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Chen J, Gao Y, Bao ST, Wang YD, Jia T, Yin C, Xiao C, Zhou C. Insula→Amygdala and Insula→Thalamus Pathways Are Involved in Comorbid Chronic Pain and Depression-Like Behavior in Mice. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e2062232024. [PMID: 38453468 PMCID: PMC11007474 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2062-23.2024] [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: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The comorbidity of chronic pain and depression poses tremendous challenges for the treatment of either one because they exacerbate each other with unknown mechanisms. As the posterior insular cortex (PIC) integrates multiple somatosensory and emotional information and is implicated in either chronic pain or depression, we hypothesize that the PIC and its projections may contribute to the pathophysiology of comorbid chronic pain and depression. We show that PIC neurons were readily activated by mechanical, thermal, aversive, and stressful and appetitive stimulation in naive and neuropathic pain male mice subjected to spared nerve injury (SNI). Optogenetic activation of PIC neurons induced hyperalgesia and conditioned place aversion in naive mice, whereas inhibition of these neurons led to analgesia, conditioned place preference (CPP), and antidepressant effect in both naive and SNI mice. Combining neuronal tracing, optogenetics, and electrophysiological techniques, we found that the monosynaptic glutamatergic projections from the PIC to the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and the ventromedial nucleus (VM) of the thalamus mimicked PIC neurons in pain modulation in naive mice; in SNI mice, both projections were enhanced accompanied by hyperactivity of PIC, BLA, and VM neurons and inhibition of these projections led to analgesia, CPP, and antidepressant-like effect. The present study suggests that potentiation of the PIC→BLA and PIC→VM projections may be important pathophysiological bases for hyperalgesia and depression-like behavior in neuropathic pain and reversing the potentiation may be a promising therapeutic strategy for comorbid chronic pain and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Chen
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory in Anesthesiology, School of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Binhai County People's Hospital, Yancheng 225559, China
| | - Yuan Gao
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory in Anesthesiology, School of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
| | - Shu-Ting Bao
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory in Anesthesiology, School of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
| | - Ying-Di Wang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory in Anesthesiology, School of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
| | - Tao Jia
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory in Anesthesiology, School of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
| | - Cui Yin
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory in Anesthesiology, School of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, School of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
| | - Cheng Xiao
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory in Anesthesiology, School of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, School of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
| | - Chunyi Zhou
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory in Anesthesiology, School of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, School of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
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2
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Morishima M, Matsumura S, Tohyama S, Nagashima T, Konno A, Hirai H, Watabe AM. Excitatory subtypes of the lateral amygdala neurons are differentially involved in regulation of synaptic plasticity and excitation/inhibition balance in aversive learning in mice. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1292822. [PMID: 38162000 PMCID: PMC10755964 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1292822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The amygdala plays a crucial role in aversive learning. In Pavlovian fear conditioning, sensory information about an emotionally neutral conditioned stimulus (CS) and an innately aversive unconditioned stimulus is associated with the lateral amygdala (LA), and the CS acquires the ability to elicit conditioned responses. Aversive learning induces synaptic plasticity in LA excitatory neurons from CS pathways, such as the medial geniculate nucleus (MGN) of the thalamus. Although LA excitatory cells have traditionally been classified based on their firing patterns, the relationship between the subtypes and functional properties remains largely unknown. In this study, we classified excitatory cells into two subtypes based on whether the after-depolarized potential (ADP) amplitude is expressed in non-ADP cells and ADP cells. Their electrophysiological properties were significantly different. We examined subtype-specific synaptic plasticity in the MGN-LA pathway following aversive learning using optogenetics and found significant experience-dependent plasticity in feed-forward inhibitory responses in fear-conditioned mice compared with control mice. Following aversive learning, the inhibition/excitation (I/E) balance in ADP cells drastically changed, whereas that in non-ADP cells tended to change in the reverse direction. These results suggest that the two LA subtypes are differentially regulated in relation to synaptic plasticity and I/E balance during aversive learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mieko Morishima
- Institute of Clinical Medicine and Research, Research Center for Medical Sciences, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Sohta Matsumura
- Institute of Clinical Medicine and Research, Research Center for Medical Sciences, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Suguru Tohyama
- Institute of Clinical Medicine and Research, Research Center for Medical Sciences, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Takashi Nagashima
- Institute of Clinical Medicine and Research, Research Center for Medical Sciences, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Ayumu Konno
- Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
- Viral Vector Core, Gunma University Initiative for Advanced Research (GIAR), Maebashi, Japan
| | - Hirokazu Hirai
- Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
- Viral Vector Core, Gunma University Initiative for Advanced Research (GIAR), Maebashi, Japan
| | - Ayako M. Watabe
- Institute of Clinical Medicine and Research, Research Center for Medical Sciences, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
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3
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Keidar T, Williams-Spooner MJ, Wong FS, Westbrook RF, Holmes NM. NMDA Receptors in the Basolateral Amygdala Complex Are Engaged for Pavlovian Fear Conditioning When an Animal's Predictions about Danger Are in Error. J Neurosci 2023; 43:6679-6696. [PMID: 37607821 PMCID: PMC10538583 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0067-23.2023] [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: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
It is widely accepted that Pavlovian fear conditioning requires activation of NMDA receptors (NMDARs) in the basolateral amygdala complex (BLA). However, it was recently shown that activation of NMDAR in the BLA is only required for fear conditioning when danger occurs unexpectedly; it is not required for fear conditioning when danger occurs as expected. This study tested the hypothesis that NMDARs in the BLA are engaged for Pavlovian fear conditioning when an animal's predictions regarding danger are in error. In each experiment, rats (females in Experiment 1 and males in Experiments 2-5) were conditioned to fear one stimulus, S1, when it was paired with foot-shock (S1→shock), and 48 h later, a second stimulus, S2, when it was presented in sequence with the already-conditioned S1 and foot-shock (S2→S1→shock). Conditioning to S2 occurred under a BLA infusion of the NMDAR antagonist, D-AP5 or vehicle. The subsequent tests of freezing to S2 alone and S1 alone revealed that the antagonist had no effect on conditioning to S2 when the shock occurred exactly as predicted by the S1, but disrupted this conditioning when the shock occurred earlier/later than predicted by S1, or at a stronger/weaker intensity. These results imply that errors in the timing or intensity of a predicted foot-shock engage NMDARs in the BLA for Pavlovian fear conditioning. They are discussed in relation to theories which propose a role for prediction error in determining how experiences are organized in memory and how activation of NMDAR in the BLA might contribute to this organization.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This study is significant in showing that prediction error determines how a new experience is encoded with respect to a past experience and, thereby, whether NMDA receptors (NMDARs) in the basolateral amygdala complex (BLA) encode the new experience. When prediction error is small (e.g., danger occurs as and when expected), the new experience is encoded together with a past experience as part of the same "mental model," and NMDAR activation in the BLA is not needed for this encoding. By contrast, when prediction error is large (e.g., danger occurs at an unexpected intensity or time), the new experience is encoded separately from the past experience as part of a new mental model, and NMDAR activation in the BLA is needed for this encoding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuval Keidar
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Matthew J Williams-Spooner
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
- Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Francesca S Wong
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - R Frederick Westbrook
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Nathan M Holmes
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
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4
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Veres JM, Fekete Z, Müller K, Andrasi T, Rovira-Esteban L, Barabas B, Papp OI, Hajos N. Fear learning and aversive stimuli differentially change excitatory synaptic transmission in perisomatic inhibitory cells of the basal amygdala. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1120338. [PMID: 37731462 PMCID: PMC10507864 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1120338] [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: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Inhibitory circuits in the basal amygdala (BA) have been shown to play a crucial role in associative fear learning. How the excitatory synaptic inputs received by BA GABAergic interneurons are influenced by memory formation, a network parameter that may contribute to learning processes, is still largely unknown. Here, we investigated the features of excitatory synaptic transmission received by the three types of perisomatic inhibitory interneurons upon cue-dependent fear conditioning and aversive stimulus and tone presentations without association. Acute slices were prepared from transgenic mice: one group received tone presentation only (conditioned stimulus, CS group), the second group was challenged by mild electrical shocks unpaired with the CS (unsigned unconditioned stimulus, unsigned US group) and the third group was presented with the CS paired with the US (signed US group). We found that excitatory synaptic inputs (miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents, mEPSCs) recorded in distinct interneuron types in the BA showed plastic changes with different patterns. Parvalbumin (PV) basket cells in the unsigned US and signed US group received mEPSCs with reduced amplitude and rate in comparison to the only CS group. Coupling the US and CS in the signed US group caused a slight increase in the amplitude of the events in comparison to the unsigned US group, where the association of CS and US does not take place. Excitatory synaptic inputs onto cholecystokinin (CCK) basket cells showed a markedly different change from PV basket cells in these behavioral paradigms: only the decay time was significantly faster in the unsigned US group compared to the only CS group, whereas the amplitude of mEPSCs increased in the signed US group compared to the only CS group. Excitatory synaptic inputs received by PV axo-axonic cells showed the least difference in the three behavioral paradigm: the only significant change was that the rate of mEPSCs increased in the signed US group when compared to the only CS group. These results collectively show that associative learning and aversive stimuli unpaired with CS cause different changes in excitatory synaptic transmission in BA perisomatic interneuron types, supporting the hypothesis that they play distinct roles in the BA network operations upon pain information processing and fear memory formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judit M. Veres
- Laboratory of Network Neurophysiology, ELRN Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsuzsanna Fekete
- Laboratory of Network Neurophysiology, ELRN Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
- János Szentágothai School of Neurosciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Kinga Müller
- Laboratory of Network Neurophysiology, ELRN Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
- János Szentágothai School of Neurosciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tibor Andrasi
- Laboratory of Network Neurophysiology, ELRN Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Laura Rovira-Esteban
- Laboratory of Network Neurophysiology, ELRN Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Bence Barabas
- Laboratory of Network Neurophysiology, ELRN Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
- János Szentágothai School of Neurosciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Orsolya I. Papp
- Laboratory of Network Neurophysiology, ELRN Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Norbert Hajos
- Laboratory of Network Neurophysiology, ELRN Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
- The Linda and Jack Gill Center for Molecular Bioscience, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, United States
- Program in Neuroscience, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, United States
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5
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Voytenko S, Shanbhag S, Wenstrup J, Galazyuk A. Intracellular recordings reveal integrative function of the basolateral amygdala in acoustic communication. J Neurophysiol 2023; 129:1334-1343. [PMID: 37098994 PMCID: PMC10202475 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00103.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The amygdala, a brain center of emotional expression, contributes to appropriate behavior responses during acoustic communication. In support of that role, the basolateral amygdala (BLA) analyzes the meaning of vocalizations through the integration of multiple acoustic inputs with information from other senses and an animal's internal state. The mechanisms underlying this integration are poorly understood. This study focuses on the integration of vocalization-related inputs to the BLA from auditory centers during this processing. We used intracellular recordings of BLA neurons in unanesthetized big brown bats that rely heavily on a complex vocal repertoire during social interactions. Postsynaptic and spiking responses of BLA neurons were recorded to three vocal sequences that are closely related to distinct behaviors (appeasement, low-level aggression, and high-level aggression) and have different emotional valence. Our novel findings are that most BLA neurons showed postsynaptic responses to one or more vocalizations (31 of 46) but that many fewer neurons showed spiking responses (8 of 46). The spiking responses were more selective than postsynaptic potential (PSP) responses. Furthermore, vocal stimuli associated with either positive or negative valence were similarly effective in eliciting excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs), inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs), and spiking responses. This indicates that BLA neurons process both positive- and negative-valence vocal stimuli. The greater selectivity of spiking responses than PSP responses suggests an integrative role for processing within the BLA to enhance response specificity in acoustic communication.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The amygdala plays an important role in social communication by sound, but little is known about how it integrates diverse auditory inputs to form selective responses to social vocalizations. We show that BLA neurons receive inputs that are responsive to both negative- and positive-affect vocalizations but their spiking outputs are fewer and highly selective for vocalization type. Our work demonstrates that BLA neurons perform an integrative function in shaping appropriate behavioral responses to social vocalizations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergiy Voytenko
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, Ohio, United States
| | - Sharad Shanbhag
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, Ohio, United States
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, United States
| | - Jeffrey Wenstrup
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, Ohio, United States
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, United States
| | - Alexander Galazyuk
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, Ohio, United States
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, United States
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6
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Haikonen J, Englund J, Amarilla SP, Kharybina Z, Shintyapina A, Kegler K, Garcia MS, Atanasova T, Taira T, Hartung H, Lauri SE. Aberrant cortical projections to amygdala GABAergic neurons contribute to developmental circuit dysfunction following early life stress. iScience 2022; 26:105724. [PMID: 36582824 PMCID: PMC9792886 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105724] [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: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) results in enduring dysfunction of the corticolimbic circuitry, underlying emotional and social behavior. However, the neurobiological mechanisms involved remain elusive. Here, we have combined viral tracing and electrophysiological techniques to study the effects of maternal separation (MS) on frontolimbic connectivity and function in young (P14-21) rats. We report that aberrant prefrontal inputs to basolateral amygdala (BLA) GABAergic interneurons transiently increase the strength of feed-forward inhibition in the BLA, which raises LTP induction threshold in MS treated male rats. The enhanced GABAergic activity after MS exposure associates with lower functional synchronization within prefrontal-amygdala networks in vivo. Intriguingly, no differences in these parameters were detected in females, which were also resistant to MS dependent changes in anxiety-like behaviors. Impaired plasticity and synchronization during the sensitive period of circuit refinement may contribute to long-lasting functional changes in the prefrontal-amygdaloid circuitry that predispose to neuropsychiatric conditions later on in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joni Haikonen
- HiLife Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland,Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jonas Englund
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Shyrley Paola Amarilla
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland,Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Zoia Kharybina
- HiLife Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland,Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Alexandra Shintyapina
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kristel Kegler
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Marta Saez Garcia
- HiLife Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tsvetomira Atanasova
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tomi Taira
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Henrike Hartung
- HiLife Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sari E. Lauri
- HiLife Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland,Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland,Corresponding author
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7
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Bergmann T, Liu Y, Skov J, Mogus L, Lee J, Pfisterer U, Handfield LF, Asenjo-Martinez A, Lisa-Vargas I, Seemann SE, Lee JTH, Patikas N, Kornum BR, Denham M, Hyttel P, Witter MP, Gorodkin J, Pers TH, Hemberg M, Khodosevich K, Hall VJ. Production of human entorhinal stellate cell-like cells by forward programming shows an important role of Foxp1 in reprogramming. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:976549. [PMID: 36046338 PMCID: PMC9420913 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.976549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Stellate cells are principal neurons in the entorhinal cortex that contribute to spatial processing. They also play a role in the context of Alzheimer's disease as they accumulate Amyloid beta early in the disease. Producing human stellate cells from pluripotent stem cells would allow researchers to study early mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease, however, no protocols currently exist for producing such cells. In order to develop novel stem cell protocols, we characterize at high resolution the development of the porcine medial entorhinal cortex by tracing neuronal and glial subtypes from mid-gestation to the adult brain to identify the transcriptomic profile of progenitor and adult stellate cells. Importantly, we could confirm the robustness of our data by extracting developmental factors from the identified intermediate stellate cell cluster and implemented these factors to generate putative intermediate stellate cells from human induced pluripotent stem cells. Six transcription factors identified from the stellate cell cluster including RUNX1T1, SOX5, FOXP1, MEF2C, TCF4, EYA2 were overexpressed using a forward programming approach to produce neurons expressing a unique combination of RELN, SATB2, LEF1 and BCL11B observed in stellate cells. Further analyses of the individual transcription factors led to the discovery that FOXP1 is critical in the reprogramming process and omission of RUNX1T1 and EYA2 enhances neuron conversion. Our findings contribute not only to the profiling of cell types within the developing and adult brain's medial entorhinal cortex but also provides proof-of-concept for using scRNAseq data to produce entorhinal intermediate stellate cells from human pluripotent stem cells in-vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Bergmann
- Group of Brain Development and Disease, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Yong Liu
- Group of Brain Development and Disease, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Jonathan Skov
- Group of Brain Development and Disease, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Leo Mogus
- Group of Brain Development and Disease, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Julie Lee
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Research, DanStem University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ulrich Pfisterer
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Andrea Asenjo-Martinez
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Irene Lisa-Vargas
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Stefan E. Seemann
- Center for non-coding RNA in Technology and Health, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Jimmy Tsz Hang Lee
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Nikolaos Patikas
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Birgitte Rahbek Kornum
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mark Denham
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Poul Hyttel
- Disease, Stem Cells and Embryology, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Menno P. Witter
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Jan Gorodkin
- Center for non-coding RNA in Technology and Health, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Tune H. Pers
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Martin Hemberg
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Konstantin Khodosevich
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Vanessa Jane Hall
- Group of Brain Development and Disease, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
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8
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Differential and long-lasting changes in neurotransmission in the amygdala of male Wistar rats during extended amphetamine abstinence. Neuropharmacology 2022; 210:109041. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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9
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Williams-Spooner MJ, Delaney AJ, Westbrook RF, Holmes NM. Prediction Error Determines Whether NMDA Receptors in the Basolateral Amygdala Complex Are Involved in Pavlovian Fear Conditioning. J Neurosci 2022; 42:4360-4379. [PMID: 35410880 PMCID: PMC9145214 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2156-21.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
It is widely accepted that activation of NMDA receptors (NMDAR) is necessary for the formation of fear memories in the basolateral amygdala complex (BLA). This acceptance is based on findings that blockade of NMDAR in the BLA disrupts Pavlovian fear conditioning in rodents when initially innocuous stimuli are paired with aversive and unexpected events (surprising foot shock). The present study challenges this acceptance by showing that the involvement of NMDAR in Pavlovian fear conditioning is determined by prediction errors in relation to aversive events. In the initial experiments, male rats received a BLA infusion of the NMDAR antagonist, D-AP5 and were then exposed to pairings of a novel target stimulus and foot shock. This infusion disrupted acquisition of fear to the target when the shock was surprising (experiments 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, and 3b) but spared fear to the target when the shock was expected based on the context, time and other stimuli that were present (experiments 1a and 1b). Under the latter circumstances, fear to the target required activation of calcium-permeable AMPAR (CP-AMPA; experiments 4a, 4b, and 4c), which, using electrophysiology, were shown to regulate the activity of interneurons in the BLA (experiment 5). Thus, NMDAR activation is not required for fear conditioning when danger occurs as expected given the context, time and stimuli present, but is required for fear conditioning when danger occurs unexpectedly. These findings are related to current theories of NMDAR function and ways that prediction errors might influence the substrates of fear memory formation in the BLA.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT It is widely accepted that NMDA receptors (NMDAR) in the basolateral amygdala complex (BLA) are activated by pairings of a conditioned stimulus (CS) and an aversive unconditioned (US) stimulus, leading to the synaptic changes that underlie formation of a CS-US association. The present findings are significant in showing that this theory is incomplete. When the aversive US is unexpected, animals encode all features of the situation (context, time and stimuli present) as a new fear/threat memory, which is regulated by NMDAR in the BLA. However, when the US is expected based on the context, time and stimuli present, the new fear memory is assimilated into networks that represent those features, which occurs independently of NMDAR activation in the BLA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Williams-Spooner
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 2052
- Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3G 1M8
| | - Andrew J Delaney
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Orange, New South Wales, Australia 2795
| | - R Frederick Westbrook
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 2052
| | - Nathan M Holmes
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 2052
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10
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Knock E, Julian LM. Building on a Solid Foundation: Adding Relevance and Reproducibility to Neurological Modeling Using Human Pluripotent Stem Cells. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:767457. [PMID: 34867204 PMCID: PMC8637745 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.767457] [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: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain is our most complex and least understood organ. Animal models have long been the most versatile tools available to dissect brain form and function; however, the human brain is highly distinct from that of standard model organisms. In addition to existing models, access to human brain cells and tissues is essential to reach new frontiers in our understanding of the human brain and how to intervene therapeutically in the face of disease or injury. In this review, we discuss current and developing culture models of human neural tissue, outlining advantages over animal models and key challenges that remain to be overcome. Our principal focus is on advances in engineering neural cells and tissue constructs from human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), though primary human cell and slice culture are also discussed. By highlighting studies that combine animal models and human neural cell culture techniques, we endeavor to demonstrate that clever use of these orthogonal model systems produces more reproducible, physiological, and clinically relevant data than either approach alone. We provide examples across a range of topics in neuroscience research including brain development, injury, and cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and psychiatric conditions. Finally, as testing of PSC-derived neurons for cell replacement therapy progresses, we touch on the advancements that are needed to make this a clinical mainstay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Knock
- Research and Development, STEMCELL Technologies Inc., Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Lisa M Julian
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
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11
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Developmental Shifts in Amygdala Activity during a High Social Drive State. J Neurosci 2021; 41:9308-9325. [PMID: 34611026 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1414-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Amygdala abnormalities characterize several psychiatric disorders with prominent social deficits and often emerge during adolescence. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) bidirectionally modulates social behavior and has increased sensitivity during adolescence. We tested how an environmentally-driven social state is regulated by the BLA in adults and adolescent male rats. We found that a high social drive state caused by brief social isolation increases age-specific social behaviors and increased BLA neuronal activity. Chemogenetic inactivation of BLA decreased the effect of high social drive on social engagement. High social drive preferentially enhanced BLA activity during social engagement; however, the effect of social opportunity on BLA activity was greater during adolescence. While this identifies a substrate underlying age differences in social drive, we then determined that high social drive increased BLA NMDA GluN2B expression and sensitivity to antagonism increased with age. Further, the effect of a high social drive state on BLA activity during social engagement was diminished by GluN2B blockade in an age-dependent manner. These results demonstrate the necessity of the BLA for environmentally driven social behavior, its sensitivity to social opportunity, and uncover a maturing role for BLA and its GluN2B receptors in social engagement.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Social engagement during adolescence is a key component of healthy development. Social drive provides the impetus for social engagement and abnormalities underlie social symptoms of depression and anxiety. While adolescence is characterized by transitions in social drive and social environment sensitivity, little is known about the neural basis for these changes. We found that amygdala activity is uniquely sensitive to social environment during adolescence compared with adulthood, and is required for expression of heightened social drive. In addition, the neural substrates shift toward NMDA dependence in adulthood. These results are the first to demonstrate a unique neural signature of higher social drive and begin to uncover the underlying factors that heighten social engagement during adolescence.
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12
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Yau JOY, Chaichim C, Power JM, McNally GP. The Roles of Basolateral Amygdala Parvalbumin Neurons in Fear Learning. J Neurosci 2021; 41:9223-9234. [PMID: 34561234 PMCID: PMC8570827 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2461-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The basolateral amygdala (BLA) is obligatory for fear learning. This learning is linked to BLA excitatory projection neurons whose activity is regulated by complex networks of inhibitory interneurons, dominated by parvalbumin (PV)-expressing GABAergic neurons. The roles of these GABAergic interneurons in learning to fear and learning not to fear, activity profiles of these interneurons across the course of fear learning, and whether or how these change across the course of learning all remain poorly understood. Here, we used PV cell-type-specific recording and manipulation approaches in male transgenic PV-Cre rats during pavlovian fear conditioning to address these issues. We show that activity of BLA PV neurons during the moments of aversive reinforcement controls fear learning about aversive events, but activity during moments of nonreinforcement does not control fear extinction learning. Furthermore, we show expectation-modulation of BLA PV neurons during fear learning, with greater activity to an unexpected than expected aversive unconditioned stimulus (US). This expectation-modulation was specifically because of BLA PV neuron sensitivity to aversive prediction error. Finally, we show that BLA PV neuron function in fear learning is conserved across these variations in prediction error. We suggest that aversive prediction-error modulation of PV neurons could enable BLA fear-learning circuits to retain selectivity for specific sensory features of aversive USs despite variations in the strength of US inputs, thereby permitting the rapid updating of fear associations when these sensory features change.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The capacity to learn about sources of danger in the environment is essential for survival. This learning depends on complex microcircuitries of inhibitory interneurons in the basolateral amygdala. Here, we show that parvalbumin-positive GABAergic interneurons in the rat basolateral amygdala are important for fear learning during moments of danger, but not for extinction learning during moments of safety, and that the activity of these neurons is modulated by expectation of danger. This may enable fear-learning circuits to retain selectivity for specific aversive events across variations in expectation, permitting the rapid updating of learning when aversive events change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Oi-Yue Yau
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Chanchanok Chaichim
- Department of Physiology, Translational Neuroscience Facility, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - John M Power
- Department of Physiology, Translational Neuroscience Facility, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Gavan P McNally
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
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13
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Kusek M, Siwiec M, Sowa JE, Bobula B, Bilecki W, Ciurej I, Kaczmarczyk M, Kowalczyk T, Maćkowiak M, Hess G, Tokarski K. 5-HT 7 receptors enhance inhibitory synaptic input to principal neurons in the mouse basal amygdala. Neuropharmacology 2021; 198:108779. [PMID: 34481835 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The basal amygdala (BA) has been implicated in encoding fear and its extinction. The level of serotonin (5-HT) in the BA increases due to arousal and stress related to aversive stimuli. The effects of 5-HT7 receptor (5-HT7R) activation and blockade on the activity of BA neurons have not yet been investigated. In the present study, a transgenic mouse line carrying green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter gene was used to identify neurons that express the 5-HT7R. GFP immunoreactivity was present mainly in cells that also expressed GAD67 or parvalbumin (PV), the phenotypic markers for GABAergic interneurons. Most cells showing GFP fluorescence demonstrated firing patterns characteristic of BA inhibitory interneurons. Activation of 5-HT7Rs resulted in a depolarization and/or occurrence of spontaneous spiking activity of BA interneurons that was accompanied by an increase in the mean frequency and mean amplitude of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) recorded from BA principal neurons. These effects were blocked by a specific 5-HT7R antagonist, SB269970 and were absent in slices from 5-HT7R knockout mice. Activation of 5-HT7Rs also decreased the mean frequency of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) recorded from BA principal neurons, which was blocked by the GABAA receptor antagonist picrotoxin. Neither inhibitory nor excitatory miniature postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs/mEPSCs) were affected by 5-HT7R activation. These results show that in the BA 5-HT7Rs stimulate an activity-dependent enhancement of inhibitory input from local interneurons to BA principal neurons and provide insights about the possible involvement of BA serotonergic receptors in neuronal mechanisms underlying fear memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Kusek
- Department of Physiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12 Str., 31-343, Kraków, Poland
| | - Marcin Siwiec
- Department of Physiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12 Str., 31-343, Kraków, Poland
| | - Joanna Ewa Sowa
- Department of Physiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12 Str., 31-343, Kraków, Poland
| | - Bartosz Bobula
- Department of Physiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12 Str., 31-343, Kraków, Poland
| | - Wiktor Bilecki
- Laboratory of Pharmacology and Brain Biostructure, Department of Pharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12 Str., 31-343, Kraków, Poland
| | - Izabela Ciurej
- Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9 Str., 30-387, Kraków, Poland
| | - Maria Kaczmarczyk
- Department of Physiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12 Str., 31-343, Kraków, Poland
| | - Tomasz Kowalczyk
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Łódź, Pomorska Str. No 141/143, 91-236, Łódź, Poland
| | - Marzena Maćkowiak
- Laboratory of Pharmacology and Brain Biostructure, Department of Pharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12 Str., 31-343, Kraków, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Hess
- Department of Physiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12 Str., 31-343, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Krzysztof Tokarski
- Department of Physiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12 Str., 31-343, Kraków, Poland.
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14
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Li HD, Li DN, Yang L, Long C. Deficiency of the CYLD Impairs Fear Memory of Mice and Disrupts Neuronal Activity and Synaptic Transmission in the Basolateral Amygdala. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:740165. [PMID: 34602983 PMCID: PMC8485066 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.740165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fear learning and memory are crucial for animal survival. Abnormal fear memory is a hallmark of many neuropsychiatric disorders. Appropriate neuronal activation and excitability in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) are necessary for the formation of fear memory. The gene cylindromatosis (Cyld), which encodes a lysine-63 deubiquitinase, is expressed in several brain regions including the amygdala. The functions of the cylindromatosis protein (CYLD) in the regulation of the neuronal activity, neural circuits and fear memory, remain largely unknown, however. Here, we report that Cyld knockout impairs amygdala-dependent tone-cued fear memory. The number of c-Fos+ neurons responding to the tone-cued fear test was reduced in the BLA of Cyld–/– mice, suggesting that the absence of CYLD causes aberrant neuronal activation. We found that this aberrant neuronal activation in the BLA of Cyld–/– mice may relate to the decreased excitability of principal neurons. Another possibility of aberrant neuronal activation could be the impaired excitatory synaptic transmission in the BLA of Cyld–/– mice. Specifically, both the frequency of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents and the amplitude of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents in BLA principal neurons were decreased. In addition, Cyld mutation caused an increase in both the frequency of miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents in principal neurons and the number of parvalbumin+ interneurons, consistent with excessive local circuit inhibition in the BLA of Cyld–/– mice. Taken together, these results suggest that CYLD deficiency disrupts the neuronal activity and synaptic transmission in the BLA of mice which may contribute to the impaired fear memory observed in Cyld–/– mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Dong Li
- School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dan-Ni Li
- School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Li Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cheng Long
- School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.,South China Normal University-Panyu Central Hospital Joint Laboratory of Translational Medical Research, Panyu Central Hospital, Guangzhou, China
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15
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Ahmed N, Headley DB, Paré D. Optogenetic study of central medial and paraventricular thalamic projections to the basolateral amygdala. J Neurophysiol 2021; 126:1234-1247. [PMID: 34469705 PMCID: PMC8560422 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00253.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The central medial (CMT) and paraventricular (PVT) thalamic nuclei project strongly to the basolateral amygdala (BL). Similarities between the responsiveness of CMT, PVT, and BL neurons suggest that these nuclei strongly influence BL activity. Supporting this possibility, an electron microscopic study reported that, in contrast with other extrinsic afferents, CMT and PVT axon terminals form very few synapses with BL interneurons. However, since limited sampling is a concern in electron microscopic studies, the present investigation was undertaken to compare the impact of CMT and PVT thalamic inputs on principal and local-circuit BL neurons with optogenetic methods and whole cell recordings in vitro. Optogenetic stimulation of CMT and PVT axons elicited glutamatergic excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) or excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) in principal cells and interneurons, but they generally had a longer latency in interneurons. Moreover, after blockade of polysynaptic interactions with tetrodotoxin (TTX), a lower proportion of interneurons (50%) than principal cells (90%) remained responsive to CMT and PVT inputs. Although the presence of TTX-resistant responses in some interneurons indicates that CMT and PVT inputs directly contact some local-circuit cells, their lower incidence and amplitude after TTX suggest that CMT and PVT inputs form fewer synapses with them than with principal BL cells. Together, these results indicate that CMT and PVT inputs mainly contact principal BL neurons such that when CMT or PVT neurons fire, limited feedforward inhibition counters their excitatory influence over principal BL cells. However, CMT and PVT axons can also recruit interneurons indirectly, via the activation of principal cells, thereby generating feedback inhibition.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Midline thalamic (MTh) nuclei contribute major projections to the basolateral amygdala (BL). Similarities between the responsiveness of MTh and BL neurons suggest that MTh neurons exert a significant influence over BL activity. Using optogenetic techniques, we show that MTh inputs mainly contact principal BL neurons such that when MTh neurons fire, little feedforward inhibition counters their excitatory influence over principal cells. Thus, MTh inputs may be major determinants of BL activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nowrin Ahmed
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University-Newark, Newark, New Jersey
| | - Drew B Headley
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University-Newark, Newark, New Jersey
| | - Denis Paré
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University-Newark, Newark, New Jersey
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16
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Hájos N. Interneuron Types and Their Circuits in the Basolateral Amygdala. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:687257. [PMID: 34177472 PMCID: PMC8222668 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.687257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The basolateral amygdala (BLA) is a cortical structure based on its cell types, connectivity features, and developmental characteristics. This part of the amygdala is considered to be the main entry site of processed and multisensory information delivered via cortical and thalamic afferents. Although GABAergic inhibitory cells in the BLA comprise only 20% of the entire neuronal population, they provide essential control over proper network operation. Previous studies have uncovered that GABAergic cells in the basolateral amygdala are as diverse as those present in other cortical regions, including the hippocampus and neocortex. To understand the role of inhibitory cells in various amygdala functions, we need to reveal the connectivity and input-output features of the different types of GABAergic cells. Here, I review the recent achievements in uncovering the diversity of GABAergic cells in the basolateral amygdala with a specific focus on the microcircuit organization of these inhibitory cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norbert Hájos
- Laboratory of Network Neurophysiology, ELRN Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
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17
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Dulman RS, Zhang H, Banerjee R, Krishnan HR, Dong B, Hungund BL, Vinod KY, Pandey SC. CB1 receptor neutral antagonist treatment epigenetically increases neuropeptide Y expression and decreases alcohol drinking. Neuropharmacology 2021; 195:108623. [PMID: 34048869 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108623] [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: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol consumption is mediated by several important neuromodulatory systems, including the endocannabinoid and neuropeptide Y (NPY) systems in the limbic brain circuitry. However, molecular mechanisms through which cannabinoid-1 (CB1) receptors regulate alcohol consumption are still unclear. Here, we investigated the role of the CB1 receptor-mediated downstream regulation of NPY via epigenetic mechanisms in the amygdala. Alcohol drinking behavior was measured in adult male C57BL/6J mice treated with a CB1 receptor neutral antagonist AM4113 using a two-bottle choice paradigm while anxiety-like behavior was assessed in the light-dark box (LDB) test. The CB1 receptor-mediated changes in the protein levels of phosphorylated cAMP-responsive element binding protein (pCREB), CREB binding protein (CBP), H3K9ac, H3K14ac and NPY, and the mRNA levels of Creb1, Cbp, and Npy were measured in amygdaloid brain structures. Npy-specific changes in the levels of acetylated histone (H3K9/14ac) and CBP in the amygdala were also measured. We found that the pharmacological blockade of CB1 receptors with AM4113 reduced alcohol consumption and, in an ethanol-naïve cohort, reduced anxiety-like behavior in the LDB test. Treatment with AM4113 also increased the mRNA levels of Creb1 and Cbp in the amygdala as well as the protein levels of pCREB, CBP, H3K9ac and H3K14ac in the central and medial nucleus of amygdala, but not in the basolateral amygdala. Additionally, AM4113 treatment increased occupancy of CBP and H3K9/14ac at the Npy gene promoter, leading to an increase in both mRNA and protein levels of NPY in the amygdala. These novel findings suggest that CB1 receptor-mediated CREB signaling plays an important role in the modulation of NPY function through an epigenetic mechanism and further support the potential use of CB1 receptor neutral antagonists for the treatment of alcohol use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Russell S Dulman
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Huaibo Zhang
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA; Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Ritabrata Banerjee
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Harish R Krishnan
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA; Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Bin Dong
- Division of Analytical Psychopharmacology, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA
| | - Basalingappa L Hungund
- Division of Analytical Psychopharmacology, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - K Yaragudri Vinod
- Division of Analytical Psychopharmacology, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA; Emotional Brain Institute, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Subhash C Pandey
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA; Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA.
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18
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Perumal MB, Latimer B, Xu L, Stratton P, Nair S, Sah P. Microcircuit mechanisms for the generation of sharp-wave ripples in the basolateral amygdala: A role for chandelier interneurons. Cell Rep 2021; 35:109106. [PMID: 33979609 PMCID: PMC9136954 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Synchronized activity in neural circuits, detected as oscillations in the extracellular field potential, has been associated with learning and memory. Neural circuits in the basolateral amygdala (BLA), a mid-temporal lobe structure, generate oscillations in specific frequency bands to mediate emotional memory functions. However, how BLA circuits generate oscillations in distinct frequency bands is not known. Of these, sharp-waves (SWs) are repetitive, brief transitions that contain a low-frequency (<20 Hz) envelope, often coupled with ripples (100–300 Hz), have been associated with memory consolidation. Here, we show that SWs are retained in the BLA ex vivo and generated by local circuits. We demonstrate that an action potential in a chandelier interneuron is sufficient to initiate SWs through local circuits. Using a physiologically constrained model, we show that microcircuits organized as chandelier-interneuron-driven modules reproduce SWs and associated cellular events, revealing a functional role for chandelier interneurons and microcircuits for SW generation. Perumal et al. investigate circuits that generate network oscillations called sharp waves (SWs) in the basolateral amygdala. They show that discharge in a chandelier interneuron can initiate SW oscillations—a network activity associated with memory consolidation. They develop a network model with chandelier-interneuron-driven modular microcircuits for SW generation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Benjamin Latimer
- Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211 USA
| | - Li Xu
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Peter Stratton
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Satish Nair
- Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211 USA
| | - Pankaj Sah
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; Joint Center for Neuroscience and Neural Engineering and Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518055, P.R. China.
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19
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Perumal MB, Sah P. Inhibitory Circuits in the Basolateral Amygdala in Aversive Learning and Memory. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:633235. [PMID: 33994955 PMCID: PMC8120102 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.633235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural circuits in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) play a pivotal role in the learning and memory formation, and processing of emotionally salient experiences, particularly aversive ones. A diverse population of GABAergic neurons present in the BLA orchestrate local circuits to mediate emotional memory functions. Targeted manipulation of GABAergic neuronal subtypes has shed light on cell-type specific functional roles in the fear learning and memory, revealing organizing principles for the operation of inhibitory circuit motifs in the BLA.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pankaj Sah
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.,Joint Center for Neuroscience and Neural Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
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20
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Taylor JA, Hasegawa M, Benoit CM, Freire JA, Theodore M, Ganea DA, Innocenti SM, Lu T, Gründemann J. Single cell plasticity and population coding stability in auditory thalamus upon associative learning. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2438. [PMID: 33903596 PMCID: PMC8076296 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22421-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Cortical and limbic brain areas are regarded as centres for learning. However, how thalamic sensory relays participate in plasticity upon associative learning, yet support stable long-term sensory coding remains unknown. Using a miniature microscope imaging approach, we monitor the activity of populations of auditory thalamus (medial geniculate body) neurons in freely moving mice upon fear conditioning. We find that single cells exhibit mixed selectivity and heterogeneous plasticity patterns to auditory and aversive stimuli upon learning, which is conserved in amygdala-projecting medial geniculate body neurons. Activity in auditory thalamus to amygdala-projecting neurons stabilizes single cell plasticity in the total medial geniculate body population and is necessary for fear memory consolidation. In contrast to individual cells, population level encoding of auditory stimuli remained stable across days. Our data identifies auditory thalamus as a site for complex neuronal plasticity in fear learning upstream of the amygdala that is in an ideal position to drive plasticity in cortical and limbic brain areas. These findings suggest that medial geniculate body's role goes beyond a sole relay function by balancing experience-dependent, diverse single cell plasticity with consistent ensemble level representations of the sensory environment to support stable auditory perception with minimal affective bias.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Masashi Hasegawa
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Marine Theodore
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dan Alin Ganea
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Tingjia Lu
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jan Gründemann
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.
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21
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Total Number and Ratio of GABAergic Neuron Types in the Mouse Lateral and Basal Amygdala. J Neurosci 2021; 41:4575-4595. [PMID: 33837051 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2700-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
GABAergic neurons are key circuit elements in cortical networks. Despite growing evidence showing that inhibitory cells play a critical role in the lateral (LA) and basal (BA) amygdala functions, neither the number of GABAergic neurons nor the ratio of their distinct types has been determined in these amygdalar nuclei. Using unbiased stereology, we found that the ratio of GABAergic neurons in the BA (22%) is significantly higher than in the LA (16%) in both male and female mice. No difference was observed between the right and left hemispheres in either sex. In addition, we assessed the ratio of the major inhibitory cell types in both amygdalar nuclei. Using transgenic mice and a viral strategy for visualizing inhibitory cells combined with immunocytochemistry, we estimated that the following cell types together compose the vast majority of GABAergic cells in the LA and BA: axo-axonic cells (5.5%-6%), basket cells expressing parvalbumin (17%-20%) or cholecystokinin (7%-9%), dendrite-targeting inhibitory cells expressing somatostatin (10%-16%), NPY-containing neurogliaform cells (14%-15%), VIP and/or calretinin-expressing interneuron-selective interneurons (29%-38%), and GABAergic projection neurons expressing somatostatin and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (5.5%-8%). Our results show that these amygdalar nuclei contain all major GABAergic neuron types as found in other cortical regions. Furthermore, our data offer an essential reference for future studies aiming to reveal changes in GABAergic cell number and in inhibitory cell types typically observed under different pathologic conditions, and to model functioning amygdalar networks in health and disease.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT GABAergic cells in cortical structures, as in the lateral and basal nucleus of the amygdala, have a determinant role in controlling circuit operation. In this study, we provide the first estimate for the total number of inhibitory cells in these two amygdalar nuclei. In addition, our study is the first to define the ratio of the major GABAergic cell types present in these cortical networks. Taking into account that hyperexcitability in the amygdala, arising from the imbalance between excitation and inhibition typifies many altered brain functions, including anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and autism, uncovering the number and ratio of distinct amygdalar inhibitory cell types offers a solid base for comparing the changes in inhibition in pathologic brain states.
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A New Look at the Role of Mesoamygdaloid Dopamine Neurons in Aversive Conditioning. J Neurosci 2020; 40:7590-7592. [PMID: 32998956 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1483-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 08/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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