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Werle I, Bertoglio LJ. Psychedelics: A review of their effects on recalled aversive memories and fear/anxiety expression in rodents. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 167:105899. [PMID: 39305969 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2024] [Revised: 09/02/2024] [Accepted: 09/16/2024] [Indexed: 09/27/2024]
Abstract
Threatening events and stressful experiences can lead to maladaptive memories and related behaviors. Existing treatments often fail to address these issues linked to anxiety/stress-related disorders effectively. This review identifies dose ranges associated with specific actions across various psychedelics. We examined psilocybin/psilocin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), mescaline, 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT), serotonin 2 A/2 C agonists (e.g., DOI) and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) on aversive memory extinction and reconsolidation, learned fear, anxiety, and locomotion in rodents. Nearly 400 studies published since 1957 were reviewed. Psychedelics often show biphasic effects on locomotion at doses that enhance extinction learning/retention, impair memory reconsolidation, or reduce learned fear and anxiety. Emerging evidence suggests a dissociation between their prospective benefits and locomotor effects. Under-explored aspects include sex differences, susceptibility to interference as memories age and generalize, repeated treatments, and immediate vs. delayed changes. Validating findings in traumatic-like memory and maladaptive fear/anxiety models is essential. Understanding how psychedelics modulate threat responses and post-retrieval memory processes in rodents may inform drug development and human studies, improving therapeutic approaches for related psychiatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Werle
- Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Leandro J Bertoglio
- Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, SC, Brazil.
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2
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Panzer E, Guimares-Olmo I, Pereira de Vasconcelos A, Stéphan A, Cassel JC. In relentless pursuit of the white whale: A role for the ventral midline thalamus in behavioral flexibility and adaption? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 163:105762. [PMID: 38857666 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105762] [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: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
The reuniens (Re) nucleus is located in the ventral midline thalamus. It has fostered increasing interest, not only for its participation in a variety of cognitive functions (e.g., spatial working memory, systemic consolidation, reconsolidation, extinction of fear or generalization), but also for its neuroanatomical positioning as a bidirectional relay between the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the hippocampus (HIP). In this review we compile and discuss recent studies having tackled a possible implication of the Re nucleus in behavioral flexibility, a major PFC-dependent executive function controlling goal-directed behaviors. Experiments considered explored a possible role for the Re nucleus in perseveration, reversal learning, fear extinction, and set-shifting. They point to a contribution of this nucleus to behavioral flexibility, mainly by its connections with the PFC, but possibly also by those with the hippocampus, and even with the amygdala, at least for fear-related behavior. As such, the Re nucleus could be a crucial crossroad supporting a PFC-orchestrated ability to cope with new, potentially unpredictable environmental contingencies, and thus behavioral flexibility and adaption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elodie Panzer
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg F-67000, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, Strasbourg F-67000, France
| | - Isabella Guimares-Olmo
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg F-67000, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, Strasbourg F-67000, France
| | - Anne Pereira de Vasconcelos
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg F-67000, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, Strasbourg F-67000, France
| | - Aline Stéphan
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg F-67000, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, Strasbourg F-67000, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Cassel
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg F-67000, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, Strasbourg F-67000, France.
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3
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Rojas AKP, Linley SB, Vertes RP. Chemogenetic inactivation of the nucleus reuniens and its projections to the orbital cortex produce deficits on discrete measures of behavioral flexibility in the attentional set-shifting task. Behav Brain Res 2024; 470:115066. [PMID: 38801950 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.115066] [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: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
The nucleus reuniens (RE) of the ventral midline thalamus is a critical node in the communication between the orbitomedial prefrontal cortex (OFC) and the hippocampus (HF). While RE has been shown to directly participate in memory-associated functions through its connections with the medial prefrontal cortex and HF, less is known regarding the role of RE in executive functioning. Here, we examined the involvement of RE and its projections to the orbital cortex (ORB) in attention and behavioral flexibility in male rats using the attentional set shifting task (AST). Rats expressing the hM4Di DREADD receptor in RE were implanted with indwelling cannulas in either RE or the ventromedial ORB to pharmacologically inhibit RE or its projections to the ORB with intracranial infusions of clozapine-N-oxide hydrochloride (CNO). Chemogenetic-induced suppression of RE resulted in impairments in reversal learning and set-shifting. This supports a vital role for RE in behavioral flexibility - or the ability to adapt behavior to changing reward or rule contingencies. Interestingly, CNO suppression of RE projections to the ventromedial ORB produced impairments in rule abstraction - or dissociable effects elicited with direct RE suppression. In summary, the present findings indicate that RE, mediated in part by actions on the ORB, serves a critical role in the flexible use of rules to drive goal directed behavior. The cognitive deficits of various neurological disorders with impaired communication between the HF and OFC, may be partly attributed to alterations of RE -- as an established intermediary between these cortical structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda K P Rojas
- Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA
| | - Stephanie B Linley
- Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA; Department of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA
| | - Robert P Vertes
- Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA; Department of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA.
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4
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Xie G, Gao X, Guo Q, Liang H, Yao L, Li W, Ma B, Wu N, Han X, Li J. Cannabidiol ameliorates PTSD-like symptoms by inhibiting neuroinflammation through its action on CB2 receptors in the brain of male mice. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 119:945-964. [PMID: 38759736 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.05.016] [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: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating mental health disease related to traumatic experience, and its treatment outcomes are unsatisfactory. Accumulating research has indicated that cannabidiol (CBD) exhibits anti-PTSD effects, however, the underlying mechanism of CBD remains inadequately investigated. Although many studies pertaining to PTSD have primarily focused on aberrations in neuronal functioning, the present study aimed to elucidate the involvement and functionality of microglia/macrophages in PTSD while also investigated the modulatory effects of CBD on neuroinflammation associated with this condition. We constructed a modified single-prolonged stress (SPS) mice PTSD model and verified the PTSD-related behaviors by various behavioral tests (contextual freezing test, elevated plus maze test, tail suspension test and novel object recognition test). We observed a significant upregulation of Iba-1 and alteration of microglial/macrophage morphology within the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, but not the amygdala, two weeks after the PTSD-related stress, suggesting a persistent neuroinflammatory phenotype in the PTSD-modeled group. CBD (10 mg/kg, i.p.) inhibited all PTSD-related behaviors and reversed the alterations in both microglial/macrophage quantity and morphology when administered prior to behavioral assessments. We further found increased pro-inflammatory factors, decreased PSD95 expression, and impaired synaptic density in the hippocampus of the modeled group, all of which were also restored by CBD treatment. CBD dramatically increased the level of anandamide, one of the endocannabinoids, and cannabinoid type 2 receptors (CB2Rs) transcripts in the hippocampus compared with PTSD-modeled group. Importantly, we discovered the expression of CB2Rs mRNA in Arg-1-positive cells in vivo and found that the behavioral effects of CBD were diminished by CB2Rs antagonist AM630 (1 mg/kg, i.p.) and both the behavioral and molecular effects of CBD were abolished in CB2Rs knockout mice. These findings suggest that CBD would alleviate PTSD-like behaviors in mice by suppressing PTSD-related neuroinflammation and upregulation and activation of CB2Rs may serve as one of the underlying mechanisms for this therapeutic effect. The present study offers innovative experimental evidence supporting the utilization of CBD in PTSD treatment from the perspective of its regulation of neuroinflammation, and paves the way for leveraging the endocannabinoid system to regulate neuroinflammation as a potential therapeutic approach for psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanbo Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Xinwei Gao
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Qingchun Guo
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 102206, China; School of Biomedical Engineering, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Haizhen Liang
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Lan Yao
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Wenjuan Li
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Baiping Ma
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Ning Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China.
| | - Xiao Han
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China.
| | - Jin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China.
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5
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Cheung H, Yu TZ, Yi X, Wu YJ, Wang Q, Gu X, Xu M, Cai M, Wen W, Li XN, Liu YX, Sun Y, Zheng J, Xu TL, Luo Y, Zhang MZ, Li WG. An ultra-short-acting benzodiazepine in thalamic nucleus reuniens undermines fear extinction via intermediation of hippocamposeptal circuits. Commun Biol 2024; 7:728. [PMID: 38877285 PMCID: PMC11178775 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06417-w] [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: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Benzodiazepines, commonly used for anxiolytics, hinder conditioned fear extinction, and the underlying circuit mechanisms are unclear. Utilizing remimazolam, an ultra-short-acting benzodiazepine, here we reveal its impact on the thalamic nucleus reuniens (RE) and interconnected hippocamposeptal circuits during fear extinction. Systemic or RE-specific administration of remimazolam impedes fear extinction by reducing RE activation through A type GABA receptors. Remimazolam enhances long-range GABAergic inhibition from lateral septum (LS) to RE, underlying the compromised fear extinction. RE projects to ventral hippocampus (vHPC), which in turn sends projections characterized by feed-forward inhibition to the GABAergic neurons of the LS. This is coupled with long-range GABAergic projections from the LS to RE, collectively constituting an overall positive feedback circuit construct that promotes fear extinction. RE-specific remimazolam negates the facilitation of fear extinction by disrupting this circuit. Thus, remimazolam in RE disrupts fear extinction caused by hippocamposeptal intermediation, offering mechanistic insights for the dilemma of combining anxiolytics with extinction-based exposure therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoiyin Cheung
- Center for Brain Science, Department of Anesthesiology and Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, National Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Tong-Zhou Yu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Institute for Translational Brain Research, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xin Yi
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Institute for Translational Brain Research, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yan-Jiao Wu
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Qi Wang
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Xue Gu
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Miao Xu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Institute for Translational Brain Research, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Meihua Cai
- Center for Brain Science, Department of Anesthesiology and Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, National Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Wen Wen
- Center for Brain Science, Department of Anesthesiology and Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, National Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Xin-Ni Li
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Institute for Translational Brain Research, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Ying-Xiao Liu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Institute for Translational Brain Research, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Ying Sun
- Center for Brain Science, Department of Anesthesiology and Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, National Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Jijian Zheng
- Center for Brain Science, Department of Anesthesiology and Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, National Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Tian-Le Xu
- Center for Brain Science, Department of Anesthesiology and Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, National Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- Songjiang Hospital and Songjiang Research Institute, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Emotions and Affective Disorders, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201600, China
| | - Yan Luo
- Department of Anesthesiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
| | - Ma-Zhong Zhang
- Center for Brain Science, Department of Anesthesiology and Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, National Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China.
| | - Wei-Guang Li
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Institute for Translational Brain Research, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory for Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China.
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6
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Liu Y, Ye S, Li XN, Li WG. Memory Trace for Fear Extinction: Fragile yet Reinforceable. Neurosci Bull 2024; 40:777-794. [PMID: 37812300 PMCID: PMC11178705 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-023-01129-3] [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: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Fear extinction is a biological process in which learned fear behavior diminishes without anticipated reinforcement, allowing the organism to re-adapt to ever-changing situations. Based on the behavioral hypothesis that extinction is new learning and forms an extinction memory, this new memory is more readily forgettable than the original fear memory. The brain's cellular and synaptic traces underpinning this inherently fragile yet reinforceable extinction memory remain unclear. Intriguing questions are about the whereabouts of the engram neurons that emerged during extinction learning and how they constitute a dynamically evolving functional construct that works in concert to store and express the extinction memory. In this review, we discuss recent advances in the engram circuits and their neural connectivity plasticity for fear extinction, aiming to establish a conceptual framework for understanding the dynamic competition between fear and extinction memories in adaptive control of conditioned fear responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Liu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Huashan Hospital, Institute for Translational Brain Research, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Shuai Ye
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Huashan Hospital, Institute for Translational Brain Research, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xin-Ni Li
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Huashan Hospital, Institute for Translational Brain Research, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Wei-Guang Li
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Huashan Hospital, Institute for Translational Brain Research, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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7
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Zhang Y, Xu C, Gu Y. Context Processing in Contextual and Cued Fear Extinction. Neurosci Bull 2024; 40:835-839. [PMID: 38619694 PMCID: PMC11178715 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-024-01205-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yimu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Chun Xu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
| | - Yu Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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Lin TY, Zhang YH, Zhang YN, Yang Y, Du L, Li QY, He Y, Liu FC, Tang XY, Tang LL, Sun YS. Resting state functional connectome in breast cancer patients with fear of cancer recurrence. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae062. [PMID: 38436464 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate network-level brain functional changes in breast cancer patients and their relationship with fear of cancer recurrence (FCR). Resting-state functional MRI was collected from 43 patients with breast cancer and 40 healthy controls (HCs). Graph theory analyses, whole-brain voxel-wise functional connectivity strength (FCS) analyses and seed-based functional connectivity (FC) analyses were performed to identify connection alterations in breast cancer patients. Correlations between brain functional connections (i.e. FCS and FC) and FCR level were assessed to further reveal the neural mechanisms of FCR in breast cancer patients. Graph theory analyses indicated a decreased clustering coefficient in breast cancer patients compared to HCs (P = 0.04). Patients with breast cancer exhibited significantly higher FCS in both higher-order function networks (frontoparietal, default mode, and dorsal attention systems) and primary somatomotor networks. Among the hyperconnected regions in breast cancer, the left inferior frontal operculum demonstrated a significant positive correlation with FCR. Our findings suggest that breast cancer patients exhibit less segregation of brain function, and the left inferior frontal operculum is a key region associated with FCR. This study offers insights into the neural mechanisms of FCR in breast cancer patients at the level of brain connectome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian-Ye Lin
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Radiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52 Fu Cheng Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Yi-He Zhang
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, No. 10 Xitucheng Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100876, China
| | - Ye-Ning Zhang
- Key laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Psycho-Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52 Fu Cheng Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Breast Center, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52 Fu Cheng Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Lei Du
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Radiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52 Fu Cheng Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Qing-Yang Li
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Radiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52 Fu Cheng Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Yi He
- Key laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Psycho-Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52 Fu Cheng Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Fu-Chao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Radiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52 Fu Cheng Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Xiao-Yu Tang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Radiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52 Fu Cheng Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Li-Li Tang
- Key laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Psycho-Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52 Fu Cheng Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Ying-Shi Sun
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Radiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52 Fu Cheng Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100142, China
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9
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Chen Z, Han Y, Ma Z, Wang X, Xu S, Tang Y, Vyssotski AL, Si B, Zhan Y. A prefrontal-thalamic circuit encodes social information for social recognition. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1036. [PMID: 38310109 PMCID: PMC10838311 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45376-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Social recognition encompasses encoding social information and distinguishing unfamiliar from familiar individuals to form social relationships. Although the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is known to play a role in social behavior, how identity information is processed and by which route it is communicated in the brain remains unclear. Here we report that a ventral midline thalamic area, nucleus reuniens (Re) that has reciprocal connections with the mPFC, is critical for social recognition in male mice. In vivo single-unit recordings and decoding analysis reveal that neural populations in both mPFC and Re represent different social stimuli, however, mPFC coding capacity is stronger. We demonstrate that chemogenetic inhibitions of Re impair the mPFC-Re neural synchronization and the mPFC social coding. Projection pathway-specific inhibitions by optogenetics reveal that the reciprocal connectivity between the mPFC and the Re is necessary for social recognition. These results reveal an mPFC-thalamic circuit for social information processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihao Chen
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yechao Han
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zheng Ma
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xinnian Wang
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Surui Xu
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yong Tang
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Alexei L Vyssotski
- Institute of Neuroinformatics, University of Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Bailu Si
- School of Systems Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Zhan
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
- Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
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10
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Plas SL, Tuna T, Bayer H, Juliano VAL, Sweck SO, Arellano Perez AD, Hassell JE, Maren S. Neural circuits for the adaptive regulation of fear and extinction memory. Front Behav Neurosci 2024; 18:1352797. [PMID: 38370858 PMCID: PMC10869525 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2024.1352797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The regulation of fear memories is critical for adaptive behaviors and dysregulation of these processes is implicated in trauma- and stress-related disorders. Treatments for these disorders include pharmacological interventions as well as exposure-based therapies, which rely upon extinction learning. Considerable attention has been directed toward elucidating the neural mechanisms underlying fear and extinction learning. In this review, we will discuss historic discoveries and emerging evidence on the neural mechanisms of the adaptive regulation of fear and extinction memories. We will focus on neural circuits regulating the acquisition and extinction of Pavlovian fear conditioning in rodent models, particularly the role of the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus in the contextual control of extinguished fear memories. We will also consider new work revealing an important role for the thalamic nucleus reuniens in the modulation of prefrontal-hippocampal interactions in extinction learning and memory. Finally, we will explore the effects of stress on this circuit and the clinical implications of these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha L. Plas
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
- Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Tuğçe Tuna
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
- Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Hugo Bayer
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
- Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Vitor A. L. Juliano
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Samantha O. Sweck
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
- Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Angel D. Arellano Perez
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - James E. Hassell
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Stephen Maren
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
- Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
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11
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Zhang K, Shen D, Huang S, Iqbal J, Huang G, Si J, Xue Y, Yang JL. The sexually divergent cFos activation map of fear extinction. Heliyon 2024; 10:e23748. [PMID: 38205315 PMCID: PMC10777019 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a neuropsychiatric disorder that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Exposure therapy is a common treatment for PTSD, but it has varying levels of efficacy depending on sex. In this study, we aimed to compare the sexual dimorphism in brain activation during the extinction of fear conditioning in male and female rats by detecting the c-fos levels in the whole brain. Methods Thirty-two rats (Male: n = 16; Female: n = 16) were randomly separated into the extinction group as well as the non-extinction group, and fear conditioning was followed by extinction and non-extinction, respectively. Subsequently, brain sections from the sacrificed animal were performed immunofluorescence and the collected data were analyzed by repeated two-way ANOVAs as well as Pearson Correlation Coefficient. Results Our findings showed that most brain areas activated during extinction were similar in both male and female rats, except for the reuniens thalamic nucleus and ventral hippocampi. Furthermore, we found differences in the correlation between c-fos activation levels and freezing behavior during extinction between male and female rats. Specifically, in male rats, c-fos activation in the anterior cingulate cortex was negatively correlated with the freezing level, while c-fos activation in the retrosplenial granular cortex was positively correlated with the freezing level; but in female rats did not exhibit any correlation between c-fos activation and freezing level. Finally, the functional connectivity analysis revealed differences in the neural networks involved in extinction learning between male and female rats. In male rats, the infralimbic cortex and insular cortex, anterior cingulate cortex and retrosplenial granular cortex, and dorsal dentate gyrus and dCA3 were strongly correlated after extinction. In female rats, prelimbic cortex and basolateral amygdala, insular cortex and dCA3, and anterior cingulate cortex and dCA1 were significantly correlated. Conclusion These results suggest divergent neural networks involved in extinction learning in male and female rats and provide a clue for improving the clinical treatment of exposure therapy based on the sexual difference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Zhang
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Dan Shen
- Xinxiang Medical University, 601 Jinsui Dadao, Hongqi District, Xinxiang City, Henan Province, China
| | - Shihao Huang
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory on Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, 100191, Beijing, China
| | - Javed Iqbal
- Shenzhen Kangning Hospital & Shenzhen Mental Health Center, No. 77 Zhenbi Road, Shenzhen, 518118, China
- Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Gengdi Huang
- Shenzhen Kangning Hospital & Shenzhen Mental Health Center, No. 77 Zhenbi Road, Shenzhen, 518118, China
- Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Jijian Si
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yanxue Xue
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory on Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, 100191, Beijing, China
- Xinxiang Medical University, 601 Jinsui Dadao, Hongqi District, Xinxiang City, Henan Province, China
| | - Jian-Li Yang
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
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12
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Liu J, Liu W, Huang J, Wang Y, Zhao B, Zeng P, Cai G, Chen R, Hu K, Tu Y, Lin M, Kong J, Tao J, Chen L. The modulation effects of the mind-body and physical exercises on the basolateral amygdala-temporal pole pathway on individuals with knee osteoarthritis. Int J Clin Health Psychol 2024; 24:100421. [PMID: 38077287 PMCID: PMC10709058 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2023.100421] [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: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Background/Objective To investigate the modulatory effects of different physical exercise modalities on connectivity of amygdala subregions and its association with pain symptoms in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Methods 140 patients with KOA were randomly allocated either to the Tai Chi, Baduanjin, Stationary cycling, or health education group and conducted a 12 week-long intervention in one of the four groups. The behavioral, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and blood data were collected at baseline and the end of the study. Results Compared to the control group, all physical exercise modalities lead to significant increases in Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) pain score (pain relief) and serum Programmed Death-1 (PD-1) levels. Additionally, all physical exercise modalities resulted in decreased resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) of the basolateral amygdala (BA)-temporal pole and BA-medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). The overlapping BA-temporal pole rsFC observed in both Tai Chi and Baduanjin groups was significantly associated with pain relief, while the BA-mPFC rsFC was significantly associated with PD-1 levels. In addition, we found increased fractional anisotropy (FA) values, a measurement of water diffusion anisotropy of tissue that responded to changes in brain microstructure, within the mind-body exercise groups' BA-temporal pole pathway. The average FA value of this pathway was positively correlated with KOOS pain score at baseline across all subjects. Conclusions Our findings suggest that physical exercise has the potential to modulate both functional and anatomical connectivity of the amygdala subregions, indicating a possible shared pathway for various physical exercise modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Liu
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Rehabilitation Medicine Technology, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, United States
| | - Weilin Liu
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Rehabilitation Medicine Technology, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
| | - Jia Huang
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Rehabilitation Medicine Technology, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
| | - Yajun Wang
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Rehabilitation Medicine Technology, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
| | - Baoru Zhao
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Rehabilitation Medicine Technology, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
| | - Peiling Zeng
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Rehabilitation Medicine Technology, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
| | - Guiyan Cai
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Rehabilitation Medicine Technology, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
| | - Ruilin Chen
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Rehabilitation Medicine Technology, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
| | - Kun Hu
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Rehabilitation Medicine Technology, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
| | - YouXue Tu
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Rehabilitation Medicine Technology, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
| | - Meiqin Lin
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Rehabilitation Medicine Technology, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
| | - Jian Kong
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, United States
| | - Jing Tao
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Rehabilitation Medicine Technology, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
- Traditional Chinese Medicine Rehabilitation Research Center of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese, China
| | - Lidian Chen
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Rehabilitation Medicine Technology, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
- Traditional Chinese Medicine Rehabilitation Research Center of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese, China
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13
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Ratigan HC, Krishnan S, Smith S, Sheffield MEJ. A thalamic-hippocampal CA1 signal for contextual fear memory suppression, extinction, and discrimination. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6758. [PMID: 37875465 PMCID: PMC10598272 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42429-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The adaptive regulation of fear memories is a crucial neural function that prevents inappropriate fear expression. Fear memories can be acquired through contextual fear conditioning (CFC) which relies on the hippocampus. The thalamic nucleus reuniens (NR) is necessary to extinguish contextual fear and innervates hippocampal CA1. However, the role of the NR-CA1 pathway in contextual fear is unknown. We developed a head-restrained virtual reality CFC paradigm, and demonstrate that mice can acquire and extinguish context-dependent fear responses. We found that inhibiting the NR-CA1 pathway following CFC lengthens the duration of fearful freezing epochs, increases fear generalization, and delays fear extinction. Using in vivo imaging, we recorded NR-axons innervating CA1 and found that NR-axons become tuned to fearful freezing following CFC. We conclude that the NR-CA1 pathway actively suppresses fear by disrupting contextual fear memory retrieval in CA1 during fearful freezing behavior, a process that also reduces fear generalization and accelerates extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather C Ratigan
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60615, USA
- Doctoral Program in Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60615, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60615, USA
| | - Seetha Krishnan
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60615, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60615, USA
| | - Shai Smith
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60615, USA
- Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60615, USA
| | - Mark E J Sheffield
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60615, USA.
- Doctoral Program in Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60615, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60615, USA.
- Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60615, USA.
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14
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Totty MS, Tuna T, Ramanathan KR, Jin J, Peters SE, Maren S. Thalamic nucleus reuniens coordinates prefrontal-hippocampal synchrony to suppress extinguished fear. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6565. [PMID: 37848425 PMCID: PMC10582091 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42315-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic events result in vivid and enduring fear memories. Suppressing the retrieval of these memories is central to behavioral therapies for pathological fear. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus (HPC) have been implicated in retrieval suppression, but how mPFC-HPC activity is coordinated during extinction retrieval is unclear. Here we show that after extinction training, coherent theta oscillations (6-9 Hz) in the HPC and mPFC are correlated with the suppression of conditioned freezing in male and female rats. Inactivation of the nucleus reuniens (RE), a thalamic hub interconnecting the mPFC and HPC, reduces extinction-related Fos expression in both the mPFC and HPC, dampens mPFC-HPC theta coherence, and impairs extinction retrieval. Conversely, theta-paced optogenetic stimulation of RE augments fear suppression and reduces relapse of extinguished fear. Collectively, these results demonstrate a role for RE in coordinating mPFC-HPC interactions to suppress fear memories after extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S Totty
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Tuğçe Tuna
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Karthik R Ramanathan
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Jingji Jin
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Shaun E Peters
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Stephen Maren
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
- Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
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15
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Stubbendorff C, Hale E, Bast T, Cassaday HJ, Martin SJ, Suwansawang S, Halliday DM, Stevenson CW. Dopamine D1-like receptors modulate synchronized oscillations in the hippocampal-prefrontal-amygdala circuit in contextual fear. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17631. [PMID: 37848657 PMCID: PMC10582086 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44772-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Contextual fear conditioning (CFC) is mediated by a neural circuit that includes the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and amygdala, but the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the regulation of CFC by neuromodulators remain unclear. Dopamine D1-like receptors (D1Rs) in this circuit regulate CFC and local synaptic plasticity, which is facilitated by synchronized oscillations between these areas. In rats, we determined the effects of systemic D1R blockade on CFC and oscillatory synchrony between dorsal hippocampus (DH), prelimbic (PL) cortex, basolateral amygdala (BLA), and ventral hippocampus (VH), which sends hippocampal projections to PL and BLA. D1R blockade altered DH-VH and reduced VH-PL and VH-BLA synchrony during CFC, as inferred from theta and gamma coherence and theta-gamma coupling. D1R blockade also impaired CFC, as indicated by decreased freezing at retrieval, which was characterized by altered DH-VH and reduced VH-PL, VH-BLA, and PL-BLA synchrony. This reduction in VH-PL-BLA synchrony was not fully accounted for by non-specific locomotor effects, as revealed by comparing between epochs of movement and freezing in the controls. These results suggest that D1Rs regulate CFC by modulating synchronized oscillations within the hippocampus-prefrontal-amygdala circuit. They also add to growing evidence indicating that this circuit synchrony at retrieval reflects a neural signature of learned fear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Stubbendorff
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK.
- Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163, Genova, Italy.
| | - Ed Hale
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK
- Envigo, Hillcrest, Dodgeford Lane, Belton, LE12 9TE, UK
| | - Tobias Bast
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, UK
- Neuroscience@Nottingham, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Helen J Cassaday
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, UK
- Neuroscience@Nottingham, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Stephen J Martin
- Cellular and Systems Medicine, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Sopapun Suwansawang
- School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York, Heslington, York, UK
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Nakhon Pathom Rajabhat University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - David M Halliday
- School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York, Heslington, York, UK
| | - Carl W Stevenson
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK.
- Neuroscience@Nottingham, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
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16
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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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17
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Lal NK, Le P, Aggarwal S, Zhang A, Wang K, Qi T, Pang Z, Yang D, Nudell V, Yeo GW, Banks AS, Ye L. Xiphoid nucleus of the midline thalamus controls cold-induced food seeking. Nature 2023; 621:138-145. [PMID: 37587337 PMCID: PMC10482681 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06430-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Maintaining body temperature is calorically expensive for endothermic animals1. Mammals eat more in the cold to compensate for energy expenditure2, but the neural mechanism underlying this coupling is not well understood. Through behavioural and metabolic analyses, we found that mice dynamically switch between energy-conservation and food-seeking states in the cold, the latter of which are primarily driven by energy expenditure rather than the sensation of cold. To identify the neural mechanisms underlying cold-induced food seeking, we used whole-brain c-Fos mapping and found that the xiphoid (Xi), a small nucleus in the midline thalamus, was selectively activated by prolonged cold associated with elevated energy expenditure but not with acute cold exposure. In vivo calcium imaging showed that Xi activity correlates with food-seeking episodes under cold conditions. Using activity-dependent viral strategies, we found that optogenetic and chemogenetic stimulation of cold-activated Xi neurons selectively recapitulated food seeking under cold conditions whereas their inhibition suppressed it. Mechanistically, Xi encodes a context-dependent valence switch that promotes food-seeking behaviours under cold but not warm conditions. Furthermore, these behaviours are mediated by a Xi-to-nucleus accumbens projection. Our results establish Xi as a key region in the control of cold-induced feeding, which is an important mechanism in the maintenance of energy homeostasis in endothermic animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neeraj K Lal
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Phuong Le
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Samarth Aggarwal
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Alan Zhang
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Kristina Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Tianbo Qi
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Zhengyuan Pang
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Dong Yang
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Victoria Nudell
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Gene W Yeo
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Alexander S Banks
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Li Ye
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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18
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Franceschini A, Mazzamuto G, Checcucci C, Chicchi L, Fanelli D, Costantini I, Passani MB, Silva BA, Pavone FS, Silvestri L. Brain-wide neuron quantification toolkit reveals strong sexual dimorphism in the evolution of fear memory. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112908. [PMID: 37516963 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Fear responses are functionally adaptive behaviors that are strengthened as memories. Indeed, detailed knowledge of the neural circuitry modulating fear memory could be the turning point for the comprehension of this emotion and its pathological states. A comprehensive understanding of the circuits mediating memory encoding, consolidation, and retrieval presents the fundamental technological challenge of analyzing activity in the entire brain with single-neuron resolution. In this context, we develop the brain-wide neuron quantification toolkit (BRANT) for mapping whole-brain neuronal activation at micron-scale resolution, combining tissue clearing, high-resolution light-sheet microscopy, and automated image analysis. The robustness and scalability of this method allow us to quantify the evolution of activity patterns across multiple phases of memory in mice. This approach highlights a strong sexual dimorphism in recruited circuits, which has no counterpart in the behavior. The methodology presented here paves the way for a comprehensive characterization of the evolution of fear memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Franceschini
- European Laboratory for Non-linear Spectroscopy (LENS), University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.
| | - Giacomo Mazzamuto
- European Laboratory for Non-linear Spectroscopy (LENS), University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; National Institute of Optics - National Research Council (CNR-INO), Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Curzio Checcucci
- Department of Information Engineering (DINFO), University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Chicchi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Duccio Fanelli
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Irene Costantini
- European Laboratory for Non-linear Spectroscopy (LENS), University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; Department of Biology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Bianca Ambrogina Silva
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Neuroscience, Milan, Italy; IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Lab of Circuits Neuroscience, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Saverio Pavone
- European Laboratory for Non-linear Spectroscopy (LENS), University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; National Institute of Optics - National Research Council (CNR-INO), Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Ludovico Silvestri
- European Laboratory for Non-linear Spectroscopy (LENS), University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; National Institute of Optics - National Research Council (CNR-INO), Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.
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19
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Li Y, Zhi W, Qi B, Wang L, Hu X. Update on neurobiological mechanisms of fear: illuminating the direction of mechanism exploration and treatment development of trauma and fear-related disorders. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1216524. [PMID: 37600761 PMCID: PMC10433239 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1216524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Fear refers to an adaptive response in the face of danger, and the formed fear memory acts as a warning when the individual faces a dangerous situation again, which is of great significance to the survival of humans and animals. Excessive fear response caused by abnormal fear memory can lead to neuropsychiatric disorders. Fear memory has been studied for a long time, which is of a certain guiding effect on the treatment of fear-related disorders. With continuous technological innovations, the study of fear has gradually shifted from the level of brain regions to deeper neural (micro) circuits between brain regions and even within single brain regions, as well as molecular mechanisms. This article briefly outlines the basic knowledge of fear memory and reviews the neurobiological mechanisms of fear extinction and relapse, which aims to provide new insights for future basic research on fear emotions and new ideas for treating trauma and fear-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Li
- College of Education, Hebei University, Baoding, China
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Weijia Zhi
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Bing Qi
- College of Education, Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Lifeng Wang
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangjun Hu
- College of Education, Hebei University, Baoding, China
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
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20
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Nguyen R, Koukoutselos K, Forro T, Ciocchi S. Fear extinction relies on ventral hippocampal safety codes shaped by the amygdala. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg4881. [PMID: 37256958 PMCID: PMC10413664 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg4881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Extinction memory retrieval is influenced by spatial contextual information that determines responding to conditioned stimuli (CS). However, it is poorly understood whether contextual representations are imbued with emotional values to support memory selection. Here, we performed activity-dependent engram tagging and in vivo single-unit electrophysiological recordings from the ventral hippocampus (vH) while optogenetically manipulating basolateral amygdala (BLA) inputs during the formation of cued fear extinction memory. During fear extinction when CS acquire safety properties, we found that CS-related activity in the vH reactivated during sleep consolidation and was strengthened upon memory retrieval. Moreover, fear extinction memory was facilitated when the extinction context exhibited precise coding of its affective zones. Last, these activity patterns along with the retrieval of the fear extinction memory were dependent on glutamatergic transmission from the BLA during extinction learning. Thus, fear extinction memory relies on the formation of contextual and stimulus safety representations in the vH instructed by the BLA.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Thomas Forro
- Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Department of Physiology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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21
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Silva BA, Gräff J. Face your fears: attenuating remote fear memories by reconsolidation-updating. Trends Cogn Sci 2023; 27:404-416. [PMID: 36813591 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2023.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
Traumatic events generate some of the most enduring memories, yet little is known about how long-lasting fear memories can be attenuated. In this review, we collect the surprisingly sparse evidence on remote fear memory attenuation from both animal and human research. What is becoming apparent is twofold: although remote fear memories are more resistant to change compared with recent ones, they can nevertheless be attenuated when interventions are targeted toward the period of memory malleability instigated by memory recall, the reconsolidation window. We describe the physiological mechanisms underlying remote reconsolidation-updating approaches and highlight how they can be enhanced through interventions promoting synaptic plasticity. By capitalizing on an intrinsically relevant phase of memory, reconsolidation-updating harbors the potential to permanently alter remote fear memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca A Silva
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Neuroscience, Milan, Italy; IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Johannes Gräff
- Laboratory of Neuroepigenetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland.
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22
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Ratigan HC, Krishnan S, Smith S, Sheffield MEJ. Direct Thalamic Inputs to Hippocampal CA1 Transmit a Signal That Suppresses Ongoing Contextual Fear Memory Retrieval. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.27.534420. [PMID: 37034812 PMCID: PMC10081195 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.27.534420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Memory retrieval of fearful experiences is essential for survival but can be maladaptive if not appropriately suppressed. Fear memories can be acquired through contextual fear conditioning (CFC) which relies on the hippocampus. The thalamic subregion Nucleus Reuniens (NR) is necessary for contextual fear extinction and strongly projects to hippocampal subregion CA1. However, the NR-CA1 pathway has not been investigated during behavior, leaving unknown its role in contextual fear memory retrieval. We implement a novel head-restrained virtual reality CFC paradigm and show that inactivation of the NR-CA1 pathway prolongs fearful freezing epochs, induces fear generalization, and delays extinction. We use in vivo sub-cellular imaging to specifically record NR-axons innervating CA1 before and after CFC. We find NR-axons become selectively tuned to freezing only after CFC, and this activity is well-predicted by an encoding model. We conclude that the NR-CA1 pathway actively suppresses fear responses by disrupting ongoing hippocampal-dependent contextual fear memory retrieval.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather C. Ratigan
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60615, USA
- Doctoral Program in Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60615, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60615, USA
| | - Seetha Krishnan
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60615, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60615, USA
| | - Shai Smith
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60615, USA
- Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60615, USA
| | - Mark E. J. Sheffield
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60615, USA
- Doctoral Program in Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60615, USA
- Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60615, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60615, USA
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23
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Lal NK, Le P, Aggarwal S, Zhang A, Wang K, Qi T, Pang Z, Yang D, Nudell V, Yeo GW, Banks AS, Ye L. Xiphoid nucleus of the midline thalamus controls cold-induced food seeking. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.16.533067. [PMID: 36993706 PMCID: PMC10055253 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.16.533067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Maintaining body temperature is calorically expensive for endothermic animals. Mammals eat more in the cold to compensate for energy expenditure, but the neural mechanism underlying this coupling is not well understood. Through behavioral and metabolic analyses, we found that mice dynamically switch between energy conservation and food-seeking states in the cold, the latter of which is primarily driven by energy expenditure rather than the sensation of cold. To identify the neural mechanisms underlying cold-induced food seeking, we use whole-brain cFos mapping and found that the xiphoid (Xi), a small nucleus in the midline thalamus, was selectively activated by prolonged cold associated with elevated energy expenditure but not with acute cold exposure. In vivo calcium imaging showed that Xi activity correlates with food-seeking episodes in cold conditions. Using activity-dependent viral strategies, we found that optogenetic and chemogenetic stimulation of cold-activated Xi neurons recapitulated cold-induced feeding, whereas their inhibition suppressed it. Mechanistically, Xi encodes a context-dependent valence switch promoting food-seeking behaviors in cold but not warm conditions. Furthermore, these behaviors are mediated by a Xi to nucleus accumbens projection. Our results establish Xi as a key region for controlling cold-induced feeding, an important mechanism for maintaining energy homeostasis in endothermic animals.
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24
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Venkataraman A, Dias BG. Expanding the canon: An inclusive neurobiology of thalamic and subthalamic fear circuits. Neuropharmacology 2023; 226:109380. [PMID: 36572176 PMCID: PMC9984284 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Appropriate expression of fear in the face of threats in the environment is essential for survival. The sustained expression of fear in the absence of threat signals is a central pathological feature of trauma- and anxiety-related disorders. Our understanding of the neural circuitry that controls fear inhibition coalesces around the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. By discussing thalamic and sub-thalamic influences on fear-related learning and expression in this review, we suggest a more inclusive neurobiological framework that expands our canonical view of fear. First, we visit how fear-related learning and expression is influenced by the aforementioned canonical brain regions. Next, we review emerging data that shed light on new roles for thalamic and subthalamic nuclei in fear-related learning and expression. Then, we highlight how these neuroanatomical hubs can modulate fear via integration of sensory and salient stimuli, gating information flow and calibrating behavioral responses, as well as maintaining and updating memory representations. Finally, we propose that the presence of this thalamic and sub-thalamic neuroanatomy in parallel with the tripartite prefrontal cortex-amygdala-hippocampus circuit allows for dynamic modulation of information based on interoceptive and exteroceptive signals. This article is part of the Special Issue on "Fear, Anxiety and PTSD".
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Affiliation(s)
- Archana Venkataraman
- Department of Cellular & Molecular Pharmacology, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Brian George Dias
- Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Division of Endocrinology, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Developmental Neuroscience and Neurogenetics Program, The Saban Research Institute, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
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25
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Correia P, Demeter K, Varga J, Urbán E, Török B, Balázsfi D, Bakos N, Haller J, Zelena D. The effectiveness of extinction training in male rats: Temporal considerations and brain mechanisms. Behav Brain Res 2023; 441:114285. [PMID: 36610549 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The extinction of conditioned fear is frequently used in laboratories as a model for human exposure therapy and is crucial for studies of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the efficacy of specific protocols can vary greatly, and the underlying brain mechanisms are not sufficiently clarified. To address this issue, variable starting time (one or twenty-eight days after fear conditioning) and extinction protocols were used, and the efficacy and durability of fear extinction were also studied. Changes in the behavior, stress hormone levels and neuronal activation patterns of stressed rats were analyzed. Conditioned fear was rapidly and efficiently extinguished by all the protocols investigated. However, when these extinction protocols were initiated one day after fear training, conditioned fear relapsed spontaneously four weeks later. In contrast, when extinction trials were started 28 days after conditioning, no relapse occurred. Hormone measurements taken by the end of extinction trials indicated that adrenocorticotropin, but not corticosterone responses reflected behavioral extinction without any sign of relapse. The last extinction training increased the activation of the medial prefrontal cortex and decreased the activation of the central and medial amygdala when extinction began one day after fear conditioning. By contrast, the activation of the basolateral amygdala and the entire hippocampus decreased by the last training session when extinction started 28 days after fear conditioning. Our findings show that extinction training can extinguish remote fear memories more effectively than recent ones, and that the brain mechanisms underlying remote and recent fear memory extinction differ. Laboratory models should also focus on a later time point to increase their translational value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Correia
- Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary; Janos Szentagothai School of Neurosciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary; Institute of Physiology, Medical School, University of Pécs, Centre for Neuroscience, Szentágothai Research Centre, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Kornél Demeter
- Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary; Behavioral Studies Unit, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - János Varga
- Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Eszter Urbán
- Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Bibiána Török
- Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary; Janos Szentagothai School of Neurosciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary; Institute of Physiology, Medical School, University of Pécs, Centre for Neuroscience, Szentágothai Research Centre, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Diána Balázsfi
- Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Nikoletta Bakos
- Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - József Haller
- Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dóra Zelena
- Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary; Institute of Physiology, Medical School, University of Pécs, Centre for Neuroscience, Szentágothai Research Centre, Pécs, Hungary.
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26
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Abstract
The Entangled Brain (Pessoa, L., 2002. MIT Press) promotes the idea that we need to understand the brain as a complex, entangled system. Why does the complex systems perspective, one that entails emergent properties, matter for brain science? In fact, many neuroscientists consider these ideas a distraction. We discuss three principles of brain organization that inform the question of the interactional complexity of the brain: (1) massive combinatorial anatomical connectivity; (2) highly distributed functional coordination; and (3) networks/circuits as functional units. To motivate the challenges of mapping structure and function, we discuss neural circuits illustrating the high anatomical and functional interactional complexity typical in the brain. We discuss potential avenues for testing for network-level properties, including those relying on distributed computations across multiple regions. We discuss implications for brain science, including the need to characterize decentralized and heterarchical anatomical-functional organization. The view advocated has important implications for causation, too, because traditional accounts of causality provide poor candidates for explanation in interactionally complex systems like the brain given the distributed, mutual, and reciprocal nature of the interactions. Ultimately, to make progress understanding how the brain supports complex mental functions, we need to dissolve boundaries within the brain-those suggested to be associated with perception, cognition, action, emotion, motivation-as well as outside the brain, as we bring down the walls between biology, psychology, mathematics, computer science, philosophy, and so on.
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27
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Xu Y, Yu Z, Chen S, Li Z, Long X, Chen M, Lee CS, Peng HY, Lin TB, Hsieh MC, Lai CY, Chou D. (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine targeting the basolateral amygdala regulates fear memory. Neuropharmacology 2023; 225:109402. [PMID: 36565854 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
(2R,6R)-Hydroxynorketamine (HNK), a ketamine metabolite, has been proposed as an ideal next-generation antidepressant due to its rapid-acting and long-lasting antidepression-relevant actions. Interestingly, recent studies have shown that (2R,6R)-HNK may have diverse impacts on memory formation. However, its effect on fear memory extinction is still unknown. In the present study, we assessed the effects of (2R,6R)-HNK on synaptic transmission and plasticity in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and explored its actions on auditory fear memory extinction. Adult male C57BL/6J mice were used in this study. The extracellular electrophysiological recording was conducted to assay synaptic transmission and plasticity. The auditory fear conditioning paradigm was performed to test fear extinction. The results showed that (2R,6R)-HNK at 30 mg/kg increased the number of c-fos-positive cells in the BLA. Moreover, (2R,6R)-HNK enhanced the induction and maintenance of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the BLA in a dose-dependent manner (at 1, 10, and 30 mg/kg). In addition, (2R,6R)-HNK at 30 mg/kg and directly slice perfusion of (2R,6R)-HNK enhanced BLA synaptic transmission. Furthermore, intra-BLA application and systemic administration of (2R,6R)-HNK reduced the retrieval of recent fear memory and decreased the retrieval of remote fear memory. Both local and systemic (2R,6R)-HNK also inhibited the spontaneous recovery of remote fear memory. Taken together, these results indicated that (2R,6R)-HNK could regulate BLA synaptic transmission and plasticity and act through the BLA to modulate fear memory. The results revealed that (2R,6R)-HNK may be a potential drug to treat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Xu
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhuhai Campus of Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
| | - Zhenfei Yu
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhuhai Campus of Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
| | - Si Chen
- Department of Human Anatomy and Histology & Embryology, Zhuhai Campus of Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
| | - Zhenlong Li
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhuhai Campus of Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
| | - Xiting Long
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhuhai Campus of Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
| | - Mengxu Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhuhai Campus of Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
| | - Chau-Shoun Lee
- Department of Medicine, MacKay Medical College, New Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Hsien-Yu Peng
- Department of Medicine, MacKay Medical College, New Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Tzer-Bin Lin
- Institute of New Drug Development, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Cell Physiology and Molecular Image Research Center, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Ming-Chun Hsieh
- Department of Medicine, MacKay Medical College, New Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Cheng-Yuan Lai
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, MacKay Medical College, New Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Dylan Chou
- Department of Medicine, MacKay Medical College, New Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Physiology, Zhuhai Campus of Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
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28
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Lor CS, Zhang M, Karner A, Steyrl D, Sladky R, Scharnowski F, Haugg A. Pre- and post-task resting-state differs in clinical populations. Neuroimage Clin 2023; 37:103345. [PMID: 36780835 PMCID: PMC9925974 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2023.103345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Resting-state functional connectivity has generated great hopes as a potential brain biomarker for improving prevention, diagnosis, and treatment in psychiatry. This neuroimaging protocol can routinely be performed by patients and does not depend on the specificities of a task. Thus, it seems ideal for big data approaches that require aggregating data across multiple studies and sites. However, technical variability, diverging data analysis approaches, and differences in data acquisition protocols introduce heterogeneity to the aggregated data. Besides these technical aspects, a prior task that changes the psychological state of participants might also contribute to heterogeneity. In healthy participants, studies have shown that behavioral tasks can influence resting-state measures, but such effects have not yet been reported in clinical populations. Here, we fill this knowledge gap by comparing resting-state functional connectivity before and after clinically relevant tasks in two clinical conditions, namely substance use disorders and phobias. The tasks consisted of viewing craving-inducing and spider anxiety provoking pictures that are frequently used in cue-reactivity studies and exposure therapy. We found distinct pre- vs post-task resting-state connectivity differences in each group, as well as decreased thalamo-cortical and increased intra-thalamic connectivity which might be associated with decreased vigilance in both groups. Our results confirm that resting-state measures can be strongly influenced by prior emotion-inducing tasks that need to be taken into account when pooling resting-state scans for clinical biomarker detection. This demands that resting-state datasets should include a complete description of the experimental design, especially when a task preceded data collection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy Sumaly Lor
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria; Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Lenggstrasse 31, 8032 Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Mengfan Zhang
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria; Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Lenggstrasse 31, 8032 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Alexander Karner
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria; Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Lenggstrasse 31, 8032 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - David Steyrl
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria; Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Lenggstrasse 31, 8032 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Ronald Sladky
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria
| | - Frank Scharnowski
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria; Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Lenggstrasse 31, 8032 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Amelie Haugg
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry, Neumünsterallee 9, 8032 Zürich, Switzerland
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29
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LaBar KS. Neuroimaging of Fear Extinction. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2023; 64:79-101. [PMID: 37455302 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2023_429] [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: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Extinguishing fear and defensive responses to environmental threats when they are no longer warranted is a critical learning ability that can promote healthy self-regulation and, ultimately, reduce susceptibility to or maintenance of affective-, trauma-, stressor-,and anxiety-related disorders. Neuroimaging tools provide an important means to uncover the neural mechanisms of effective extinction learning that, in turn, can abate the return of fear. Here I review the promises and pitfalls of functional neuroimaging as a method to investigate fear extinction circuitry in the healthy human brain. I discuss the extent to which neuroimaging has validated the core circuits implicated in rodent models and has expanded the scope of the brain regions implicated in extinction processes. Finally, I present new advances made possible by multivariate data analysis tools that yield more refined insights into the brain-behavior relationships involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin S LaBar
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
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30
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Sung Y, Kaang BK. The Three Musketeers in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex: Subregion-specific Structural and Functional Plasticity Underlying Fear Memory Stages. Exp Neurobiol 2022; 31:221-231. [PMID: 36050222 PMCID: PMC9471411 DOI: 10.5607/en22012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Fear memory recruits various brain regions with long-lasting brain-wide subcellular events. The medial prefrontal cortex processes the emotional and cognitive functions required for adequately handling fear memory. Several studies have indicated that subdivisions within the medial prefrontal cortex, namely the prelimbic, infralimbic, and anterior cingulate cortices, may play different roles across fear memory states. Through a dedicated cytoarchitecture and connectivity, the three different regions of the medial prefrontal cortex play a specific role in maintaining and extinguishing fear memory. Furthermore, synaptic plasticity and maturation of neural circuits within the medial prefrontal cortex suggest that remote memories undergo structural and functional reorganization. Finally, recent technical advances have enabled genetic access to transiently activated neuronal ensembles within these regions, suggesting that memory trace cells in these regions may preferentially contribute to processing specific fear memory. We reviewed recently published reports and summarize the molecular, synaptic and cellular events occurring within the medial prefrontal cortex during various memory stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongmin Sung
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Bong-Kiun Kaang
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
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31
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Vertes RP, Linley SB, Rojas AKP. Structural and functional organization of the midline and intralaminar nuclei of the thalamus. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:964644. [PMID: 36082310 PMCID: PMC9445584 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.964644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The midline and intralaminar nuclei of the thalamus form a major part of the "limbic thalamus;" that is, thalamic structures anatomically and functionally linked with the limbic forebrain. The midline nuclei consist of the paraventricular (PV) and paratenial nuclei, dorsally and the rhomboid and nucleus reuniens (RE), ventrally. The rostral intralaminar nuclei (ILt) consist of the central medial (CM), paracentral (PC) and central lateral (CL) nuclei. We presently concentrate on RE, PV, CM and CL nuclei of the thalamus. The nucleus reuniens receives a diverse array of input from limbic-related sites, and predominantly projects to the hippocampus and to "limbic" cortices. The RE participates in various cognitive functions including spatial working memory, executive functions (attention, behavioral flexibility) and affect/fear behavior. The PV receives significant limbic-related afferents, particularly the hypothalamus, and mainly distributes to "affective" structures of the forebrain including the bed nucleus of stria terminalis, nucleus accumbens and the amygdala. Accordingly, PV serves a critical role in "motivated behaviors" such as arousal, feeding/consummatory behavior and drug addiction. The rostral ILt receives both limbic and sensorimotor-related input and distributes widely over limbic and motor regions of the frontal cortex-and throughout the dorsal striatum. The intralaminar thalamus is critical for maintaining consciousness and directly participates in various sensorimotor functions (visuospatial or reaction time tasks) and cognitive tasks involving striatal-cortical interactions. As discussed herein, while each of the midline and intralaminar nuclei are anatomically and functionally distinct, they collectively serve a vital role in several affective, cognitive and executive behaviors - as major components of a brainstem-diencephalic-thalamocortical circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert P. Vertes
- Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
- Department of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
| | - Stephanie B. Linley
- Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
- Department of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
- Department of Psychological Science, University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, GA, United States
| | - Amanda K. P. Rojas
- Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
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32
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Torromino G, Loffredo V, Cavezza D, Sonsini G, Esposito F, Crevenna AH, Gioffrè M, De Risi M, Treves A, Griguoli M, De Leonibus E. Thalamo-hippocampal pathway regulates incidental memory capacity in mice. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4194. [PMID: 35859057 PMCID: PMC9300669 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31781-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Incidental memory can be challenged by increasing either the retention delay or the memory load. The dorsal hippocampus (dHP) appears to help with both consolidation from short-term (STM) to long-term memory (LTM), and higher memory loads, but the mechanism is not fully understood. Here we find that female mice, despite having the same STM capacity of 6 objects and higher resistance to distraction in our different object recognition task (DOT), when tested over 1 h or 24 h delays appear to transfer to LTM only 4 objects, whereas male mice have an STM capacity of 6 objects in this task. In male mice the dHP shows greater activation (as measured by c-Fos expression), whereas female mice show greater activation of the ventral midline thalamus (VMT). Optogenetic inhibition of the VMT-dHP pathway during off-line memory consolidation enables 6-object LTM retention in females, while chemogenetic VMT-activation impairs it in males. Thus, removing or enhancing sub-cortical inhibitory control over the hippocampus leads to differences in incidental memory. Incidental memory is affected by retention delay, and by memory load. Here the authors show that female and male mice process high memory load through different activation of thalamic-cortical pathways, that makes their incidental memory resistant to distraction and to memory decay, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Torromino
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Telethon Foundation, Pozzuoli (Naples), Italy.,Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council, Monterotondo (Rome), Italy
| | - V Loffredo
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Telethon Foundation, Pozzuoli (Naples), Italy.,Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council, Monterotondo (Rome), Italy.,PhD Program in Behavioral Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - D Cavezza
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council, Monterotondo (Rome), Italy
| | - G Sonsini
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council, Monterotondo (Rome), Italy
| | - F Esposito
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Telethon Foundation, Pozzuoli (Naples), Italy
| | - A H Crevenna
- Neurobiology and Epigenetics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Monterotondo (Rome), Italy
| | - M Gioffrè
- Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems (ISASI), National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - M De Risi
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Telethon Foundation, Pozzuoli (Naples), Italy.,Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council, Monterotondo (Rome), Italy
| | - A Treves
- SISSA - Cognitive Neuroscience, Trieste, Italy
| | - M Griguoli
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Rome, Italy.,Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology (IBPM), National Research Council, Rome, Italy
| | - E De Leonibus
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Telethon Foundation, Pozzuoli (Naples), Italy. .,Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council, Monterotondo (Rome), Italy.
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33
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Totty MS, Maren S. Neural Oscillations in Aversively Motivated Behavior. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:936036. [PMID: 35846784 PMCID: PMC9284508 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.936036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Fear and anxiety-based disorders are highly debilitating and among the most prevalent psychiatric disorders. These disorders are associated with abnormal network oscillations in the brain, yet a comprehensive understanding of the role of network oscillations in the regulation of aversively motivated behavior is lacking. In this review, we examine the oscillatory correlates of fear and anxiety with a particular focus on rhythms in the theta and gamma-range. First, we describe neural oscillations and their link to neural function by detailing the role of well-studied theta and gamma rhythms to spatial and memory functions of the hippocampus. We then describe how theta and gamma oscillations act to synchronize brain structures to guide adaptive fear and anxiety-like behavior. In short, that hippocampal network oscillations act to integrate spatial information with motivationally salient information from the amygdala during states of anxiety before routing this information via theta oscillations to appropriate target regions, such as the prefrontal cortex. Moreover, theta and gamma oscillations develop in the amygdala and neocortical areas during the encoding of fear memories, and interregional synchronization reflects the retrieval of both recent and remotely encoded fear memories. Finally, we argue that the thalamic nucleus reuniens represents a key node synchronizing prefrontal-hippocampal theta dynamics for the retrieval of episodic extinction memories in the hippocampus.
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34
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Uliana DL, Gomes FV, Grace AA. Nucleus reuniens inactivation reverses stress-induced hypodopaminergic state and altered hippocampal-accumbens synaptic plasticity. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:1513-1522. [PMID: 35488085 PMCID: PMC9205859 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01333-1] [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: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The nucleus reuniens of the thalamus (RE) is a pivotal area responsible for the connectivity of the prefrontal-hippocampus pathway that regulates cognitive, executive, and fear learning processes. Recently, it was proposed that the RE participates in the pathophysiological states related to affective dysregulation. We investigated the role of RE in motivational behavioral and electrophysiological dysregulation induced by stress. Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to a combination of stressors (restraint stress+footshock) for 10 days and tested one to two weeks later in the forced swim test (FST), ventral tegmental area (VTA)dopamine (DA) neuron electrophysiological activity, and hippocampal-nucleus accumbens plasticity. The RE was inactivated by injecting TTX prior to the procedures. The stress exposure increased the immobility in the FST and decreased VTA DA neuron population activity. Whereas an early long-term potentiation (e-LTP) in the ventral hippocampus-nucleus accumbens pathway was found after fimbria high-frequency stimulation in naïve animals, stressed animals showed an early long-term depression (e-LTD). Inactivation of the RE reversed the stress-induced changes in the FST and restored dopaminergic activity. RE inactivation partially recovered the stress-induced abnormal hippocampal-accumbens plasticity observed in controls. Our findings support the role of the RE in regulating affective dysregulation and blunted VTA DA system function induced by stress. Also, it points to the hippocampal-accumbens pathway as a potential neural circuit through which RE could modulate activity. Therefore, RE may represent a key brain region involved in the neurobiology of amotivational states and may provide insights into circuit dysfunction and markers of the maladaptive stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela L. Uliana
- grid.21925.3d0000 0004 1936 9000Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA USA
| | - Felipe V. Gomes
- grid.21925.3d0000 0004 1936 9000Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA USA ,grid.11899.380000 0004 1937 0722Present Address: Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP Brazil
| | - Anthony A. Grace
- grid.21925.3d0000 0004 1936 9000Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA USA
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35
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Maren S. Unrelenting Fear Under Stress: Neural Circuits and Mechanisms for the Immediate Extinction Deficit. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 16:888461. [PMID: 35520882 PMCID: PMC9062589 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.888461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic interventions for disorders of fear and anxiety rely on behavioral approaches that reduce pathological fear memories. For example, learning that threat-predictive stimuli are no longer associated with aversive outcomes is central to the extinction of conditioned fear responses. Unfortunately, fear memories are durable, long-lasting, and resistant to extinction, particularly under high levels of stress. This is illustrated by the "immediate extinction deficit," which is characterized by a poor long-term reduction of conditioned fear when extinction procedures are attempted within hours of fear conditioning. Here, I will review recent work that has provided new insight into the neural mechanisms underlying resistance to fear extinction. Emerging studies reveal that locus coeruleus norepinephrine modulates amygdala-prefrontal cortical circuits that are critical for extinction learning. These data suggest that stress-induced activation of brain neuromodulatory systems biases fear memory at the expense of extinction learning. Behavioral and pharmacological strategies to reduce stress in patients undergoing exposure therapy might improve therapeutic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Maren
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
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36
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Das R, Luczak A. Epileptic seizures and link to memory processes. AIMS Neurosci 2022; 9:114-127. [PMID: 35434278 PMCID: PMC8941196 DOI: 10.3934/neuroscience.2022007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Epileptogenesis is a complex and not well understood phenomenon. Here, we explore the hypothesis that epileptogenesis could be "hijacking" normal memory processes, and how this hypothesis may provide new directions for epilepsy treatment. First, we review similarities between the hypersynchronous circuits observed in epilepsy and memory consolidation processes involved in strengthening neuronal connections. Next, we describe the kindling model of seizures and its relation to long-term potentiation model of synaptic plasticity. We also examine how the strengthening of epileptic circuits is facilitated during the physiological slow wave sleep, similarly as episodic memories. Furthermore, we present studies showing that specific memories can directly trigger reflex seizures. The neuronal hypersynchrony in early stages of Alzheimer's disease, and the use of anti-epileptic drugs to improve the cognitive symptoms in this disease also suggests a connection between memory systems and epilepsy. Given the commonalities between memory processes and epilepsy, we propose that therapies for memory disorders might provide new avenues for treatment of epileptic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritwik Das
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - Artur Luczak
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
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37
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Yan Y, Aierken A, Wang C, Jin W, Quan Z, Wang Z, Qing H, Ni J, Zhao J. Neuronal Circuits Associated with Fear Memory: Potential Therapeutic Targets for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Neuroscientist 2022; 29:332-351. [PMID: 35057666 DOI: 10.1177/10738584211069977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that is associated with long-lasting memories of traumatic experiences. Extinction and discrimination of fear memory have become therapeutic targets for PTSD. Newly developed optogenetics and advanced in vivo imaging techniques have provided unprecedented spatiotemporal tools to characterize the activity, connectivity, and functionality of specific cell types in complicated neuronal circuits. The use of such tools has offered mechanistic insights into the exquisite organization of the circuitry underlying the extinction and discrimination of fear memory. This review focuses on the acquisition of more detailed, comprehensive, and integrated neural circuits to understand how the brain regulates the extinction and discrimination of fear memory. A future challenge is to translate these researches into effective therapeutic treatment for PTSD from the perspective of precise regulation of the neural circuits associated with the extinction and discrimination of fear memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Yan
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Ailikemu Aierken
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Chunjian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Jin
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenzhen Quan
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Zhe Wang
- Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- The National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disease, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Hong Qing
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Junjun Ni
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Juan Zhao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
- Aerospace Medical Center, Aerospace Center Hospital, Beijing, China
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38
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Dissociated Role of Thalamic and Cortical Input to the Lateral Amygdala for Consolidation of Long-Term Fear Memory. J Neurosci 2021; 41:9561-9570. [PMID: 34667069 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1167-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-encoding coordinated reactivation of memory traces distributed throughout interconnected brain regions is thought to be critical for consolidation of memories. However, little is known about the role of neural circuit pathways during post-learning periods for consolidation of memories. To investigate this question, we optogenetically silenced the inputs from both auditory cortex and thalamus in the lateral amygdala (LA) for 15 min immediately following auditory fear conditioning (FC) and examined its effect on fear memory formation in mice of both sexes. Optogenetic inhibition of both inputs disrupted long-term fear memory formation tested 24 h after FC. This effect was specific such that the same inhibition did not affect short-term memory and context-dependent memory. Moreover, long-term memory was intact if the inputs were inhibited at much later time points after FC (3 h or 1 d after FC), indicating that optical inhibition for 15 min itself does not produce any nonspecific deleterious effect on fear memory retrieval. Selective inhibition of thalamic input was sufficient to impair consolidation of auditory fear memory. In contrast, selective inhibition of cortical input disrupted remote fear memory without affecting recent memory. These results reveal a dissociated role of thalamic and cortical input to the LA during early post-learning periods for consolidation of long-term fear memory.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Coordinated communications between brain regions are thought to be essential during post-learning periods for consolidation of memories. However, the role of specific neural circuit pathways in this process has been scarcely explored. Using a precise optogenetic inhibition of auditory input pathways, either thalamic or cortical or both, to the LA during post-training periods, we here show that thalamic input is required for consolidation of both recent and remote fear memory, whereas cortical input is crucial for consolidation of remote fear memory. These results reveal a dissociated role of auditory input pathways to the LA for consolidation of long-term fear memory.
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The Medial Prefrontal Cortex and Fear Memory: Dynamics, Connectivity, and Engrams. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222212113. [PMID: 34830009 PMCID: PMC8619965 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
It is becoming increasingly apparent that long-term memory formation relies on a distributed network of brain areas. While the hippocampus has been at the center of attention for decades, it is now clear that other regions, in particular the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), are taking an active part as well. Recent evidence suggests that the mPFC-traditionally implicated in the long-term storage of memories-is already critical for the early phases of memory formation such as encoding. In this review, we summarize these findings, relate them to the functional importance of the mPFC connectivity, and discuss the role of the mPFC during memory consolidation with respect to the different theories of memory storage. Owing to its high functional connectivity to other brain areas subserving memory formation and storage, the mPFC emerges as a central hub across the lifetime of a memory, although much still remains to be discovered.
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40
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Allen Demers F, Zangrandi A, Schneider C. Theta-Burst Stimulation of Forearm Muscles in Patients With Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: Influence on Brain and Clinical Outcomes. FRONTIERS IN PAIN RESEARCH 2021; 2:736806. [PMID: 35295471 PMCID: PMC8915654 DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2021.736806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a common pain condition characterized by the changes in the brain that are not yet addressed by conventional treatment regimens. Repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation (rPMS) of muscles is painless and non-invasive and can influence these changes (the induction of brain plasticity) to reduce pain and improve motricity. In patients with CRPS, this open-label pilot study tested rPMS after-effects on the pain intensity and sensorimotor control of the upper limb along with the excitability changes of the primary motor cortex (M1). Methods: Eight patients with CRPS were enrolled in a single-session program. Patients were tested at pre- and post-rPMS over the flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) muscle. The clinical outcomes were pain intensity, proprioception, active range of motion (ROM), and grip strength. M1 excitability was tested using the single- and paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of M1. Results: In our small sample study, rPMS reduced instant and week pain, improved proprioception and ROM, and reduced the hemispheric imbalance of several TMS outcomes. The more M1 contralateral to the CRPS side was hyperactivated at baseline, the more pain was reduced. Discussion: This open-label pilot study provided promising findings for the use of rPMS in CRPS with a focus on M1 plastic changes. Future randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials should confirm the existence of a causal relationship between the TMS outcomes and post-rPMS decrease of pain. This will favor the development of personalized treatments of peripheral non-invasive neurostimulation in CRPS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fannie Allen Demers
- Noninvasive Stimulation Laboratory (NovaStim), Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Neuroscience Division of Centre de Recherche du CHU of Québec – Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Andrea Zangrandi
- Noninvasive Stimulation Laboratory (NovaStim), Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Neuroscience Division of Centre de Recherche du CHU of Québec – Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Cyril Schneider
- Noninvasive Stimulation Laboratory (NovaStim), Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Neuroscience Division of Centre de Recherche du CHU of Québec – Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Department of Rehabilitation, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Cyril Schneider
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Richter-Levin G, Sandi C. Title: "Labels Matter: Is it stress or is it Trauma?". Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:385. [PMID: 34247187 PMCID: PMC8272714 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01514-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In neuroscience, the term 'Stress' has a negative connotation because of its potential to trigger or exacerbate psychopathologies. Yet in the face of exposure to stress, the more common reaction to stress is resilience, indicating that resilience is the rule and stress-related pathology the exception. This is critical because neural mechanisms associated with stress-related psychopathology are expected to differ significantly from those associated with resilience.Research labels and terminology affect research directions, conclusions drawn from the results, and the way we think about a topic, while choice of labels is often influenced by biases and hidden assumptions. It is therefore important to adopt a terminology that differentiates between stress conditions, leading to different outcomes.Here, we propose to conceptually associate the term 'stress'/'stressful experience' with 'stress resilience', while restricting the use of the term 'trauma' only in reference to exposures that lead to pathology. We acknowledge that there are as yet no ideal ways for addressing the murkiness of the border between stressful and traumatic experiences. Yet ignoring these differences hampers our ability to elucidate the mechanisms of trauma-related pathologies on the one hand, and of stress resilience on the other. Accordingly, we discuss how to translate such conceptual terminology into research practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gal Richter-Levin
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
- Psychology Department, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
- The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
| | - Carmen Sandi
- Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
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