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Joyce MKP, Uchendu S, Arnsten AFT. Stress and inflammation target dorsolateral prefrontal cortex function: Neural mechanisms underlying weakened cognitive control. Biol Psychiatry 2024:S0006-3223(24)01420-3. [PMID: 38944141 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.06.016] [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: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 06/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024]
Abstract
Most mental disorders involve dysfunction of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), a recently evolved brain region that subserves working memory, abstraction and the thoughtful regulation of attention, action and emotion. For example, schizophrenia, depression, long-COVID and Alzheimer's disease are all associated with dlPFC dysfunction, with neuropathology often focused in layer III. The dlPFC has extensive top-down projections: e.g. to the posterior association cortices to regulate attention, and the subgenual cingulate cortex via the rostral and medial PFC to regulate emotional responses. However, the dlPFC is particularly dependent on arousal state, and is very vulnerable to stress and inflammation, which are etiological and/or exacerbating factors in most mental disorders. The cellular mechanisms by which stress and inflammation impact the dlPFC are a topic of current research, and are summarized in this review. For example, the layer III dlPFC circuits generating working memory-related neuronal firing have unusual neurotransmission, depending on NMDAR and nicotinic-α7R actions that are blocked under inflammatory conditions by kynurenic acid. These circuits also have unusual neuromodulation, with the molecular machinery to magnify calcium signaling in spines needed to support persistent firing, which must be tightly regulated to prevent toxic calcium actions. Stress rapidly weakens layer III connectivity by driving feedforward calcium-cAMP opening of potassium channels on spines. This is regulated by postsynaptic noradrenergic α2A-AR and mGluR3 signaling, but dysregulated by inflammation and/or chronic stress exposure, contributing to spine loss. Treatments that strengthen dlPFC, via pharmacological (the α2A-AR agonist, guanfacine) or rTMS manipulation, provide a rational basis for therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Kate P Joyce
- Dept Neuroscience, Yale Medical School, 333 Cedar St., New Haven, CT USA 06510
| | - Stacy Uchendu
- Dept Neuroscience, Yale Medical School, 333 Cedar St., New Haven, CT USA 06510
| | - Amy F T Arnsten
- Dept Neuroscience, Yale Medical School, 333 Cedar St., New Haven, CT USA 06510.
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Serra GP, Guillaumin A, Vlcek B, Delgado-Zabalza L, Ricci A, Rubino E, Dumas S, Baufreton J, Georges F, Wallén-Mackenzie Å. A role for the subthalamic nucleus in aversive learning. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113328. [PMID: 37925641 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The subthalamic nucleus (STN) is critical for behavioral control; its dysregulation consequently correlated with neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders, including Parkinson's disease. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) targeting the STN successfully alleviates parkinsonian motor symptoms. However, low mood and depression are affective side effects. STN is adjoined with para-STN, associated with appetitive and aversive behavior. DBS aimed at STN might unintentionally modulate para-STN, causing aversion. Alternatively, the STN mediates aversion. To investigate causality between STN and aversion, affective behavior is addressed using optogenetics in mice. Selective promoters allow dissociation of STN (e.g., Pitx2) vs. para-STN (Tac1). Acute photostimulation results in aversion via both STN and para-STN. However, only STN stimulation-paired cues cause conditioned avoidance and only STN stimulation interrupts on-going sugar self-administration. Electrophysiological recordings identify post-synaptic responses in pallidal neurons, and selective photostimulation of STN terminals in the ventral pallidum replicates STN-induced aversion. Identifying STN as a source of aversive learning contributes neurobiological underpinnings to emotional affect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gian Pietro Serra
- Uppsala University, Department of Organism Biology, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Adriane Guillaumin
- Uppsala University, Department of Organism Biology, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden; University of Bordeaux, CNRS, IMN, UMR 5293, 33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Bianca Vlcek
- Uppsala University, Department of Organism Biology, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Alessia Ricci
- Uppsala University, Department of Organism Biology, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Eleonora Rubino
- Uppsala University, Department of Organism Biology, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Jérôme Baufreton
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, IMN, UMR 5293, 33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - François Georges
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, IMN, UMR 5293, 33000 Bordeaux, France
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Liu T, Ning Y, Liu P, Zhang Y, Chua Y, Chen W, Zhang S. Modularity Facilitates Classification Performance of Spiking Neural Networks for Decoding Cortical Spike Trains. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2023; 2023:1-4. [PMID: 38083788 DOI: 10.1109/embc40787.2023.10340358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
After the introduction of recurrence, an important property of the biological brain, spiking neural networks (SNNs) have achieved unprecedented classification performance. But they still cannot outperform many artificial neural networks. Modularity is another crucial feature of the biological brain. It remains unclear if modularity can also improve the performance of SNNs. To investigate this idea, we proposed the modular SNN, and compared its performance with a uniform SNN without modularity by employing them to classify cortical spike trains. For the first time, a significant improvement was found in our modular SNN. Further, we probed into the factors influencing the performance of the modular SNN and found: (a). The modular SNN outperformed the uniform SNN more significantly when the number of neurons in the networks increased; (b). The performance of the modular SNNs increased as the number of modules dropped. These preliminary but novel findings suggest that modularity may help develop better artificial intelligence and brain-machine interfaces. Also, the modular SNN may serve as a model for the study of neuronal spike synchrony.
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Coenen VA, Watakabe A, Skibbe H, Yamamori T, Döbrössy MD, Sajonz BEA, Reinacher PC, Reisert M. Tomographic tract tracing and data driven approaches to unravel complex 3D fiber anatomy of DBS relevant prefrontal projections to the diencephalic-mesencephalic junction in the marmoset. Brain Stimul 2023; 16:670-681. [PMID: 37028755 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2023.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding prefrontal cortex projections to diencephalic-mesencephalic junction (DMJ), especially to subthalamic nucleus (STN) and ventral mesencephalic tegmentum (VMT) helps our comprehension of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) in major depression (MD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Fiber routes are complex and tract tracing studies in non-human primate species (NHP) have yielded conflicting results. The superolateral medial forebrain bundle (slMFB) is a promising target for DBS in MD and OCD. It has become a focus of criticism owing to its name and its diffusion weighted-imaging based primary description. OBJECTIVE To investigate DMJ connectivity in NHP with a special focus on slMFB and the limbic hyperdirect pathway utilizing three-dimensional and data driven techniques. METHODS We performed left prefrontal adeno-associated virus - tracer based injections in the common marmoset monkey (n = 52). Histology and two-photon microscopy were integrated into a common space. Manual and data driven cluster analyses of DMJ, subthalamic nucleus and VMT together, followed by anterior tract tracing streamline (ATTS) tractography were deployed. RESULTS Typical pre- and supplementary motor hyperdirect connectivity was confirmed. The advanced tract tracing unraveled the complex connectivity to the DMJ. Limbic prefrontal territories directly projected to the VMT but not STN. DISCUSSION Intricate results of tract tracing studies warrant the application of advanced three-dimensional analyses to understand complex fiber-anatomical routes. The applied three-dimensional techniques can enhance anatomical understanding also in other regions with complex fiber anatomy. CONCLUSION Our work confirms slMFB anatomy and enfeebles previous misconceptions. The rigorous NHP approach strengthens the role of the slMFB as a target structure for DBS predominantly in psychiatric indications like MD and OCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Volker A Coenen
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Medical Center of the University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany, Breisacher Straße 64, 79106, Freiburg Im Breisgau, Germany; Medical Faculty of the University of Freiburg, Breisacher Str. 153, 79110, Freiburg Im Breisgau, Germany; Center for Deep Brain Stimulation, Medical Center of the University of Freiburg, Germany; AG Stereotaxy and Interventional Neurosciences (SIN), Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Medical Center of the University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany, Breisacher Straße 64, 79106, Freiburg Im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Akiya Watakabe
- Laboratory for Molecular Analysis of Higher Brain Function, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Japan
| | - Henrik Skibbe
- Brain Image Analysis Unit, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Japan
| | - Tetsuo Yamamori
- Laboratory for Molecular Analysis of Higher Brain Function, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Japan
| | - Máté D Döbrössy
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Medical Center of the University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany, Breisacher Straße 64, 79106, Freiburg Im Breisgau, Germany; AG Stereotaxy and Interventional Neurosciences (SIN), Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Medical Center of the University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany, Breisacher Straße 64, 79106, Freiburg Im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Bastian E A Sajonz
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Medical Center of the University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany, Breisacher Straße 64, 79106, Freiburg Im Breisgau, Germany; Medical Faculty of the University of Freiburg, Breisacher Str. 153, 79110, Freiburg Im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Peter C Reinacher
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Medical Center of the University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany, Breisacher Straße 64, 79106, Freiburg Im Breisgau, Germany; Medical Faculty of the University of Freiburg, Breisacher Str. 153, 79110, Freiburg Im Breisgau, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT), Aachen, Germany
| | - Marco Reisert
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Medical Center of the University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany, Breisacher Straße 64, 79106, Freiburg Im Breisgau, Germany; Medical Faculty of the University of Freiburg, Breisacher Str. 153, 79110, Freiburg Im Breisgau, Germany; Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Physics, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Killianstrasse 5a, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
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Brown NK, Roche JK, Farmer CB, Roberts RC. Evidence for upregulation of excitatory synaptic transmission in the substantia nigra in Schizophrenia: a postmortem ultrastructural study. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2023; 130:561-573. [PMID: 36735096 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-023-02593-x] [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: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia suggests that psychotic symptoms originate from dysregulation of dopaminergic activity, which may be controlled by upstream innervation. We hypothesized that we would find anatomical evidence for the hyperexcitability seen in the SN. We examined and quantified synaptic morphology, which correlates with function, in the postmortem substantia nigra (SN) from 15 schizophrenia and 12 normal subjects. Synapses were counted using stereological techniques and classified based on the morphology of the post-synaptic density (PSD) and the presence or absence of a presynaptic density. The density and proportion of excitatory synapses was higher in the schizophrenia group than in controls, while the proportion (but not density) of inhibitory synapses was lower. We also detected in the schizophrenia group an increase in density of synapses with a PSD of intermediate thickness, which may represent excitatory synapses. The density of synapses with presynaptic densities was similar in both groups. The density of synapses with mixed morphologies was higher in the schizophrenia group than in controls. The human SN contains atypical synaptic morphology. We found an excess amount and proportion of excitatory synapses in the SN in schizophrenia that could result in hyperactivity and drive the psychotic symptoms of schizophrenia. The sources of afferent excitatory inputs to the SN arise from the subthalamic nucleus, the pedunculopontine nucleus, and the ventral tegmental area (VTA), areas that could be the source of excess excitation. Synapses with mixed morphologies may represent inputs from the VTA, which release multiple transmitters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole K Brown
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Sparks Center 835C, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Joy K Roche
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Sparks Center 835C, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Charlene B Farmer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Sparks Center 835C, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Rosalinda C Roberts
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Sparks Center 835C, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.
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Sabaroedin K, Tiego J, Fornito A. Circuit-Based Approaches to Understanding Corticostriatothalamic Dysfunction Across the Psychosis Continuum. Biol Psychiatry 2023; 93:113-124. [PMID: 36253195 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.07.017] [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: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Dopamine is known to play a role in the pathogenesis of psychotic symptoms, but the mechanisms driving dopaminergic dysfunction in psychosis remain unclear. Considerable attention has focused on the role of corticostriatothalamic (CST) circuits, given that they regulate and are modulated by the activity of dopaminergic cells in the midbrain. Preclinical studies have proposed multiple models of CST dysfunction in psychosis, each prioritizing different brain regions and pathophysiological mechanisms. A particular challenge is that CST circuits have undergone considerable evolutionary modification across mammals, complicating comparisons across species. Here, we consider preclinical models of CST dysfunction in psychosis and evaluate the degree to which they are supported by evidence from human resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging studies conducted across the psychosis continuum, ranging from subclinical schizotypy to established schizophrenia. In partial support of some preclinical models, human studies indicate that dorsal CST and hippocampal-striatal functional dysconnectivity are apparent across the psychosis spectrum and may represent a vulnerability marker for psychosis. In contrast, midbrain dysfunction may emerge when symptoms warrant clinical assistance and may thus be a trigger for illness onset. The major difference between clinical and preclinical findings is the strong involvement of the dorsal CST in the former, consistent with an increasing prominence of this circuitry in the primate brain. We close by underscoring the need for high-resolution characterization of phenotypic heterogeneity in psychosis to develop a refined understanding of how the dysfunction of specific circuit elements gives rise to distinct symptom profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Sabaroedin
- Departments of Radiology and Paediatrics, Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
| | - Jeggan Tiego
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences and Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alex Fornito
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences and Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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7
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Relevance of interactions between dopamine and glutamate neurotransmission in schizophrenia. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:3583-3591. [PMID: 35681081 PMCID: PMC9712151 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01649-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) and glutamate neurotransmission are strongly implicated in schizophrenia pathophysiology. While most studies focus on contributions of neurons that release only DA or glutamate, neither DA nor glutamate models alone recapitulate the full spectrum of schizophrenia pathophysiology. Similarly, therapeutic strategies limited to either system cannot effectively treat all three major symptom domains of schizophrenia: positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms. Increasing evidence suggests extensive interactions between the DA and glutamate systems and more effective treatments may therefore require the targeting of both DA and glutamate signaling. This offers the possibility that disrupting DA-glutamate circuitry between these two systems, particularly in the striatum and forebrain, culminate in schizophrenia pathophysiology. Yet, the mechanisms behind these interactions and their contributions to schizophrenia remain unclear. In addition to circuit- or system-level interactions between neurons that solely release either DA or glutamate, here we posit that functional alterations involving a subpopulation of neurons that co-release both DA and glutamate provide a novel point of integration between DA and glutamate systems, offering a key missing link in our understanding of schizophrenia pathophysiology. Better understanding of mechanisms underlying DA/glutamate co-release from these neurons may therefore shed new light on schizophrenia pathophysiology and lead to more effective therapeutics.
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Analysis of individual differences in neurofeedback training illuminates successful self-regulation of the dopaminergic midbrain. Commun Biol 2022; 5:845. [PMID: 35986202 PMCID: PMC9391365 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03756-4] [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: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The dopaminergic midbrain is associated with reinforcement learning, motivation and decision-making – functions often disturbed in neuropsychiatric disorders. Previous research has shown that dopaminergic midbrain activity can be endogenously modulated via neurofeedback. However, the robustness of endogenous modulation, a requirement for clinical translation, is unclear. Here, we examine whether the activation of particular brain regions associates with successful regulation transfer when feedback is no longer available. Moreover, to elucidate mechanisms underlying effective self-regulation, we study the relation of successful transfer with learning (temporal difference coding) outside the midbrain during neurofeedback training and with individual reward sensitivity in a monetary incentive delay (MID) task. Fifty-nine participants underwent neurofeedback training either in standard (Study 1 N = 15, Study 2 N = 28) or control feedback group (Study 1, N = 16). We find that successful self-regulation is associated with prefrontal reward sensitivity in the MID task (N = 25), with a decreasing relation between prefrontal activity and midbrain learning signals during neurofeedback training and with increased activity within cognitive control areas during transfer. The association between midbrain self-regulation and prefrontal temporal difference and reward sensitivity suggests that reinforcement learning contributes to successful self-regulation. Our findings provide insights in the control of midbrain activity and may facilitate individually tailoring neurofeedback training. Analysis of real-time fMRI data from 59 participants undergoing neurofeedback training suggests that reinforcement learning contributes to successful self-regulation in the dopaminergic midbrain.
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A method for support neuron selection in NMLI. Neurocomputing 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neucom.2022.03.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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10
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Matsumoto M, Abe H, Tanaka K, Matsumoto K. Different types of uncertainty distinguished by monkey prefrontal neurons. Cereb Cortex Commun 2022; 3:tgac002. [PMID: 35169710 PMCID: PMC8842276 DOI: 10.1093/texcom/tgac002] [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: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
To adapt one’s behavior, in a timely manner, to an environment that changes in many different aspects, one must be sensitive to uncertainty about each aspect of the environment. Although the medial prefrontal cortex has been implicated in the representation and reduction of a variety of uncertainties, it is unknown whether different types of uncertainty are distinguished by distinct neuronal populations. To investigate how the prefrontal cortex distinguishes between different types of uncertainty, we recorded neuronal activities from the medial and lateral prefrontal cortices of monkeys performing a visual feedback-based action-learning task in which uncertainty of coming feedback and that of context change varied asynchronously. We found that the activities of two groups of prefrontal cells represented the two different types of uncertainty. These results suggest that different types of uncertainty are represented by distinct neural populations in the prefrontal cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madoka Matsumoto
- Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashi-cho, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8553, Japan
- Tamagawa University Brain Science Institute, 6-1-1 Tamagawa-gakuen, Machida, Tokyo 194-8610, Japan
- Laboratory for Molecular Analysis of Higher Brain Function, Center for Brain Science, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
- Laboratory for Cognitive Brain Mapping, Center for Brain Science, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Abe
- Laboratory for Molecular Analysis of Higher Brain Function, Center for Brain Science, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
- Laboratory for Cognitive Brain Mapping, Center for Brain Science, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Keiji Tanaka
- Laboratory for Cognitive Brain Mapping, Center for Brain Science, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Kenji Matsumoto
- Tamagawa University Brain Science Institute, 6-1-1 Tamagawa-gakuen, Machida, Tokyo 194-8610, Japan
- Laboratory for Cognitive Brain Mapping, Center for Brain Science, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
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Cools R, Arnsten AFT. Neuromodulation of prefrontal cortex cognitive function in primates: the powerful roles of monoamines and acetylcholine. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:309-328. [PMID: 34312496 PMCID: PMC8617291 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01100-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The primate prefrontal cortex (PFC) subserves our highest order cognitive operations, and yet is tremendously dependent on a precise neurochemical environment for proper functioning. Depletion of noradrenaline and dopamine, or of acetylcholine from the dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC), is as devastating as removing the cortex itself, and serotonergic influences are also critical to proper functioning of the orbital and medial PFC. Most neuromodulators have a narrow inverted U dose response, which coordinates arousal state with cognitive state, and contributes to cognitive deficits with fatigue or uncontrollable stress. Studies in monkeys have revealed the molecular signaling mechanisms that govern the generation and modulation of mental representations by the dlPFC, allowing dynamic regulation of network strength, a process that requires tight regulation to prevent toxic actions, e.g., as occurs with advanced age. Brain imaging studies in humans have observed drug and genotype influences on a range of cognitive tasks and on PFC circuit functional connectivity, e.g., showing that catecholamines stabilize representations in a baseline-dependent manner. Research in monkeys has already led to new treatments for cognitive disorders in humans, encouraging future research in this important field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roshan Cools
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Amy F T Arnsten
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
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Deep brain stimulation of the "medial forebrain bundle": a strategy to modulate the reward system and manage treatment-resistant depression. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:574-592. [PMID: 33903731 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01100-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The medial forebrain bundle-a white matter pathway projecting from the ventral tegmental area-is a structure that has been under a lot of scrutinies recently due to its implications in the modulation of certain affective disorders such as major depression. In the following, we will discuss major depression in the context of being a disorder dependent on multiple relevant networks, the pathological performance of which is responsible for the manifestation of various symptoms of the disease which extend into emotional, motivational, physiological, and also cognitive domains of daily living. We will focus on the reward system, an evolutionarily conserved pathway whose underperformance leads to anhedonia and lack of motivation, which are key traits in depression. In the field of deep brain stimulation (DBS), different "hypothesis-driven" targets have been chosen as the subject of clinical trials on efficacy in the treatment-resistant depressed patient. The "medial forebrain bundle" is one such target for DBS, and has had remarkably rapid success in alleviating depressive symptoms, improving anhedonia and motivation. We will review what we have learned from pre-clinical animal studies on defining this white matter tract, its connectivity, and the complex molecular (i.e., neurotransmitter) mechanisms by which its modulation exerts its effects. Imaging studies in the form of tractographic depictions have elucidated its presence in the human brain. Such has led to ongoing clinical trials of DBS targeting this pathway to assess efficacy, which is promising yet still lack in sufficient numbers. Ultimately, one must confirm the mechanism of action and validate proof of antidepressant effect in order to have such treatment become mainstream, to promote widespread improvement in the quality of life of suffering patients.
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Coenen VA, Döbrössy MD, Teo SJ, Wessolleck J, Sajonz BEA, Reinacher PC, Thierauf-Emberger A, Spittau B, Leupold J, von Elverfeldt D, Schlaepfer TE, Reisert M. Diverging prefrontal cortex fiber connection routes to the subthalamic nucleus and the mesencephalic ventral tegmentum investigated with long range (normative) and short range (ex-vivo high resolution) 7T DTI. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 227:23-47. [PMID: 34482443 PMCID: PMC8741702 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02373-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Uncertainties
concerning anatomy and function of cortico-subcortical projections have arisen during the recent years. A clear distinction between cortico-subthalamic (hyperdirect) and cortico-tegmental projections (superolateral medial forebrain bundle, slMFB) so far is elusive. Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) of the slMFB (for major depression, MD and obsessive compulsive disorders, OCD) has on the one hand been interpreted as actually involving limbic (prefrontal) hyperdirect pathways. On the other hand slMFB’s stimulation region in the mesencephalic ventral tegmentum is said to impact on other structures too, going beyond the antidepressant (or anti OCD) efficacy of sole modulation of the cortico-tegmental reward-associated pathways. We have here used a normative diffusion MRT template (HCP, n = 80) for long-range tractography and augmented this dataset with ex-vivo high resolution data (n = 1) in a stochastic brain space. We compared this data with histological information and used the high resolution ex-vivo data set to scrutinize the mesencephalic tegmentum for small fiber pathways present. Our work resolves an existing ambiguity between slMFB and prefrontal hyperdirect pathways which—for the first time—are described as co-existent. DBS of the slMFB does not appear to modulate prefrontal hyperdirect cortico-subthalamic but rather cortico-tegmental projections. Smaller fiber structures in the target region—as far as they can be discerned—appear not to be involved in slMFB DBS. Our work enfeebles previous anatomical criticism and strengthens the position of the slMFB DBS target for its use in MD and OCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Volker A Coenen
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Medical Center of Freiburg University, Breisacher STraße 64, 79106, Freiburg, Germany. .,Medical Faculty of Freiburg University, Freiburg, Germany. .,Center for Deep Brain Stimulation, Medical Center of Freiburg University, Freiburg, Germany. .,Laboratory of Stereotaxy and Interventional Neurosciences, Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Medical Center of Freiburg University, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Máté D Döbrössy
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Medical Center of Freiburg University, Breisacher STraße 64, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.,Medical Faculty of Freiburg University, Freiburg, Germany.,Laboratory of Stereotaxy and Interventional Neurosciences, Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Medical Center of Freiburg University, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Shi Jia Teo
- Medical Faculty of Freiburg University, Freiburg, Germany.,Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Physics, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Johanna Wessolleck
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Medical Center of Freiburg University, Breisacher STraße 64, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.,Laboratory of Stereotaxy and Interventional Neurosciences, Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Medical Center of Freiburg University, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Bastian E A Sajonz
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Medical Center of Freiburg University, Breisacher STraße 64, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.,Medical Faculty of Freiburg University, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Peter C Reinacher
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Medical Center of Freiburg University, Breisacher STraße 64, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.,Medical Faculty of Freiburg University, Freiburg, Germany.,Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT), Aachen, Germany
| | - Annette Thierauf-Emberger
- Medical Faculty of Freiburg University, Freiburg, Germany.,Institute of Forensic Medicine, Medical Center of Freiburg University, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Björn Spittau
- Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical School OWL, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany.,Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Department of Molecular Embryologie, Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg University, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jochen Leupold
- Medical Faculty of Freiburg University, Freiburg, Germany.,Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Physics, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Dominik von Elverfeldt
- Medical Faculty of Freiburg University, Freiburg, Germany.,Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Physics, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Thomas E Schlaepfer
- Medical Faculty of Freiburg University, Freiburg, Germany.,Center for Deep Brain Stimulation, Medical Center of Freiburg University, Freiburg, Germany.,Division of Interventional Biological Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center of Freiburg University, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Marco Reisert
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Medical Center of Freiburg University, Breisacher STraße 64, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.,Medical Faculty of Freiburg University, Freiburg, Germany.,Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Physics, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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14
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Zubair M, Murris SR, Isa K, Onoe H, Koshimizu Y, Kobayashi K, Vanduffel W, Isa T. Divergent Whole Brain Projections from the Ventral Midbrain in Macaques. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:2913-2931. [PMID: 33558867 PMCID: PMC8107798 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
To understand the connectome of the axonal arborizations of dopaminergic midbrain neurons, we investigated the anterograde spread of highly sensitive viral tracers injected into the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and adjacent areas in 3 macaques. In 2 monkeys, injections were centered on the lateral VTA with some spread into the substantia nigra, while in one animal the injection targeted the medial VTA with partial spread into the ventro-medial thalamus. Double-labeling with antibodies against transduced fluorescent proteins (FPs) and tyrosine hydroxylase indicated that substantial portions of transduced midbrain neurons were dopaminergic. Interestingly, cortical terminals were found either homogeneously in molecular layer I, or more heterogeneously, sometimes forming patches, in the deeper laminae II-VI. In the animals with injections in lateral VTA, terminals were most dense in somatomotor cortex and the striatum. In contrast, when the medial VTA was transduced, dense terminals were found in dorsal prefrontal and temporal cortices, while projections to striatum were sparse. In all monkeys, orbitofrontal and occipito-parietal cortex received strong and weak innervation, respectively. Thus, the dopaminergic ventral midbrain sends heterogeneous projections throughout the brain. Furthermore, our results suggest the existence of subgroups in meso-dopaminergic neurons depending on their location in the primate ventral midbrain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Zubair
- Laboratory of Neuro- and Psychophysiology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven Medical School, Leuven 3000, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven 3000, Belgium
- Department of Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Sjoerd R Murris
- Laboratory of Neuro- and Psychophysiology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven Medical School, Leuven 3000, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Kaoru Isa
- Department of Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Hirotaka Onoe
- Human Brain Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Koshimizu
- Department of Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Kenta Kobayashi
- Section of Viral Vector Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, 444-8585, Japan
| | - Wim Vanduffel
- Laboratory of Neuro- and Psychophysiology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven Medical School, Leuven 3000, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven 3000, Belgium
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
- Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02144, USA
| | - Tadashi Isa
- Department of Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Human Brain Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI-ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
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15
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The role of the orbitofrontal cortex and the nucleus accumbens for craving in alcohol use disorder. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:267. [PMID: 33947835 PMCID: PMC8097061 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01384-w] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate structural and functional alterations of the reward system and the neurobiology of craving in alcohol use disorder (AUD). We hypothesized reduced volume of the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), reduced structural connectivity of the segment of the supero-lateral medial forebrain bundle connecting the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) with the NAcc (OFC-NAcc), and reduced resting-state OFC-NAcc functional connectivity (FC). Furthermore, we hypothesized that craving is related to an increase of OFC-NAcc FC. Thirty-nine recently abstinent patients with AUD and 18 healthy controls (HC) underwent structural (T1w-MP2RAGE, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)) and functional (resting-state fMRI) MRI-scans. Gray matter volume of the NAcc, white matter microstructure (fractional anisotropy (FA)) and macrostructure (tract length) of the OFC-NAcc connection and OFC-NAcc FC were compared between AUD and HC using a mixed model MANCOVA controlling for age and gender. Craving was assessed using the thoughts subscale of the obsessive-compulsive drinking scale (OCDS) scale and was correlated with OFC-NAcc FC. There was a significant main effect of group. Results were driven by a volume reduction of bilateral NAcc, reduced FA in the left hemisphere, and reduced tract length of bilateral OFC-NAcc connections in AUD patients. OFC-NAcc FC did not differ between groups. Craving was associated with increased bilateral OFC-NAcc FC. In conclusion, reduced volume of the NAcc and reduced FA and tract length of the OFC-NAcc network suggest structural alterations of the reward network in AUD. Increased OFC-NAcc FC is associated with craving in AUD, and may contribute to situational alcohol-seeking behavior in AUD.
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16
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Noritake A, Ninomiya T, Isoda M. Subcortical encoding of agent-relevant associative signals for adaptive social behavior in the macaque. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 125:78-87. [PMID: 33609569 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2020] [Revised: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Primates are group-living creatures that constantly face the challenges posed by complex social demands. To date, the cortical mechanisms underlying social information processing have been the major focus of attention. However, emerging evidence suggests that subcortical regions also mediate the collection and processing of information from other agents. Here, we review the literature supporting the hypothesis that behavioral variables important for decision-making, i.e., stimulus, action, and outcome, are associated with agent information (self and other) in subcortical regions, such as the amygdala, striatum, lateral hypothalamus, and dopaminergic midbrain nuclei. Such self-relevant and other-relevant associative signals are then integrated into a social utility signal, presumably at the level of midbrain dopamine neurons. This social utility signal allows decision makers to organize their optimal behavior in accordance with social demands. Determining how self-relevant and other-relevant signals might be altered in psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders will be fundamental to better understand how social behaviors are dysregulated in disease conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi Noritake
- Division of Behavioral Development, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 38 Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan; Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Life Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Hayama, Kanagawa, 240-0193, Japan
| | - Taihei Ninomiya
- Division of Behavioral Development, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 38 Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan; Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Life Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Hayama, Kanagawa, 240-0193, Japan
| | - Masaki Isoda
- Division of Behavioral Development, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 38 Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan; Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Life Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Hayama, Kanagawa, 240-0193, Japan.
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17
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Fandakova Y, Gruber MJ. States of curiosity and interest enhance memory differently in adolescents and in children. Dev Sci 2020; 24:e13005. [PMID: 32524703 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Curiosity - broadly defined as the desire to acquire new information - enhances learning and memory in adults. In addition, interest in the information (i.e., when the information is processed) can also facilitate later memory. To date, it is not known how states of pre-information curiosity and post-information interest enhance memory in childhood and adolescence. We used a trivia paradigm in which children and adolescents (N = 60, 10-14 years) encoded trivia questions and answers associated with high or low curiosity. States of high pre-answer curiosity enhanced later memory for trivia answers in both children and adolescents. However, higher positive post-answer interest enhanced memory for trivia answers beyond the effects of curiosity more strongly in adolescents than in children. These results suggest that curiosity and interest have positive effects on learning and memory in childhood and adolescence, but might need to be harnessed in differential ways across child development to optimize learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yana Fandakova
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Matthias J Gruber
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, UK
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18
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Quartarone A, Cacciola A, Milardi D, Ghilardi MF, Calamuneri A, Chillemi G, Anastasi G, Rothwell J. New insights into cortico-basal-cerebellar connectome: clinical and physiological considerations. Brain 2020; 143:396-406. [PMID: 31628799 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awz310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2019] [Revised: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The current model of the basal ganglia system based on the 'direct', 'indirect' and 'hyperdirect' pathways provides striking predictions about basal ganglia function that have been used to develop deep brain stimulation approaches for Parkinson's disease and dystonia. The aim of this review is to challenge this scheme in light of new tract tracing information that has recently become available from the human brain using MRI-based tractography, thus providing a novel perspective on the basal ganglia system. We also explore the implications of additional direct pathways running from cortex to basal ganglia and between basal ganglia and cerebellum in the pathophysiology of movement disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Quartarone
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Alberto Cacciola
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Demetrio Milardi
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.,IRCCS Centro Neurolesi 'Bonino Pulejo', Messina, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Giuseppe Anastasi
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - John Rothwell
- Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
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19
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Avram M, Brandl F, Cabello J, Leucht C, Scherr M, Mustafa M, Leucht S, Ziegler S, Sorg C. Reduced striatal dopamine synthesis capacity in patients with schizophrenia during remission of positive symptoms. Brain 2020; 142:1813-1826. [PMID: 31135051 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awz093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Revised: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
While there is consistent evidence for increased presynaptic dopamine synthesis capacity in the striatum of patients with schizophrenia during psychosis, it is unclear whether this also holds for patients during psychotic remission. This study investigates whether striatal dopamine synthesis capacity is altered in patients with schizophrenia during symptomatic remission of positive symptoms, and whether potential alterations relate to symptoms other than positive, such as cognitive difficulties. Twenty-three patients with schizophrenia in symptomatic remission of positive symptoms according to Andreasen, and 24 healthy controls underwent 18F-DOPA-PET and behavioural-cognitive assessment. Imaging data were analysed with voxel-wise Patlak modelling with cerebellum as reference region, resulting in the influx constant kicer reflecting dopamine synthesis capacity. For the whole striatum and its subdivisions (i.e. limbic, associative, and sensorimotor), averaged regional kicer values were calculated, compared across groups, and correlated with behavioural-cognitive scores, including a mediation analysis. Patients had negative symptoms (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale-negative 14.13 ± 5.91) and cognitive difficulties, i.e. they performed worse than controls in Trail-Making-Test-B (TMT-B; P = 0.01). Furthermore, kicer was reduced in patients for whole striatum (P = 0.004) and associative (P = 0.002) and sensorimotor subdivisions (P = 0.007). In patients, whole striatum kicer was negatively correlated with TMT-B (rho = -0.42, P = 0.04; i.e. the lower striatal kicer, the worse the cognitive performance). Mediation analysis showed that striatal kicer mediated the group difference in TMT-B. Results demonstrate that patients with schizophrenia in symptomatic remission of positive symptoms have decreased striatal dopamine synthesis capacity, which mediates the disorder's impact on cognitive difficulties. Data suggest that striatal dopamine dysfunction contributes to cognitive difficulties in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihai Avram
- Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.,TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Felix Brandl
- Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.,TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Jorge Cabello
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Claudia Leucht
- Department of Psychiatry, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Martin Scherr
- Department of Psychiatry, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Mona Mustafa
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Leucht
- Department of Psychiatry, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Department of Psychosis Studies, King's College London, UK
| | - Sibylle Ziegler
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Christian Sorg
- Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.,TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
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20
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Coenen VA, Schlaepfer TE, Sajonz B, Döbrössy M, Kaller CP, Urbach H, Reisert M. Tractographic description of major subcortical projection pathways passing the anterior limb of the internal capsule. Corticopetal organization of networks relevant for psychiatric disorders. Neuroimage Clin 2020; 25:102165. [PMID: 31954987 PMCID: PMC6965747 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Major depression (MD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are psychiatric diseases with a huge impact on individual well-being. Despite optimal treatment regiments a subgroup of patients remains treatment resistant and stereotactic surgery (stereotactic lesion surgery, SLS or Deep Brain Stimulation, DBS) might be an option. Recent research has described four networks related to MD and OCD (affect, reward, cognitive control, default network) but only on a cortical and the adjacent sub-cortical level. Despite the enormous impact of comparative neuroanatomy, animal science and stereotactic approaches a holistic theory of subcortical and cortical network interactions is elusive. Because of the dominant hierarchical rank of the neocortex, corticofugal approaches have been used to identify connections in subcortical anatomy without anatomical priors and in part confusing results. We here propose a different corticopetal approach by identifying subcortical networks and search for neocortical convergences thereby following the principle of phylogenetic and ontogenetic network development. MATERIAL AND METHODS This work used a diffusion tensor imaging data from a normative cohort (Human Connectome Project, HCP; n = 200) to describe eight subcortical fiber projection pathways (PPs) from subthalamic nucleus (STN), substantia nigra (SNR), red nucleus (RN), ventral tegmental area (VTA), ventrolateral thalamus (VLT) and mediodorsal thalamus (MDT) in a normative space (MNI). Subcortical and cortical convergences were described including an assignment of the specific pathways to MD/OCD-related networks. Volumes of activated tissue for different stereotactic stimulation sites and procedures were simulated to understand the role of the distinct networks, with respect to symptoms and treatment of OCD and MD. RESULTS The detailed course of eight subcortical PPs (stnPP, snrPP, rnPP, vlATR, vlATRc, mdATR, mdATRc, vtaPP/slMFB) were described together with their subcortical and cortical convergences. The anterior limb of the internal capsule can be subdivided with respect to network occurrences in ventral-dorsal and medio-lateral gradients. Simulation of stereotactic procedures for OCD and MD showed dominant involvement of mdATR/mdATRc (affect network) and vtaPP/slMFB (reward network). DISCUSSION Corticofugal search strategies for the evaluation of stereotactic approaches without anatomical priors often lead to confusing results which do not allow for a clear assignment of a procedure to an involved network. According to our simulation of stereotactic procedures in the treatment of OCD and MD, most of the target regions directly involve the reward (and affect) networks, while side-effects can in part be explained with a co-modulation of the control network. CONCLUSION The here proposed corticopetal approach of a hierarchical description of 8 subcortical PPs with subcortical and cortical convergences represents a new systematics of networks found in all different evolutionary and distinct parts of the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Volker A Coenen
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Freiburg University Medical Center and Medical Faculty of Freiburg University, Breisacher Strasse 64, Freiburg im Breisgau 79106, Germany; Center for Basics in Neuromodulation, Freiburg University, Germany.
| | - Thomas E Schlaepfer
- Department of Interventional Biological Psychiatry, Freiburg University Medical Center and Medical Faculty of Freiburg University, Germany
| | - Bastian Sajonz
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Freiburg University Medical Center and Medical Faculty of Freiburg University, Breisacher Strasse 64, Freiburg im Breisgau 79106, Germany
| | - Máté Döbrössy
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Freiburg University Medical Center and Medical Faculty of Freiburg University, Breisacher Strasse 64, Freiburg im Breisgau 79106, Germany
| | - Christoph P Kaller
- Department of Neuroradiology, Freiburg University Medical Center and Medical Faculty of Freiburg University, Germany
| | - Horst Urbach
- Department of Neuroradiology, Freiburg University Medical Center and Medical Faculty of Freiburg University, Germany
| | - Marco Reisert
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Freiburg University Medical Center and Medical Faculty of Freiburg University, Breisacher Strasse 64, Freiburg im Breisgau 79106, Germany
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21
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Gruber MJ, Ranganath C. How Curiosity Enhances Hippocampus-Dependent Memory: The Prediction, Appraisal, Curiosity, and Exploration (PACE) Framework. Trends Cogn Sci 2019; 23:1014-1025. [PMID: 31706791 PMCID: PMC6891259 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2019.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2018] [Revised: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Curiosity plays a fundamental role for learning and memory, but the neural mechanisms that stimulate curiosity and its effect on memory are poorly understood. Accumulating evidence suggests that curiosity states are related to modulations in activity in the dopaminergic circuit and that these modulations impact memory encoding and consolidation for both targets of curiosity and incidental information encountered during curiosity states. To account for this evidence, we propose the Prediction, Appraisal, Curiosity, and Exploration (PACE) framework, which attempts to explain curiosity and memory in terms of cognitive processes, neural circuits, behavior, and subjective experience. The PACE framework generates testable predictions that can stimulate future investigation of the mechanisms underlying curiosity-related memory enhancements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias J Gruber
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
| | - Charan Ranganath
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA; Psychology Department, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
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22
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Milardi D, Quartarone A, Bramanti A, Anastasi G, Bertino S, Basile GA, Buonasera P, Pilone G, Celeste G, Rizzo G, Bruschetta D, Cacciola A. The Cortico-Basal Ganglia-Cerebellar Network: Past, Present and Future Perspectives. Front Syst Neurosci 2019; 13:61. [PMID: 31736719 PMCID: PMC6831548 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2019.00061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Much of our present understanding of the function and operation of the basal ganglia rests on models of anatomical connectivity derived from tract-tracing approaches in rodents and primates. However, the last years have been characterized by promising step forwards in the in vivo investigation and comprehension of brain connectivity in humans. The aim of this review is to revise the current knowledge on basal ganglia circuits, highlighting similarities and differences across species, in order to widen the current perspective on the intricate model of the basal ganglia system. This will allow us to explore the implications of additional direct pathways running from cortex to basal ganglia and between basal ganglia and cerebellum recently described in animals and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Demetrio Milardi
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.,IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino Pulejo", Messina, Italy
| | - Angelo Quartarone
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppe Anastasi
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Salvatore Bertino
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Gianpaolo Antonio Basile
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | | | | | - Giuseppe Celeste
- I.S.A.S.I.E. Caianello, National Research Council, Messina, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Rizzo
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Daniele Bruschetta
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Alberto Cacciola
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
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23
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Ma T, Sun Y, Ku Y. Effects of Non-invasive Brain Stimulation on Stimulant Craving in Users of Cocaine, Amphetamine, or Methamphetamine: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:1095. [PMID: 31680830 PMCID: PMC6813242 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.01095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Dopamine system plays a pivotal role in specific kinds of substance use disorders (SUD, i. e., cocaine and methamphetamine use disorders). Many studies addressed whether dopamine-involved craving could be alleviated by non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques. Nevertheless, the outcomes were highly inconsistent and the stimulating parameters were highly variable. In the current study, we ran a meta-analysis to identify an overall effect size of NIBS and try to find stimulating parameters of special note. We primarily find 2,530 unduplicated studies in PubMed, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar database involving “Cocaine”/“Amphetamine”/“Methamphetamine” binded with “TMS”/“tDCS”/“non-invasive stimulation” in either field. After visual screening, 26 studies remained. While 16 studies were further excluded due to the lack of data, invalid craving scoring or the absence of sham condition. At last, 16 units of analysis in 12 eligible studies were coded and forwarded to a random-effect analysis. The results showed a large positive main effect of stimulation (Hedge's g = 1.116, CI = [0.597, 1.634]). Further subgroup analysis found that only high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) could elicit a significant decrease in craving, while the outcome of low-frequency stimulation was relatively controversial. Moreover, univariate meta regression revealed that the number of pulses per session could impose negative moderation toward the intervention. No significant moderation effect was found in types of abuse, overall days of stimulation and other variables of stimulating protocol. In conclusion, this meta-analysis offered a persuasive evidence for the feasibility of using NIBS to remit substance addictive behavior directly based on dopamine system. We also give clear methodological guidance that researchers are expected to use high-frequency, sufficiently segmented rTMS to improve the efficacy in future treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianye Ma
- The Shanghai Key Lab of Brain Functional Genomics, Shanghai Changning-ECNU Mental Health Center, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yurong Sun
- The Shanghai Key Lab of Brain Functional Genomics, Shanghai Changning-ECNU Mental Health Center, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yixuan Ku
- School of Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.,College of Psychology and Sociology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,NYU Shanghai and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, NYU-ECNU Institute of Brain and Cognitive Science, Shanghai, China
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24
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Foffani G, Obeso JA. A Cortical Pathogenic Theory of Parkinson's Disease. Neuron 2019; 99:1116-1128. [PMID: 30236282 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.07.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Revised: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
In Parkinson's disease, the progressive neurodegeneration of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) is associated with classic motor features, which typically have a focal onset. Since a defined somatotopic arrangement in the SNc has not been recognized, this focal motor onset is unexplained and hardly justified by current pathogenic theories of bottom-up disease progression (Braak's hypothesis, prionopathy). Here we propose that corticostriatal activity may represent a critical somatotopic "stressor" for nigrostriatal terminals, ultimately driving retrograde nigrostriatal degeneration and leading to focal motor onset and progression of Parkinson's disease. As a pathogenic mechanism, corticostriatal activity may promote secretion of striatal extracellular alpha-synuclein, favoring its pathological aggregation at vulnerable dopaminergic synapses. A similar pathogenic process may occur at corticofugal projections to the medulla oblongata and other vulnerable structures, thereby contributing to the bottom-up progression of Lewy pathology. This cortical pathogenesis may co-exist with bottom-up mechanisms, adding an integrative top-down perspective to the quest for the factors that impinge upon the vulnerability of dopaminergic cells in the onset and progression of Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guglielmo Foffani
- CINAC, Hospital Universitario HM Puerta del Sur, Móstoles, Universidad CEU-San Pablo, Madrid, Spain; Hospital Nacional de Parapléjicos, Toledo, Spain.
| | - José A Obeso
- CINAC, Hospital Universitario HM Puerta del Sur, Móstoles, Universidad CEU-San Pablo, Madrid, Spain; CIBERNED, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
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25
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Increased Neural Activity in Mesostriatal Regions after Prefrontal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and l-DOPA Administration. J Neurosci 2019; 39:5326-5335. [PMID: 31043485 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3128-18.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Revised: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Dopamine dysfunction is associated with a wide range of neuropsychiatric disorders commonly treated pharmacologically or invasively. Recent studies provide evidence for a nonpharmacological and noninvasive alternative that allows similar manipulation of the dopaminergic system: transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). In rodents, tDCS has been shown to increase neural activity in subcortical parts of the dopaminergic system, and recent studies in humans provide evidence that tDCS over prefrontal regions induces striatal dopamine release and affects reward-related behavior. Based on these findings, we used fMRI in healthy human participants and measured the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations to assess spontaneous neural activity strength in regions of the mesostriatal dopamine system before and after tDCS over prefrontal regions (n = 40, 22 females). In a second study, we examined the effect of a single dose of the dopamine precursor levodopa (l-DOPA) on mesostriatal fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation values in male humans (n = 22) and compared the results between both studies. We found that prefrontal tDCS and l-DOPA both enhance neural activity in core regions of the dopaminergic system and show similar subcortical activation patterns. We furthermore assessed the spatial similarity of whole-brain statistical parametric maps, indicating tDCS- and l-DOPA-induced activation, and >100 neuronal receptor gene expression maps based on transcriptional data from the Allen Institute for Brain Science. In line with a specific activation of the dopaminergic system, we found that both interventions predominantly activated regions with high expression levels of the dopamine receptors D2 and D3.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Studies in animals and humans provide evidence that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) allows a manipulation of the dopaminergic system. Based on these findings, we used fMRI to assess changes in spontaneous neural activity strength in the human dopaminergic system after prefrontal tDCS compared with the administration of the dopamine precursor and standard anti-Parkinson drug levodopa (l-DOPA). We found that prefrontal tDCS and l-DOPA both enhance neural activity in core regions of the dopaminergic system and show similar subcortical activation patterns. Using whole-brain transcriptional data of >100 neuronal receptor genes, we found that both interventions specifically activated regions with high expression levels of the dopamine receptors D2 and D3.
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26
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Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation: Re-wiring the alcoholic human brain. Alcohol 2019; 74:113-124. [PMID: 30420113 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2018.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2018] [Revised: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. In spite of significant advances in understanding the neural underpinnings of AUDs, therapeutic options remain limited. Recent studies have highlighted the potential of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) as an innovative, safe, and cost-effective treatment for AUDs. Here, we summarize the fundamental principles of rTMS and its putative mechanisms of action via neurocircuitries related to alcohol addiction. We will also discuss advantages and limitations of rTMS, and argue that Hebbian plasticity and connectivity changes, as well as state-dependency, play a role in shaping some of the long-term effects of rTMS. Visual imaging studies will be linked to recent clinical pilot studies describing the effect of rTMS on alcohol craving and intake, pinpointing new advances, and highlighting conceptual gaps to be filled by future controlled studies.
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Datta D, Arnsten AF. Unique Molecular Regulation of Higher-Order Prefrontal Cortical Circuits: Insights into the Neurobiology of Schizophrenia. ACS Chem Neurosci 2018; 9:2127-2145. [PMID: 29470055 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.7b00505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is associated with core deficits in cognitive abilities and impaired functioning of the newly evolved prefrontal association cortex (PFC). In particular, neuropathological studies of schizophrenia have found selective atrophy of the pyramidal cell microcircuits in deep layer III of the dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC) and compensatory weakening of related GABAergic interneurons. Studies in monkeys have shown that recurrent excitation in these layer III microcircuits generates the precisely patterned, persistent firing needed for working memory and abstract thought. Importantly, excitatory synapses on layer III spines are uniquely regulated at the molecular level in ways that may render them particularly vulnerable to genetic and/or environmental insults. Glutamate actions are remarkably dependent on cholinergic stimulation, and there are inherent mechanisms to rapidly weaken connectivity, e.g. during stress. In particular, feedforward cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-calcium signaling rapidly weakens network connectivity and neuronal firing by opening nearby potassium channels. Many mechanisms that regulate this process are altered in schizophrenia and/or associated with genetic insults. Current data suggest that there are "dual hits" to layer III dlPFC circuits: initial insults to connectivity during the perinatal period due to genetic errors and/or inflammatory insults that predispose the cortex to atrophy, followed by a second wave of cortical loss during adolescence, e.g. driven by stress, at the descent into illness. The unique molecular regulation of layer III circuits may provide a nexus where inflammation disinhibits the neuronal response to stress. Understanding these mechanisms may help to illuminate dlPFC susceptibility in schizophrenia and provide insights for novel therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dibyadeep Datta
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, United States
| | - Amy F.T. Arnsten
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, United States
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28
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Isaacs BR, Forstmann BU, Temel Y, Keuken MC. The Connectivity Fingerprint of the Human Frontal Cortex, Subthalamic Nucleus, and Striatum. Front Neuroanat 2018; 12:60. [PMID: 30072875 PMCID: PMC6060372 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2018.00060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 07/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Within the cortico basal ganglia (BG)-thalamic network, the direct and indirect pathways comprise of projections from the cortex to the striatum (STR), whereas the hyperdirect pathway(s) consist of cortical projections toward the subthalamic nucleus (STN). Each pathway possesses a functionally distinct role for action selection. The current study quantified and compared the structural connectivity between 17 distinct cortical areas with the STN and STR using 7 Tesla diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) in healthy young subjects. The selection of these cortical areas was based on a literature search focusing on animal tracer studies. The results indicate that, relative to other cortical areas, both the STN and STR showed markedly weaker structural connections to areas assumed to be essential for action inhibition such as the inferior frontal cortex pars opercularis. Additionally, the cortical connectivity fingerprint of the STN and STR indicated relatively strong connections to areas related to voluntary motor initiation such as the cingulate motor area and supplementary motor area. Overall the results indicated that the cortical-STN connections were sparser compared to the STR. There were two notable exceptions, namely for the orbitofrontal cortex and ventral medial prefrontal cortex, where a higher tract strength was found for the STN. These two areas are thought to be involved in reward processing and action bias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bethany R. Isaacs
- Integrative Model-Based Cognitive Neuroscience Research Unit, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Birte U. Forstmann
- Integrative Model-Based Cognitive Neuroscience Research Unit, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Yasin Temel
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Department of Neuroscience, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Max C. Keuken
- Integrative Model-Based Cognitive Neuroscience Research Unit, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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29
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Coenen VA, Schumacher LV, Kaller C, Schlaepfer TE, Reinacher PC, Egger K, Urbach H, Reisert M. The anatomy of the human medial forebrain bundle: Ventral tegmental area connections to reward-associated subcortical and frontal lobe regions. Neuroimage Clin 2018; 18:770-783. [PMID: 29845013 PMCID: PMC5964495 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2018.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Revised: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Introduction Despite their importance in reward, motivation, and learning there is only sparse anatomical knowledge about the human medial forebrain bundle (MFB) and the connectivity of the ventral tegmental area (VTA). A thorough anatomical and microstructural description of the reward related PFC/OFC regions and their connection to the VTA - the superolateral branch of the MFB (slMFB) - is however mandatory to enable an interpretation of distinct therapeutic effects from different interventional treatment modalities in neuropsychiatric disorders (DBS, TMS etc.). This work aims at a normative description of the human MFB (and more detailed the slMFB) anatomy with respect to distant prefrontal connections and microstructural features. Methods and material Healthy subjects (n = 55; mean age ± SD, 40 ± 10 years; 32 females) underwent high resolution anatomical magnetic resonance imaging including diffusion tensor imaging. Connectivity of the VTA and the resulting slMFB were investigated on the group level using a global tractography approach. The Desikan/Killiany parceling (8 segments) of the prefrontal cortex was used to describe sub-segments of the MFB. A qualitative overlap with Brodmann areas was additionally described. Additionally, a pure visual analysis was performed comparing local and global tracking approaches for their ability to fully visualize the slMFB. Results The MFB could be robustly described both in the present sample as well as in additional control analyses in data from the human connectome project. Most VTA- connections reached the superior frontal gyrus, the middel frontal gyrus and the lateral orbitofrontal region corresponding to Brodmann areas 10, 9, 8, 11, and 11m. The projections to these regions comprised 97% (right) and 98% (left) of the total relative fiber counts of the slMFB. Discussion The anatomical description of the human MFB shows far reaching connectivity of VTA to reward-related subcortical and cortical prefrontal regions - but not to emotion-related regions on the medial cortical surface - realized via the superolateral branch of the MFB. Local tractography approaches appear to be inferior in showing these far-reaching projections. Since these local approaches are typically used for surgical targeting of DBS procedures, the here established detailed map might - as a normative template - guide future efforts to target deep brain stimulation of the slMFB in depression and other disorders related to dysfunction of reward and reward-associated learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Volker Arnd Coenen
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Medical Center, Freiburg University, Germany; Medical Faculty, Freiburg University, Germany.
| | - Lena Valerie Schumacher
- Department of Neuroradiology, Medical Center, Freiburg University, Germany; Medical Faculty, Freiburg University, Germany; Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Christoph Kaller
- Department of Neurology, Medical Center, Freiburg University, Germany; Medical Faculty, Freiburg University, Germany
| | - Thomas Eduard Schlaepfer
- Department of Interventional Biological Psychiatry, Medical Center, Freiburg University, Germany; Medical Faculty, Freiburg University, Germany
| | - Peter Christoph Reinacher
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Medical Center, Freiburg University, Germany; Medical Faculty, Freiburg University, Germany
| | - Karl Egger
- Department of Neuroradiology, Medical Center, Freiburg University, Germany; Medical Faculty, Freiburg University, Germany
| | - Horst Urbach
- Department of Neuroradiology, Medical Center, Freiburg University, Germany; Medical Faculty, Freiburg University, Germany
| | - Marco Reisert
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Medical Center, Freiburg University, Germany; Department of Medical Physics, Medical Center, Freiburg University, Germany; Medical Faculty, Freiburg University, Germany
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Murty VP, Ballard IC, Adcock RA. Hippocampus and Prefrontal Cortex Predict Distinct Timescales of Activation in the Human Ventral Tegmental Area. Cereb Cortex 2018; 27:1660-1669. [PMID: 26826101 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The mesolimbic dopamine system contributes to a remarkable variety of behaviors at multiple timescales. Midbrain neurons have fast and slow signaling components, and specific afferent systems, such as the hippocampus (HPC) and prefrontal cortex (PFC), have been demonstrated to drive these components in anesthetized animals. Whether these interactions exist during behavior, however, is unknown. To address this question, we developed a novel analysis of human functional magnetic resonance imaging data that fits models of network excitation and inhibition on ventral tegmental area (VTA) activation. We show that specific afferent systems predict distinct temporal components of midbrain VTA signal. We found that PFC, but not HPC, positively predicted transient, event-evoked VTA activation. In contrast, HPC, but not PFC, positively predicted slow shifts in VTA baseline variability. Thus, unique functional contributions of afferent systems to VTA physiology are detectable at the network level in behaving humans. The findings support models of dopamine function in which dissociable neural circuits support different aspects of motivated behavior via active regulation of tonic and phasic signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishnu P Murty
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Ian C Ballard
- Stanford Neurosciences Graduate Training Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - R Alison Adcock
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.,Department of Psychology and Neuroscience.,Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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31
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Functional Segmentation of the Anterior Limb of the Internal Capsule: Linking White Matter Abnormalities to Specific Connections. J Neurosci 2018; 38:2106-2117. [PMID: 29358360 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2335-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2017] [Revised: 12/11/2017] [Accepted: 12/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The anterior limb of the internal capsule (ALIC) carries thalamic and brainstem fibers from prefrontal cortical regions that are associated with different aspects of emotion, motivation, cognition processing, and decision-making. This large fiber bundle is abnormal in several psychiatric illnesses and a major target for deep brain stimulation. Yet, we have very little information about where specific prefrontal fibers travel within the bundle. Using a combination of tracing studies and diffusion MRI in male nonhuman primates, as well as diffusion MRI in male and female human subjects, we segmented the human ALIC into five regions based on the positions of axons from different cortical regions within the capsule. Fractional anisotropy (FA) abnormalities in patients with bipolar disorder were detected when FA was averaged in the ALIC segment that carries ventrolateral prefrontal cortical connections. Together, the results set the stage for linking abnormalities within the ALIC to specific connections and demonstrate the utility of applying connectivity profiles of large white matter bundles based on animal anatomic studies to human connections and associating disease abnormalities in those pathways with specific connections. The ability to functionally segment large white matter bundles into their components begins a new era of refining how we think about white matter organization and use that information in understanding abnormalities.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The anterior limb of the internal capsule (ALIC) connects prefrontal cortex with the thalamus and brainstem and is abnormal in psychiatric illnesses. However, we know little about the location of specific prefrontal fibers within the bundle. Using a combination of animal tracing studies and diffusion MRI in animals and human subjects, we segmented the human ALIC into five regions based on the positions of axons from different cortical regions. We then demonstrated that differences in FA values between bipolar disorder patients and healthy control subjects were specific to a given segment. Together, the results set the stage for linking abnormalities within the ALIC to specific connections and for refining how we think about white matter organization in general.
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32
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Ulrich M, Lorenz S, Spitzer MW, Steigleder L, Kammer T, Grön G. Theta-burst modulation of mid-ventrolateral prefrontal cortex affects salience coding in the human ventral tegmental area. Appetite 2017; 123:91-100. [PMID: 29247796 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2017.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Revised: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 12/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
In the context of hedonic (over-)eating the ventral tegmental area (VTA) as a core part of the dopaminergic reward system plays a central role in coding incentive salience of high-caloric food. In the present study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate whether transcranial magnetic theta-burst stimulation (TBS) over the right mid-ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (mid-VLPFC) can induce modulation of calorie-sensitive brain activation in the VTA. The prefrontal location for TBS had been predetermined by seed-based resting-state fMRI with a functionally defined portion of the VTA serving as seed region obtained from an independent second fMRI experiment. In a sample of 15 healthy male participants, modulation of calorie-sensitive VTA activation did not significantly differ between the two TBS protocols. Comparisons with baseline revealed that both TBS protocols significantly affected calorie-sensitive neural processing of the mid-VLPFC in a rather similar way. In the VTA significant modulation of calorie-sensitive activation was observed after continuous TBS, whereas the modulatory effect of intermittent TBS was less reliable but also associated with a decrease of activation for high-caloric food images. Neurostimulation of right mid-VLPFC is suggestive as a main entry point of downstream signal changes for high- and low-caloric food cues that could enforce a shift in valuating stimuli of initially different incentive salience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Ulrich
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Ulm, Leimgrubenweg 12-14, 89075 Ulm, Germany
| | - Sabrina Lorenz
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Ulm, Leimgrubenweg 12-14, 89075 Ulm, Germany
| | - Markus W Spitzer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Ulm, Leimgrubenweg 12-14, 89075 Ulm, Germany
| | - Leon Steigleder
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Ulm, Leimgrubenweg 12-14, 89075 Ulm, Germany
| | - Thomas Kammer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Ulm, Leimgrubenweg 12-14, 89075 Ulm, Germany
| | - Georg Grön
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Ulm, Leimgrubenweg 12-14, 89075 Ulm, Germany.
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33
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Cacciola A, Calamuneri A, Milardi D, Mormina E, Chillemi G, Marino S, Naro A, Rizzo G, Anastasi G, Quartarone A. A Connectomic Analysis of the Human Basal Ganglia Network. Front Neuroanat 2017; 11:85. [PMID: 29018335 PMCID: PMC5622993 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2017.00085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The current model of basal ganglia circuits has been introduced almost two decades ago and has settled the basis for our understanding of basal ganglia physiology and movement disorders. Although many questions are yet to be answered, several efforts have been recently made to shed new light on basal ganglia function. The traditional concept of “direct” and “indirect” pathways, obtained from axonal tracing studies in non-human primates and post-mortem fiber dissection in the human brain, still retains a remarkable appeal but is somehow obsolete. Therefore, a better comprehension of human structural basal ganglia connectivity in vivo, in humans, is of uttermost importance given the involvement of these deep brain structures in many motor and non-motor functions as well as in the pathophysiology of several movement disorders. By using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging and tractography, we have recently challenged the traditional model of basal ganglia network by showing the possible existence, in the human brain, of cortico-pallidal, cortico-nigral projections, which could be mono- or polysynaptic, and an extensive subcortical network connecting the cerebellum and basal ganglia. Herein, we aimed at reconstructing the basal ganglia connectome providing a quantitative connectivity analysis of the reconstructed pathways. The present findings reinforce the idea of an intricate, not yet unraveled, network involving the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, and cerebellum. Our findings may pave the way for a more comprehensive and holistic pathophysiological model of basal ganglia circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alessandro Calamuneri
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Demetrio Milardi
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino Pulejo", Messina, Italy.,Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Enricomaria Mormina
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Gaetana Chillemi
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Silvia Marino
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino Pulejo", Messina, Italy
| | - Antonino Naro
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino Pulejo", Messina, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Rizzo
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Anastasi
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Angelo Quartarone
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino Pulejo", Messina, Italy.,Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
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34
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Cherkasova MV, Faridi N, Casey KF, Larcher K, O'Driscoll GA, Hechtman L, Joober R, Baker GB, Palmer J, Evans AC, Dagher A, Benkelfat C, Leyton M. Differential Associations between Cortical Thickness and Striatal Dopamine in Treatment-Naïve Adults with ADHD vs. Healthy Controls. Front Hum Neurosci 2017; 11:421. [PMID: 28878639 PMCID: PMC5572420 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Alterations in catecholamine signaling and cortical morphology have both been implicated in the pathophysiology of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, possible links between the two remain unstudied. Here, we report exploratory analyses of cortical thickness and its relation to striatal dopamine transmission in treatment-naïve adults with ADHD and matched healthy controls. All participants had one magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and two [11C]raclopride positron emission tomography scans. Associations between frontal cortical thickness and the magnitude of d-amphetamine-induced [11C]raclopride binding changes were observed that were divergent in the two groups. In the healthy controls, a thicker cortex was associated with less dopamine release; in the ADHD participants the converse was seen. The same divergence was seen for baseline D2/3 receptor availability. In healthy volunteers, lower D2/3 receptor availability was associated with a thicker cortex, while in the ADHD group lower baseline D2/3 receptor availability was associated with a thinner cortex. Individual differences in cortical thickness in these regions correlated with ADHD symptom severity. Together, these findings add to the evidence of associations between dopamine transmission and cortical morphology, and suggest that these relationships are altered in treatment-naïve adults with ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariya V Cherkasova
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of British ColumbiaVancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Nazlie Faridi
- Department of Medicine, Stanford UniversityStanford, CA, United States
| | - Kevin F Casey
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-JustineMontréal, QC, Canada
| | - Kevin Larcher
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill UniversityMontréal, QC, Canada
| | - Gillian A O'Driscoll
- Department of Psychology, McGill UniversityMontréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, McGill UniversityMontréal, QC, Canada
| | - Lily Hechtman
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill UniversityMontréal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Glen B Baker
- Department of Psychiatry, University of AlbertaMontréal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Alan C Evans
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill UniversityMontréal, QC, Canada
| | - Alain Dagher
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill UniversityMontréal, QC, Canada
| | - Chawki Benkelfat
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill UniversityMontréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, McGill UniversityMontréal, QC, Canada
| | - Marco Leyton
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill UniversityMontréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychology, McGill UniversityMontréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, McGill UniversityMontréal, QC, Canada.,Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Concordia UniversityMontréal, QC, Canada
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35
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Addolorato G, Antonelli M, Cocciolillo F, Vassallo GA, Tarli C, Sestito L, Mirijello A, Ferrulli A, Pizzuto DA, Camardese G, Miceli A, Diana M, Giordano A, Gasbarrini A, Di Giuda D. Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Alcohol Use Disorder Patients: Effects on Dopamine Transporter Availability and Alcohol Intake. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2017; 27:450-461. [PMID: 28390775 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2017.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2016] [Revised: 02/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex may affect neuro-adaptations associated with alcohol use disorder (AUD), potentially influencing craving and alcohol intake. We investigated alcohol intake and dopamine transporter (DAT) availability by Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) in the striatum of AUD patients before and after deep rTMS. Fourteen patients underwent baseline clinical and SPECT assessment. Eleven out of fourteen patients were randomized into two groups for the REAL (n.5) or SHAM (n.6) treatment. Clinical and SPECT evaluations were then carried out after four weeks of rTMS sessions (T1). At baseline, AUD patients showed higher striatal DAT availability than healthy control subjects (HC). Patients receiving the REAL stimulation revealed a reduction in DAT availability at T1, whereas the SHAM-treated group did not. In addition, patients receiving the REAL stimulation had a decrease in alcohol intake. The results of this longitudinal pilot study may suggest a modulatory effect of deep rTMS on dopaminergic terminals and a potential clinical efficacy in reducing alcohol intake in AUD patients. Further investigations are required to confirm these preliminary data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Addolorato
- Alcohol Use Disorders Unit, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy; Department of Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
| | - Mariangela Antonelli
- Alcohol Use Disorders Unit, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Cocciolillo
- Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Gabriele A Vassallo
- Alcohol Use Disorders Unit, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia Tarli
- Alcohol Use Disorders Unit, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Luisa Sestito
- Alcohol Use Disorders Unit, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Mirijello
- Alcohol Use Disorders Unit, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy; Department of Medical Sciences, IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza Hospital, San Giovanni Rotondo, FG, Italy
| | - Anna Ferrulli
- Alcohol Use Disorders Unit, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy; Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Disease, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniele A Pizzuto
- Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Camardese
- Department of Neuroscience and Orthopedics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Miceli
- Department of Cardiothoracic Center, Istituto Clinico Sant'Ambrogio, Gruppo Ospedaliero San Donato, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Diana
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Italy
| | - Alessandro Giordano
- Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Gasbarrini
- Department of Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Di Giuda
- Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
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36
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Crews FT, Vetreno RP, Broadwater MA, Robinson DL. Adolescent Alcohol Exposure Persistently Impacts Adult Neurobiology and Behavior. Pharmacol Rev 2016; 68:1074-1109. [PMID: 27677720 PMCID: PMC5050442 DOI: 10.1124/pr.115.012138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 213] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Adolescence is a developmental period when physical and cognitive abilities are optimized, when social skills are consolidated, and when sexuality, adolescent behaviors, and frontal cortical functions mature to adult levels. Adolescents also have unique responses to alcohol compared with adults, being less sensitive to ethanol sedative-motor responses that most likely contribute to binge drinking and blackouts. Population studies find that an early age of drinking onset correlates with increased lifetime risks for the development of alcohol dependence, violence, and injuries. Brain synapses, myelination, and neural circuits mature in adolescence to adult levels in parallel with increased reflection on the consequence of actions and reduced impulsivity and thrill seeking. Alcohol binge drinking could alter human development, but variations in genetics, peer groups, family structure, early life experiences, and the emergence of psychopathology in humans confound studies. As adolescence is common to mammalian species, preclinical models of binge drinking provide insight into the direct impact of alcohol on adolescent development. This review relates human findings to basic science studies, particularly the preclinical studies of the Neurobiology of Adolescent Drinking in Adulthood (NADIA) Consortium. These studies focus on persistent adult changes in neurobiology and behavior following adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE), a model of underage drinking. NADIA studies and others find that AIE results in the following: increases in adult alcohol drinking, disinhibition, and social anxiety; altered adult synapses, cognition, and sleep; reduced adult neurogenesis, cholinergic, and serotonergic neurons; and increased neuroimmune gene expression and epigenetic modifiers of gene expression. Many of these effects are specific to adolescents and not found in parallel adult studies. AIE can cause a persistence of adolescent-like synaptic physiology, behavior, and sensitivity to alcohol into adulthood. Together, these findings support the hypothesis that adolescent binge drinking leads to long-lasting changes in the adult brain that increase risks of adult psychopathology, particularly for alcohol dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fulton T Crews
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies (F.T.C., R.P.V., M.A.B., D.L.R.), Department of Psychiatry (F.T.C., D.L.R.), and Department of Pharmacology (F.T.C.), School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Ryan P Vetreno
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies (F.T.C., R.P.V., M.A.B., D.L.R.), Department of Psychiatry (F.T.C., D.L.R.), and Department of Pharmacology (F.T.C.), School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Margaret A Broadwater
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies (F.T.C., R.P.V., M.A.B., D.L.R.), Department of Psychiatry (F.T.C., D.L.R.), and Department of Pharmacology (F.T.C.), School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Donita L Robinson
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies (F.T.C., R.P.V., M.A.B., D.L.R.), Department of Psychiatry (F.T.C., D.L.R.), and Department of Pharmacology (F.T.C.), School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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37
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Fillinger C, Yalcin I, Barrot M, Veinante P. Afferents to anterior cingulate areas 24a and 24b and midcingulate areas 24a' and 24b' in the mouse. Brain Struct Funct 2016; 222:1509-1532. [PMID: 27539453 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-016-1290-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2016] [Accepted: 08/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Areas 24a and 24b of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) play a major role in cognition, emotion and pain. While their connectivity has been studied in primate and in rat, a complete mapping was still missing in the mouse. Here, we analyzed the afferents to the mouse ACC by injecting retrograde tracers in the ventral and dorsal areas of the ACC (areas 24a/b) and of the midcingulate cortex (MCC; areas 24a'/b'). Our results reveal inputs from five principal groups of structures: (1) cortical areas, mainly the orbital, medial prefrontal, retrosplenial, parietal associative, primary and secondary sensory areas and the hippocampus, (2) basal forebrain, mainly the basolateral amygdaloid nucleus, the claustrum and the horizontal limb of the diagonal band of Broca, (3) the thalamus, mainly the anteromedial, lateral mediodorsal, ventromedial, centrolateral, central medial and reuniens/rhomboid nuclei, (4) the hypothalamus, mainly the lateral and retromammillary areas, and (5) the brainstem, mainly the monoaminergic centers. The neurochemical nature of inputs from the diagonal band of Broca and brainstem centers was also investigated by double-labeling, showing that only a part of these afferents were cholinergic or monoaminergic. Comparisons between the areas indicate that areas 24a and 24b receive qualitatively similar inputs, but with different densities. These differences are more pronounced when comparing the inputs to ACC's areas 24a/24b to the inputs to MCC's areas 24a'/24b'. These results provide a complete analysis of the afferents to the mouse areas 24a/24b and 24a'/24b', which shows important similarity with the connectivity of homologous areas in rats, and brings the anatomical basis necessary to address the roles of cingulate areas in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clémentine Fillinger
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, 5 rue Blaise Pascal, 67084, Strasbourg, France.,Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Ipek Yalcin
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, 5 rue Blaise Pascal, 67084, Strasbourg, France
| | - Michel Barrot
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, 5 rue Blaise Pascal, 67084, Strasbourg, France
| | - Pierre Veinante
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, 5 rue Blaise Pascal, 67084, Strasbourg, France. .,Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
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38
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Cacciola A, Milardi D, Anastasi GP, Basile GA, Ciolli P, Irrera M, Cutroneo G, Bruschetta D, Rizzo G, Mondello S, Bramanti P, Quartarone A. A Direct Cortico-Nigral Pathway as Revealed by Constrained Spherical Deconvolution Tractography in Humans. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:374. [PMID: 27507940 PMCID: PMC4960230 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2015] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Substantia nigra is an important neuronal structure, located in the ventral midbrain, that exerts a regulatory function within the basal ganglia circuitry through the nigro-striatal pathway. Although its subcortical connections are relatively well-known in human brain, little is known about its cortical connections. The existence of a direct cortico-nigral pathway has been demonstrated in rodents and primates but only hypothesized in humans. In this study, we aimed at evaluating cortical connections of substantia nigra in vivo in human brain by using probabilistic constrained spherical deconvolution (CSD) tractography on magnetic resonance diffusion weighted imaging data. We found that substantia nigra is connected with cerebral cortex as a whole, with the most representative connections involving prefrontal cortex, precentral and postcentral gyri and superior parietal lobule. These results may be relevant for the comprehension of the pathophysiology of several neurological disorders involving substantia nigra, such as parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, and pathological addictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Cacciola
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina Messina, Italy
| | - Demetrio Milardi
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of MessinaMessina, Italy; IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino Pulejo"Messina, Italy
| | - Giuseppe P Anastasi
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina Messina, Italy
| | - Gianpaolo A Basile
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina Messina, Italy
| | - Pietro Ciolli
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina Messina, Italy
| | - Mariangela Irrera
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina Messina, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Cutroneo
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina Messina, Italy
| | - Daniele Bruschetta
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina Messina, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Rizzo
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina Messina, Italy
| | - Stefania Mondello
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina Messina, Italy
| | | | - Angelo Quartarone
- Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of MessinaMessina, Italy; IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino Pulejo"Messina, Italy
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39
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Theofilas P, Dunlop S, Heinsen H, Grinberg LT. Turning on the Light Within: Subcortical Nuclei of the Isodentritic Core and their Role in Alzheimer's Disease Pathogenesis. J Alzheimers Dis 2016; 46:17-34. [PMID: 25720408 DOI: 10.3233/jad-142682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Pharmacological interventions in Alzheimer's disease (AD) are likely to be more efficacious if administered early in the course of the disease, foregoing the spread of irreversible changes in the brain. Research findings underline an early vulnerability of the isodendritic core (IC) network to AD neurofibrillary lesions. The IC constitutes a phylogenetically conserved subcortical system including the locus coeruleus in pons, dorsal raphe nucleus, and substantia nigra in the midbrain, and nucleus basalis of Meynert in basal forebrain. Through their ascending projections to the cortex, the IC neurons regulate homeostasis and behavior by synthesizing aminergic and cholinergic neurotransmitters. Here we reviewed the evidence demonstrating that neurons of the IC system show neurofibrillary tangles in the earliest stages of AD, prior to cortical pathology, and how this involvement may explain pre-amnestic symptoms, including depression, agitation, and sleep disturbances in AD patients. In fact, clinical and animal studies show a significant reduction of AD cognitive and behavioral symptoms following replenishment of neurotransmitters associated with the IC network. Therefore, the IC network represents a unique candidate for viable therapeutic intervention and should become a high priority for research in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panos Theofilas
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sara Dunlop
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Helmut Heinsen
- Department of Pathology, University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,Department of Psychiatrics, University of Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Lea Tenenholz Grinberg
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Department of Pathology, University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Sao Paulo, Brazil
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40
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Multi-tensor investigation of orbitofrontal cortex tracts affected in subcaudate tractotomy. Brain Imaging Behav 2016; 9:342-52. [PMID: 25103312 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-014-9314-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Subcaudate tractotomy (SCT) is a neurosurgical lesioning procedure that can reduce symptoms in medically intractable obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Due to the putative importance of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in symptomatology, fibers that connect the OFC, SCT lesion, and either the thalamus or brainstem were investigated with two-tensor tractography using an unscented Kalman filter approach. From this dataset, fibers were warped to Montreal Neurological Institute space, and probability maps with center-of-mass analysis were subsequently generated. In comparing fibers from the same OFC region, including medial OFC (mOFC), central OFC (cOFC), and lateral OFC (lOFC), the area of divergence for fibers connected with the thalamus versus the brainstem is posterior to the anterior commissure. At the anterior commissure, fibers connected with the thalamus run dorsal to those connected with the brainstem. As OFC fibers travel through the ventral aspect of the internal capsule, lOFC fibers are dorsal to cOFC and mOFC fibers. Using neuroanatomical comparison, tracts coursing between the OFC and thalamus are likely part of the anterior thalamic radiations, while those between the OFC and brainstem likely belong to the medial forebrain bundle. These data support the involvement of the OFC in OCD and may be relevant to creating differential lesional procedures of specific tracts or to developing deep brain stimulation programming paradigms.
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41
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Arnsten AFT, Wang M, Paspalas CD. Dopamine's Actions in Primate Prefrontal Cortex: Challenges for Treating Cognitive Disorders. Pharmacol Rev 2016; 67:681-96. [PMID: 26106146 DOI: 10.1124/pr.115.010512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) elaborates and differentiates in primates, and there is a corresponding elaboration in cortical dopamine (DA). DA cells that fire to both aversive and rewarding stimuli likely project to the dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC), signaling a salient event. Since 1979, we have known that DA has an essential influence on dlPFC working memory functions. DA has differing effects via D1 (D1R) versus D2 receptor (D2R) families. D1R are concentrated on dendritic spines, and D1/5R stimulation produces an inverted U-shaped dose response on visuospatial working memory performance and Delay cell firing, the neurons that generate representations of visual space. Optimal levels of D1R stimulation gate out "noise," whereas higher levels, e.g., during stress, suppress Delay cell firing. These effects likely involve hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel opening, activation of GABA interneurons, and reduced glutamate release. Dysregulation of D1R has been related to cognitive deficits in schizophrenia, and there is a need for new, lower-affinity D1R agonists that may better mimic endogenous DA to enhance mental representations and improve cognition. In contrast to D1R, D2R are primarily localized on layer V pyramidal cell dendrites, and D2/3R stimulation speeds and magnifies the firing of Response cells, including Response Feedback cells. Altered firing of Feedback neurons may relate to positive symptoms in schizophrenia. Emerging research suggests that DA may have similar effects in the ventrolateral PFC and frontal eye fields. Research on the orbital PFC in monkeys is just beginning and could be a key area for future discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy F T Arnsten
- Department of Neurobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Min Wang
- Department of Neurobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
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42
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Oliva I, Wanat MJ. Ventral Tegmental Area Afferents and Drug-Dependent Behaviors. Front Psychiatry 2016; 7:30. [PMID: 27014097 PMCID: PMC4780106 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2016.00030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Accepted: 02/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Drug-related behaviors in both humans and rodents are commonly thought to arise from aberrant learning processes. Preclinical studies demonstrate that the acquisition and expression of many drug-dependent behaviors involves the ventral tegmental area (VTA), a midbrain structure comprised of dopamine, GABA, and glutamate neurons. Drug experience alters the excitatory and inhibitory synaptic input onto VTA dopamine neurons, suggesting a critical role for VTA afferents in mediating the effects of drugs. In this review, we present evidence implicating the VTA in drug-related behaviors, highlight the diversity of neuronal populations in the VTA, and discuss the behavioral effects of selectively manipulating VTA afferents. Future experiments are needed to determine which VTA afferents and what neuronal populations in the VTA mediate specific drug-dependent behaviors. Further studies are also necessary for identifying the afferent-specific synaptic alterations onto dopamine and non-dopamine neurons in the VTA following drug administration. The identification of neural circuits and adaptations involved with drug-dependent behaviors can highlight potential neural targets for pharmacological and deep brain stimulation interventions to treat substance abuse disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Idaira Oliva
- Department of Biology, Neurosciences Institute, University of Texas at San Antonio , San Antonio, TX , USA
| | - Matthew J Wanat
- Department of Biology, Neurosciences Institute, University of Texas at San Antonio , San Antonio, TX , USA
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43
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Contribution of substantia nigra glutamate to prediction error signals in schizophrenia: a combined magnetic resonance spectroscopy/functional imaging study. NPJ SCHIZOPHRENIA 2015; 1:14001. [PMID: 26878032 PMCID: PMC4752128 DOI: 10.1038/npjschz.2014.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Background: Because dopamine neurons signal a mismatch between expected and actual reward called prediction error (PE), aberrant PE signals in schizophrenia have been attributed to known dopaminergic abnormalities. However, dysfunction of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors on cortical γ-aminobutyric acid neurons, as hypothesized in schizophrenia, could lead to excess glutamate release in the substantia nigra (SN) and affect reward processing. Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the contribution of SN glutamate to PE signals in healthy controls (HC) and patients with schizophrenia (SZ). Methods: We recruited 22 medicated SZ and 19 HC. We obtained (1) functional magnetic resonance imaging during a probabilistic monetary reward task to assess PE-related blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal and (2) magnetic resonance spectroscopy to measure Glx (glutamate+glutamine) in the SN. To identify group differences in regions where the BOLD signal varies as a function of PE, we analyzed PEs generated during the task as parametric modulators of reward delivery. Finally, we examined the correlation of PE-related BOLD signal and SN Glx in each group. Results: Relative to HC, PE-related BOLD signals in SZ were significantly different in the midbrain/SN and ventral striatum. In SZ, SN Glx was significantly elevated. In HC, but not in SZ, PE-related BOLD signal in SN was positively correlated with SN Glx. Conclusions: These results suggest a role of glutamate in the neural coding of PE in controls. They indicate that glutamatergic dysfunction might contribute to abnormal PE coding in schizophrenia, suggesting the use of glutamate-targeted approaches to improve these deficits.
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Chen HT, Chen JC. Role of the ventral tegmental area in methamphetamine extinction: AMPA receptor-mediated neuroplasticity. Learn Mem 2015; 22:149-58. [PMID: 25691515 PMCID: PMC4340131 DOI: 10.1101/lm.037721.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
The molecular mechanisms underlying drug extinction remain largely unknown, although a role for medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) glutamate neurons has been suggested. Considering that the mPFC sends glutamate efferents to the ventral tegmental area (VTA), we tested whether the VTA is involved in methamphetamine (METH) extinction via conditioned place preference (CPP). Among various METH-CPP stages, we found that the amount of phospho-GluR1/Ser845 increased in the VTA at behavioral extinction, but not the acquisition or withdrawal stage. Via surface biotinylation, we found that levels of membrane GluR1 were significantly increased during METH-CPP extinction, while no change was observed at the acquisition stage. Specifically, the number of dendritic spines in the VTA was increased at behavioral extinction, but not during acquisition. To validate the role of the mPFC in METH-CPP extinction, we lesioned the mPFC. Ibotenic acid lesioning of the mPFC did not affect METH-CPP acquisition, however, it abolished the extinction stage and reversed the enhanced phospho-GluR1/Ser845 levels as well as increases in VTA dendritic spines during METH-CPP extinction. Overall, this study demonstrates that the mPFC plays a critical role in METH-CPP extinction and identifies the VTA as an alternative target in mediating the extinction of drug conditioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han-Ting Chen
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, Tao-Yuan 333, Taiwan
| | - Jin-Chung Chen
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, Tao-Yuan 333, Taiwan Healthy Ageing Research Center, Chang-Gung University, Tao-Yuan 333, Taiwan Neuroscience Research Center, Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital, Tao-Yuan 333, Taiwan
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45
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The lamprey pallium provides a blueprint of the mammalian motor projections from cortex. Curr Biol 2015; 25:413-23. [PMID: 25619762 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2014.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2014] [Revised: 11/28/2014] [Accepted: 12/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The frontal lobe control of movement in mammals has been thought to be a specific function primarily related to the layered neocortex with its efferent connections. In contrast, we now show that the same basic organization is present even in one of the phylogenetically oldest vertebrates, the lamprey. RESULTS Stimulation of specific sites in the pallium/cortex evokes eye, trunk, locomotor, or oral movements. The pallial projection neurons target brainstem motor centers and basal ganglia subnuclei and have prominent dendrites extending into the outer molecular layer. They exhibit the characteristic features of pyramidal neurons and elicit monosynaptic glutamatergic excitatory postsynaptic potentials in output neurons of the optic tectum, reticulospinal neurons, and, as shown earlier, basal ganglia neurons. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate marked similarities in the efferent functional connectivity and control of motor behavior between the lamprey pallium and mammalian neocortex. Thus, the lamprey motor pallium/cortex represents an evolutionary blueprint of the corresponding mammalian system.
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46
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Haber SN. The place of dopamine in the cortico-basal ganglia circuit. Neuroscience 2014; 282:248-57. [PMID: 25445194 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 231] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2014] [Revised: 10/06/2014] [Accepted: 10/08/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons play a central role in developing appropriate goal-directed behaviors, including the motivation and cognition to develop appropriate actions to obtain a specific outcome. Indeed, subpopulations of DA neurons have been associated with these different functions: the mesolimbic, mesocortical, and nigrostriatal pathways. The mesolimbic and nigrostriatal pathways are an integral part of the basal ganglia through its reciprocal connections to the ventral and dorsal striatum respectively. This chapter reviews the connections of the midbrain DA cells and their role in integrating information across limbic, cognitive and motor functions. Emphasis is placed on the interface between these functional domains within the striatum through corticostriatal connections, through the striato-nigro-striatal connection, and through the lateral habenula projection to the midbrain.
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Affiliation(s)
- S N Haber
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester School of Medicine, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14642, United States.
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47
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Haber SN, Behrens TEJ. The neural network underlying incentive-based learning: implications for interpreting circuit disruptions in psychiatric disorders. Neuron 2014; 83:1019-39. [PMID: 25189208 PMCID: PMC4255982 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2014.08.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/18/2014] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Coupling stimuli and actions with positive or negative outcomes facilitates the selection of appropriate actions. Several brain regions are involved in the development of goal-directed behaviors and habit formation during incentive-based learning. This Review focuses on higher cognitive control of decision making and the cortical and subcortical structures and connections that attribute value to stimuli, associate that value with choices, and select an action plan. Delineating the connectivity between these areas is fundamental for understanding how brain regions work together to evaluate stimuli, develop actions plans, and modify behavior, as well as for elucidating the pathophysiology of psychiatric diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne N Haber
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
| | - Timothy E J Behrens
- FMRIB Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK; Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
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Contribution of a mesocorticolimbic subcircuit to drug context-induced reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior in rats. Neuropsychopharmacology 2014; 39:660-9. [PMID: 24051899 PMCID: PMC3895243 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2013.249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2013] [Revised: 08/28/2013] [Accepted: 08/29/2013] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Cocaine-seeking behavior triggered by drug-paired environmental context exposure is dependent on orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)-basolateral amygdala (BLA) interactions. Here, we present evidence supporting the hypothesis that dopaminergic input from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to the OFC critically regulates these interactions. In experiment 1, we employed site-specific pharmacological manipulations to show that dopamine D1-like receptor stimulation in the OFC is required for drug context-induced reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior following extinction training in an alternate context. Intra-OFC pretreatment with the dopamine D1-like receptor antagonist, SCH23390, dose-dependently attenuated cocaine-seeking behavior in an anatomically selective manner, without altering motor performance. Furthermore, the effects of SCH23390 could be surmounted by co-administration of a sub-threshold dose of the D1-like receptor agonist, SKF81297. In experiment 2, we examined effects of D1-like receptor antagonism in the OFC on OFC-BLA interactions using a functional disconnection manipulation. Unilateral SCH23390 administration into the OFC plus GABA agonist-induced neural inactivation of the contralateral or ipsilateral BLA disrupted drug context-induced cocaine-seeking behavior relative to vehicle, while independent unilateral manipulations of these brain regions were without effect. Finally, in experiment 3, we used fluorescent retrograde tracers to demonstrate that the VTA, but not the substantia nigra, sends dense intra- and interhemispheric projections to the OFC, which in turn has reciprocal bi-hemispheric connections with the BLA. These findings support that dopaminergic input from the VTA, via dopamine D1-like receptor stimulation in the OFC, is required for OFC-BLA functional interactions. Thus, a VTA-OFC-BLA neural circuit promotes drug context-induced motivated behavior.
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Overton PG, Vautrelle N, Redgrave P. Sensory regulation of dopaminergic cell activity: Phenomenology, circuitry and function. Neuroscience 2014; 282:1-12. [PMID: 24462607 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2013] [Revised: 01/13/2014] [Accepted: 01/14/2014] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Dopaminergic neurons in a range of species are responsive to sensory stimuli. In the anesthetized preparation, responses to non-noxious and noxious sensory stimuli are usually tonic in nature, although long-duration changes in activity have been reported in the awake preparation as well. However, in the awake preparation, short-latency, phasic changes in activity are most common. These phasic responses can occur to unconditioned aversive and non-aversive stimuli, as well as to the stimuli which predict them. In both the anesthetized and awake preparations, not all dopaminergic neurons are responsive to sensory stimuli, however responsive neurons tend to respond to more than a single stimulus modality. Evidence suggests that short-latency sensory information is provided to dopaminergic neurons by relatively primitive subcortical structures - including the midbrain superior colliculus for vision and the mesopontine parabrachial nucleus for pain and possibly gustation. Although short-latency visual information is provided to dopaminergic neurons by the relatively primitive colliculus, dopaminergic neurons can discriminate between complex visual stimuli, an apparent paradox which can be resolved by the recently discovered route of information flow through to dopaminergic neurons from the cerebral cortex, via a relay in the colliculus. Given that projections from the cortex to the colliculus are extensive, such a relay potentially allows the activity of dopaminergic neurons to report the results of complex stimulus processing from widespread areas of the cortex. Furthermore, dopaminergic neurons could acquire their ability to reflect stimulus value by virtue of reward-related modification of sensory processing in the cortex. At the forebrain level, sensory-related changes in the tonic activity of dopaminergic neurons may regulate the impact of the cortex on forebrain structures such as the nucleus accumbens. In contrast, the short latency of the phasic responses to sensory stimuli in dopaminergic neurons, coupled with the activation of these neurons by non-rewarding stimuli, suggests that phasic responses of dopaminergic neurons may provide a signal to the forebrain which indicates that a salient event has occurred (and possibly an estimate of how salient that event is). A stimulus-related salience signal could be used by downstream systems to reinforce behavioral choices.
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Affiliation(s)
- P G Overton
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK.
| | - N Vautrelle
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - P Redgrave
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
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Bertram C, Dahan L, Boorman LW, Harris S, Vautrelle N, Leriche M, Redgrave P, Overton PG. Cortical regulation of dopaminergic neurons: role of the midbrain superior colliculus. J Neurophysiol 2013; 111:755-67. [PMID: 24225541 PMCID: PMC3921396 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00329.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Dopaminergic (DA) neurons respond to stimuli in a wide range of modalities, although the origin of the afferent sensory signals has only recently begun to emerge. In the case of vision, an important source of short-latency sensory information seems to be the midbrain superior colliculus (SC). However, longer-latency responses have been identified that are less compatible with the primitive perceptual capacities of the colliculus. Rather, they seem more in keeping with the processing capabilities of the cortex. Given that there are robust projections from the cortex to the SC, we examined whether cortical information could reach DA neurons via a relay in the colliculus. The somatosensory barrel cortex was stimulated electrically in the anesthetized rat with either single pulses or pulse trains. Although single pulses produced small phasic activations in the colliculus, they did not elicit responses in the majority of DA neurons. However, after disinhibitory intracollicular injections of the GABAA antagonist bicuculline, collicular responses were substantially enhanced and previously unresponsive DA neurons now exhibited phasic excitations or inhibitions. Pulse trains applied to the cortex led to phasic changes (excitations to inhibitions) in the activity of DA neurons at baseline. These were blocked or attenuated by intracollicular administration of the GABAA agonist muscimol. Taken together, the results indicate that the cortex can communicate with DA neurons via a relay in the SC. As a consequence, DA neuronal activity reflecting the unexpected occurrence of salient events and that signaling more complex stimulus properties may have a common origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Bertram
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, United Kingdom; and
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