DH-VH and reduced VH-PL, VH-BLA, and PL-BLA synchrony. This reduction in VH-PL-BLA synchrony was not fully accounted for by non-specific locomotor effects, as revealed by comparing between epochs of movement and freezing in the controls. These results suggest that D1Rs regulate CFC by modulating synchronized oscillations within the hippocampus-prefrontal-amygdala circuit. They also add to growing evidence indicating that this circuit synchrony at retrieval reflects a neural signature of learned fear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Stubbendorff
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK.
- Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163, Genova, Italy.
| | - Ed Hale
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK
- Envigo, Hillcrest, Dodgeford Lane, Belton, LE12 9TE, UK
| | - Tobias Bast
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, UK
- Neuroscience@Nottingham, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Helen J Cassaday
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, UK
- Neuroscience@Nottingham, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Stephen J Martin
- Cellular and Systems Medicine, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Sopapun Suwansawang
- School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York, Heslington, York, UK
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Nakhon Pathom Rajabhat University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - David M Halliday
- School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York, Heslington, York, UK
| | - Carl W Stevenson
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK.
- Neuroscience@Nottingham, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
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19
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Agetsuma M, Sato I, Tanaka YR, Carrillo-Reid L, Kasai A, Noritake A, Arai Y, Yoshitomo M, Inagaki T, Yukawa H, Hashimoto H, Nabekura J, Nagai T. Activity-dependent organization of prefrontal hub-networks for associative learning and signal transformation. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5996. [PMID: 37803014 PMCID: PMC10558457 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41547-5] [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: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Associative learning is crucial for adapting to environmental changes. Interactions among neuronal populations involving the dorso-medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) are proposed to regulate associative learning, but how these neuronal populations store and process information about the association remains unclear. Here we developed a pipeline for longitudinal two-photon imaging and computational dissection of neural population activities in male mouse dmPFC during fear-conditioning procedures, enabling us to detect learning-dependent changes in the dmPFC network topology. Using regularized regression methods and graphical modeling, we found that fear conditioning drove dmPFC reorganization to generate a neuronal ensemble encoding conditioned responses (CR) characterized by enhanced internal coactivity, functional connectivity, and association with conditioned stimuli (CS). Importantly, neurons strongly responding to unconditioned stimuli during conditioning subsequently became hubs of this novel associative network for the CS-to-CR transformation. Altogether, we demonstrate learning-dependent dynamic modulation of population coding structured on the activity-dependent formation of the hub network within the dmPFC.
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Grants
- MEXT | Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
- This study was supported by the Japan Science and Technology Agency, PRESTO (to M.A.), JSPS KAKENHI Grant (grant number JP18K06536, JP18H05144, JP20H05076, JP21H02801, JP22H05081, JP22H05519 to M.A.; JP20H03357, JP20H05073, JP21K18563 to Y.R.T.; JP20H05065, JP22H05080 to A.K.; JP22H05081 to A.N.), JSPS Bilateral Program (JPJSBP1-20199901 to M.A.), AMED (grant number JP19dm0207086 to M.A.; JP21dm0207117 to H.H.), the grant of Joint Research by the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS program No 01112008 and 01112106 to M.A.), and grants from Brain Science Foundation and Shimadzu Foundation to M.A. and the Takeda Science Foundation to A.K. and H.H. Authors declare that they have no competing interests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masakazu Agetsuma
- Division of Homeostatic Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, 38 Nishigohnaka Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan.
- Japan Science and Technology Agency, PRESTO, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama, 332-0012, Japan.
- SANKEN (The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research), Osaka University, Mihogaoka 8-1, Ibaraki, Osaka, 567-0047, Japan.
- Division of Molecular Design, Research Center for Systems Immunology, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan.
- Quantum Regenerative and Biomedical Engineering Team, Institute for Quantum Life Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST), Anagawa 4-9-1, Chiba Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan.
| | - Issei Sato
- Department of Computer Science, Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro R Tanaka
- Brain Science Institute, Tamagawa University, 6-1-1 Tamagawagakuen, Machida, Tokyo, 194-8610, Japan
| | - Luis Carrillo-Reid
- Instituto de Neurobiologia, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, Juriquilla, Queretaro, CP, 76230, Mexico
| | - Atsushi Kasai
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Yamadaoka 1-6, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Atsushi Noritake
- Division of Behavioral Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, 38 Nishigohnaka Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan
| | - Yoshiyuki Arai
- SANKEN (The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research), Osaka University, Mihogaoka 8-1, Ibaraki, Osaka, 567-0047, Japan
| | - Miki Yoshitomo
- Division of Homeostatic Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, 38 Nishigohnaka Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan
| | - Takashi Inagaki
- Division of Homeostatic Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, 38 Nishigohnaka Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Yukawa
- Quantum Regenerative and Biomedical Engineering Team, Institute for Quantum Life Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST), Anagawa 4-9-1, Chiba Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan
- Institute of Nano-Life-Systems, Institutes of Innovation for Future Society Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8603, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Hashimoto
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Yamadaoka 1-6, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University, and University of Fukui, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
- Division of Bioscience, Institute for Datability Science, Osaka University, 1-8 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
- Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
- Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Junichi Nabekura
- Division of Homeostatic Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, 38 Nishigohnaka Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan
| | - Takeharu Nagai
- SANKEN (The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research), Osaka University, Mihogaoka 8-1, Ibaraki, Osaka, 567-0047, Japan
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20
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Yang S, Zhu G. Phytotherapy of abnormality of fear memory: A narrative review of mechanisms. Fitoterapia 2023; 169:105618. [PMID: 37482307 DOI: 10.1016/j.fitote.2023.105618] [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: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
It is generally believed that in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the high expression of fear memory is mainly determined by amygdala hyperactivity and hippocampus hypoactivity. In this review, we firstly updated the mechanisms of fear memory, and then searched the experimental evidence of phytotherapy for fear memory in the past five years. Based on the summary of those experimental studies, we further discussed the future research strategies of plant medicines, including the study of the mechanism of specific brain regions, the optimal time for the prevention and treatment of fear memory-related diseases such as PTSD, and the development of new drugs with active components of plant medicines. Accordingly, plant medicines play a clear role in improving fear memory abnormalities and have the drug development potential in the treatment of fear-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaojie Yang
- The Second Affiliation Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui 230061, China; Key Laboratory of Xin'an Medicine, The Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology (Brain diseases), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui 230012, China
| | - Guoqi Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Xin'an Medicine, The Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology (Brain diseases), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui 230012, China.
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21
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Bai T, Zhan L, Zhang N, Lin F, Saur D, Xu C. Learning-prolonged maintenance of stimulus information in CA1 and subiculum during trace fear conditioning. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112853. [PMID: 37481720 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112853] [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: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Temporal associative learning binds discontiguous conditional stimuli (CSs) and unconditional stimuli (USs), possibly by maintaining CS information in the hippocampus after its offset. Yet, how learning regulates such maintenance of CS information in hippocampal circuits remains largely unclear. Using the auditory trace fear conditioning (TFC) paradigm, we identify a projection from the CA1 to the subiculum critical for TFC. Deep-brain calcium imaging shows that the peak of trace activity in the CA1 and subiculum is extended toward the US and that the CS representation during the trace period is enhanced during learning. Interestingly, such plasticity is consolidated only in the CA1, not the subiculum, after training. Moreover, CA1 neurons, but not subiculum neurons, increasingly become active during CS-and-trace and shock periods, respectively, and correlate with CS-evoked fear retrieval afterward. These results indicate that learning dynamically enhances stimulus information maintenance in the CA1-subiculum circuit during learning while storing CS and US memories primarily in the CA1 area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Bai
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lijie Zhan
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Na Zhang
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Feikai Lin
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Dieter Saur
- Department of Internal Medicine 2, Technische Universität München, Ismaningerstrasse 22, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Chun Xu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Technology, Shanghai 201210, China.
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22
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Li Y, Zhi W, Qi B, Wang L, Hu X. Update on neurobiological mechanisms of fear: illuminating the direction of mechanism exploration and treatment development of trauma and fear-related disorders. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1216524. [PMID: 37600761 PMCID: PMC10433239 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1216524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Fear refers to an adaptive response in the face of danger, and the formed fear memory acts as a warning when the individual faces a dangerous situation again, which is of great significance to the survival of humans and animals. Excessive fear response caused by abnormal fear memory can lead to neuropsychiatric disorders. Fear memory has been studied for a long time, which is of a certain guiding effect on the treatment of fear-related disorders. With continuous technological innovations, the study of fear has gradually shifted from the level of brain regions to deeper neural (micro) circuits between brain regions and even within single brain regions, as well as molecular mechanisms. This article briefly outlines the basic knowledge of fear memory and reviews the neurobiological mechanisms of fear extinction and relapse, which aims to provide new insights for future basic research on fear emotions and new ideas for treating trauma and fear-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Li
- College of Education, Hebei University, Baoding, China
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Weijia Zhi
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Bing Qi
- College of Education, Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Lifeng Wang
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangjun Hu
- College of Education, Hebei University, Baoding, China
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
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23
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Suthard RL, Senne RA, Buzharsky MD, Pyo AY, Dorst KE, Diep AH, Cole RH, Ramirez S. Basolateral Amygdala Astrocytes Are Engaged by the Acquisition and Expression of a Contextual Fear Memory. J Neurosci 2023; 43:4997-5013. [PMID: 37268419 PMCID: PMC10324998 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1775-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are key cellular regulators within the brain. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) is implicated in fear memory processing, yet most research has entirely focused on neuronal mechanisms, despite a significant body of work implicating astrocytes in learning and memory. In the present study, we used in vivo fiber photometry in C57BL/6J male mice to record from amygdalar astrocytes across fear learning, recall, and three separate periods of extinction. We found that BLA astrocytes robustly responded to foot shock during acquisition, their activity remained remarkably elevated across days in comparison to unshocked control animals, and their increased activity persisted throughout extinction. Further, we found that astrocytes responded to the initiation and termination of freezing bouts during contextual fear conditioning and recall, and this behavior-locked pattern of activity did not persist throughout the extinction sessions. Importantly, astrocytes do not display these changes while exploring a novel context, suggesting that these observations are specific to the original fear-associated environment. Chemogenetic inhibition of fear ensembles in the BLA did not affect freezing behavior or astrocytic calcium dynamics. Overall, our work presents a real-time role for amygdalar astrocytes in fear processing and provides new insight into the emerging role of these cells in cognition and behavior.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We show that basolateral amygdala astrocytes are robustly responsive to negative experiences, like shock, and display changed calcium activity patterns through fear learning and memory. Additionally, astrocytic calcium responses become time locked to the initiation and termination of freezing behavior during fear learning and recall. We find that astrocytes display calcium dynamics unique to a fear-conditioned context, and chemogenetic inhibition of BLA fear ensembles does not have an impact on freezing behavior or calcium dynamics. These findings show that astrocytes play a key real-time role in fear learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L Suthard
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
| | - Ryan A Senne
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
| | - Michelle D Buzharsky
- Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
| | - Angela Y Pyo
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
| | - Kaitlyn E Dorst
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
| | - Anh H Diep
- Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
| | - Rebecca H Cole
- Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
| | - Steve Ramirez
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
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24
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Nguyen R, Koukoutselos K, Forro T, Ciocchi S. Fear extinction relies on ventral hippocampal safety codes shaped by the amygdala. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg4881. [PMID: 37256958 PMCID: PMC10413664 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg4881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Extinction memory retrieval is influenced by spatial contextual information that determines responding to conditioned stimuli (CS). However, it is poorly understood whether contextual representations are imbued with emotional values to support memory selection. Here, we performed activity-dependent engram tagging and in vivo single-unit electrophysiological recordings from the ventral hippocampus (vH) while optogenetically manipulating basolateral amygdala (BLA) inputs during the formation of cued fear extinction memory. During fear extinction when CS acquire safety properties, we found that CS-related activity in the vH reactivated during sleep consolidation and was strengthened upon memory retrieval. Moreover, fear extinction memory was facilitated when the extinction context exhibited precise coding of its affective zones. Last, these activity patterns along with the retrieval of the fear extinction memory were dependent on glutamatergic transmission from the BLA during extinction learning. Thus, fear extinction memory relies on the formation of contextual and stimulus safety representations in the vH instructed by the BLA.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Thomas Forro
- Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Department of Physiology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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25
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Cen XQ, Li P, Wang B, Chen X, Zhao Y, Yang N, Peng Y, Li CH, Ning YL, Zhou YG. Knockdown of adenosine A2A receptors in hippocampal neurons prevents post-TBI fear memory retrieval. Exp Neurol 2023; 364:114378. [PMID: 36907351 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2023.114378] [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: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023]
Abstract
The formation of fear memory is crucial in emotional disorders such as PTSD and anxiety. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can cause emotional disorders with dysregulated fear memory formation; however, their cross-interaction remains unclear and hurdled the treatment against TBI-related emotional disorders. While adenosine A2A receptor(A2AR) contributes to the physiological regulation of fear memory, this study aimed to evaluate the A2AR role and possible mechanisms in post-TBI fear memory formation using a craniocerebral trauma model, genetically modified A2AR mutant mice, and pharmacological A2AR agonist CGS21680 and antagonist ZM241385. Our finding showed (i) TBI enhanced mice freezing levels (fear memory) at seven days post-TBI; (ii) The A2AR agonist CGS21680 enhanced the post-TBI freezing levels; conversely, the A2AR antagonist ZM241385 reduced mice freezing level; further (iii) Genetic knockdown of neuronal A2AR in the hippocampal CA1, CA3, and DG regions reduced post-TBI freezing levels, while A2AR knockout in DG region yielded the most reduction in fear memory; finally, (iv) AAV-CaMKII-Cre virus-mediated DG deletion of A2AR on excitatory neurons led to a significant decreased freezing levels post-TBI. These findings indicate that brain trauma increases fear memory retrieval post-TBI, and A2AR on DG excitatory neurons plays a crucial role in this process. Importantly, inhibition of A2AR attenuates fear memory enhancement, which provides a new strategy to prevent fear memory formation/enhancement after TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Qing Cen
- The College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, No.174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China; Department of Army Occupational Disease, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Research Institute of Surgery and Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ping Li
- Department of Army Occupational Disease, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Research Institute of Surgery and Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China; Institute of Brain and Intelligence, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Bo Wang
- Department of Army Occupational Disease, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Research Institute of Surgery and Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xing Chen
- Department of Army Occupational Disease, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Research Institute of Surgery and Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- Department of Army Occupational Disease, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Research Institute of Surgery and Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Nan Yang
- Department of Army Occupational Disease, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Research Institute of Surgery and Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yan Peng
- Department of Army Occupational Disease, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Research Institute of Surgery and Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chang-Hong Li
- Department of Army Occupational Disease, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Research Institute of Surgery and Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ya-Lei Ning
- Department of Army Occupational Disease, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Research Institute of Surgery and Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China; Institute of Brain and Intelligence, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Yuan-Guo Zhou
- Department of Army Occupational Disease, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Research Institute of Surgery and Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China; Institute of Brain and Intelligence, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China.
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26
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Suthard RL, Jellinger AL, Surets M, Shpokayte M, Pyo AY, Buzharsky MD, Senne RA, Dorst K, Leblanc H, Ramirez S. Chronic Gq activation of ventral hippocampal neurons and astrocytes differentially affects memory and behavior. Neurobiol Aging 2023; 125:9-31. [PMID: 36801699 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2023.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Network dysfunction is implicated in numerous diseases and psychiatric disorders, and the hippocampus serves as a common origin for these abnormalities. To test the hypothesis that chronic modulation of neurons and astrocytes induces impairments in cognition, we activated the hM3D(Gq) pathway in CaMKII+ neurons or GFAP+ astrocytes within the ventral hippocampus across 3, 6, and 9 months. CaMKII-hM3Dq activation impaired fear extinction at 3 months and acquisition at 9 months. Both CaMKII-hM3Dq manipulation and aging had differential effects on anxiety and social interaction. GFAP-hM3Dq activation impacted fear memory at 6 and 9 months. GFAP-hM3Dq activation impacted anxiety in the open field only at the earliest time point. CaMKII-hM3Dq activation modified the number of microglia, while GFAP-hM3Dq activation impacted microglial morphological characteristics, but neither affected these measures in astrocytes. Overall, our study elucidates how distinct cell types can modify behavior through network dysfunction, while adding a more direct role for glia in modulating behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L Suthard
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alexandra L Jellinger
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michelle Surets
- Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Monika Shpokayte
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Angela Y Pyo
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Ryan A Senne
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kaitlyn Dorst
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Heloise Leblanc
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Steve Ramirez
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
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27
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Biane JS, Ladow MA, Stefanini F, Boddu SP, Fan A, Hassan S, Dundar N, Apodaca-Montano DL, Zhou LZ, Fayner V, Woods NI, Kheirbek MA. Neural dynamics underlying associative learning in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:798-809. [PMID: 37012382 PMCID: PMC10448873 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01296-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
Animals associate cues with outcomes and update these associations as new information is presented. This requires the hippocampus, yet how hippocampal neurons track changes in cue-outcome associations remains unclear. Using two-photon calcium imaging, we tracked the same dCA1 and vCA1 neurons across days to determine how responses evolve across phases of odor-outcome learning. Initially, odors elicited robust responses in dCA1, whereas, in vCA1, odor responses primarily emerged after learning and embedded information about the paired outcome. Population activity in both regions rapidly reorganized with learning and then stabilized, storing learned odor representations for days, even after extinction or pairing with a different outcome. Additionally, we found stable, robust signals across CA1 when mice anticipated outcomes under behavioral control but not when mice anticipated an inescapable aversive outcome. These results show how the hippocampus encodes, stores and updates learned associations and illuminates the unique contributions of dorsal and ventral hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy S Biane
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Max A Ladow
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Fabio Stefanini
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sayi P Boddu
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Austin Fan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Shazreh Hassan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Naz Dundar
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Daniel L Apodaca-Montano
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Lexi Zichen Zhou
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Varya Fayner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Nicholas I Woods
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Mazen A Kheirbek
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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28
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Hammack RJ, Fischer VE, Andrade MA, Toney GM. Anterior basolateral amygdala neurons comprise a remote fear memory engram. Front Neural Circuits 2023; 17:1167825. [PMID: 37180762 PMCID: PMC10174320 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2023.1167825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Threatening environmental cues often generate enduring fear memories, but how these are formed and stored remains actively investigated. Recall of a recent fear memory is thought to reflect reactivation of neurons, in multiple brain regions, activated during memory formation, indicating that anatomically distributed and interconnected neuronal ensembles comprise fear memory engrams. The extent to which anatomically specific activation-reactivation engrams persist during long-term fear memory recall, however, remains largely unexplored. We hypothesized that principal neurons in the anterior basolateral amygdala (aBLA), which encode negative valence, acutely reactivate during remote fear memory recall to drive fear behavior. Methods Using adult offspring of TRAP2 and Ai14 mice, persistent tdTomato expression was used to "TRAP" aBLA neurons that underwent Fos-activation during contextual fear conditioning (electric shocks) or context only conditioning (no shocks) (n = 5/group). Three weeks later, mice were re-exposed to the same context cues for remote memory recall, then sacrificed for Fos immunohistochemistry. Results TRAPed (tdTomato +), Fos +, and reactivated (double-labeled) neuronal ensembles were larger in fear- than context-conditioned mice, with the middle sub-region and middle/caudal dorsomedial quadrants of aBLA displaying the greatest densities of all three ensemble populations. Whereas tdTomato + ensembles were dominantly glutamatergic in context and fear groups, freezing behavior during remote memory recall was not correlated with ensemble sizes in either group. Discussion We conclude that although an aBLA-inclusive fear memory engram forms and persists at a remote time point, plasticity impacting electrophysiological responses of engram neurons, not their population size, encodes fear memory and drives behavioral manifestations of long-term fear memory recall.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J. Hammack
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
- Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Victoria E. Fischer
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Mary Ann Andrade
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Glenn M. Toney
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
- Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
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29
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Kenna M, Marek R, Sah P. Insights into the encoding of memories through the circuitry of fear. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2023; 80:102712. [PMID: 37003106 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2023.102712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Associative learning induces physical changes to a network of cells, known as the memory engram. Fear is widely used as a model to understand the circuit motifs that underpin associative memories. Recent advances suggest that the distinct circuitry engaged by different conditioned stimuli (e.g. tone vs. context) can provide insights into what information is being encoded in the fear engram. Moreover, as the fear memory matures, the circuitry engaged indicates how information is remodelled after learning and hints at potential mechanisms for consolidation. Finally, we propose that the consolidation of fear memories involves plasticity of engram cells through coordinated activity between brain regions, and the inherent characteristics of the circuitry may mediate this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Kenna
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Roger Marek
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Pankaj Sah
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
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30
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Shao S, Zheng Y, Fu Z, Wang J, Zhang Y, Wang C, Qi X, Gong T, Ma L, Lin X, Yu H, Yuan S, Wan Y, Zhang H, Yi M. Ventral hippocampal CA1 modulates pain behaviors in mice with peripheral inflammation. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112017. [PMID: 36662622 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain is one of the most significant medical problems throughout the world. Recent evidence has confirmed the hippocampus as an active modulator of pain chronicity, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Using in vivo electrophysiology, we identify a neural ensemble in the ventral hippocampal CA1 (vCA1) that shows inhibitory responses to noxious but not innocuous stimuli. Following peripheral inflammation, this ensemble becomes responsive to innocuous stimuli, representing hypersensitivity. Mimicking the inhibition of vCA1 neurons using chemogenetics induces chronic pain-like behaviors in naive mice, whereas activating vCA1 neurons in mice with peripheral inflammation results in a reduction of pain-related behaviors. Pathway-specific manipulation of vCA1 projections to basolateral amygdala (BLA) and infralimbic cortex (IL) shows that these pathways are differentially involved in pain modulation at different temporal stages of chronic inflammatory pain. These results confirm a crucial role of the vCA1 and its circuits in modulating the development of chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Shao
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, P.R. China
| | - Yawen Zheng
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, P.R. China
| | - Zibing Fu
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, P.R. China
| | - Jiaxin Wang
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, P.R. China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, P.R. China; Institute of Laboratory Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS), Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Beijing 100021, P.R. China
| | - Cheng Wang
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, P.R. China; Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 102206, P.R. China
| | - Xuetao Qi
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, P.R. China
| | - Tingting Gong
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, P.R. China
| | - Longyu Ma
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, P.R. China
| | - Xi Lin
- Department of Civil Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P.R. China
| | - Haitao Yu
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, P.R. China
| | - Shulu Yuan
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, P.R. China
| | - You Wan
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, P.R. China; Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education / National Health Commission, Peking University, Beijing 100083, P.R. China
| | - Haolin Zhang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, P.R. China.
| | - Ming Yi
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, P.R. China; Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education / National Health Commission, Peking University, Beijing 100083, P.R. China.
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31
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Kobayashi KS, Matsuo N. Persistent representation of the environment in the hippocampus. Cell Rep 2023; 42:111989. [PMID: 36640328 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
In the hippocampus, environmental changes elicit rearrangement of active neuronal ensembles or remapping of place cells. However, it remains elusive how the brain ensures a consistent representation of a certain environment itself despite salient events occurring there. Here, we longitudinally tracked calcium dynamics of dorsal hippocampal CA1 neurons in mice subjected to contextual fear conditioning and extinction training. Overall population activities were significantly changed by fear conditioning and were responsive to footshocks and freezing. However, a small subset of neurons, termed environment cells, were consistently active in a specific environment irrespective of experiences. A decoder modeling study showed that these cells, but not place cells, were able to predict the environment to which the mouse was exposed. Environment cells might underlie the constancy of cognition for distinct environments across time and events. Additionally, our study highlights the functional heterogeneity of cells in the hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyogo S Kobayashi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
| | - Naoki Matsuo
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
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32
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Activity Patterns of Individual Neurons and Ensembles Correlated with Retrieval of a Contextual Memory in the Dorsal CA1 of Mouse Hippocampus. J Neurosci 2023; 43:113-124. [PMID: 36332977 PMCID: PMC9838698 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1407-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The hippocampus is crucial for retrieval of contextual memories. The activation of a subpopulation of neurons in the dorsal CA1 (dCA1) of the hippocampus is required for memory retrieval. Given that hippocampal neurons exhibit distinct patterns of response during memory retrieval, the activity patterns of individual neurons or ensembles may be critically involved in memory retrieval. However, this relation has been unclear. To investigate this question, we used an in vivo microendoscope calcium imaging technique to optically record neuronal activity in the dCA1 of male and female mice. We observed that a portion of dCA1 neurons increased their responses to the learned context after contextual fear conditioning (FC), resulting in overall increase in response of neuronal population compared with simple context exposure. Such increased response was specific to the conditioned context as it disappeared in neutral context. The magnitude of increase in neuronal responses by FC was proportional to memory strength during retrieval. The increases in activity preferentially occurred during the putative sharp wave ripple events and were not simply because of animal's movement and immobility. At the ensemble level, synchronous cell activity patterns were associated with memory retrieval. Accordingly, when such patterns were more similar between conditioned and neutral context, animals displayed proportionally more similar level of freezing. Together, these results indicate that increase in responses of individual neurons and synchronous cell activity patterns in the dCA1 neuronal network are critically involved in representing a contextual memory recall.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neurons in the dorsal CA1 of the hippocampus are crucial for memory retrieval. By using in vivo calcium imaging methods for recording neuronal activity, we demonstrate that dCA1 neurons increased their responses to the learned context specifically by FC and such changes correlated with memory strength during retrieval. Moreover, distinct synchronous cell activity patterns were formed by FC and involved in representing contextual memory retrieval. These findings reveal dynamic activity features of dCA1 neurons that are involved in contextual memory retrieval.
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Bozic I, Rusterholz T, Mikutta C, Del Rio-Bermudez C, Nissen C, Adamantidis A. Coupling between the prelimbic cortex, nucleus reuniens, and hippocampus during NREM sleep remains stable under cognitive and homeostatic demands. Eur J Neurosci 2023; 57:106-128. [PMID: 36310348 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The interplay between the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep contributes to the consolidation of contextual memories. To assess the role of the thalamic nucleus reuniens (Nre) in this interaction, we investigated the coupling of neuro-oscillatory activities among prelimbic cortex, Nre, and hippocampus across sleep states and their role in the consolidation of contextual memories using multi-site electrophysiological recordings and optogenetic manipulations. We showed that ripples are time-locked to the Up state of cortical slow waves, the transition from UP to DOWN state in thalamic slow waves, the troughs of cortical spindles, and the peaks of thalamic spindles during spontaneous sleep, rebound sleep and sleep following a fear conditioning task. In addition, spiking activity in Nre increased before hippocampal ripples, and the phase-locking of hippocampal ripples and thalamic spindles during NREM sleep was stronger after acquisition of a fear memory. We showed that optogenetic inhibition of Nre neurons reduced phase-locking of ripples to cortical slow waves in the ventral hippocampus whilst their activation altered the preferred phase of ripples to slow waves in ventral and dorsal hippocampi. However, none of these optogenetic manipulations of Nre during sleep after acquisition of fear conditioning did alter sleep-dependent memory consolidation. Collectively, these results showed that Nre is central in modulating hippocampus and cortical rhythms during NREM sleep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Bozic
- Zentrum für Experimentelle Neurologie, Department of Neurology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Rusterholz
- Zentrum für Experimentelle Neurologie, Department of Neurology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Christian Mikutta
- University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Privatklinik Meiringen, Meiringen, Switzerland.,Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Carlos Del Rio-Bermudez
- Zentrum für Experimentelle Neurologie, Department of Neurology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Nissen
- University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Antoine Adamantidis
- Zentrum für Experimentelle Neurologie, Department of Neurology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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The potential role of the cholecystokinin system in declarative memory. Neurochem Int 2023; 162:105440. [PMID: 36375634 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2022.105440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
As one of the most abundant neuropeptides in the central nervous system, cholecystokinin (CCK) has been suggested to be associated with higher brain functions, including learning and memory. In this review, we examined the potential role of the CCK system in declarative memory. First, we summarized behavioral studies that provide evidence for an important role of CCK in two forms of declarative memory-fear memory and spatial memory. Subsequently, we examined the electrophysiological studies that support the diverse roles of CCK-2 receptor activation in neocortical and hippocampal synaptic plasticity, and discussed the potential mechanisms that may be involved. Last but not least, we discussed whether the reported CCK-mediated synaptic plasticity can explain the strong influence of the CCK signaling system in neocortex and hippocampus dependent declarative memory. The available research supports the role of CCK-mediated synaptic plasticity in neocortex dependent declarative memory acquisition, but further study on the association between CCK-mediated synaptic plasticity and neocortex dependent declarative memory consolidation and retrieval is necessary. Although a direct link between CCK-mediated synaptic plasticity and hippocampus dependent declarative memory is missing, noticeable evidence from morphological, behavioral, and electrophysiological studies encourages further investigation regarding the potential role of CCK-dependent synaptic plasticity in hippocampus dependent declarative memory.
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35
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Selective Menin Deletion in the Hippocampal CA1 Region Leads to Disruption of Contextual Memory in the MEN1 Conditional Knockout Mouse: Behavioral Restoration and Gain of Function following the Reintroduction of MEN1 Gene. Cells 2022; 11:cells11244019. [PMID: 36552783 PMCID: PMC9776806 DOI: 10.3390/cells11244019] [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: 08/21/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholinergic neuronal networks in the hippocampus play a key role in the regulation of learning and memory in mammals. Perturbations of these networks, in turn, underlie neurodegenerative diseases. However, the mechanisms remain largely undefined. We have recently demonstrated that an in vitro MEN1 gene deletion perturbs nicotinic cholinergic plasticity at the hippocampal glutamatergic synapses. Furthermore, MEN1 neuronal conditional knockout in freely behaving animals has also been shown to result in learning and memory deficits, though the evidence remains equivocal. In this study, using an AVV viral vector transcription approach, we provide direct evidence that MEN1 gene deletion in the CA1 region of the hippocampus indeed leads to contextual fear conditioning deficits in conditional knockout animals. This loss of function was, however, recovered when the same animals were re-injected to overexpress MEN1. This study provides the first direct evidence for the sufficiency and necessity of MEN1 in fear conditioning, and further endorses the role of menin in the regulation of cholinergic synaptic machinery in the hippocampus. These data underscore the importance of further exploring and revisiting the cholinergic hypothesis that underlies neurodegenerative diseases that affect learning and memory.
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36
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Turner VS, O’Sullivan RO, Kheirbek MA. Linking external stimuli with internal drives: A role for the ventral hippocampus. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2022; 76:102590. [PMID: 35753108 PMCID: PMC9818033 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2022.102590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The ventral hippocampus (vHPC) has long been thought of as the "emotional" hippocampus. Over the past several years, the complexity of vHPC has come to light, highlighting the diversity of cell types, inputs, and outputs that coordinate a constellation of positively and negatively motivated behaviors. Here, we review recent work on how vCA1 contributes to a network that associates external stimuli with internal motivational drive states to promote the selection of adaptive behavioral responses. We propose a model of vHPC function that emphasizes its role in the integration and transformation of internal and external cues to guide behavioral selection when faced with multiple potential outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria S. Turner
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | | | - Mazen A. Kheirbek
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA
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37
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Patel S, Johnson K, Adank D, Rosas-Vidal LE. Longitudinal monitoring of prefrontal cortical ensemble dynamics reveals new insights into stress habituation. Neurobiol Stress 2022; 20:100481. [PMID: 36160815 PMCID: PMC9489534 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2022.100481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex is highly susceptible to the detrimental effects of stress and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of stress-related psychiatric disorders. It is not well understood, however, how stress is represented at the neuronal level in the prefrontal cortical neuronal ensembles. Even less understood is how the representation of stress changes over time with repeated exposure. Here we show that the prelimbic prefrontal neuronal ensemble representation of foot shock stress exhibits rapid spatial drift within and between sessions. Despite this rapid spatial drift of the ensemble, the representation of the stressor itself stabilizes over days. Our results suggest that stress is represented by rapidly drifting ensembles and despite this rapid drift, important features of the neuronal representation are stabilized, suggesting a neural correlate of stress habituation is present within prefrontal cortical neuron populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sachin Patel
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Keenan Johnson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Danielle Adank
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Luis E. Rosas-Vidal
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center Nashville, TN, USA
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38
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Paquelet GE, Carrion K, Lacefield CO, Zhou P, Hen R, Miller BR. Single-cell activity and network properties of dorsal raphe nucleus serotonin neurons during emotionally salient behaviors. Neuron 2022; 110:2664-2679.e8. [PMID: 35700737 PMCID: PMC9575686 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2019] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The serotonin system modulates a wide variety of emotional behaviors and states, including reward processing, anxiety, and social interaction. To reveal the underlying patterns of neural activity, we visualized serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN5-HT) of mice using miniaturized microscopy during diverse emotional behaviors. We discovered ensembles of cells with highly correlated activity and found that DRN5-HT neurons are preferentially recruited by emotionally salient stimuli as opposed to neutral stimuli. Individual DRN5-HT neurons responded to diverse combinations of salient stimuli, with some preference for valence and sensory modality. Anatomically defined subpopulations projecting to either a reward-related structure (the ventral tegmental area) or an anxiety-related structure (the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis) contained all response types but were enriched in reward- and anxiety-responsive cells, respectively. Our results suggest that the DRN serotonin system responds to emotional salience using ensembles with mixed selectivity and biases in downstream connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace E Paquelet
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Kassandra Carrion
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Clay O Lacefield
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Pengcheng Zhou
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Statistics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
| | - René Hen
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Division of Systems Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Bradley R Miller
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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39
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Dixsaut L, Gräff J. Brain-wide screen of prelimbic cortex inputs reveals a functional shift during early fear memory consolidation. eLife 2022; 11:78542. [PMID: 35838139 PMCID: PMC9286739 DOI: 10.7554/elife.78542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Memory formation and storage rely on multiple interconnected brain areas, the contribution of which varies during memory consolidation. The medial prefrontal cortex, in particular the prelimbic cortex (PL), was traditionally found to be involved in remote memory storage, but recent evidence points toward its implication in early consolidation as well. Nevertheless, the inputs to the PL governing these dynamics remain unknown. Here, we first performed a brain-wide, rabies-based retrograde tracing screen of PL engram cells activated during contextual fear memory formation in male mice to identify relevant PL input regions. Next, we assessed the specific activity pattern of these inputs across different phases of memory consolidation, from fear memory encoding to recent and remote memory recall. Using projection-specific chemogenetic inhibition, we then tested their functional role in memory consolidation, which revealed a hitherto unknown contribution of claustrum to PL inputs at encoding, and of insular cortex to PL inputs at recent memory recall. Both of these inputs further impacted how PL engram cells were reactivated at memory recall, testifying to their relevance for establishing a memory trace in the PL. Collectively, these data identify a spatiotemporal shift in PL inputs important for early memory consolidation, and thereby help to refine the working model of memory formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Dixsaut
- Laboratory of Neuroepigenetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Johannes Gräff
- Laboratory of Neuroepigenetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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40
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Honda Y, Shimokawa T, Matsuda S, Kobayashi Y, Moriya-Ito K. Hippocampal Connectivity of the Presubiculum in the Common Marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:863478. [PMID: 35860211 PMCID: PMC9289110 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.863478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The marmoset (a New World monkey) has recently received much attention as an experimental animal model; however, little is known about the connectivity of limbic regions, including cortical and hippocampal memory circuits, in the marmoset. Here, we investigated the neuronal connectivity of the marmoset, especially focusing on the connectivity between the hippocampal formation and the presubiculum, using retrograde and anterograde tracers (cholera toxin-B subunit and biotin dextran amine). We demonstrated the presence of a direct projection from the CA1 pyramidal cell layer to the deep layers of the presubiculum in the marmoset, which was previously identified in the rabbit brain, but not in the rat. We also found that the cells of origin of the subiculo-presubicular projections were localized in the middle part along the superficial-to-deep axis of the pyramidal cell layer of the distal subiculum in the marmoset, which was similar to that in both rats and rabbits. Our results suggest that, compared to the rat and rabbit brains, connections between the hippocampal formation and presubiculum are highly organized and characteristic in the marmoset brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiko Honda
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Tokyo Women’s Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
- *Correspondence: Yoshiko Honda,
| | - Tetsuya Shimokawa
- Division of Anatomy and Embryology, Department of Functional Biomedicine, Ehime University, Toon, Japan
| | - Seiji Matsuda
- Division of Anatomy and Embryology, Department of Functional Biomedicine, Ehime University, Toon, Japan
| | - Yasushi Kobayashi
- Department of Anatomy, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Japan
| | - Keiko Moriya-Ito
- Department of Brain Development and Neural Regeneration, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
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41
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Yang S, Qu Y, Wang J, Gao F, Ji M, Xie P, Zhu A, Tan B, Wang X, Zhu G. Anshen Dingzhi prescription in the treatment of PTSD in mice: Investigation of the underlying mechanism from the perspective of hippocampal synaptic function. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2022; 101:154139. [PMID: 35523115 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2022.154139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anshen Dingzhi prescription (ADP) is an important prescription for the treatment of mental diseases in traditional Chinese medicine and is widely used to treat neuropsychiatric disorders. PURPOSE To explore the ameliorative effect of ADP on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-like behaviors in mice and determine the underlying mechanism. METHODS The constituents of ADP were analyzed by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS. The PTSD-like behaviors of mice subjected to single prolonged stress (SPS) were evaluated using behavioral tests. Potential pathological changes in the hippocampus were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were employed to detect the expression of proteins involved in relevant signaling pathways. RESULTS Five quality control markers (ginsenoside Rg1, ginsenoside Rb1, tenuifolin, poricoic acid B, and α-asarone) were detected in the ADP solution. The ginsenoside Rg1 content in ADP was found to be 0.114 mg/g. Mice subjected to SPS showed obvious fear generalization and anxiety-like behaviors. ADP treatment prevented the behavioral changes caused by exposure to SPS. Compared with control animals, the number of normal pyramidal cells in the hippocampal CA1 region of mice exposed to SPS was decreased and the number of degenerating pyramidal cells was increased; however, ADP administration could counteract these effects. Furthermore, the protein expression of BDNF, p-TrkB, μ-calpain, PSD95, GluN2A, GluA1, p-AKT, p-mTOR, and ARC was decreased, while that of PTEN and GluN2B was increased in the hippocampus of mice subjected to SPS compared with that in control animals; however, these changes in protein expression were reversed following ADP treatment. Importantly, the ameliorative effect of ADP on PTSD-like behaviors and synaptic protein expression were inhibited by rapamycin administration. CONCLUSIONS ADP administration improves PTSD-like behaviors in mice and this effect may be mediated through an mTOR-dependent improvement in synaptic function in the hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaojie Yang
- Key Laboratory of Xin'an Medicine, the Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology (Brain diseases), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, 230038, China
| | - Yan Qu
- Key Laboratory of Xin'an Medicine, the Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology (Brain diseases), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, 230038, China
| | - Juan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Xin'an Medicine, the Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology (Brain diseases), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, 230038, China
| | - Feng Gao
- Key Laboratory of Xin'an Medicine, the Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology (Brain diseases), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, 230038, China
| | - Manman Ji
- Key Laboratory of Xin'an Medicine, the Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology (Brain diseases), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, 230038, China
| | - Pan Xie
- Key Laboratory of Xin'an Medicine, the Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology (Brain diseases), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, 230038, China
| | - Aisong Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Translational Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, China
| | - Bei Tan
- Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Translational Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, China
| | - Xuncui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Xin'an Medicine, the Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology (Brain diseases), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, 230038, China.
| | - Guoqi Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Xin'an Medicine, the Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology (Brain diseases), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, 230038, China.
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Cuccovia V Reis FM, Novaes LS, Dos Santos NB, Ferreira-Rosa KC, Perfetto JG, Baldo MVC, Munhoz CD, Canteras NS. Predator fear memory depends on glucocorticoid receptors and protein synthesis in the basolateral amygdala and ventral hippocampus. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 141:105757. [PMID: 35427951 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have suggested that the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and the ventral hippocampus (VH) are critical sites for predator-related fear memory. Predator exposure is an intense emotional experience and should increase plasmatic corticosterone likely to modulate the emotion-related memories. However, it is unclear whether the BLA and VH harbor plastic events underlying predator-related fear memory storage and how molecular and endocrine mechanisms interact to modulate memory to the predatory threat. Here, we first examined the effects of protein synthesis inhibition in the BLA and VH on fear memory to a predatory threat. We next evaluated how exposure to a predatory threat impacts the corticosterone release and how the inhibition of corticosterone synthesis can influence predator-related fear memory. Finally, we examined how predator exposure triggers the activation of glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors in the BLA and VH and whether the GR antagonist injection affects predator-related fear memory. We showed that predator-related contextual fear is dependent on protein synthesis in the BLA and VH. Moreover, we described the impact of rapid glucocorticoid release during predatory exposure on the formation of contextual fear responses and that GR-induced signaling facilitates memory consolidation within the BLA and VH. The results are relevant in understanding how life-threatening situations such as a predator encounter impact fear memory storage and open exciting perspectives to investigate GR-induced proteins as targets to deciphering and manipulating aversive memories.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Leonardo Santana Novaes
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Nilton Barreto Dos Santos
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | | | - Juliano Genaro Perfetto
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Marcus Vinicius C Baldo
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Carolina Demarchi Munhoz
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Newton Sabino Canteras
- Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP 05508-000, Brazil.
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43
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Kim S, Kim YE, Song I, Ujihara Y, Kim N, Jiang YH, Yin HH, Lee TH, Kim IH. Neural circuit pathology driven by Shank3 mutation disrupts social behaviors. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110906. [PMID: 35675770 PMCID: PMC9210496 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysfunctional sociability is a core symptom in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that may arise from neural-network dysconnectivity between multiple brain regions. However, pathogenic neural-network mechanisms underlying social dysfunction are largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that circuit-selective mutation (ctMUT) of ASD-risk Shank3 gene within a unidirectional projection from the prefrontal cortex to the basolateral amygdala alters spine morphology and excitatory-inhibitory balance of the circuit. Shank3 ctMUT mice show reduced sociability as well as elevated neural activity and its amplitude variability, which is consistent with the neuroimaging results from human ASD patients. Moreover, the circuit hyper-activity disrupts the temporal correlation of socially tuned neurons to the events of social interactions. Finally, optogenetic circuit activation in wild-type mice partially recapitulates the reduced sociability of Shank3 ctMUT mice, while circuit inhibition in Shank3 ctMUT mice partially rescues social behavior. Collectively, these results highlight a circuit-level pathogenic mechanism of Shank3 mutation that drives social dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunwhi Kim
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA; Neuroscience Institute, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Yong-Eun Kim
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA; Neuroscience Institute, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Inuk Song
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Yusuke Ujihara
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA; Neuroscience Institute, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Namsoo Kim
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Yong-Hui Jiang
- Department of Genetics, Pediatrics and Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Henry H Yin
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Tae-Ho Lee
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Il Hwan Kim
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA; Neuroscience Institute, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA.
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Wirtshafter HS, Disterhoft JF. In Vivo Multi-Day Calcium Imaging of CA1 Hippocampus in Freely Moving Rats Reveals a High Preponderance of Place Cells with Consistent Place Fields. J Neurosci 2022; 42:4538-4554. [PMID: 35501152 PMCID: PMC9172072 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1750-21.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Calcium imaging using GCaMP indicators and miniature microscopes has been used to image cellular populations during long timescales and in different task phases, as well as to determine neuronal circuit topology and organization. Because the hippocampus (HPC) is essential for tasks of memory, spatial navigation, and learning, calcium imaging of large populations of HPC neurons can provide new insight on cell changes over time during these tasks. All reported HPC in vivo calcium imaging experiments have been done in mouse. However, rats have many behavioral and physiological experimental advantages over mice. In this paper, we present the first (to our knowledge) in vivo calcium imaging from CA1 HPC in freely moving male rats. Using the UCLA Miniscope, we demonstrate that, in rat, hundreds of cells can be visualized and held across weeks. We show that calcium events in these cells are highly correlated with periods of movement, with few calcium events occurring during periods without movement. We additionally show that an extremely large percent of cells recorded during a navigational task are place cells (77.3 ± 5.0%, surpassing the percent seen during mouse calcium imaging), and that these cells enable accurate decoding of animal position and can be held over days with consistent place fields in a consistent spatial map. A detailed protocol is included, and implications of these advancements on in vivo imaging and place field literature are discussed.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In vivo calcium imaging in freely moving animals allows the visualization of cellular activity across days. In this paper, we present the first in vivo Ca2+ recording from CA1 hippocampus (HPC) in freely moving rats. We demonstrate that hundreds of cells can be visualized and held across weeks, and that calcium activity corresponds to periods of movement. We show that a high percentage (77.3 ± 5.0%) of imaged cells are place cells, and that these place cells enable accurate decoding and can be held stably over days with little change in field location. Because the HPC is essential for many tasks involving memory, navigation, and learning, imaging of large populations of HPC neurons can shed new insight on cellular activity changes and organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah S Wirtshafter
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611
| | - John F Disterhoft
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611
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Hirano K, Morishita Y, Minami M, Nomura H. The impact of pitolisant, an H 3 receptor antagonist/inverse agonist, on perirhinal cortex activity in individual neuron and neuronal population levels. Sci Rep 2022; 12:7015. [PMID: 35551460 PMCID: PMC9098477 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11032-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Histamine is a neurotransmitter that modulates neuronal activity and regulates various brain functions. Histamine H3 receptor (H3R) antagonists/inverse agonists enhance its release in most brain regions, including the cerebral cortex, which improves learning and memory and exerts an antiepileptic effect. However, the mechanism underlying the effect of H3R antagonists/inverse agonists on cortical neuronal activity in vivo remains unclear. Here, we show the mechanism by which pitolisant, an H3R antagonist/inverse agonist, influenced perirhinal cortex (PRh) activity in individual neuron and neuronal population levels. We monitored neuronal activity in the PRh of freely moving mice using in vivo Ca2+ imaging through a miniaturized one-photon microscope. Pitolisant increased the activity of some PRh neurons while decreasing the activity of others without affecting the mean neuronal activity across neurons. Moreover, it increases neuron pairs with synchronous activity in excitatory-responsive neuronal populations. Furthermore, machine learning analysis revealed that pitolisant altered the neuronal population activity. The changes in the population activity were dependent on the neurons that were excited and inhibited by pitolisant treatment. These findings indicate that pitolisant influences the activity of a subset of PRh neurons by increasing the synchronous activity and modifying the population activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyosuke Hirano
- Endowed Department of Cognitive Function and Pathology, Institute of Brain Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, 467-8601, Japan.,Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0812, Japan
| | - Yoshikazu Morishita
- Endowed Department of Cognitive Function and Pathology, Institute of Brain Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, 467-8601, Japan
| | - Masabumi Minami
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0812, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nomura
- Endowed Department of Cognitive Function and Pathology, Institute of Brain Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, 467-8601, Japan. .,Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0812, Japan.
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Neurogenesis mediated plasticity is associated with reduced neuronal activity in CA1 during context fear memory retrieval. Sci Rep 2022; 12:7016. [PMID: 35488117 PMCID: PMC9054819 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10947-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Postnatal hippocampal neurogenesis has been demonstrated to affect learning and memory in numerous ways. Several studies have now demonstrated that increased neurogenesis can induce forgetting of memories acquired prior to the manipulation of neurogenesis and, as a result of this forgetting can also facilitate new learning. However, the mechanisms mediating neurogenesis-induced forgetting are not well understood. Here, we used a subregion-based analysis of the immediate early gene c-Fos as well as in vivo fiber photometry to determine changes in activity corresponding with neurogenesis induced forgetting. We found that increasing neurogenesis led to reduced CA1 activity during context memory retrieval. We also demonstrate here that perineuronal net expression in areas CA1 is bidirectionally altered by the levels or activity of postnatally generated neurons in the dentate gyrus. These results suggest that neurogenesis may induce forgetting by disrupting perineuronal nets in CA1 which may otherwise protect memories from degradation.
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Terranova JI, Yokose J, Osanai H, Marks WD, Yamamoto J, Ogawa SK, Kitamura T. Hippocampal-amygdala memory circuits govern experience-dependent observational fear. Neuron 2022; 110:1416-1431.e13. [PMID: 35139362 PMCID: PMC9035063 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The empathic ability to vicariously experience the other's fearful situation, a process called observational fear (OF), is critical to survive in nature and function in society. OF can be facilitated by both prior similar fear experience in the observer and social familiarity with the demonstrator. However, the neural circuit mechanisms of experience-dependent OF (Exp OF) remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate that hippocampal-basolateral amygdala (HPC-BLA) circuits in mice without involving the anterior cingulate cortex, considered a center of OF, mediate Exp OF. Dorsal HPC neurons generate fear memory engram cells in BLA encoding prior similar fear experiences, which are essential for Exp OF. On the other hand, ventral HPC neurons respond to the familiar demonstrator's aversive situation during Exp OF, which reactivates the fear memory engram cells in BLA to elicit Exp OF. Our study provides new insights into the memory engram-dependent perception-action coupling that underlies empathic behaviors like Exp OF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph I Terranova
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Jun Yokose
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Hisayuki Osanai
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - William D Marks
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Jun Yamamoto
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Sachie K Ogawa
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Takashi Kitamura
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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Takehara-Nishiuchi K. Neuronal ensemble dynamics in associative learning. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2022; 73:102530. [DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2022.102530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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Herbst MR, Twining RC, Gilmartin MR. Ventral hippocampal shock encoding modulates the expression of trace cued fear. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2022; 190:107610. [PMID: 35302040 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2022.107610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The hippocampus is crucial for associative fear learning when the anticipation of threat requires temporal or contextual binding of predictive stimuli as in trace and contextual fear conditioning. Compared with the dorsal hippocampus, far less is known about the contribution of the ventral hippocampus to fear learning. The ventral hippocampus, which is highly interconnected with defensive and emotional networks, has a prominent role in both innate and learned affective behaviors including anxiety, fear, and reward. Lesions or temporary inactivation of the ventral hippocampus impair both cued and contextual fear learning, but whether the ventral hippocampal role in learning is driven by affective processing, associative encoding, or both is not clear. Here, we used trace fear conditioning in mixed sex cohorts to assess the contribution of shock-encoding to the acquisition of cued and contextual fear memories. Trace conditioning requires subjects to associate an auditory conditional stimulus (CS) with a shock unconditional stimulus (UCS) that are separated in time by a 20-s trace interval. We first recorded neuronal activity in the ventral hippocampus during trace fear conditioning and found that ventral CA1 predominantly encoded the shock reinforcer. Potentiated firing to the CS was evident at testing, but no encoding of the trace interval was observed. We then tested the necessity of shock encoding for conditional fear acquisition by optogenetically silencing ventral hippocampal activity during the UCS on each trial of training. Contrary to our predictions, preventing hippocampal shock-evoked firing did not impair associative fear. Instead, it led to a more prolonged expression of CS freezing across test trials, an effect observed in males, but not females. Contextual fear learning was largely intact, although a subset of animals in each sex were differentially affected by shock-silencing. Taken together, the results show that shock encoding in the ventral hippocampus modulates the expression of learned fear in a sex-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R Herbst
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA
| | - Robert C Twining
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA
| | - Marieke R Gilmartin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA.
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Namkung H, Thomas KL, Hall J, Sawa A. Parsing neural circuits of fear learning and extinction across basic and clinical neuroscience: Towards better translation. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 134:104502. [PMID: 34921863 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Over the past decades, studies of fear learning and extinction have advanced our understanding of the neurobiology of threat and safety learning. Animal studies can provide mechanistic/causal insights into human brain regions and their functional connectivity involved in fear learning and extinction. Findings in humans, conversely, may further enrich our understanding of neural circuits in animals by providing macroscopic insights at the level of brain-wide networks. Nevertheless, there is still much room for improvement in translation between basic and clinical research on fear learning and extinction. Through the lens of neural circuits, in this article, we aim to review the current knowledge of fear learning and extinction in both animals and humans, and to propose strategies to fill in the current knowledge gap for the purpose of enhancing clinical benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ho Namkung
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Kerrie L Thomas
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK; School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Jeremy Hall
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK; School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Akira Sawa
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
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