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Kitamura T, Ramesh K, Terranova JI. Understanding Others' Distress Through Past Experiences: The Role of Memory Engram Cells in Observational Fear. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 38:215-234. [PMID: 39008018 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-62983-9_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
For individuals to survive and function in society, it is essential that they recognize, interact with, and learn from other conspecifics. Observational fear (OF) is the well-conserved empathic ability of individuals to understand the other's aversive situation. While it is widely known that factors such as prior similar aversive experience and social familiarity with the demonstrator facilitate OF, the neural circuit mechanisms that explicitly regulate experience-dependent OF (Exp OF) were unclear. In this review, we examine the neural circuit mechanisms that regulate OF, with an emphasis on rodent models, and then discuss emerging evidence for the role of fear memory engram cells in the regulation of Exp OF. First, we examine the neural circuit mechanisms that underlie Naive OF, which is when an observer lacks prior experiences relevant to OF. In particular, the anterior cingulate cortex to basolateral amygdala (BLA) neural circuit is essential for Naive OF. Next, we discuss a recent study that developed a behavioral paradigm in mice to examine the neural circuit mechanisms that underlie Exp OF. This study found that fear memory engram cells in the BLA of observers, which form during a prior similar aversive experience with shock, are reactivated by ventral hippocampal neurons in response to shock delivery to the familiar demonstrator to elicit Exp OF. Finally, we discuss the implications of fear memory engram cells in Exp OF and directions of future research that are of both translational and basic interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Kitamura
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - Kritika Ramesh
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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Pan Y, Vinding MC, Zhang L, Lundqvist D, Olsson A. A Brain-To-Brain Mechanism for Social Transmission of Threat Learning. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2304037. [PMID: 37544901 PMCID: PMC10558655 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202304037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Survival and adaptation in environments require swift and efficacious learning about what is dangerous. Across species, much of such threat learning is acquired socially, e.g., through the observation of others' ("demonstrators'") defensive behaviors. However, the specific neural mechanisms responsible for the integration of information shared between demonstrators and observers remain largely unknown. This dearth of knowledge is addressed by performing magnetoencephalography (MEG) neuroimaging in demonstrator-observer dyads. A set of stimuli are first shown to a demonstrator whose defensive responses are filmed and later presented to an observer, while neuronal activity is recorded sequentially from both individuals who never interacted directly. These results show that brain-to-brain coupling (BtBC) in the fronto-limbic circuit (including insula, ventromedial, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) within demonstrator-observer dyads predict subsequent expressions of learning in the observer. Importantly, the predictive power of BtBC magnifies when a threat is imminent to the demonstrator. Furthermore, BtBC depends on how observers perceive their social status relative to the demonstrator, likely driven by shared attention and emotion, as bolstered by dyadic pupillary coupling. Taken together, this study describes a brain-to-brain mechanism for social threat learning, involving BtBC, which reflects social relationships and predicts adaptive, learned behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yafeng Pan
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral SciencesZhejiang UniversityHangzhou310058China
- Department of Clinical NeuroscienceKarolinska InstitutetStockholm17165Sweden
| | - Mikkel C. Vinding
- Department of Clinical NeuroscienceKarolinska InstitutetStockholm17165Sweden
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and ResearchCopenhagen University Hospital ‐ Amager and HvidovreCopenhagen2650Denmark
| | - Lei Zhang
- Centre for Human Brain HealthSchool of PsychologyUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamB15 2TTUK
- Institute for Mental HealthSchool of PsychologyUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamB15 2TTUK
- SocialCognitive and Affective Neuroscience UnitDepartment of CognitionEmotionand Methods in PsychologyFaculty of PsychologyUniversity of ViennaVienna1010Austria
| | - Daniel Lundqvist
- Department of Clinical NeuroscienceKarolinska InstitutetStockholm17165Sweden
| | - Andreas Olsson
- Department of Clinical NeuroscienceKarolinska InstitutetStockholm17165Sweden
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3
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Lin FV, Zuo Y, Conwell Y, Wang KH. New horizons in emotional well-being and brain aging: Potential lessons from cross-species research. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2023; 38:e5936. [PMID: 37260057 PMCID: PMC10652707 DOI: 10.1002/gps.5936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Emotional wellbeing (EWB) is a multi-faceted concept of immediate relevance to human health. NIH recently initiated a series of research networks to advance understanding of EWB. Our network (NEW Brain Aging) focuses on mechanistic understanding of EWB in relation to brain aging. Here, by synthesizing the literature on emotional processing and the underlying brain circuit mechanisms in human and non-human animals, we propose a reactivity and reappraisal model for understanding EWB and its age-related changes. This model emphasizes the dynamic interactions between affective stimuli, behavioral/physiological responses, brain emotional states, and subjective feelings. It also aims to integrate the unique emotional processes involved in explaining EWB in aging humans with the emerging mechanistic insight of topologically conserved emotional brain networks from cross-species studies. We also highlight the research opportunities and challenges in EWB and brain aging research and the potential application of the model in addressing these issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Vankee Lin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
| | - Yi Zuo
- Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
| | - Yeates Conwell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
| | - Kuan Hong Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
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Kim SW, Kim M, Baek J, Latchoumane CF, Gangadharan G, Yoon Y, Kim DS, Lee JH, Shin HS. Hemispherically lateralized rhythmic oscillations in the cingulate-amygdala circuit drive affective empathy in mice. Neuron 2023; 111:418-429.e4. [PMID: 36460007 PMCID: PMC10681369 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Observational fear, a form of emotional contagion, is thought to be a basic form of affective empathy. However, the neural process engaged at the specific moment when socially acquired information provokes an emotional response remains elusive. Here, we show that reciprocal projections between the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and basolateral amygdala (BLA) in the right hemisphere are essential for observational fear, and 5-7 Hz neural oscillations were selectively increased in those areas at the onset of observational freezing. A closed-loop disruption demonstrated the causal relationship between 5-7 Hz oscillations in the cingulo-amygdala circuit and observational fear responses. The increase/decrease in theta power induced by optogenetic manipulation of the hippocampal theta rhythm bi-directionally modulated observational fear. Together, these results indicate that hippocampus-dependent 5-7 Hz oscillations in the cingulo-amygdala circuit in the right hemisphere are the essential component of the cognitive process that drives empathic fear, but not freezing, in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seong-Wook Kim
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 34126, Republic of Korea
| | - Minsoo Kim
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 34126, Republic of Korea; Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jinhee Baek
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 34126, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Gireesh Gangadharan
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
| | - Yongwoo Yoon
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 34126, Republic of Korea
| | - Duk-Soo Kim
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan-Si 31151, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Hyung Lee
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Hee-Sup Shin
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 34126, Republic of Korea; SL Bigen, Incheon 21983, Republic of Korea.
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Wu WY, Cheng Y, Liang KC, Lee RX, Yen CT. Affective mirror and anti-mirror neurons relate to prosocial help in rats. iScience 2022; 26:105865. [PMID: 36632059 PMCID: PMC9826941 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Although empathic emotion is closely related to prosocial behavior, neuronal substrate that accounts for empathy-associated prosocial action remains poorly understood. We recorded neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and insular cortex (InC) in rats when they observed another rat in pain. We discovered neurons with anti-mirror properties in the ACC and InC, in addition to those with mirror properties. ACC neurons show higher coupling between activation of self-in-pain and others-in-pain, whereas the InC has a higher ratio of neurons with anti-mirror properties. During others-in-pain, ACC neurons activated more when actively nose-poking toward others and InC neurons activated more when freezing. To further illustrate prosocial function, we examined neuronal activities in the helping behavior test. Both ACC and InC neurons showed specific activation to rat rescuing which is contributed by mirror, but not anti-mirror neurons. Our work indicates the functional involvement of mirror neuron system in prosocial behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Yi Wu
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Yawei Cheng
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang-Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112304, Taiwan
| | - Keng-Chen Liang
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan,Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Ray X. Lee
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 43 Vassar St, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA,Program in Media Arts and Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA,Corresponding author
| | - Chen-Tung Yen
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan University, 1 Roosevelt Road Sec. 4, Taipei 10617, Taiwan,Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan,Corresponding author
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Warren A. Heightened emotion processing as a compensatory mechanism in persons with Alzheimer's disease: Psychological insights from the tri-network model. FRONTIERS IN DEMENTIA 2022; 1:983331. [PMID: 39081476 PMCID: PMC11285592 DOI: 10.3389/frdem.2022.983331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
Social and emotional communication is an integral tenant of life quality and well-being. Aberrations in functional connectivity can alter social emotional behavior in numerous disease states, including dementia. This paper aims to review the major network changes observed in Alzheimer's disease, with a focus on the tri-network model. The central executive network, default mode network, and principally the salience network will be discussed as they relate to both pathology and compensatory behavioral manifestations in persons with dementia. The psychological and behavioral correlates of these network changes will be reviewed with the intent of increasing understanding about the conscious experience and communication modalities utilized by persons with dementia, the understanding of which may promote meaningful communication with care providers and loved ones. This paper further seeks to reframe social emotional communication methods used by persons with dementia by marrying current knowledge of neuroscience, psychology, and person-centered care. In this way, a perspective is offered that considers the heightened emotional states experienced by persons with dementia as a potential compensatory mechanism that may hold practical value under some circumstances. The many ways in which the brain adapts to physical and psychological changes, aging, and injury are still under exploration. Emotion processing may provide clinical insight into the subjective experience of dementia in this regard. Emotions, therefore, may serve to promote social bonds, provide an avenue for non-verbal communication, and act as a construct to maintain agency in persons who ultimately lose autonomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison Warren
- The Department of Clinical Research and Leadership, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States
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Terranova JI, Yokose J, Osanai H, Marks WD, Yamamoto J, Ogawa SK, Kitamura T. Hippocampal-amygdala memory circuits govern experience-dependent observational fear. Neuron 2022; 110:1416-1431.e13. [PMID: 35139362 PMCID: PMC9035063 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The empathic ability to vicariously experience the other's fearful situation, a process called observational fear (OF), is critical to survive in nature and function in society. OF can be facilitated by both prior similar fear experience in the observer and social familiarity with the demonstrator. However, the neural circuit mechanisms of experience-dependent OF (Exp OF) remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate that hippocampal-basolateral amygdala (HPC-BLA) circuits in mice without involving the anterior cingulate cortex, considered a center of OF, mediate Exp OF. Dorsal HPC neurons generate fear memory engram cells in BLA encoding prior similar fear experiences, which are essential for Exp OF. On the other hand, ventral HPC neurons respond to the familiar demonstrator's aversive situation during Exp OF, which reactivates the fear memory engram cells in BLA to elicit Exp OF. Our study provides new insights into the memory engram-dependent perception-action coupling that underlies empathic behaviors like Exp OF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph I Terranova
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Jun Yokose
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Hisayuki Osanai
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - William D Marks
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Jun Yamamoto
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Sachie K Ogawa
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Takashi Kitamura
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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Altered dorsal functional connectivity after post-weaning social isolation and resocialization in mice. Neuroimage 2021; 245:118740. [PMID: 34808365 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social isolation (SI) leads to various mental health disorders. Despite abundant studies on behavioral and neurobiological changes induced by post-weaning SI, the characterization of its imaging correlates, such as resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC), is critically lacking. In addition, the effects of resocialization after isolation remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effects of 1) SI on cortical functional connectivity and 2) subsequent resocialization on behavior and functional connectivity. METHODS Behavioral tests were conducted to validate the post-weaning SI mouse model, which is isolated during the juvenile period. Wide-field optical mapping was performed to observe both neuronal and hemodynamic signals in the cortex under anesthesia. Using seed-based and graph theoretical analyses, RSFC was analyzed. SI mice were then resocialized and the array of behavior and imaging tests was conducted. RESULTS Behaviorally, SI mice showed elevated anxiety, social preference, and aggression. RSFC analyses using the seed-based approach revealed decreased cortical functional connectivity in SI mice, especially in the frontal region. Graph network analyses demonstrated significant reduction in network segregation measures. After resocialization, mice exhibited recovered anxiogenic and aggressive behavior, but RSFC data did not show significant changes. CONCLUSIONS We observed an overall decrease in functional connectivity in SI mice. Moreover, resocialization restored the disruptions in behavioral patterns but functional connectivity was not recovered. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report that, despite the recovering tendencies of behavior in resocialized mice, similar changes in RSFC were not observed. This suggests that disruptions in functional connectivity caused by social isolation remain as long-term sequelae.
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9
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Affective empathy and prosocial behavior in rodents. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2021; 68:181-189. [PMID: 34091136 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2021.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Empathy is an essential function for humans as social animals. Emotional contagion, the basic form of afffective empathy, comprises the cognitive process of perceiving and sharing the affective state of others. The observational fear assay, an animal model of emotional contagion, has enabled researchers to undertake molecular, cellular, and circuit mechanism of this behavior. Such studies have revealed that observational fear is mediated through neural circuits involved in processing the affective dimension of direct pain experiences. A mouse can also respond to milder social stimuli induced by either positive or negative emotional changes in another mouse, which seems not dependent on the affective pain circuits. Further studies should explore how different neural circuits contribute to integrating different dimensions of affective empathy.
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Meade GM, Charron LS, Kilburn LW, Pei Z, Wang HY, Robinson S. A model of negative emotional contagion between male-female rat dyads: Effects of voluntary exercise on stress-induced behavior and BDNF-TrkB signaling. Physiol Behav 2021; 234:113286. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.113286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Wood RM, Garcia Z, Daniels N, Landon SM, Humayun S, Lee HG, Macpherson LJ. Selective Peripheral Taste Dysfunction in APP/PS1 Mutant Transgenic Mice. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 76:613-621. [PMID: 32538852 DOI: 10.3233/jad-200376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies indicate that taste dysfunction occurs early in the development of Alzheimer's disease. It is debatable whether the deficit in taste is due primarily to peripheral sensory mechanisms or to central processing, or a combination of the two. OBJECTIVE The aim of our current study is to combine behavior and histological data in APP/PS1 transgenic mice to determine whether APP/PS1 transgenic mice show deficits in unconditioned taste preference and avoidance behaviors and whether taste impairments are due to defects in the peripheral taste system and/or problems with central processing of taste information. METHODS The APP/PS1 transgenic mutant mice were used as a model of Alzheimer's disease. We employed a brief-access gustometer test to assess immediate orosensory taste responses of APP/PS1 mice. We used immunohistochemistry to examine tongue, gustatory ganglion, and brain tissues to determine a cytological basis for behavioral deficits. RESULTS There is a significant, selective reduction of bitter taste sensitivity in APP/PS1 mice. These mice also have a loss of TRPM5-expressing taste receptor cells in the circumvallate papillae of the tongue. While we observed no overt loss of neuron cell bodies within the primary gustatory sensory neurons, degeneration of the neurons' peripheral axons innervating the taste bud may play a role in the observed loss of TRPM5-expressing taste receptor cells. CONCLUSION This data supports a potential role for peripheral taste dysfunction in AD through the selective loss of taste receptor cells. Further study is necessary to delineate the mechanisms and pathological significance of this deficit in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan M Wood
- The University of Texas at San Antonio, Department of Biology, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Zacnite Garcia
- The University of Texas at San Antonio, Department of Biology, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Nathan Daniels
- The University of Texas at San Antonio, Department of Biology, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Shannon M Landon
- The University of Texas at San Antonio, Department of Biology, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Saima Humayun
- The University of Texas at San Antonio, Department of Biology, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Hyoung-Gon Lee
- The University of Texas at San Antonio, Department of Biology, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX, USA.,The University of Texas at San Antonio, Neurosciences Institute, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Lindsey J Macpherson
- The University of Texas at San Antonio, Department of Biology, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX, USA.,The University of Texas at San Antonio, Neurosciences Institute, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX, USA
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12
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Conformity-like behaviour in mice observing the freezing of other mice: a model of empathy. BMC Neurosci 2020; 21:19. [PMID: 32357830 PMCID: PMC7195716 DOI: 10.1186/s12868-020-00566-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Empathy refers to the ability to recognise and share emotions with others. Several research groups have recognised observational fear in mice as a useful behavioural model for assessing their ability to empathise. However, in these observation systems, it remains unclear whether the observer mouse truly recognises the movements of, and empathises with, the demonstrator mouse. We examined changes in the behaviour of an observer mouse when a demonstrator mouse was anaesthetised, when the demonstrator’s activity was increased, and when the interval of electrical stimulation was altered. If mice exhibit an ability to empathise, then the observer should display empathic behaviour when the demonstrator experiences pain or discomfort under any circumstances. Results Relative to low-frequency stimulation, frequent electrical stimulation reduced immobility time among observer mice. Moreover, when demonstrators exhibited excessive activity, the activity of the observers significantly increased. In addition, the proportion of immobility time among observer mice significantly increased when demonstrator mice exhibited fear learning and excessive immobility. Conclusion Although our results indicate that observer mice change their behaviour based on the movements of demonstrator mice, increases in immobility time may reflect conformity-like behaviour rather than emotional empathy. Thus, not only visual but also auditory and odour information additionally influenced the conformity-like behaviour shown by observer mice. Thus, our findings suggest that methods other than the fear observation system should be used to investigate rodent empathy-like behaviour.
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13
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Bi XA, Cai R, Wang Y, Liu Y. Effective Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease via Multimodal Fusion Analysis Framework. Front Genet 2019; 10:976. [PMID: 31649738 PMCID: PMC6795747 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disease involving a variety of pathogenic factors, and the etiology detection of this disease has been a major concern of researchers. Neuroimaging is a basic and important means to explore the problem. It is the main current scientific research direction for combining neuroimaging with other modal data to dig deep into the potential information of AD through the complementarities among multiple data points. Machine learning methods possess great potentiality and have reached some achievements in this research area. A few studies have proposed some solutions to the effects of multimodal data fusion, however, the overall analytical framework for data fusion and fusion result analysis has thus far been ignored. In this paper, we first put forward a novel multimodal data fusion method, and further present a new machine learning framework of data fusion, classification, feature selection, and disease-causing factor extraction. The real dataset of 37 AD patients and 35 normal controls (NC) with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and genetic data was used to verify the effectiveness of the framework, which was more accurate in classification and optimal feature extraction than other methods. Furthermore, we revealed disease-causing brain regions and genes, such as the olfactory cortex, insula, posterior cingulate gyrus, lingual gyrus, CNTNAP2, LRP1B, FRMD4A, and DAB1. The results show that the machine learning framework could effectively perform multimodal data fusion analysis, providing new insights and perspectives for the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia-An Bi
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Computing and Language Information Processing, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.,College of Information Science and Engineering, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Ruipeng Cai
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Computing and Language Information Processing, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.,College of Information Science and Engineering, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Yang Wang
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Computing and Language Information Processing, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.,College of Information Science and Engineering, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Yingchao Liu
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Computing and Language Information Processing, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.,College of Information Science and Engineering, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
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Joseph DJ, Liu C, Peng J, Liang G, Wei H. Isoflurane mediated neuropathological and cognitive impairments in the triple transgenic Alzheimer's mouse model are associated with hippocampal synaptic deficits in an age-dependent manner. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0223509. [PMID: 31600350 PMCID: PMC6786564 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0223509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Many in vivo studies suggest that inhalational anesthetics can accelerate or prevent the progression of neuropathology and cognitive impairments in Alzheimer Disease (AD), but the synaptic mechanisms mediating these ambiguous effects are unclear. Here, we show that repeated exposures of neonatal and old triple transgenic AD (3xTg) and non-transgenic (NonTg) mice to isoflurane (Iso) distinctly increased neurodegeneration as measured by S100β levels, intracellular Aβ, Tau oligomerization, and apoptotic markers. Spatial cognition measured by reference and working memory testing in the Morris Water Maze (MWM) were altered in young NonTg and 3xTg. Field recordings in the cornu ammonis 1 (CA1) hippocampus showed that neonatal control 3xTg mice exhibited hypo-excitable synaptic transmission, reduced paired-pulse facilitation (PPF), and normal long-term potentiation (LTP) compared to NonTg controls. By contrast, the old control 3xTg mice exhibited hyper-excitable synaptic transmission, enhanced PPF, and unstable LTP compared to NonTg controls. Repeated Iso exposures reduced synaptic transmission and PPF in neonatal NonTg and old 3xTg mice. LTP was normalized in old 3xTg mice, but reduced in neonates. By contrast, LTP was reduced in old but not neonatal NonTg mice. Our results indicate that Iso-mediated neuropathologic and cognitive defects in AD mice are associated with synaptic pathologies in an age-dependent manner. Based on these findings, the extent of this association with age and, possibly, treatment paradigms warrant further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald J. Joseph
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Chunxia Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- Department of Anesthesiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Peng
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- Department of Anesthesiology, sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ge Liang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Huafeng Wei
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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15
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Miller JG, Xia G, Hastings PD. Resting heart rate variability is negatively associated with mirror neuron and limbic response to emotional faces. Biol Psychol 2019; 146:107717. [PMID: 31199946 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2019.107717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2018] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Whether neurovisceral integration, reflected by resting high-frequency heart rate variability (HRV), constrains or facilitates neural reactivity to other people's emotions is unclear. We assessed the relation between resting HRV and neural activation when observing and imitating emotional faces. We focused on brain regions implicated in sensorimotor resonance, salience detection and arousal. We used electrocardiogram data to compute resting HRV. Resting HRV measures were negatively correlated with activation in a portion of the inferior frontal gyrus showing mirror neuron properties, the insula and the amygdala in response to observation, but not imitation, of emotional faces. Thus, resting HRV appears to be linked to sensitivity to others' emotional cues, both in terms of the tendency to map others' emotional facial expressions onto one's own motor system and to rapidly detect and mark others' emotions as salient events. Resting HRV may reflect, in part, a threshold for increased processing of others' emotional cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas G Miller
- University of California, Davis, Department of Psychology, United States; University of California, Davis, Center for Mind and Brain, United States; Stanford University, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, United States.
| | - Guohua Xia
- University of California, Davis, Center for Mind and Brain, United States
| | - Paul D Hastings
- University of California, Davis, Department of Psychology, United States; University of California, Davis, Center for Mind and Brain, United States
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16
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Meyza K, Knapska E. What can rodents teach us about empathy? Curr Opin Psychol 2018; 24:15-20. [PMID: 29609059 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2017] [Revised: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 03/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
While many consider empathy an exclusively human trait, non-human animals are capable of simple forms of empathy, such as emotional contagion, as well as consolation and helping behavior. Rodent models are particularly useful for describing the neuronal background of these phenomena. They offer the possibility of employing single-cell resolution mapping of the neuronal activity as well as novel techniques for manipulation of in vivo activity, which are currently unavailable in human studies. Here, we review recent developments in the field of rodent empathy research with special emphasis on behavioral paradigms and data on neuronal correlates of emotional contagion. We hope that the use of rodent models will enhance our understanding of social deficits in neuropsychiatric disorders characterized with empathy impairments and the evolutionary continuity of the empathic trait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ksenia Meyza
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland
| | - Ewelina Knapska
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland.
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17
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Debiec J, Olsson A. Social Fear Learning: from Animal Models to Human Function. Trends Cogn Sci 2017; 21:546-555. [PMID: 28545935 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2017.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2017] [Revised: 04/23/2017] [Accepted: 04/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Learning about potential threats is critical for survival. Learned fear responses are acquired either through direct experiences or indirectly through social transmission. Social fear learning (SFL), also known as vicarious fear learning, is a paradigm successfully used for studying the transmission of threat information between individuals. Animal and human studies have begun to elucidate the behavioral, neural and molecular mechanisms of SFL. Recent research suggests that social learning mechanisms underlie a wide range of adaptive and maladaptive phenomena, from supporting flexible avoidance in dynamic environments to intergenerational transmission of trauma and anxiety disorders. This review discusses recent advances in SFL studies and their implications for basic, social and clinical sciences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacek Debiec
- Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience Institute and Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Andreas Olsson
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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