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Yi W, Chen W, Lan B, Yan L, Hu X, Wu J. A U-shaped relationship between chronic academic stress and the dynamics of reward processing. Neuroimage 2024; 300:120849. [PMID: 39265955 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120849] [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: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 08/29/2024] [Accepted: 09/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the potential link between stress-induced reward dysfunctions and the development of mental problems, limited human research has investigated the specific impacts of chronic stress on the dynamics of reward processing. Here we aimed to investigate the relationship between chronic academic stress and the dynamics of reward processing (i.e., reward anticipation and reward consumption) using event-related potential (ERP) technology. Ninety healthy undergraduates who were preparing for the National Postgraduate Entrance Examination (NPEE) participated in the study and completed a two-door reward task, their chronic stress levels were assessed via the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). The results showed that a lower magnitude of reward elicited more negative amplitudes of cue-N2 during the anticipatory phase, and reward omission elicited more negative amplitudes of FRN compared to reward delivery especially in high reward conditions during the consummatory phase. More importantly, the PSS score exhibited a U-shaped relationship with cue-N2 amplitudes regardless of reward magnitude during the anticipatory phase; and FRN amplitudes toward reward omission in high reward condition during the consummatory phase. These findings suggest that individuals exposed to either low or high levels of chronic stress, as opposed to moderate stress levels, exhibited a heightened reward anticipation, and an augmented violation of expectations or affective response when faced with relatively more negative outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Yi
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, 3688#, Nanhai Avenue, Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Wangxiao Chen
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, 3688#, Nanhai Avenue, Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Biqi Lan
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, 3688#, Nanhai Avenue, Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Linlin Yan
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Xiaoqing Hu
- Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Room 6.62, Jocky Club Tower, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jianhui Wu
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, 3688#, Nanhai Avenue, Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518060, China.
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2
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Tao C, Zhang GW, Sun WJ, Huang JJ, Zhang LI, Tao HW. Excitation-inhibition imbalance in medial preoptic area circuits underlies chronic stress-induced depression-like states. Nat Commun 2024; 15:8575. [PMID: 39362860 PMCID: PMC11452203 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-52727-2] [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: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 09/18/2024] [Indexed: 10/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Dysregulation of brain homeostasis is associated with neuropsychiatric conditions such as major depressive disorder. However, underlying neural-circuit mechanisms remain not well-understood. We show in mice that chronic restraint stress (CRS) and social defeat stress (SDS) are both associated with disruption of excitation (E)-inhibition (I) balance, with increased E/I ratios, in medial preoptic area (MPOA) circuits, but through affecting different neuronal types. CRS results in elevated activity in glutamatergic neurons, and their suppression mitigates CRS-induced depressive-like behaviors. Paraventricular hypothalamic input to these neurons contributes to induction but not expression of depressive-like behaviors. Their projections to ventral tegmental area and periaqueductal gray/dorsal raphe suppress midbrain dopaminergic and serotonergic activity, respectively, and mediate expression of divergent depressive-like symptoms. By contrast, SDS results in reduced activity of GABAergic neurons, and their activation alleviates SDS-induced depressive-like behaviors. Thus, E/I imbalance with relatively increased excitation in MPOA circuits may be a general mechanism underlying depression caused by different etiological factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Can Tao
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute and Center for Neural Circuits and Sensory Processing Disorders, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Guang-Wei Zhang
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute and Center for Neural Circuits and Sensory Processing Disorders, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Wen-Jian Sun
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute and Center for Neural Circuits and Sensory Processing Disorders, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Junxiang J Huang
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute and Center for Neural Circuits and Sensory Processing Disorders, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
- Graduate Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Li I Zhang
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute and Center for Neural Circuits and Sensory Processing Disorders, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA.
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA.
| | - Huizhong Whit Tao
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute and Center for Neural Circuits and Sensory Processing Disorders, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA.
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA.
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3
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Zhao B, Liang L, Li J, Schaefke B, Wang L, Tseng YT. An escape-enhancing circuit involving subthalamic CRH neurons mediates stress-induced anhedonia in mice. Neurobiol Dis 2024; 200:106649. [PMID: 39187210 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2024.106649] [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: 05/25/2024] [Revised: 07/18/2024] [Accepted: 08/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic predator stress (CPS) is an important and ecologically relevant tool for inducing anhedonia in animals, but the neural circuits underlying the associated neurobiological changes remain to be identified. Using cell-type-specific manipulations, we found that corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons in the medial subthalamic nucleus (mSTN) enhance struggle behaviors in inescapable situations and lead to anhedonia, predominately through projections to the external globus pallidus (GPe). Recordings of in vivo neuronal activity revealed that CPS distorted mSTN-CRH neuronal responsivity to negative and positive stimuli, which may underlie CPS-induced behavioral despair and anhedonia. Furthermore, we discovered presynaptic inputs from the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) to mSTN-CRH neurons projecting to the GPe that were enhanced following CPS, and these inputs may mediate such behaviors. This study identifies a neurocircuitry that co-regulates escape response and anhedonia in response to predator stress. This new understanding of the neural basis of defensive behavior in response to predator stress will likely benefit our understanding of neuropsychiatric diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binghao Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Lisha Liang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Jingfei Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Bernhard Schaefke
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Liping Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Yu-Ting Tseng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
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4
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Qu Y, Zhang L, Hou W, Liu L, Liu J, Li L, Guo X, Li Y, Huang C, He Z, Tai F. Distinct medial amygdala oxytocin receptor neurons projections respectively control consolation or aggression in male mandarin voles. Nat Commun 2024; 15:8139. [PMID: 39289343 PMCID: PMC11408735 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51652-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The individuals often show consolation to distressed companions or show aggression to the intruders. The circuit mechanisms underlying switching between consolation and aggression remain unclear. In the present study, using male mandarin voles, we identified that two distinct subtypes of oxytocin receptor (OXTR) neurons in the medial amygdala (MeA) projecting to the anterior insula (AI) and ventrolateral aspect of ventromedial hypothalamus (VMHvl) response differently to stressed siblings or unfamiliar intruders using c-Fos or calcium recording. Oxytocin release and activities of PVN neurons projecting to MeA increased upon consoling and attacking. OXTR antagonist injection to the MeA reduced consoling and attacking. Apoptosis, optogenetic or pharmacogenetic manipulation of these two populations of neurons altered behavioral responses to these two social stimuli respectively. Here, we show that two subtypes of OXTR neurons in the MeA projecting to the AI or VMHvl causally control consolation or aggression that may underlie switch between consolation and aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yishan Qu
- Institute of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Lizi Zhang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Wenjuan Hou
- Institute of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Limin Liu
- Institute of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Institute of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Lu Li
- Institute of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xing Guo
- Institute of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yin Li
- Institute of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Caihong Huang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Zhixiong He
- Institute of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Fadao Tai
- Institute of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
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5
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Isaac J, Karkare SC, Balasubramanian H, Schappaugh N, Javier JL, Rashid M, Murugan M. Sex differences in neural representations of social and nonsocial reward in the medial prefrontal cortex. Nat Commun 2024; 15:8018. [PMID: 39271723 PMCID: PMC11399386 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-52294-6] [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: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 08/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024] Open
Abstract
The reinforcing nature of social interactions is necessary for the maintenance of appropriate social behavior. However, the neural substrates underlying social reward processing and how they might differ based on the sex and internal state of the animal remains unknown. It is also unclear whether these neural substrates are shared with those involved in nonsocial rewarding processing. We developed a fully automated, two choice (social-sucrose) operant assay in which mice choose between social and nonsocial rewards to directly compare the reward-related behaviors associated with two competing stimuli. We performed cellular resolution calcium imaging of medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) neurons in male and female mice across varying states of water restriction and social isolation. We found that mPFC neurons maintain largely non-overlapping, flexible representations of social and nonsocial reward that vary with internal state in a sex-dependent manner. Additionally, optogenetic manipulation of mPFC activity during the reward period of the assay disrupted reward-seeking behavior across male and female mice. Thus, using a two choice operant assay, we have identified sex-dependent, non-overlapping neural representations of social and nonsocial reward in the mPFC that vary with internal state and that are essential for appropriate reward-seeking behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Isaac
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Sonia Corbett Karkare
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Hymavathy Balasubramanian
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | | | - Jarildy Larimar Javier
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Maha Rashid
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Malavika Murugan
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
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6
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Kim KH, Noh K, Lee J, Lee S, Lee SJ. NEGR1 Modulates Mouse Affective Discrimination by Regulating Adult Olfactory Neurogenesis. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 4:100355. [PMID: 39170714 PMCID: PMC11338060 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2024.100355] [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: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Affective recognition and sensory processing are impaired in people with autism. However, no mouse model of autism comanifesting these symptoms is available, thereby limiting the exploration of the relationship between affective recognition and sensory processing in autism and the molecular mechanisms involved. Methods With Negr1 -/- mice, we conducted the affective state discrimination test and an odor habituation/dishabituation test. Data were analyzed using the k-means clustering method. We also employed a whole-cell patch clamp and bromodeoxyuridine incorporation assay to investigate underlying mechanisms. Results When encountering mice exposed to restraint stress or chronic pain, wild-type mice discriminated between them by either approaching the stressed mouse or avoiding the painful mouse, whereas Negr1 -/- mice showed unbiased social interactions with them. Next, we demonstrated that both wild-type and Negr1 -/- mice used their olfaction for social interaction in the experimental context, but Negr1 -/- mice showed aberrant olfactory habituation and dishabituation against social odors. In electrophysiological studies, inhibitory inputs to the mitral cells in the olfactory bulb were increased in Negr1 -/- mice compared with wild-type mice, and subsequently their excitability was decreased. As a potential underlying mechanism, we found that adult neurogenesis in the subventricular zone was diminished in Negr1 -/- mice, which resulted in decreased integration of newly generated inhibitory neurons in the olfactory bulb. Conclusions NEGR1 contributes to mouse affective recognition, possibly by regulating olfactory neurogenesis and subsequent olfactory sensory processing. We propose a novel neurobiological mechanism of autism-related behaviors based on disrupted adult olfactory neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwang Hwan Kim
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, College of Natural Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University School of Dentistry, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungchul Noh
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University School of Dentistry, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaesung Lee
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University School of Dentistry, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Soojin Lee
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Joong Lee
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University School of Dentistry, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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7
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Navarrete J, Schneider KN, Smith BM, Goodwin NL, Zhang YY, Salazar AS, Gonzalez YE, Anumolu P, Gross E, Tsai VS, Heshmati M, Golden SA. Individual Differences in Volitional Social Self-Administration and Motivation in Male and Female Mice Following Social Stress. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 96:309-321. [PMID: 38244753 PMCID: PMC11255129 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A key challenge in developing treatments for neuropsychiatric illness is the disconnect between preclinical models and the complexity of human social behavior. We integrate voluntary social self-administration into a rodent model of social stress as a platform for the identification of fundamental brain and behavior mechanisms underlying stress-induced individual differences in social motivation. METHODS Here, we introduced an operant social stress procedure in male and female mice composed of 3 phases: 1) social self-administration training, 2) social stress exposure concurrent with reinforced self-administration testing, and 3) poststress operant testing under nonreinforced and reinforced conditions. We used social-defeat and witness-defeat stress in male and female mice. RESULTS Social defeat attenuated social reward seeking in males but not females, whereas witness defeat had no effect in males but promoted seeking behavior in females. We resolved social stress-induced changes to social motivation by aggregating z-scored operant metrics into a cumulative social index score to describe the spectrum of individual differences exhibited during operant social stress. Clustering does not adequately describe the relative distributions of social motivation following stress and is better described as a nonbinary behavioral distribution defined by the social index score, capturing a dynamic range of stress-related alterations in social motivation inclusive of sex as a biological variable. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated that operant social stress can detect stable individual differences in stress-induced changes to social motivation. The inclusion of volitional behavior in social procedures may enhance the understanding of behavioral adaptations that promote stress resiliency and their mechanisms under more naturalistic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jovana Navarrete
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Center of Excellence in Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Kevin N Schneider
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Center of Excellence in Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Briana M Smith
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Nastacia L Goodwin
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Center of Excellence in Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Yizhe Y Zhang
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Center of Excellence in Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Axelle S Salazar
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Yahir E Gonzalez
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Undergraduate Neuroscience Program, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Pranav Anumolu
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Undergraduate Neuroscience Program, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Ethan Gross
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Valerie S Tsai
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Undergraduate Neuroscience Program, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Mitra Heshmati
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Center of Excellence in Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Sam A Golden
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Center of Excellence in Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
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8
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Wu H, Xie L, Chen Q, Xu F, Dai A, Ma X, Xie S, Li H, Zhu F, Jiao C, Sun L, Xu Q, Zhou Y, Shen Y, Chen X. Activation of GABAergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus alleviates hyperalgesia induced by ovarian hormone withdrawal. Pain 2024:00006396-990000000-00678. [PMID: 39106454 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/09/2024]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Menopausal and postmenopausal women, characterized by a significant reduction in ovarian hormones, have a high prevalence of chronic pain with great pain intensity. However, the underlying mechanism of hyperalgesia induced by ovarian hormone withdrawal remains poorly understood. Here, we report that decreases in the activity and excitability of GABAergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) are associated with hyperalgesia induced by ovariectomy in mice. Supplementation with 17β-estradiol, but not progesterone, is sufficient to increase the mechanical pain threshold in ovariectomized (OVX) mice and the excitability of DRN GABAergic (DRNGABA) neurons. Moreover, activation of the DRNGABA neurons projecting to the lateral parabrachial nucleus was critical for alleviating hyperalgesia in OVX mice. These findings show the essential role of DRNGABA neurons and their modulation by estrogen in regulating hyperalgesia induced by ovarian hormone withdrawal, providing therapeutic basis for the treatment of chronic pain in physiological or surgical menopausal women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wu
- Department of Anesthesia, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Linghua Xie
- Department of Anesthesia, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qing Chen
- Department of Anesthesia, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Fang Xu
- Department of Anesthesia, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ange Dai
- Department of Anesthesia, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaolin Ma
- School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shulan Xie
- Department of Anesthesia, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hua Li
- Department of Anesthesia, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Fangfang Zhu
- Department of Anesthesia, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Cuicui Jiao
- Department of Anesthesia, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lihong Sun
- Department of Anesthesia, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qi Xu
- Department of Anesthesia, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yudong Zhou
- School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yi Shen
- School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xinzhong Chen
- Department of Anesthesia, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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9
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Caria A. A Hypothalamic Perspective of Human Socioemotional Behavior. Neuroscientist 2024; 30:399-420. [PMID: 36703298 DOI: 10.1177/10738584221149647] [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] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Historical evidence from stimulation and lesion studies in animals and humans demonstrated a close association between the hypothalamus and typical and atypical socioemotional behavior. A central hypothalamic contribution to regulation of socioemotional responses was also provided indirectly by studies on oxytocin and arginine vasopressin. However, a limited number of studies have so far directly investigated the contribution of the hypothalamus in human socioemotional behavior. To reconsider the functional role of the evolutionarily conserved hypothalamic region in regulating human social behavior, here I provide a synthesis of neuroimaging investigations showing that the hypothalamus is involved in multiple and diverse facets of human socioemotional behavior through widespread functional interactions with other cortical and subcortical regions. These neuroimaging findings are then integrated with recent optogenetics studies in animals demonstrating that the hypothalamus plays a more active role in eliciting socioemotional responses and is not simply a downstream effector of higher-level brain systems. Building on the aforementioned evidence, the hypothalamus is argued to substantially contribute to a continuum of human socioemotional behaviors promoting survival and preservation of the species that extends from exploratory and approaching responses facilitating social bonding to aggressive and avoidance responses aimed to protect and defend formed relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Caria
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
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10
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Láng T, Dimén D, Oláh S, Puska G, Dobolyi A. Medial preoptic circuits governing instinctive social behaviors. iScience 2024; 27:110296. [PMID: 39055958 PMCID: PMC11269931 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110296] [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] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The medial preoptic area (MPOA) has long been implicated in maternal and male sexual behavior. Modern neuroscience methods have begun to reveal the cellular networks responsible, while also implicating the MPOA in other social behaviors, affiliative social touch, and aggression. The social interactions rely on input from conspecifics whose most important modalities in rodents are olfaction and somatosensation. These inputs bypass the cerebral cortex to reach the MPOA to influence the social function. Hormonal inputs also directly act on MPOA neurons. In turn, the MPOA controls social responses via various projections for reward and motor output. The MPOA thus emerges as one of the major brain centers for instinctive social behavior. While key elements of MPOA circuits have been identified, a synthesis of these new data is now provided for further studies to reveal the mechanisms by which the area controls social interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamás Láng
- Laboratory of Neuromorphology, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Diána Dimén
- Laboratory of Neuromorphology, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Addiction and Neuroplasticity Laboratory, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Szilvia Oláh
- Laboratory of Molecular and Systems Neurobiology, Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gina Puska
- Laboratory of Molecular and Systems Neurobiology, Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Arpád Dobolyi
- Laboratory of Neuromorphology, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Laboratory of Molecular and Systems Neurobiology, Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
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11
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Raymond JS, Rehn S, James MH, Everett NA, Bowen MT. Sex differences in the social motivation of rats: Insights from social operant conditioning, behavioural economics, and video tracking. Biol Sex Differ 2024; 15:57. [PMID: 39030614 PMCID: PMC11264584 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-024-00612-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social behaviour plays a key role in mental health and wellbeing, and developing greater understanding of mechanisms underlying social interaction-particularly social motivation-holds substantial transdiagnostic impact. Common rodent behavioural assays used to assess social behaviour are limited in their assessment of social motivation, whereas the social operant conditioning model can provide unique and valuable insights into social motivation. Further characterisation of common experimental parameters that may influence social motivation within the social operant model, as well as complementary methodological and analytical approaches, are warranted. METHODS This study investigated the effects of biological sex, housing condition, and time-of-day, on social motivation using the social operant model. This involved training rats to lever press (FR1) for 60-s access to a social reward (same-sex conspecific stimulus). Subjects were male and female Wistar rats, housed under individual or paired conditions, and sessions were conducted either in the mid-late light phase (ZT6-10) or early-mid dark phase (ZT13-17). A behavioural economics approach was implemented to measure social demand and the influence of stimulus partner sex (same- vs. opposite-sex stimulus) on social operant responding. Additionally, video tracking analyses were conducted to assess the degree of convergence between social appetitive and consummatory behaviours. RESULTS Biological sex, housing conditions, the interaction between sex and housing, and stimulus partner sex potently influenced social motivation, whereas time-of-day did not. Behavioural economics demonstrated that sex, housing, and their interaction influence both the hedonic set-point and elasticity of social demand. Video analysis of social interaction during social operant sessions revealed that social appetitive and consummatory behaviours are not necessarily convergent, and indicate potential social satiety. Lastly, oestrus phase of female experimental and stimulus rats did not impact social motivation within the model. CONCLUSIONS Social isolation-dependent sex differences exist in social motivation for rats, as assessed by social operant conditioning. The social operant model represents an optimal preclinical assay that comprehensively evaluates social motivation and offers a platform for future investigations of neurobiological mechanisms underlying sex differences in social motivation. These findings highlight the importance of continued consideration and inclusion of sex as a biological variable in future social operant conditioning studies. Humans are social creatures-our everyday interactions with others and the support this provides play a key role in our wellbeing. For those experiencing mental health conditions, people's motivation to engage with others can wane, which can lead them to withdraw from those who support them. Therefore, to develop better treatment strategies for these conditions, we need to gain a deeper understanding of social motivation. Studying social behaviour in animals can facilitate this investigation of social motivation as it allows for a causal understanding of underlying neurobiology that is not possible in human experiments. An optimal way to study social motivation in animals is using the social operant conditioning model, where rats learn to press a lever that opens a door and allows them to interact with another rat for a short time. This study characterised the social operant model by testing whether sex, housing conditions, time-of-day, and the sex of the stimulus partner influence rats' motivation to seek interaction with another rat. We found that female rats were more socially motivated than males, and that rats living alone were more motivated than those living with another rat; interestingly, this effect of housing affected females more than males. Regardless of sex, rats were more motivated to interact with a rat of the opposite sex. These findings provide insights into sex differences in social motivation in rats and new insights into the social operant model which will help guide future research into social motivation and other mental health conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel S Raymond
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, 2050, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Simone Rehn
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Morgan H James
- Brain Health Institute, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical Health Sciences, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Nicholas A Everett
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, 2050, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Michael T Bowen
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, 2050, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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12
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Meng L, Zheng X, Xie K, Li Y, Liu D, Xu Y, Zhang J, Wu F, Guo G. Hyperexcitation of the glutamatergic neurons in lateral hypothalamus induced by chronic pain contributes to depression-like behavior and learning and memory impairment in male mice. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 31:100654. [PMID: 38948390 PMCID: PMC11214532 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2024.100654] [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: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain can induce mood disorders and cognitive dysfunctions, such as anxiety, depression, and learning and memory impairment in humans. However, the specific neural network involved in anxiety- and depression-like behaviors and learning and memory impairment caused by chronic pain remains poorly understood. In this study, behavioral test results showed that chronic pain induced anxiety- and depression-like behaviors, and learning and memory impairment in male mice. c-Fos immunofluorescence and fiber photometry recording showed that glutamatergic neurons in the LH of mice with chronic pain were selectively activated. Next, the glutamatergic neurons of LH in normal mice were activated using optogenetic and chemogenetic methods, which recapitulates some of the depressive-like behaviors, as well as memory impairment, but not anxiety-like behavior. Finally, inhibition of glutamatergic neurons in the LH of mice with chronic pain, effectively relieved anxiety- and depression-like behaviors and learning and memory impairment. Taken together, our findings suggest that hyperexcitation of glutamatergic neurons in the LH is involved in depression-like behavior and learning and memory impairment induced by chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Keman Xie
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Yifei Li
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Danlei Liu
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Yuanyuan Xu
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Jifeng Zhang
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Fengming Wu
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Guoqing Guo
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
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13
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Nestler EJ, Russo SJ. Neurobiological basis of stress resilience. Neuron 2024; 112:1911-1929. [PMID: 38795707 PMCID: PMC11189737 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.05.001] [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: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
A majority of humans faced with severe stress maintain normal physiological and behavioral function, a process referred to as resilience. Such stress resilience has been modeled in laboratory animals and, over the past 15 years, has transformed our understanding of stress responses and how to approach the treatment of human stress disorders such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and anxiety disorders. Work in rodents has demonstrated that resilience to chronic stress is an active process that involves much more than simply avoiding the deleterious effects of the stress. Rather, resilience is mediated largely by the induction of adaptations that are associated uniquely with resilience. Such mechanisms of natural resilience in rodents are being characterized at the molecular, cellular, and circuit levels, with an increasing number being validated in human investigations. Such discoveries raise the novel possibility that treatments for human stress disorders, in addition to being geared toward reversing the damaging effects of stress, can also be based on inducing mechanisms of natural resilience in individuals who are inherently more susceptible. This review provides a progress report on this evolving field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J Nestler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Department of Psychiatry, The Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
| | - Scott J Russo
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Department of Psychiatry, The Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
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14
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Velazquez-Hernandez G, Miller NW, Curtis VR, Rivera-Pacheco CM, Lowe SM, Moy SS, Zannas AS, Pégard NC, Burgos-Robles A, Rodriguez-Romaguera J. Social threat alters the behavioral structure of social motivation and reshapes functional brain connectivity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.17.599379. [PMID: 38948883 PMCID: PMC11212885 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.17.599379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Traumatic social experiences redefine socially motivated behaviors to enhance safety and survival. Although many brain regions have been implicated in signaling a social threat, the mechanisms by which global neural networks regulate such motivated behaviors remain unclear. To address this issue, we first combined traditional and modern behavioral tracking techniques in mice to assess both approach and avoidance, as well as sub-second behavioral changes, during a social threat learning task. We were able to identify previously undescribed body and tail movements during social threat learning and recognition that demonstrate unique alterations into the behavioral structure of social motivation. We then utilized inter-regional correlation analysis of brain activity after a mouse recognizes a social threat to explore functional communication amongst brain regions implicated in social motivation. Broad brain activity changes were observed within the nucleus accumbens, the paraventricular thalamus, the ventromedial hypothalamus, and the nucleus of reuniens. Inter-regional correlation analysis revealed a reshaping of the functional connectivity across the brain when mice recognize a social threat. Altogether, these findings suggest that reshaping of functional brain connectivity may be necessary to alter the behavioral structure of social motivation when a social threat is encountered.
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15
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Bernardi E, Visioli F. Fostering wellbeing and healthy lifestyles through conviviality and commensality: Underappreciated benefits of the Mediterranean Diet. Nutr Res 2024; 126:46-57. [PMID: 38613923 DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2024.03.007] [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: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
Among the often-neglected features of healthy diets, such as the Mediterranean diet, is the preparation and sharing of food, which is (or was) done in a social environment governed by social rules rather than by time constraints. The act of eating is a daily human practice that is not limited to meeting nutritional and energy needs but also involves a constructed social dimension of sharing meals that is part of the process of human civilization and food cultures around the world. In this narrative review, we outline the importance of conviviality in steering part of the health effects of healthful diets, with special reference to the Mediterranean diet. Based on the available evidence, we suggest that public health initiatives (such as nudging to promote conviviality) to improve people's eating and living styles, reduce loneliness, and promote the sharing of meals could improve health. Interventions aimed at directly increasing/improving people's social relationships, networking, and conviviality can-directly and indirectly-improve both psychological well-being and general health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Bernardi
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Environment, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" - Bari, Italy
| | - Francesco Visioli
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Italy; IMDEA-Food, Madrid, Spain.
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16
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Premoli M, Carone M, Mastinu A, Maccarinelli G, Aria F, Mac Sweeney E, Memo M, Bonini SA. Cannabis Sativa Oil Promotes Social Interaction and Ultrasonic Communication by Acting on Oxytocin Pathway. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2024. [PMID: 38800950 DOI: 10.1089/can.2024.0062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective: Cannabis sativa is the most used recreational drug worldwide. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the potential therapeutic benefits of medicinal cannabis to treat a variety of psychiatric and neurological conditions. In particular, cannabidiol (CBD), a nonpsychoactive cannabis constituent, has been investigated for its potential prosocial effects on behavior, although the molecular mechanisms underlying this effect are still largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a C. sativa oil CBD rich (CS oil) on social interaction and ultrasonic communication in mice. Study Design: Twenty-seven adult male mice (B6; 129P F2) were treated daily with vehicle or CS oil for 2 weeks. At Day 14, mice were tested for behavior (social interaction test and ultrasonic communication). Forty minutes before the behavioral tests, mice were exposed to intranasal treatment with vehicle or the oxytocin receptor antagonist, L-371,257. After behavioral tests, VH- and CS oil-treated mice were sacrificed, RNA was extracted from the hypothalamus and used for quantitative Real Time-PCR experiments. Results: We found that a 2-week treatment with the CS oil on mice exerted a prosocial effect associated with an increase in ultrasonic vocalizations. These effects were inhibited by pretreating mice with an oxytocin receptor antagonist. In addition, at the molecular level, we found that CS oil treatment caused a significant increase in oxytocin and a decrease in oxytocin receptor expression levels in the brain hypothalamus. Conclusion: Our results suggest that CS oil promotes social behavior by acting on oxytocin pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marinella Carone
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Andrea Mastinu
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | | | - Francesca Aria
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Eileen Mac Sweeney
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Maurizio Memo
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Sara Anna Bonini
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
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17
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Zhou C, You J, Guan X, Guo T, Wu J, Wu H, Wu C, Chen J, Wen J, Tan S, Duanmu X, Qin J, Huang P, Zhang B, Cheng W, Feng J, Xu X, Wang L, Zhang M. Microstructural alterations of the hypothalamus in Parkinson's disease and probable REM sleep behavior disorder. Neurobiol Dis 2024; 194:106472. [PMID: 38479482 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2024.106472] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Whether there is hypothalamic degeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD) and its association with clinical symptoms and pathophysiological changes remains controversial. OBJECTIVES We aimed to quantify microstructural changes in hypothalamus using a novel deep learning-based tool in patients with PD and those with probable rapid-eye-movement sleep behavior disorder (pRBD). We further assessed whether these microstructural changes associated with clinical symptoms and free thyroxine (FT4) levels. METHODS This study included 186 PD, 67 pRBD, and 179 healthy controls. Multi-shell diffusion MRI were scanned and mean kurtosis (MK) in hypothalamic subunits were calculated. Participants were assessed using Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), RBD Questionnaire-Hong Kong (RBDQ-HK), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD), and Activity of Daily Living (ADL) Scale. Additionally, a subgroup of PD (n = 31) underwent assessment of FT4. RESULTS PD showed significant decreases of MK in anterior-superior (a-sHyp), anterior-inferior (a-iHyp), superior tubular (supTub), and inferior tubular hypothalamus when compared with healthy controls. Similarly, pRBD exhibited decreases of MK in a-iHyp and supTub. In PD group, MK in above four subunits were significantly correlated with UPDRS-I, HAMD, and ADL. Moreover, MK in a-iHyp and a-sHyp were significantly correlated with FT4 level. In pRBD group, correlations were observed between MK in a-iHyp and UPDRS-I. CONCLUSIONS Our study reveals that microstructural changes in the hypothalamus are already significant at the early neurodegenerative stage. These changes are associated with emotional alterations, daily activity levels, and thyroid hormone levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Zhou
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China; Joint Laboratory of Clinical Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China
| | - Jia You
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, 200433 Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, 200433 Shanghai, China; MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Zhangjiang Fudan International Innovation Center, 200433 Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaojun Guan
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China; Joint Laboratory of Clinical Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China
| | - Tao Guo
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China; Joint Laboratory of Clinical Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China
| | - Jingjing Wu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China; Joint Laboratory of Clinical Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China
| | - Haoting Wu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China; Joint Laboratory of Clinical Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China
| | - Chenqing Wu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China; Joint Laboratory of Clinical Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China
| | - Jingwen Chen
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China; Joint Laboratory of Clinical Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiaqi Wen
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China; Joint Laboratory of Clinical Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China
| | - Sijia Tan
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China; Joint Laboratory of Clinical Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaojie Duanmu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China; Joint Laboratory of Clinical Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianmei Qin
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China; Joint Laboratory of Clinical Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China
| | - Peiyu Huang
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China; Joint Laboratory of Clinical Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China
| | - Baorong Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China
| | - Wei Cheng
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, 200433 Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, 200433 Shanghai, China; MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Zhangjiang Fudan International Innovation Center, 200433 Shanghai, China; Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Jianfeng Feng
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, 200433 Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, 200433 Shanghai, China; MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Zhangjiang Fudan International Innovation Center, 200433 Shanghai, China; Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Xiaojun Xu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China; Joint Laboratory of Clinical Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China.
| | - Linbo Wang
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, 200433 Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, 200433 Shanghai, China; MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Zhangjiang Fudan International Innovation Center, 200433 Shanghai, China.
| | - Minming Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China; Joint Laboratory of Clinical Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310009 Hangzhou, China.
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18
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Monari PK, Hammond ER, Zhao X, Maksimoski AN, Petric R, Malone CL, Riters LV, Marler CA. Conditioned preferences: Gated by experience, context, and endocrine systems. Horm Behav 2024; 161:105529. [PMID: 38492501 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Central to the navigation of an ever-changing environment is the ability to form positive associations with places and conspecifics. The functions of location and social conditioned preferences are often studied independently, limiting our understanding of their interplay. Furthermore, a de-emphasis on natural functions of conditioned preferences has led to neurobiological interpretations separated from ecological context. By adopting a naturalistic and ethological perspective, we uncover complexities underlying the expression of conditioned preferences. Development of conditioned preferences is a combination of motivation, reward, associative learning, and context, including for social and spatial environments. Both social- and location-dependent reward-responsive behaviors and their conditioning rely on internal state-gating mechanisms that include neuroendocrine and hormone systems such as opioids, dopamine, testosterone, estradiol, and oxytocin. Such reinforced behavior emerges from mechanisms integrating past experience and current social and environmental conditions. Moreover, social context, environmental stimuli, and internal state gate and modulate motivation and learning via associative reward, shaping the conditioning process. We highlight research incorporating these concepts, focusing on the integration of social neuroendocrine mechanisms and behavioral conditioning. We explore three paradigms: 1) conditioned place preference, 2) conditioned social preference, and 3) social conditioned place preference. We highlight nonclassical species to emphasize the naturalistic applications of these conditioned preferences. To fully appreciate the complex integration of spatial and social information, future research must identify neural networks where endocrine systems exert influence on such behaviors. Such research promises to provide valuable insights into conditioned preferences within a broader naturalistic context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick K Monari
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Psychology, Madison, WI, USA.
| | - Emma R Hammond
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Psychology, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Xin Zhao
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Psychology, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Alyse N Maksimoski
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Integrative Biology, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Radmila Petric
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Psychology, Madison, WI, USA; Institute for the Environment, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Candice L Malone
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Psychology, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Lauren V Riters
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Integrative Biology, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Catherine A Marler
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Psychology, Madison, WI, USA; University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Integrative Biology, Madison, WI, USA.
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19
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Fang S, Luo Z, Wei Z, Qin Y, Zheng J, Zhang H, Jin J, Li J, Miao C, Yang S, Li Y, Liang Z, Yu XD, Zhang XM, Xiong W, Zhu H, Gan WB, Huang L, Li B. Sexually dimorphic control of affective state processing and empathic behaviors. Neuron 2024; 112:1498-1517.e8. [PMID: 38430912 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.02.001] [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: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Recognizing the affective states of social counterparts and responding appropriately fosters successful social interactions. However, little is known about how the affective states are expressed and perceived and how they influence social decisions. Here, we show that male and female mice emit distinct olfactory cues after experiencing distress. These cues activate distinct neural circuits in the piriform cortex (PiC) and evoke sexually dimorphic empathic behaviors in observers. Specifically, the PiC → PrL pathway is activated in female observers, inducing a social preference for the distressed counterpart. Conversely, the PiC → MeA pathway is activated in male observers, evoking excessive self-grooming behaviors. These pathways originate from non-overlapping PiC neuron populations with distinct gene expression signatures regulated by transcription factors and sex hormones. Our study unveils how internal states of social counterparts are processed through sexually dimorphic mechanisms at the molecular, cellular, and circuit levels and offers insights into the neural mechanisms underpinning sex differences in higher brain functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunchang Fang
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Zhengyi Luo
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Zicheng Wei
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Yuxin Qin
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Jieyan Zheng
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Hongyang Zhang
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Jianhua Jin
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Jiali Li
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Chenjian Miao
- Institute on Aging, Hefei, China and Brain Disorders, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Shana Yang
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Yonglin Li
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Zirui Liang
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Xiao-Dan Yu
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Xiao Min Zhang
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Wei Xiong
- Institute on Aging, Hefei, China and Brain Disorders, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Hongying Zhu
- Institute on Aging, Hefei, China and Brain Disorders, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | | | - Lianyan Huang
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; Key Laboratory of Human Microbiome and Chronic Diseases (Sun Yat-Sen University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510655, China.
| | - Boxing Li
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; Advanced Medical Technology Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; Key Laboratory of Human Microbiome and Chronic Diseases (Sun Yat-Sen University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510655, China.
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20
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Macedo-Lima M, Fernández-Vargas M, Remage-Healey L. Social reinforcement guides operant behaviour and auditory learning in a songbird. Anim Behav 2024; 210:127-137. [PMID: 38505105 PMCID: PMC10947183 DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2024.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Motivation to seek social interactions is inherent to all social species. For instance, even with risk of disease transmission in a recent pandemic, humans sought out frequent in-person social interactions. In other social animals, socialization can be prioritized even over water or food consumption. Zebra finches, Taeniopygia guttata, are highly gregarious songbirds widely used in behavioural and physiological research. Songbirds, like humans, are vocal learners during development, which rely on intense auditory learning. Aside from supporting song learning, auditory learning further supports individual identification, mate choice and outcome associations in songbirds. To study auditory learning in a laboratory setting, studies often employ operant paradigms with food restriction and reinforcement and require complete social isolation, which can result in stress and other unintended physiological consequences for social species. Thus, in this work, we designed an operant behavioural method leveraging the sociality of zebra finches for goal-directed behaviours. Our approach relies on visual social reinforcement, without depriving the animals of food or social contact. Using this task, we found that visual social reinforcement was a strong motivational drive for operant behaviour. Motivation was sensitive to familiarity towards the stimulus animal and higher when engaging with a familiar versus a novel individual. We further show that this tool can be used to assess auditory discrimination learning using either songs or synthetic pure tones as stimuli. As birds gained experience in the task, they developed a strategy to maximize reward acquisition in spite of receiving more punishment, i.e. liberal response bias. Our operant paradigm provides an alternative to tasks using food reinforcement and could be applied to a variety of highly social species, such as rodents and nonhuman primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matheus Macedo-Lima
- Matheus Macedo-Lima is now at the Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, U.S.A
| | - Marcela Fernández-Vargas
- Marcela Fernández-Vargas is now at the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience Program, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO, U.S.A
| | - Luke Remage-Healey
- Corresponding author. (L. Remage-Healey)., @HealeyLab, Neuroscience and Behavior Program, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst MA, U.S.A.
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21
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Almishri W, Altonsy MO, Swain MG. Cholestatic liver disease leads to significant adaptative changes in neural circuits regulating social behavior in mice to enhance sociability. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:167100. [PMID: 38412926 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2024.167100] [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: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Cholestatic liver diseases (CLD) are commonly associated with behavioral changes, including social isolation, that negatively affects patient quality of life and remains unaltered by current therapies. It remains unclear whether CLD-associated social dysfunction stems from a direct effect on the brain, or from the psychological impact of CLD. The psychological component of disease is absent in animals, so we investigated the impact of CLD on social behavior and gene expression profiles in key social behavior-regulating brain regions in a mouse model. METHODS CLD due to bile duct ligation was used with the three-chamber sociability test for behavioral phenotyping. Differentially expressed gene (DEG) signatures were delineated in 3 key brain regions regulating social behavior using RNA-seq. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA®) was applied to streamline DEG data interpretation and integrate findings with social behavior-regulating pathways to identify important brain molecular networks and regulatory mechanisms disrupted in CLD. RESULTS CLD mice exhibited enhanced social interactive behavior and significantly altered gene expression in each of the three social behavior-regulating brain regions examined. DEG signatures in BDL mice were associated with key IPA®-identified social behavior-regulating pathways including Oxytocin in Brain Signaling, GABA Receptor Signaling, Dopamine Receptor Signaling, and Glutamate Receptor Signaling. CONCLUSIONS CLD causes complex alterations in gene expression profiles in key social behavior-regulating brain areas/pathways linked to enhanced social interactive behavior. These findings, if paralleled in CLD patients, suggest that CLD-associated reductions in social interactions predominantly relate to psychological impacts of disease and may inform new approaches to improve management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wagdi Almishri
- Department of Medicine, Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Mohammed O Altonsy
- Department of Medicine, Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt
| | - Mark G Swain
- Department of Medicine, Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; University of Calgary Liver Unit, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
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22
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Huang J, Zhang YY, Qiu YY, Yao S, Qiu WT, Peng JL, Li YQ, You QL, Wu CH, Wu EJ, Wang J, Zhou YL, Ning YP, Wang HS, Chen WB, Hu BJ, Liu Y, Sun XD. NRG1-ErbB4 signaling in the medial amygdala controls mating motivation in adult male mice. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113905. [PMID: 38446660 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113905] [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: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Motivation-driven mating is a basic affair for the maintenance of species. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms that control mating motivation are not fully understood. Here, we report that NRG1-ErbB4 signaling in the medial amygdala (MeA) is pivotal in regulating mating motivation. NRG1 expression in the MeA negatively correlates with the mating motivation levels in adult male mice. Local injection and knockdown of MeA NRG1 reduce and promote mating motivation, respectively. Consistently, knockdown of MeA ErbB4, a major receptor for NRG1, and genetic inactivation of its kinase both promote mating motivation. ErbB4 deletion decreases neuronal excitability, whereas chemogenetic manipulations of ErbB4-positive neuronal activities bidirectionally modulate mating motivation. We also identify that the effects of NRG1-ErbB4 signaling on neuronal excitability and mating motivation rely on hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel 3. This study reveals a critical molecular mechanism for regulating mating motivation in adult male mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Huang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yan-Yan Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, and Emergency Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Yang Qiu
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, and Emergency Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shan Yao
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, and Emergency Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wan-Ting Qiu
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, and Emergency Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jin-Lin Peng
- Guangzhou Medical University-Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health (GMU-GIBH) Joint School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuan-Quan Li
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Qingyuan Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Qingyuan, China
| | - Qiang-Long You
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, and Emergency Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cui-Hong Wu
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, and Emergency Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Er-Jian Wu
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, and Emergency Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jin Wang
- Department of Physiology, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou, China
| | - Yan-Ling Zhou
- Department of Psychiatry, Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Ping Ning
- Department of Psychiatry, Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hong-Sheng Wang
- Songjiang Research Institute, Shanghai Songjiang District Central Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wen-Bing Chen
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, and Emergency Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bing-Jie Hu
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, and Emergency Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Youtan Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Xiang-Dong Sun
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China; Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for Psychiatric Disorders, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine for Qingzhi Diseases, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
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23
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Li LY, Imai A, Izumi H, Inoue R, Koshidaka Y, Takao K, Mori H, Yoshida T. Differential contribution of canonical and noncanonical NLGN3 pathways to early social development and memory performance. Mol Brain 2024; 17:16. [PMID: 38475840 PMCID: PMC10935922 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-024-01087-5] [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: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Neuroligin (NLGN) 3 is a postsynaptic cell adhesion protein organizing synapse formation through two different types of transsynaptic interactions, canonical interaction with neurexins (NRXNs) and a recently identified noncanonical interaction with protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) δ. Although, NLGN3 gene is known as a risk gene for neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID), the pathogenic contribution of the canonical NLGN3-NRXN and noncanonical NLGN3-PTPδ pathways to these disorders remains elusive. In this study, we utilized Nlgn3 mutant mice selectively lacking the interaction with either NRXNs or PTPδ and investigated their social and memory performance. Neither Nlgn3 mutants showed any social cognitive deficiency in the social novelty recognition test. However, the Nlgn3 mutant mice lacking the PTPδ pathway exhibited significant decline in the social conditioned place preference (sCPP) at the juvenile stage, suggesting the involvement of the NLGN3-PTPδ pathway in the regulation of social motivation and reward. In terms of learning and memory, disrupting the canonical NRXN pathway attenuated contextual fear conditioning while disrupting the noncanonical NLGN3-PTPδ pathway enhanced it. Furthermore, disruption of the NLGN3-PTPδ pathway negatively affected the remote spatial reference memory in the Barnes maze test. These findings highlight the differential contributions of the canonical NLGN3-NRXN and noncanonical NLGN3-PTPδ synaptogenic pathways to the regulation of higher order brain functions associated with ASD and ID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin-Yu Li
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
| | - Ayako Imai
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
- Research Center for Idling Brain Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
| | - Hironori Izumi
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
- Research Center for Idling Brain Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
| | - Ran Inoue
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
- Research Center for Idling Brain Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
| | - Yumie Koshidaka
- Division of Experimental Animal Resource and Development, Life Science Research Center, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
| | - Keizo Takao
- Research Center for Idling Brain Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
- Division of Experimental Animal Resource and Development, Life Science Research Center, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
- Department of Behavioral Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
| | - Hisashi Mori
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
- Research Center for Idling Brain Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Yoshida
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan.
- Research Center for Idling Brain Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan.
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24
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Lee SS, Venniro M, Shaham Y, Hope BT, Ramsey LA. Operant social self-administration in male CD1 mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024:10.1007/s00213-024-06560-6. [PMID: 38453754 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06560-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVE We recently introduced a model of operant social reward in which female CD1 mice lever press for access to affiliative social interaction with a cagemate peer mouse of the same sex and strain. Here we determined the generality of the operant social self-administration model to male CD1 mice who, under certain conditions, will lever press to attack a subordinate male mouse. METHODS We trained male CD1 mice to lever press for food and social interaction with a same sex and strain cagemate peer under different fixed-ratio (FR) schedule response requirements (FR1 to FR6). We then tested their motivation to seek social interaction after 15 days of isolation in the presence of cues previously paired with social self-administration. We also determined the effect of housing conditions on operant social self-administration and seeking. Finally, we determined sex differences in operant social self-administration and seeking, and the effect of housing conditions on unconditioned affiliative and antagonistic (aggressive) social interactions in both sexes. RESULTS Male CD1 mice lever pressed for access to a cagemate peer under different FR response requirements and seek social interaction after 15 isolation days; these effects were independent of housing conditions. There were no sex differences in operant social self-administration and seeking. Finally, group-housed CD1 male mice did not display unconditioned aggressive behavior toward a peer male CD1 mouse. CONCLUSIONS Adult socially housed male CD1 mice can be used in studies on operant social reward without the potential confound of operant responding to engage in aggressive interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha S Lee
- Behavioral Neuroscience Research Branch Intramural Research Program, National Institute On Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Marco Venniro
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yavin Shaham
- Behavioral Neuroscience Research Branch Intramural Research Program, National Institute On Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Bruce T Hope
- Behavioral Neuroscience Research Branch Intramural Research Program, National Institute On Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Leslie A Ramsey
- Behavioral Neuroscience Research Branch Intramural Research Program, National Institute On Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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25
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Mahoney HL, Schmidt TM. The cognitive impact of light: illuminating ipRGC circuit mechanisms. Nat Rev Neurosci 2024; 25:159-175. [PMID: 38279030 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-023-00788-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Ever-present in our environments, light entrains circadian rhythms over long timescales, influencing daily activity patterns, health and performance. Increasing evidence indicates that light also acts independently of the circadian system to directly impact physiology and behaviour, including cognition. Exposure to light stimulates brain areas involved in cognition and appears to improve a broad range of cognitive functions. However, the extent of these effects and their mechanisms are unknown. Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) have emerged as the primary conduit through which light impacts non-image-forming behaviours and are a prime candidate for mediating the direct effects of light on cognition. Here, we review the current state of understanding of these effects in humans and mice, and the tools available to uncover circuit-level and photoreceptor-specific mechanisms. We also address current barriers to progress in this area. Current and future efforts to unravel the circuits through which light influences cognitive functions may inform the tailoring of lighting landscapes to optimize health and cognitive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather L Mahoney
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
| | - Tiffany M Schmidt
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
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26
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Rohner VL, Lamothe-Molina PJ, Patriarchi T. Engineering, applications, and future perspectives of GPCR-based genetically encoded fluorescent indicators for neuromodulators. J Neurochem 2024; 168:163-184. [PMID: 38288673 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
This review explores the evolving landscape of G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)-based genetically encoded fluorescent indicators (GEFIs), with a focus on their development, structural components, engineering strategies, and applications. We highlight the unique features of this indicator class, emphasizing the importance of both the sensing domain (GPCR structure and activation mechanism) and the reporting domain (circularly permuted fluorescent protein (cpFP) structure and fluorescence modulation). Further, we discuss indicator engineering approaches, including the selection of suitable cpFPs and expression systems. Additionally, we showcase the diversity and flexibility of their application by presenting a summary of studies where such indicators were used. Along with all the advantages, we also focus on the current limitations as well as common misconceptions that arise when using these indicators. Finally, we discuss future directions in indicator engineering, including strategies for screening with increased throughput, optimization of the ligand-binding properties, structural insights, and spectral diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentin Lu Rohner
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Tommaso Patriarchi
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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27
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Liu J, Lustberg DJ, Galvez A, Liles LC, McCann KE, Weinshenker D. Genetic disruption of dopamine β-hydroxylase dysregulates innate responses to predator odor in mice. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 29:100612. [PMID: 38371489 PMCID: PMC10873756 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2024.100612] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
In rodents, exposure to predator odors such as cat urine acts as a severe stressor that engages innate defensive behaviors critical for survival in the wild. The neurotransmitters norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) modulate anxiety and predator odor responses, and we have shown previously that dopamine β-hydroxylase knockout (Dbh -/-), which reduces NE and increases DA in mouse noradrenergic neurons, disrupts innate behaviors in response to mild stressors such as novelty. We examined the consequences of Dbh knockout on responses to predator odor (bobcat urine) and compared them to Dbh-competent littermate controls. Over the first 10 min of predator odor exposure, controls exhibited robust defensive burying behavior, whereas Dbh -/- mice showed high levels of grooming. Defensive burying was potently suppressed in controls by drugs that reduce NE transmission, while excessive grooming in Dbh -/- mice was blocked by DA receptor antagonism. In response to a cotton square scented with a novel "neutral" odor (lavender), most control mice shredded the material, built a nest, and fell asleep within 90 min. Dbh -/- mice failed to shred the lavender-scented nestlet, but still fell asleep. In contrast, controls sustained high levels of arousal throughout the predator odor test and did not build nests, while Dbh -/- mice were asleep by the 90-min time point, often in shredded bobcat urine-soaked nesting material. Compared with controls exposed to predator odor, Dbh -/- mice demonstrated decreased c-fos induction in the anterior cingulate cortex, lateral septum, periaqueductal gray, and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, but increased c-fos in the locus coeruleus and medial amygdala. These data indicate that relative ratios of central NE and DA signaling coordinate the type and valence of responses to predator odor.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Abigail Galvez
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - L. Cameron Liles
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Katharine E. McCann
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - David Weinshenker
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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28
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Gustison ML, Muñoz-Castañeda R, Osten P, Phelps SM. Sexual coordination in a whole-brain map of prairie vole pair bonding. eLife 2024; 12:RP87029. [PMID: 38381037 PMCID: PMC10942618 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87029] [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: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Sexual bonds are central to the social lives of many species, including humans, and monogamous prairie voles have become the predominant model for investigating such attachments. We developed an automated whole-brain mapping pipeline to identify brain circuits underlying pair-bonding behavior. We identified bonding-related c-Fos induction in 68 brain regions clustered in seven major brain-wide neuronal circuits. These circuits include known regulators of bonding, such as the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, paraventricular hypothalamus, ventral pallidum, and prefrontal cortex. They also include brain regions previously unknown to shape bonding, such as ventromedial hypothalamus, medial preoptic area, and the medial amygdala, but that play essential roles in bonding-relevant processes, such as sexual behavior, social reward, and territorial aggression. Contrary to some hypotheses, we found that circuits active during mating and bonding were largely sexually monomorphic. Moreover, c-Fos induction across regions was strikingly consistent between members of a pair, with activity best predicted by rates of ejaculation. A novel cluster of regions centered in the amygdala remained coordinated after bonds had formed, suggesting novel substrates for bond maintenance. Our tools and results provide an unprecedented resource for elucidating the networks that translate sexual experience into an enduring bond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan L Gustison
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at AustinAustinUnited States
- Department of Psychology, Western UniversityLondonCanada
| | - Rodrigo Muñoz-Castañeda
- Cold Spring Harbor LaboratoryCold Spring HarborUnited States
- Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell MedicineNew YorkUnited States
| | - Pavel Osten
- Cold Spring Harbor LaboratoryCold Spring HarborUnited States
| | - Steven M Phelps
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at AustinAustinUnited States
- Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at AustinAustinUnited States
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29
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Pierce AF, Protter DSW, Watanabe YL, Chapel GD, Cameron RT, Donaldson ZR. Nucleus accumbens dopamine release reflects the selective nature of pair bonds. Curr Biol 2024; 34:519-530.e5. [PMID: 38218185 PMCID: PMC10978070 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.12.041] [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: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
In monogamous species, prosocial behaviors directed toward partners are dramatically different from those directed toward unknown individuals and potential threats. Dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens has a well-established role in social reward and motivation, but how this mechanism may be engaged to drive the highly divergent social behaviors directed at a partner or unfamiliar conspecific remains unknown. Using monogamous prairie voles, we first employed receptor pharmacology in partner preference and social operant tasks to show that dopamine is critical for the appetitive drive for social interaction but not for low-effort, unconditioned consummatory behaviors. We then leveraged the subsecond temporal resolution of the fluorescent biosensor, GRABDA, to ask whether differential dopamine release might distinguish between partner and novel social access and interaction. We found that partner seeking, anticipation, and interaction resulted in more accumbal dopamine release than the same events directed toward a novel vole. Further, partner-associated dopamine release decreased after prolonged partner separation. Our results are consistent with a model in which dopamine signaling plays a prominent role in the appetitive aspects of social interactions. Within this framework, differences in partner- and novel-associated dopamine release reflect the selective nature of pair bonds and may drive the partner- and novel-directed social behaviors that reinforce and cement bonds over time. This provides a potential mechanism by which highly conserved reward systems can enable selective, species-appropriate social behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne F Pierce
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 1945 Colorado Ave, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
| | - David S W Protter
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, 1945 Colorado Ave, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Yurika L Watanabe
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, 1945 Colorado Ave, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Gabriel D Chapel
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, 1945 Colorado Ave, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Ryan T Cameron
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, 1945 Colorado Ave, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Zoe R Donaldson
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 1945 Colorado Ave, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, 1945 Colorado Ave, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
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30
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Liu J, Lustberg DJ, Galvez A, Liles LC, McCann KE, Weinshenker D. Genetic disruption of dopamine β-hydroxylase dysregulates innate responses to predator odor in mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.06.21.545975. [PMID: 38234825 PMCID: PMC10793432 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.21.545975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
In rodents, exposure to predator odors such as cat urine acts as a severe stressor that engages innate defensive behaviors critical for survival in the wild. The neurotransmitters norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) modulate anxiety and predator odor responses, and we have shown previously that dopamine β-hydroxylase knockout (Dbh -/-), which reduces NE and increases DA in mouse noradrenergic neurons, disrupts innate behaviors in response to mild stressors such as novelty. We examined the consequences of Dbh knockout (Dbh -/-) on responses to predator odor (bobcat urine) and compared them to Dbh-competent littermate controls. Over the first 10 min of predator odor exposure, controls exhibited robust defensive burying behavior, whereas Dbh -/- mice showed high levels of grooming. Defensive burying was potently suppressed in controls by drugs that reduce NE transmission, while excessive grooming in Dbh -/- mice was blocked by DA receptor antagonism. In response to a cotton square scented with a novel "neutral" odor (lavender), most control mice shredded the material, built a nest, and fell asleep within 90 min. Dbh -/- mice failed to shred the lavender-scented nestlet, but still fell asleep. In contrast, controls sustained high levels of arousal throughout the predator odor test and did not build nests, while Dbh -/- mice were asleep by the 90-min time point, often in shredded bobcat urine-soaked nesting material. Compared with controls exposed to predator odor, Dbh -/- mice demonstrated decreased c-fos induction in the anterior cingulate cortex, lateral septum, periaqueductal gray, and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, but increased c-fos in the locus coeruleus and medial amygdala. These data indicate that relative ratios of central NE and DA signaling coordinate the type and valence of responses to predator odor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce Liu
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Daniel J. Lustberg
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Abigail Galvez
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - L. Cameron Liles
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Katharine E. McCann
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - David Weinshenker
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
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31
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Chen SD, You J, Zhang W, Wu BS, Ge YJ, Xiang ST, Du J, Kuo K, Banaschewski T, Barker GJ, Bokde ALW, Desrivières S, Flor H, Grigis A, Garavan H, Gowland P, Heinz A, Brühl R, Martinot JL, Martinot MLP, Artiges E, Nees F, Orfanos DP, Lemaitre H, Paus T, Poustka L, Hohmann S, Millenet S, Baeuchl C, Smolka MN, Vaidya N, Walter H, Whelan R, Schumann G, Feng JF, Dong Q, Cheng W, Yu JT. The genetic architecture of the human hypothalamus and its involvement in neuropsychiatric behaviours and disorders. Nat Hum Behav 2024:10.1038/s41562-023-01792-6. [PMID: 38182882 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-023-01792-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
Despite its crucial role in the regulation of vital metabolic and neurological functions, the genetic architecture of the hypothalamus remains unknown. Here we conducted multivariate genome-wide association studies (GWAS) using hypothalamic imaging data from 32,956 individuals to uncover the genetic underpinnings of the hypothalamus and its involvement in neuropsychiatric traits. There were 23 significant loci associated with the whole hypothalamus and its subunits, with functional enrichment for genes involved in intracellular trafficking systems and metabolic processes of steroid-related compounds. The hypothalamus exhibited substantial genetic associations with limbic system structures and neuropsychiatric traits including chronotype, risky behaviour, cognition, satiety and sympathetic-parasympathetic activity. The strongest signal in the primary GWAS, the ADAMTS8 locus, was replicated in three independent datasets (N = 1,685-4,321) and was strengthened after meta-analysis. Exome-wide association analyses added evidence to the association for ADAMTS8, and Mendelian randomization showed lower ADAMTS8 expression with larger hypothalamic volumes. The current study advances our understanding of complex structure-function relationships of the hypothalamus and provides insights into the molecular mechanisms that underlie hypothalamic formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Dong Chen
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia You
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bang-Sheng Wu
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi-Jun Ge
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China
| | - Shi-Tong Xiang
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Du
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kevin Kuo
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China
| | - Tobias Banaschewski
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Gareth J Barker
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Arun L W Bokde
- Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Sylvane Desrivières
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Social, Genetic, Developmental Psychiatry Centre, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Herta Flor
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, University of Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Antoine Grigis
- NeuroSpin, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Hugh Garavan
- Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Penny Gowland
- Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Andreas Heinz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy CCM, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Rüdiger Brühl
- Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Braunschweig and Berlin, Germany
| | - Jean-Luc Martinot
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, INSERM U 1299 "Trajectoires développementales & psychiatrie", University Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Ecole Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay, Centre Borelli, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Marie-Laure Paillère Martinot
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, INSERM U 1299 "Trajectoires développementales & psychiatrie", University Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Ecole Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay, Centre Borelli, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- AP-HP, Sorbonne University, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Eric Artiges
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, INSERM U 1299 "Trajectoires développementales & psychiatrie", University Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Ecole Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay, Centre Borelli, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- Psychiatry Department, EPS Barthélémy Durand, Etampes, France
| | - Frauke Nees
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Schleswig Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | | | - Herve Lemaitre
- NeuroSpin, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, CNRS, CEA, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Tomáš Paus
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Centre Hosptalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Luise Poustka
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Centre Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sarah Hohmann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sabina Millenet
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Christian Baeuchl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Michael N Smolka
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Nilakshi Vaidya
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Stratified Medicine (PONS), Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Henrik Walter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy CCM, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert Whelan
- School of Psychology and Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Gunter Schumann
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Stratified Medicine (PONS), Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Precision Medicine (PONS), Institute for Science and Technology of Brain-inspired Intelligence (ISTBI), Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian-Feng Feng
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China.
- Fudan ISTBI-ZJNU Algorithm Centre for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China.
- MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- Zhangjiang Fudan International Innovation Center, Shanghai, China.
| | - Qiang Dong
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China.
| | - Wei Cheng
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China.
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China.
- Fudan ISTBI-ZJNU Algorithm Centre for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China.
- Shanghai Medical College and Zhongshan Hospital Immunotherapy Technology Transfer Center, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jin-Tai Yu
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China.
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32
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Gyles TM, Nestler EJ, Parise EM. Advancing preclinical chronic stress models to promote therapeutic discovery for human stress disorders. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024; 49:215-226. [PMID: 37349475 PMCID: PMC10700361 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01625-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
There is an urgent need to develop more effective treatments for stress-related illnesses, which include depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety. We view animal models as playing an essential role in this effort, but to date, such approaches have generally not succeeded in developing therapeutics with new mechanisms of action. This is partly due to the complexity of the brain and its disorders, but also to inherent difficulties in modeling human disorders in rodents and to the incorrect use of animal models: namely, trying to recapitulate a human syndrome in a rodent which is likely not possible as opposed to using animals to understand underlying mechanisms and evaluating potential therapeutic paths. Recent transcriptomic research has established the ability of several different chronic stress procedures in rodents to recapitulate large portions of the molecular pathology seen in postmortem brain tissue of individuals with depression. These findings provide crucial validation for the clear relevance of rodent stress models to better understand the pathophysiology of human stress disorders and help guide therapeutic discovery. In this review, we first discuss the current limitations of preclinical chronic stress models as well as traditional behavioral phenotyping approaches. We then explore opportunities to dramatically enhance the translational use of rodent stress models through the application of new experimental technologies. The goal of this review is to promote the synthesis of these novel approaches in rodents with human cell-based approaches and ultimately with early-phase proof-of-concept studies in humans to develop more effective treatments for human stress disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevonn M Gyles
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience & Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience & Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Eric M Parise
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience & Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
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33
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Delgado MR, Fareri DS, Chang LJ. Characterizing the mechanisms of social connection. Neuron 2023; 111:3911-3925. [PMID: 37804834 PMCID: PMC10842352 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.09.012] [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: 03/26/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how individuals form and maintain strong social networks has emerged as a significant public health priority as a result of the increased focus on the epidemic of loneliness and the myriad protective benefits conferred by social connection. In this review, we highlight the psychological and neural mechanisms that enable us to connect with others, which in turn help buffer against the consequences of stress and isolation. Central to this process is the experience of rewards derived from positive social interactions, which encourage the sharing of perspectives and preferences that unite individuals. Sharing affective states with others helps us to align our understanding of the world with another's, thereby continuing to reinforce bonds and strengthen relationships. These psychological processes depend on neural systems supporting reward and social cognitive function. Lastly, we also consider limitations associated with pursuing healthy social connections and outline potential avenues of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio R Delgado
- Department of Psychology, Rutgers University-Newark, Newark, NJ 07102, USA.
| | - Dominic S Fareri
- Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY 11530, USA
| | - Luke J Chang
- Consortium for Interacting Minds, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
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34
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Menon R, Neumann ID. Detection, processing and reinforcement of social cues: regulation by the oxytocin system. Nat Rev Neurosci 2023; 24:761-777. [PMID: 37891399 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-023-00759-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Many social behaviours are evolutionarily conserved and are essential for the healthy development of an individual. The neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) is crucial for the fine-tuned regulation of social interactions in mammals. The advent and application of state-of-the-art methodological approaches that allow the activity of neuronal circuits involving OXT to be monitored and functionally manipulated in laboratory mammals have deepened our understanding of the roles of OXT in these behaviours. In this Review, we discuss how OXT promotes the sensory detection and evaluation of social cues, the subsequent approach and display of social behaviour, and the rewarding consequences of social interactions in selected reproductive and non-reproductive social behaviours. Social stressors - such as social isolation, exposure to social defeat or social trauma, and partner loss - are often paralleled by maladaptations of the OXT system, and restoring OXT system functioning can reinstate socio-emotional allostasis. Thus, the OXT system acts as a dynamic mediator of appropriate behavioural adaptations to environmental challenges by enhancing and reinforcing social salience and buffering social stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohit Menon
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Inga D Neumann
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
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35
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Ramarao M, Jones C, Goldberg JH, Roeser A. Songbird mesostriatal dopamine pathways are spatially segregated before the onset of vocal learning. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0285652. [PMID: 37972016 PMCID: PMC10653429 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Diverse dopamine (DA) pathways send distinct reinforcement signals to different striatal regions. In adult songbirds, a DA pathway from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to Area X, the striatal nucleus of the song system, carries singing-related performance error signals important for learning. Meanwhile, a parallel DA pathway to a medial striatal area (MST) arises from a distinct group of neighboring DA neurons that lack connectivity to song circuits and do not encode song error. To test if the structural and functional segregation of these two pathways depends on singing experience, we carried out anatomical studies early in development before the onset of song learning. We find that distinct VTA neurons project to either Area X or MST in juvenile birds before the onset of substantial vocal practice. Quantitative comparisons of early juveniles (30-35 days post hatch), late juveniles (60-65 dph), and adult (>90 dph) brains revealed an outsized expansion of Area X-projecting neurons relative to MST-projecting neurons in VTA over development. These results show that a mesostriatal DA system dedicated to social communication can exist and be spatially segregated before the onset of vocal practice and associated sensorimotor experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malavika Ramarao
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States of America
| | - Caleb Jones
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States of America
| | - Jesse H. Goldberg
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States of America
| | - Andrea Roeser
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States of America
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36
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Madeira N, Márquez C. Independent neural circuits encode the dynamics of social interaction in rats. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002396. [PMID: 38033154 PMCID: PMC10688874 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
A study in PLOS Biology by Rojek-Sito and colleagues demonstrates a key role of the central amygdala and specific circuits projecting to and from this brain area in the initiation versus maintenance of positive social interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natália Madeira
- CNC-UC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- CIBB—Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Cristina Márquez
- CNC-UC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- CIBB—Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
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37
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Rojek-Sito K, Meyza K, Ziegart-Sadowska K, Nazaruk K, Puścian A, Hamed A, Kiełbiński M, Solecki W, Knapska E. Optogenetic and chemogenetic approaches reveal differences in neuronal circuits that mediate initiation and maintenance of social interaction. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002343. [PMID: 38029342 PMCID: PMC10686636 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
For social interaction to be successful, two conditions must be met: the motivation to initiate it and the ability to maintain it. This study uses both optogenetic and chemogenetic approaches to reveal the specific neural pathways that selectively influence those two social interaction components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Rojek-Sito
- Laboratory of Emotions Neurobiology, BRAINCITY—Centre of Excellence for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ksenia Meyza
- Laboratory of Emotions Neurobiology, BRAINCITY—Centre of Excellence for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Karolina Ziegart-Sadowska
- Laboratory of Emotions Neurobiology, BRAINCITY—Centre of Excellence for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Kinga Nazaruk
- Laboratory of Emotions Neurobiology, BRAINCITY—Centre of Excellence for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Alicja Puścian
- Laboratory of Emotions Neurobiology, BRAINCITY—Centre of Excellence for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Adam Hamed
- Laboratory of Spatial Memory, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Michał Kiełbiński
- Department of Neurobiology and Neuropsychology, Institute of Applied Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Wojciech Solecki
- Department of Neurobiology and Neuropsychology, Institute of Applied Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Ewelina Knapska
- Laboratory of Emotions Neurobiology, BRAINCITY—Centre of Excellence for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
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38
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Roeser A, Gadagkar V, Das A, Puzerey PA, Kardon B, Goldberg JH. Dopaminergic error signals retune to social feedback during courtship. Nature 2023; 623:375-380. [PMID: 37758948 PMCID: PMC11171440 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06580-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Hunger, thirst, loneliness and ambition determine the reward value of food, water, social interaction and performance outcome1. Dopamine neurons respond to rewards meeting these diverse needs2-8, but it remains unclear how behaviour and dopamine signals change as priorities change with new opportunities in the environment. One possibility is that dopamine signals for distinct drives are routed to distinct dopamine pathways9,10. Another possibility is that dopamine signals in a given pathway are dynamically tuned to rewards set by the current priority. Here we used electrophysiology and fibre photometry to test how dopamine signals associated with quenching thirst, singing a good song and courting a mate change as male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) were provided with opportunities to retrieve water, evaluate song performance or court a female. When alone, water reward signals were observed in two mesostriatal pathways but singing-related performance error signals were routed to Area X, a striatal nucleus specialized for singing. When courting a female, water seeking was reduced and dopamine responses to both water and song performance outcomes diminished. Instead, dopamine signals in Area X were driven by female calls timed with the courtship song. Thus the dopamine system handled coexisting drives by routing vocal performance and social feedback signals to a striatal area for communication and by flexibly re-tuning to rewards set by the prioritized drive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Roeser
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Vikram Gadagkar
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Anindita Das
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Pavel A Puzerey
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Brian Kardon
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Jesse H Goldberg
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
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39
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Gustison ML, Muñoz-Castañeda R, Osten P, Phelps SM. Sexual coordination in a whole-brain map of prairie vole pair bonding. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.26.550685. [PMID: 37546974 PMCID: PMC10402037 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.26.550685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Sexual bonds are central to the social lives of many species, including humans, and monogamous prairie voles have become the predominant model for investigating such attachments. We developed an automated whole-brain mapping pipeline to identify brain circuits underlying pair-bonding behavior. We identified bonding-related c-Fos induction in 68 brain regions clustered in seven major brain-wide neuronal circuits. These circuits include known regulators of bonding, such as the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, paraventricular hypothalamus, ventral pallidum, and prefrontal cortex. They also include brain regions previously unknown to shape bonding, such as ventromedial hypothalamus, medial preoptic area and the medial amygdala, but that play essential roles in bonding-relevant processes, such as sexual behavior, social reward and territorial aggression. Contrary to some hypotheses, we found that circuits active during mating and bonding were largely sexually monomorphic. Moreover, c-Fos induction across regions was strikingly consistent between members of a pair, with activity best predicted by rates of ejaculation. A novel cluster of regions centered in the amygdala remained coordinated after bonds had formed, suggesting novel substrates for bond maintenance. Our tools and results provide an unprecedented resource for elucidating the networks that translate sexual experience into an enduring bond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan L. Gustison
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin; Austin, TX, USA
- Department of Psychology, Western University, ON, Canada
| | - Rodrigo Muñoz-Castañeda
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
- Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Pavel Osten
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | - Steven M. Phelps
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin; Austin, TX, USA
- Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin; Austin, TX, USA
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40
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Mei L, Osakada T, Lin D. Hypothalamic control of innate social behaviors. Science 2023; 382:399-404. [PMID: 37883550 PMCID: PMC11105421 DOI: 10.1126/science.adh8489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Sexual, parental, and aggressive behaviors are central to the reproductive success of individuals and species survival and thus are supported by hardwired neural circuits. The reproductive behavior control column (RBCC), which comprises the medial preoptic nucleus (MPN), the ventrolateral part of the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMHvl), and the ventral premammillary nucleus (PMv), is essential for all social behaviors. The RBCC integrates diverse hormonal and metabolic cues and adjusts an animal's physical activity, hence the chance of social encounters. The RBCC further engages the mesolimbic dopamine system to maintain social interest and reinforces cues and actions that are time-locked with social behaviors. We propose that the RBCC and brainstem form a dual-control system for generating moment-to-moment social actions. This Review summarizes recent progress regarding the identities of RBCC cells and their pathways that drive different aspects of social behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Mei
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Takuya Osakada
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Dayu Lin
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA
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41
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Li G, Chen Y, Chaudhary S, Li CS, Hao D, Yang L, Li CSR. Sleep dysfunction mediates the relationship between hypothalamic-insula connectivity and anxiety-depression symptom severity bidirectionally in young adults. Neuroimage 2023; 279:120340. [PMID: 37611815 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120340] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The hypothalamus plays a crucial role in regulating sleep-wake cycle and motivated behavior. Sleep disturbance is associated with impairment in cognitive and affective functions. However, how hypothalamic dysfunction may contribute to inter-related sleep, cognitive, and emotional deficits remain unclear. METHODS We curated the Human Connectome Project dataset and investigated how hypothalamic resting state functional connectivities (rsFC) were associated with sleep dysfunction, as evaluated by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), cognitive performance, and subjective mood states in 687 young adults (342 women). Imaging data were processed with published routines and evaluated with a corrected threshold. We examined the inter-relationship amongst hypothalamic rsFC, PSQI score, and clinical measures with mediation analyses. RESULTS In whole-brain regressions with age and drinking severity as covariates, men showed higher hypothalamic rsFC with the right insula in correlation with PSQI score. No clusters were identified in women at the same threshold. Both hypothalamic-insula rsFC and PSQI score were significantly correlated with anxiety and depression scores in men. Further, mediation analyses showed that PSQI score mediated the relationship between hypothalamic-insula rsFC and anxiety/depression symptom severity bidirectionally in men. CONCLUSIONS Sleep dysfunction is associated with negative emotions and hypothalamic rsFC with the right insula, a core structure of the interoceptive circuits. Notably, anxiety-depression symptom severity and altered hypothalamic-insula rsFC are related bidirectionally by poor sleep quality. These findings are specific to men, suggesting potential sex differences in the neural circuits regulating sleep and emotional states that need to be further investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangfei Li
- Department of Biomedical engineering, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China; Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Intelligent Physiological Measurement and Clinical Transformation, Beijing, China.
| | - Yu Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven CT, USA
| | - Shefali Chaudhary
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven CT, USA
| | - Clara S Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven CT, USA; Smith College, Northampton MA, USA
| | - Dongmei Hao
- Department of Biomedical engineering, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China; Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Intelligent Physiological Measurement and Clinical Transformation, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Yang
- Department of Biomedical engineering, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China; Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Intelligent Physiological Measurement and Clinical Transformation, Beijing, China
| | - Chiang-Shan R Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven CT, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven CT, USA; Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven CT, USA; Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven CT, USA
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42
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Powell SB, Swerdlow NR. The Relevance of Animal Models of Social Isolation and Social Motivation for Understanding Schizophrenia: Review and Future Directions. Schizophr Bull 2023; 49:1112-1126. [PMID: 37527471 PMCID: PMC10483472 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbad098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESES Social dysfunction in schizophrenia includes symptoms of withdrawal and deficits in social skills, social cognition, and social motivation. Based on the course of illness, with social withdrawal occurring prior to psychosis onset, it is likely that the severity of social withdrawal/isolation contributes to schizophrenia neuropathology. STUDY DESIGN We review the current literature on social isolation in rodent models and provide a conceptual framework for its relationship to social withdrawal and neural circuit dysfunction in schizophrenia. We next review preclinical tasks of social behavior used in schizophrenia-relevant models and discuss strengths and limitations of existing approaches. Lastly, we consider new effort-based tasks of social motivation and their potential for translational studies in schizophrenia. STUDY RESULTS Social isolation rearing in rats produces profound differences in behavior, pharmacologic sensitivity, and neurochemistry compared to socially reared rats. Rodent models relevant to schizophrenia exhibit deficits in social behavior as measured by social interaction and social preference tests. Newer tasks of effort-based social motivation are being developed in rodents to better model social motivation deficits in neuropsychiatric disorders. CONCLUSIONS While experimenter-imposed social isolation provides a viable experimental model for understanding some biological mechanisms linking social dysfunction to clinical and neural pathology in schizophrenia, it bypasses critical antecedents to social isolation in schizophrenia, notably deficits in social reward and social motivation. Recent efforts at modeling social motivation using effort-based tasks in rodents have the potential to quantify these antecedents, identify models (eg, developmental, genetic) that produce deficits, and advance pharmacological treatments for social motivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan B Powell
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Veterans Affairs VISN22 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Neal R Swerdlow
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Veterans Affairs VISN22 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, La Jolla, CA, USA
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Tao C, Zhang GW, Huang JJ, Li Z, Tao HW, Zhang LI. The medial preoptic area mediates depressive-like behaviors induced by ovarian hormone withdrawal through distinct GABAergic projections. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:1529-1540. [PMID: 37524978 PMCID: PMC11037266 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01397-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Fluctuations in reproductive hormone levels are associated with mood disruptions in women, such as in postpartum and perimenopausal depression. However, the neural circuit mechanisms remain unclear. Here we report that medial preoptic area (MPOA) GABAergic neurons mediate multifaceted depressive-like behaviors in female mice after ovarian hormone withdrawal (HW), which can be attributed to downregulation of activity in Esr1 (estrogen receptor-1)-expressing GABAergic neurons. Enhancing activity of these neurons ameliorates depressive-like behaviors in HW-treated mice, whereas reducing their activity results in expression of these behaviors. Two separate subpopulations mediate different symptoms: a subpopulation projecting to the ventral tegmental area (VTA) mediates anhedonia and another projecting to the periaqueductal gray mediates immobility. These projections enhance activity of dopaminergic neurons in the VTA and serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe, respectively, with increased release of dopamine and serotonin, possibly through disinhibition mechanisms. Thus, the MPOA is a hub that mediates depressive-like behaviors resulting from transitions in reproductive hormone levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Can Tao
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Guang-Wei Zhang
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Junxiang J Huang
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Graduate Programs in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Zhong Li
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Huizhong W Tao
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Center for Neural Circuits and Sensory Processing Disorders, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Li I Zhang
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Center for Neural Circuits and Sensory Processing Disorders, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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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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45
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Zhao P, Chen X, Bellafard A, Murugesan A, Quan J, Aharoni D, Golshani P. Accelerated social representational drift in the nucleus accumbens in a model of autism. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.05.552133. [PMID: 37577515 PMCID: PMC10418509 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.05.552133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Impaired social interaction is one of the core deficits of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and may result from social interactions being less rewarding. How the nucleus accumbens (NAc), as a key hub of reward circuitry, encodes social interaction and whether these representations are altered in ASD remain poorly understood. We identified NAc ensembles encoding social interactions by calcium imaging using miniaturized microscopy. NAc population activity, specifically D1 receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons (D1-MSNs) activity, predicted social interaction epochs. Despite a high turnover of NAc neurons modulated by social interaction, we found a stable population code for social interaction in NAc which was dramatically degraded in Cntnap2-/- mouse model of ASD. Surprisingly, non-specific optogenetic inhibition of NAc core neurons increased social interaction time and significantly improved sociability in Cntnap2-/- mice. Inhibition of D1- or D2-MSNs showed reciprocal effects, with D1 inhibition decreasing social interaction and D2 inhibition increasing interaction. Therefore, social interactions are preferentially, specifically and dynamically encoded by NAc neurons and social representations are degraded in this autism model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pingping Zhao
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California; Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Xing Chen
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California; Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Arash Bellafard
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California; Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Avaneesh Murugesan
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California; Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jonathan Quan
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California; Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Daniel Aharoni
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California; Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Peyman Golshani
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California; Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- West Los Angeles Veteran Affairs Medical Center; Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, University of California; Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Grogans SE, Bliss-Moreau E, Buss KA, Clark LA, Fox AS, Keltner D, Cowen AS, Kim JJ, Kragel PA, MacLeod C, Mobbs D, Naragon-Gainey K, Fullana MA, Shackman AJ. The nature and neurobiology of fear and anxiety: State of the science and opportunities for accelerating discovery. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 151:105237. [PMID: 37209932 PMCID: PMC10330657 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Fear and anxiety play a central role in mammalian life, and there is considerable interest in clarifying their nature, identifying their biological underpinnings, and determining their consequences for health and disease. Here we provide a roundtable discussion on the nature and biological bases of fear- and anxiety-related states, traits, and disorders. The discussants include scientists familiar with a wide variety of populations and a broad spectrum of techniques. The goal of the roundtable was to take stock of the state of the science and provide a roadmap to the next generation of fear and anxiety research. Much of the discussion centered on the key challenges facing the field, the most fruitful avenues for future research, and emerging opportunities for accelerating discovery, with implications for scientists, funders, and other stakeholders. Understanding fear and anxiety is a matter of practical importance. Anxiety disorders are a leading burden on public health and existing treatments are far from curative, underscoring the urgency of developing a deeper understanding of the factors governing threat-related emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon E Grogans
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Eliza Bliss-Moreau
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Kristin A Buss
- Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
| | - Lee Anna Clark
- Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Andrew S Fox
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Dacher Keltner
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | | | - Jeansok J Kim
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Philip A Kragel
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Colin MacLeod
- Centre for the Advancement of Research on Emotion, School of Psychological Science, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Dean Mobbs
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA; Computation and Neural Systems Program, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Kristin Naragon-Gainey
- School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Miquel A Fullana
- Adult Psychiatry and Psychology Department, Institute of Neurosciences, Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain; Imaging of Mood, and Anxiety-Related Disorders Group, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, CIBERSAM, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alexander J Shackman
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Maryland Neuroimaging Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
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Lv Z, Li L, Li Y, Zhang L, Guo X, Huang C, Hou W, Qu Y, Liu L, Li Y, He Z, Tai F. Involvement of Serotonergic Projections from the Dorsal Raphe to the Medial Preoptic Area in the Regulation of the Pup-Directed Paternal Response of Male Mandarin Voles. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11605. [PMID: 37511364 PMCID: PMC10380723 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Male mammals display different paternal responses to pups, either attacking or killing the young offspring, or contrastingly, caring for them. The neural circuit mechanism underlying the between-individual variation in the pup-directed responsiveness of male mammals remains unclear. Monogamous mandarin voles were used to complete the present study. The male individuals were identified as paternal and infanticidal voles, according their behavioral responses to pups. It was found that the serotonin release in the medial preoptic area (MPOA), as well as the serotonergic neuron activity, significantly increased upon licking the pups, but showed no changes after attacking the pups, as revealed by the in vivo fiber photometry of the fluorescence signal from the 5-HT 1.0 sensor and the calcium imaging indicator, respectively. It was verified that the 5-HTergic neural projections to the MPOA originated mainly from the ventral part of the dorsal raphe (vDR). Furthermore, the chemogenetic inhibition of serotonergic projections from the vDR to the MPOA decreased the paternal behaviors and shortened the latency to attack the pups. In contrast, the activation of serotonergic neurons via optogenetics extended the licking duration and inhibited infanticide. Collectively, these results elucidate that the serotonergic projections from the vDR to the MPOA, a previously unrecognized pathway, regulate the paternal responses of virgin male mandarin voles to pups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zijian Lv
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Lu Li
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Yin Li
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Lizi Zhang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Xing Guo
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Caihong Huang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Wenjuan Hou
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Yishan Qu
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Limin Liu
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Yitong Li
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Zhixiong He
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Fadao Tai
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
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48
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McCarthy MM. Neural Control of Sexually Dimorphic Social Behavior: Connecting Development to Adulthood. Annu Rev Neurosci 2023; 46:321-339. [PMID: 37001242 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-121522-110856] [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: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
Rapid advances in the neural control of social behavior highlight the role of interconnected nodes engaged in differential information processing to generate behavior. Many innate social behaviors are essential to reproductive fitness and therefore fundamentally different in males and females. Programming these differences occurs early in development in mammals, following gonadal differentiation and copious androgen production by the fetal testis during a critical period. Early-life programming of social behavior and its adult manifestation are separate but yoked processes, yet how they are linked is unknown. This review seeks to highlight that gap by identifying four core mechanisms (epigenetics, cell death, circuit formation, and adult hormonal modulation) that could connect developmental changes to the adult behaviors of mating and aggression. We further propose that a unique social behavior, adolescent play, bridges the preweaning to the postpubertal brain by engaging the same neural networks underpinning adult reproductive and aggressive behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret M McCarthy
- Department of Pharmacology and Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA;
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49
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Zheng Y, Li Y. Past, present, and future of tools for dopamine detection. Neuroscience 2023:S0306-4522(23)00295-6. [PMID: 37419404 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.06.025] [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: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) is a critical neuromodulator involved in various brain functions. To understand how DA regulates neural circuits and behaviors in the physiological and pathological conditions, it is essential to have tools that enable the direct detection of DA dynamics in vivo. Recently, genetically encoded DA sensors based on G protein-coupled receptors revolutionized this field, as it allows us to track in vivo DA dynamic with unprecedented spatial-temporal resolution, high molecular specificity, and sub-second kinetics. In this review, we first summarize traditional DA detection methods. Then we focus on the development of genetically encoded DA sensors and feature its significance to understanding dopaminergic neuromodulation across diverse behaviors and species. Finally, we present our perspectives about the future direction of the next-generation DA sensors and extend their potential applications. Overall, this review offers a comprehensive perspective on the past, present, and future of DA detection tools, with important implications for the study of DA functions in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zheng
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, 100871 Beijing, China
| | - Yulong Li
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, 100871 Beijing, China; State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences, 100871 Beijing, China; PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, 100871 Beijing, China; National Biomedical Imaging Center, Peking University, 100871 Beijing, China.
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50
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Ye X, Zhou Q, Ren P, Xiang W, Xiao L. The Synaptic and Circuit Functions of Vitamin D in Neurodevelopment Disorders. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2023; 19:1515-1530. [PMID: 37424961 PMCID: PMC10327924 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s407731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency is a public health issue around the world. According to epidemiological studies, low vitamin D levels have been associated with an increased risk of some neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Animal models reveal that vitamin D has a variety of impacts on the synapses and circuits in the brain. A lack of vitamin D affects the expression of synaptic proteins, as well as the synthesis and metabolism of various neurotransmitters. Depending on where vitamin D receptors (VDRs) are expressed, vitamin D may also regulate certain neuronal circuits through the endocannabinoid signaling, mTOR pathway and oxytocin signaling. While inconsistently, some data suggest that vitamin D supplementation may be able to reduce the core symptoms of ASD and ADHD. This review emphasizes vitamin D's role in the synaptic and circuit mechanisms of neurodevelopmental disorders including ASD and ADHD. Future application of vitamin D in these disorders will depend on both basic research and clinical studies, in order to make the transition from the bench to the bedside.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoshan Ye
- Hainan Women and Children’s Medical Center, School of Pediatrics, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qionglin Zhou
- International School of Public Health and One Health, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Pengcheng Ren
- Hainan Women and Children’s Medical Center, School of Pediatrics, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, People’s Republic of China
- National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Control of Tropical Diseases, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, People’s Republic of China
- School of Basic Medicine and Life Science, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wei Xiang
- Hainan Women and Children’s Medical Center, School of Pediatrics, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, People’s Republic of China
- National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Control of Tropical Diseases, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Le Xiao
- Hainan Women and Children’s Medical Center, School of Pediatrics, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, People’s Republic of China
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