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Li M. Is melanin-concentrating hormone in the medial preoptic area a signal for the decline of maternal care in late postpartum? Front Neuroendocrinol 2024; 75:101155. [PMID: 39222798 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2024.101155] [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: 07/08/2024] [Revised: 08/28/2024] [Accepted: 08/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
This manuscript proposes that melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) is an neurochemical signal evolved to trigger the declining process of maternal care. MCH in the MPOA appears only after parturition and is progressively increased with the progression of lactation, while maternal behavior declines progressively. Intra-MPOA injection of MCH decreases active maternal responses. MCH is also highly responsive to infant characteristics and maternal condition. Behavioral changes induced by MCH in late postpartum period are conducive to the decline of infant-directed maternal behavior. The MPOA MCH system may mediate the maternal behavior decline by suppressing the maternal approach motivation and/or increasing maternal withdrawal via its inhibitory action onto the mesolimbic dopamine D1/D2 receptors and its stimulating action on serotonin 5-HT2C receptors in the ventral tegmental area. Research into the MCH maternal effects will enhance our understanding of the neurochemical mechanisms underlying the maternal behavior decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Li
- Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.
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2
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Kuebler IRK, Suárez M, Wakabayashi KT. Sex differences and sex-specific regulation of motivated behavior by Melanin-concentrating hormone: a short review. Biol Sex Differ 2024; 15:33. [PMID: 38570844 PMCID: PMC10993549 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-024-00608-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent preclinical research exploring how neuropeptide transmitter systems regulate motivated behavior reveal the increasing importance of sex as a critical biological variable. Neuropeptide systems and their central circuits both contribute to sex differences in a range of motivated behaviors and regulate sex-specific behaviors. In this short review, we explore the current research of how sex as a biological variable influences several distinct motivated behaviors that are modulated by the melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) neuropeptide system. First, we review how MCH regulates feeding behavior within the context of energy homeostasis differently between male and female rodents. Then, we focus on MCH's role in lactation as a sex-specific process within the context of energy homeostasis. Next, we discuss the sex-specific effects of MCH on maternal behavior. Finally, we summarize the role of MCH in drug-motivated behaviors. While these topics are traditionally investigated from different scientific perspectives, in this short review we discuss how these behaviors share commonalities within the larger context of motivated behaviors, and that sex differences discovered in one area of research may impact our understanding in another. Overall, our review highlights the need for further research into how sex differences in energy regulation associated with reproduction and parental care contribute to regulating motivated behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel R K Kuebler
- Neurocircuitry of Motivated Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588-0308, USA
| | - Mauricio Suárez
- Neurocircuitry of Motivated Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588-0308, USA
| | - Ken T Wakabayashi
- Neurocircuitry of Motivated Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588-0308, USA.
- Rural Drug Addiction Research Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 660 N 12th St., Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA.
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3
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Kuroda KO, Fukumitsu K, Kurachi T, Ohmura N, Shiraishi Y, Yoshihara C. Parental brain through time: The origin and development of the neural circuit of mammalian parenting. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2024; 1534:24-44. [PMID: 38426943 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
This review consolidates current knowledge on mammalian parental care, focusing on its neural mechanisms, evolutionary origins, and derivatives. Neurobiological studies have identified specific neurons in the medial preoptic area as crucial for parental care. Unexpectedly, these neurons are characterized by the expression of molecules signaling satiety, such as calcitonin receptor and BRS3, and overlap with neurons involved in the reproductive behaviors of males but not females. A synthesis of comparative ecology and paleontology suggests an evolutionary scenario for mammalian parental care, possibly stemming from male-biased guarding of offspring in basal vertebrates. The terrestrial transition of tetrapods led to prolonged egg retention in females and the emergence of amniotes, skewing care toward females. The nocturnal adaptation of Mesozoic mammalian ancestors reinforced maternal care for lactation and thermal regulation via endothermy, potentially introducing metabolic gate control in parenting neurons. The established maternal care may have served as the precursor for paternal and cooperative care in mammals and also fostered the development of group living, which may have further contributed to the emergence of empathy and altruism. These evolution-informed working hypotheses require empirical validation, yet they offer promising avenues to investigate the neural underpinnings of mammalian social behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kumi O Kuroda
- RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
- School of Life Sciences and Technologies, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kansai Fukumitsu
- RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
- Department of Physiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan
| | - Takuma Kurachi
- RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
- Department of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nami Ohmura
- RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
- Center for Brain, Mind and Kansei Sciences Research, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Yuko Shiraishi
- RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
- Kawamura Gakuen Woman's University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Chihiro Yoshihara
- RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
- School of Life Sciences and Technologies, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kanagawa, Japan
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Beekly BG, Rupp A, Burgess CR, Elias CF. Fast neurotransmitter identity of MCH neurons: Do contents depend on context? Front Neuroendocrinol 2023; 70:101069. [PMID: 37149229 PMCID: PMC11190671 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Hypothalamic melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) neurons participate in many fundamental neuroendocrine processes. While some of their effects can be attributed to MCH itself, others appear to depend on co-released neurotransmitters. Historically, the subject of fast neurotransmitter co-release from MCH neurons has been contentious, with data to support MCH neurons releasing GABA, glutamate, both, and neither. Rather than assuming a position in that debate, this review considers the evidence for all sides and presents an alternative explanation: neurochemical identity, including classical neurotransmitter content, is subject to change. With an emphasis on the variability of experimental details, we posit that MCH neurons may release GABA and/or glutamate at different points according to environmental and contextual factors. Through the lens of the MCH system, we offer evidence that the field of neuroendocrinology would benefit from a more nuanced and dynamic interpretation of neurotransmitter identity.
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Affiliation(s)
- B G Beekly
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Elizabeth W. Caswell Diabetes Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
| | - A Rupp
- Elizabeth W. Caswell Diabetes Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - C R Burgess
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - C F Elias
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Elizabeth W. Caswell Diabetes Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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5
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Pati D, Krause EG, Frazier CJ. Intrahypothalamic effects of oxytocin on PVN CRH neurons in response to acute stress. CURRENT OPINION IN ENDOCRINE AND METABOLIC RESEARCH 2022; 26:100382. [PMID: 36618014 PMCID: PMC9815561 DOI: 10.1016/j.coemr.2022.100382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Much of the centrally available oxytocin (OT) is synthesized in magnocellular neurons located in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. This same area is home to parvocellular corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) synthesizing neurons that regulate activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. A large body of data indicates that complex interactions between these systems inextricably link central OT signaling with the neuroendocrine response to stress. This review focuses on a small but diverse set of cellular and synaptic mechanisms that have been proposed to underlie intrahypothalamic OT/CRF interactions during the response to acute stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipa Pati
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida
| | - Eric G. Krause
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida
| | - Charles J. Frazier
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
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Kojin BB, Jakes E, Biedler JK, Tu Z, Adelman ZN. Partial masculinization of Aedes aegypti females by conditional expression of Nix. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010598. [PMID: 35776760 PMCID: PMC9307153 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Aedes aegypti, the main vector of dengue, yellow fever, and other arboviruses thrives in tropical and subtropical areas around the globe putting half of the world’s population at risk. Despite aggressive efforts to control the transmission of those viruses, an unacceptable number of cases occur every year, emphasizing the need to develop new control strategies. Proposals for vector control focused on population suppression could offer a feasible alternative method to reduce disease transmission. The induction of extreme male-biased sex ratios has been hypothesized to be able to suppress or collapse a population, with previous experiments showing that stable expression of the male determining factor Nix in A. aegypti is sufficient to convert females into fertile males.
Methodology/Principal findings
Here, we report on the conditional expression of Nix in transgenic A. aegypti under the control of the tetracycline-dependent (Tet-off) system, with the goal of establishing repressible sex distortion. A masculinization phenotype was observed in three of the seven transgenic lines with females exhibiting male-like long maxillary palps and most importantly, the masculinized females were unable to blood feed. Doxycycline treatment of the transgenic lines only partially restored the normal phenotype from the masculinized transgenic lines, while RT-qPCR analysis of early embryos or adults showed no correlation between the level of masculinization and ectopic Nix expression.
Conclusions/Significance
While the conditional expression of Nix produced intersex phenotypes, the level of expression was insufficient to program full conversion. Modifications that increase both the level of activation (no tet) and the level of repression (with tet) will be necessary, as such this study represents one step forward in the development of genetic strategies to control vector-borne diseases via sex ratio distortion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca B. Kojin
- Department of Entomology and Agrilife Research, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Emma Jakes
- Department of Entomology and Agrilife Research, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - James K. Biedler
- Department of Biochemistry and Fralin Life Science Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Zhijian Tu
- Department of Biochemistry and Fralin Life Science Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Zach N. Adelman
- Department of Entomology and Agrilife Research, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Orikasa C. Social Network Plasticity of Mice Parental Behavior. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:882850. [PMID: 35747212 PMCID: PMC9209706 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.882850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural plasticity occurs during developmental stages and is essential for sexual differentiation of the brain and the ensuing sex-dependent behavioral changes in adults. Maternal behavior is primarily affected by sex-related differences in the brain; however, chronic social isolation even in mature male mice can induce maternal retrieving and crouching behavior when they are first exposed to pups. Social milieus influence the inherent behavior of adults and alter the molecular architecture in the brain, thereby allowing higher levels of associated gene expression and molecular activity. This review explores the possibility that although the development of neural circuits is closely associated with maternal behavior, the brain can still retain its neuroplasticity in adults from a neuromolecular perspective. In addition, neuronal machinery such as neurotransmitters and neuropeptides might influence sociobehavioral changes. This review also discusses that the neural circuits regulating behaviors such as parenting and infanticide (including neglect behavior), might be controlled by neural relay on melanin concentrating hormone (MCH)–oxytocin in the hypothalamus during the positive and negative mode of action in maternal behavior. Furthermore, MCH–oxytocin neural relay might contribute to the anxiolytic effect on maternal behavior, which is involved with reward circuits.
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Inada K, Hagihara M, Tsujimoto K, Abe T, Konno A, Hirai H, Kiyonari H, Miyamichi K. Plasticity of neural connections underlying oxytocin-mediated parental behaviors of male mice. Neuron 2022; 110:2009-2023.e5. [PMID: 35443152 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.03.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The adult brain can flexibly adapt behaviors to specific life-stage demands. For example, while sexually naive male mice are aggressive to the conspecific young, they start to provide caregiving to infants around the time when their own young are expected. How such behavioral plasticity is implemented at the level of neural connections remains poorly understood. Here, using viral-genetic approaches, we establish hypothalamic oxytocin neurons as the key regulators of the parental caregiving behaviors of male mice. We then use rabies-virus-mediated unbiased screening to identify excitatory neural connections originating from the lateral hypothalamus to the oxytocin neurons to be drastically strengthened when male mice become fathers. These connections are functionally relevant, as their activation suppresses pup-directed aggression in virgin males. These results demonstrate the life-stage associated, long-distance, and cell-type-specific plasticity of neural connections in the hypothalamus, the brain region that is classically assumed to be hard-wired.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kengo Inada
- Laboratory for Comparative Connectomics, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan.
| | - Mitsue Hagihara
- Laboratory for Comparative Connectomics, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
| | - Kazuko Tsujimoto
- Laboratory for Comparative Connectomics, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
| | - Takaya Abe
- Laboratory for Animal Resources and Genetic Engineering, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
| | - Ayumu Konno
- Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma 371-8511, Japan; Viral Vector Core, Gunma University Initiative for Advanced Research (GIAR), Maebashi, Gunma 371-8511, Japan
| | - Hirokazu Hirai
- Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma 371-8511, Japan; Viral Vector Core, Gunma University Initiative for Advanced Research (GIAR), Maebashi, Gunma 371-8511, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kiyonari
- Laboratory for Animal Resources and Genetic Engineering, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
| | - Kazunari Miyamichi
- Laboratory for Comparative Connectomics, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan; Japan Science and Technology Agency, PRESTO, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan.
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Neural Contributions of the Hypothalamus to Parental Behaviour. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22136998. [PMID: 34209728 PMCID: PMC8268030 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22136998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Parental behaviour is a comprehensive set of neural responses to social cues. The neural circuits that govern parental behaviour reside in several putative nuclei in the brain. Melanin concentrating hormone (MCH), a neuromodulator that integrates physiological functions, has been confirmed to be involved in parental behaviour, particularly in crouching behaviour during nursing. Abolishing MCH neurons in innate MCH knockout males promotes infanticide in virgin male mice. To understand the mechanism and function of neural networks underlying parental care and aggression against pups, it is essential to understand the basic organisation and function of the involved nuclei. This review presents newly discovered aspects of neural circuits within the hypothalamus that regulate parental behaviours.
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