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Vornholt E, Drake J, Mamdani M, McMichael G, Taylor ZN, Bacanu S, Miles MF, Vladimirov VI. Identifying a novel biological mechanism for alcohol addiction associated with circRNA networks acting as potential miRNA sponges. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e13071. [PMID: 34164896 PMCID: PMC8590811 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Our lab and others have shown that chronic alcohol use leads to gene and miRNA expression changes across the mesocorticolimbic (MCL) system. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are noncoding RNAs that form closed-loop structures and are reported to alter gene expression through miRNA sequestration, thus providing a potentially novel neurobiological mechanism for the development of alcohol dependence (AD). Genome-wide expression of circRNA was assessed in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) from 32 AD-matched cases/controls. Significant circRNAs (unadj. p ≤ 0.05) were identified via regression and clustered in circRNA networks via weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). CircRNA interactions with previously generated mRNA and miRNA were detected via correlation and bioinformatic analyses. Significant circRNAs (N = 542) clustered in nine significant AD modules (FWER p ≤ 0.05), within which we identified 137 circRNA hubs. We detected 23 significant circRNA-miRNA-mRNA interactions (FDR ≤ 0.10). Among these, circRNA-406742 and miR-1200 significantly interact with the highest number of mRNA, including genes associated with neuronal functioning and alcohol addiction (HRAS, PRKCB, HOMER1, and PCLO). Finally, we integrate genotypic information that revealed 96 significant circRNA expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) (unadj. p ≤ 0.002) that showed significant enrichment within recent alcohol use disorder (AUD) and smoking genome-wide association study (GWAS). To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the role of circRNA in the neuropathology of AD. We show that circRNAs impact mRNA expression by interacting with miRNA in the NAc of AD subjects. More importantly, we provide indirect evidence for the clinical importance of circRNA in the development of AUD by detecting a significant enrichment of our circRNA eQTLs among GWAS of substance abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Vornholt
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral GeneticsVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
- Integrative Life Sciences Doctoral ProgramVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic SciencesIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - John Drake
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexasUSA
| | - Mohammed Mamdani
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral GeneticsVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
| | - Gowon McMichael
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral GeneticsVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
| | - Zachary N. Taylor
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral GeneticsVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
| | - Silviu‐Alin Bacanu
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral GeneticsVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
- Department of PsychiatryVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
| | - Michael F. Miles
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral GeneticsVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
- VCU‐Alcohol Research CenterVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
- Department of Pharmacology and ToxicologyVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
- Department of NeurologyVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
| | - Vladimir I. Vladimirov
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral GeneticsVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic SciencesIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Center for Biomarker Research and Precision MedicineVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
- Department of Physiology & BiophysicsVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
- School of PharmacyVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
- Lieber Institute for Brain DevelopmentJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreMarylandUSA
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Nitta A, Izuo N, Hamatani K, Inagaki R, Kusui Y, Fu K, Asano T, Torii Y, Habuchi C, Sekiguchi H, Iritani S, Muramatsu SI, Ozaki N, Miyamoto Y. Schizophrenia-Like Behavioral Impairments in Mice with Suppressed Expression of Piccolo in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex. J Pers Med 2021; 11:jpm11070607. [PMID: 34206873 PMCID: PMC8304324 DOI: 10.3390/jpm11070607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Piccolo, a presynaptic cytomatrix protein, plays a role in synaptic vesicle trafficking in the presynaptic active zone. Certain single-nucleotide polymorphisms of the Piccolo-encoding gene PCLO are reported to be associated with mental disorders. However, a few studies have evaluated the relationship between Piccolo dysfunction and psychotic symptoms. Therefore, we investigated the neurophysiological and behavioral phenotypes in mice with Piccolo suppression in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Downregulation of Piccolo in the mPFC reduced regional synaptic proteins, accompanied with electrophysiological impairments. The Piccolo-suppressed mice showed an enhanced locomotor activity, impaired auditory prepulse inhibition, and cognitive dysfunction. These abnormal behaviors were partially ameliorated by the antipsychotic drug risperidone. Piccolo-suppressed mice received mild social defeat stress showed additional behavioral despair. Furthermore, the responses of these mice to extracellular glutamate and dopamine levels induced by the optical activation of mPFC projection in the dorsal striatum (dSTR) were inhibited. Similarly, the Piccolo-suppressed mice showed decreased depolarization-evoked glutamate and -aminobutyric acid elevations and increased depolarization-evoked dopamine elevation in the dSTR. These suggest that Piccolo regulates neurotransmission at the synaptic terminal of the projection site. Reduced neuronal connectivity in the mPFC-dSTR pathway via suppression of Piccolo in the mPFC may induce behavioral impairments observed in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsumi Nitta
- Department of Pharmaceutical Therapy and Neuropharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan; (N.I.); (K.H.); (R.I.); (Y.K.); (K.F.); (T.A.); (Y.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-76-415-8822 (ext. 8823); Fax: +81-76-415-8826
| | - Naotaka Izuo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Therapy and Neuropharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan; (N.I.); (K.H.); (R.I.); (Y.K.); (K.F.); (T.A.); (Y.M.)
| | - Kohei Hamatani
- Department of Pharmaceutical Therapy and Neuropharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan; (N.I.); (K.H.); (R.I.); (Y.K.); (K.F.); (T.A.); (Y.M.)
| | - Ryo Inagaki
- Department of Pharmaceutical Therapy and Neuropharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan; (N.I.); (K.H.); (R.I.); (Y.K.); (K.F.); (T.A.); (Y.M.)
| | - Yuka Kusui
- Department of Pharmaceutical Therapy and Neuropharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan; (N.I.); (K.H.); (R.I.); (Y.K.); (K.F.); (T.A.); (Y.M.)
| | - Kequan Fu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Therapy and Neuropharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan; (N.I.); (K.H.); (R.I.); (Y.K.); (K.F.); (T.A.); (Y.M.)
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
| | - Takashi Asano
- Department of Pharmaceutical Therapy and Neuropharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan; (N.I.); (K.H.); (R.I.); (Y.K.); (K.F.); (T.A.); (Y.M.)
| | - Youta Torii
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan; (Y.T.); (C.H.); (H.S.); (S.I.); (N.O.)
| | - Chikako Habuchi
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan; (Y.T.); (C.H.); (H.S.); (S.I.); (N.O.)
| | - Hirotaka Sekiguchi
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan; (Y.T.); (C.H.); (H.S.); (S.I.); (N.O.)
| | - Shuji Iritani
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan; (Y.T.); (C.H.); (H.S.); (S.I.); (N.O.)
| | - Shin-ichi Muramatsu
- Open Innovation Center, Division of Neurological Gene Therapy, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke 329-0498, Japan;
- Center for Gene and Cell Therapy, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Norio Ozaki
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan; (Y.T.); (C.H.); (H.S.); (S.I.); (N.O.)
| | - Yoshiaki Miyamoto
- Department of Pharmaceutical Therapy and Neuropharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan; (N.I.); (K.H.); (R.I.); (Y.K.); (K.F.); (T.A.); (Y.M.)
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van Tol MJ, van der Wee NJA, Veltman DJ. Fifteen years of NESDA Neuroimaging: An overview of results related to clinical profile and bio-social risk factors of major depressive disorder and common anxiety disorders. J Affect Disord 2021; 289:31-45. [PMID: 33933910 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Revised: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The longitudinal Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA) Neuroimaging study was set up in 2003 to investigate whether neuroanatomical and functional abnormalities during tasks of primary emotional processing, executive planning and memory formation, and intrinsic brain connectivity are i) shared by individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) and common anxiety disorders; and ii) characterized by symptomatology-specific abnormalities. Furthermore, questions related to individual variations in vulnerability for onset, comorbidity, and longitudinal course could be investigated. Between 2005 and 2007, 233 individuals fulfilling a diagnosis of MDD, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder and/or generalized anxiety disorder and 68 healthy controls aging between 18 and 57 were invited from the NESDA main sample (n = 2981). An emotional faces processing task, an emotional word-encoding task, and an executive planning task were administered during 3T BOLD-fMRI acquisitions. In addition, resting state BOLD-fMRI was acquired and T1-weighted structural imaging was performed. All participants were invited to participate in the two-year and nine-year follow-up MRI measurement. Fifteen years of NESDA Neuroimaging demonstrated common morphological and neurocognitive abnormalities across individuals with depression and anxiety disorders. It however provided limited support for the idea of more extensive abnormalities in patients suffering from both depression and anxiety, despite their worse prognosis. Risk factors including childhood maltreatment and specific risk genes had an emotion processing modulating effect, apparently stronger than effects of diagnostic labels. Furthermore, brain imaging data, especially during emotion processing seemed valuable for predicting the long-term course of affective disorders, outperforming prediction based on clinical information alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J van Tol
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells and Systems, Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Groningen, the Netherlands.
| | - N J A van der Wee
- Department of Psychiatry and Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - D J Veltman
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Location VUMC and Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Avinun R, Nevo A, Knodt AR, Elliott ML, Hariri AR. Replication in Imaging Genetics: The Case of Threat-Related Amygdala Reactivity. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 84:148-159. [PMID: 29279201 PMCID: PMC5955809 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Revised: 10/18/2017] [Accepted: 11/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Low replication rates are a concern in most, if not all, scientific disciplines. In psychiatric genetics specifically, targeting intermediate brain phenotypes, which are more closely associated with putative genetic effects, was touted as a strategy leading to increased power and replicability. In the current study, we attempted to replicate previously published associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms and threat-related amygdala reactivity, which represents a robust brain phenotype not only implicated in the pathophysiology of multiple disorders, but also used as a biomarker of future risk. METHODS We conducted a literature search for published associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms and threat-related amygdala reactivity and found 37 unique findings. Our replication sample consisted of 1117 young adult volunteers (629 women, mean age 19.72 ± 1.25 years) for whom both genetic and functional magnetic resonance imaging data were available. RESULTS Of the 37 unique associations identified, only three replicated as previously reported. When exploratory analyses were conducted with different model parameters compared to the original findings, significant associations were identified for 28 additional studies: eight of these were for a different contrast/laterality; five for a different gender and/or race/ethnicity; and 15 in the opposite direction and for a different contrast, laterality, gender, and/or race/ethnicity. No significant associations, regardless of model parameters, were detected for six studies. Notably, none of the significant associations survived correction for multiple comparisons. CONCLUSIONS We discuss these patterns of poor replication with regard to the general strategy of targeting intermediate brain phenotypes in genetic association studies and the growing importance of advancing the replicability of imaging genetics findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reut Avinun
- Laboratory of NeuroGenetics, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.
| | - Adam Nevo
- Cardiothoracic Division, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Annchen R. Knodt
- Laboratory of NeuroGenetics, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Maxwell L. Elliott
- Laboratory of NeuroGenetics, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Ahmad R. Hariri
- Laboratory of NeuroGenetics, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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Meckes JK, Lim PH, Wert SL, Luo W, Gacek SA, Platt D, Jankord R, Saar K, Redei EE. Brain region-specific expression of genes mapped within quantitative trait loci for behavioral responsiveness to acute stress in Fisher 344 and Wistar Kyoto male rats. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0194293. [PMID: 29529077 PMCID: PMC5847310 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2017] [Accepted: 02/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute stress responsiveness is a quantitative trait that varies in severity from one individual to another; however, the genetic component underlying the individual variation is largely unknown. Fischer 344 (F344) and Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rat strains show large differences in behavioral responsiveness to acute stress, such as freezing behavior in response to footshock during the conditioning phase of contextual fear conditioning (CFC). Quantitative trait loci (QTL) have been identified for behavioral responsiveness to acute stress in the defensive burying (DB) and open field test (OFT) from a reciprocal F2 cross of F344 and WKY rat strains. These included a significant QTL on chromosome 6 (Stresp10). Here, we hypothesized that the Stresp10 region harbors genes with sequence variation(s) that contribute to differences in multiple behavioral response phenotypes between the F344 and WKY rat strains. To test this hypothesis, first we identified differentially expressed genes within the Stresp10 QTL in the hippocampus, amygdala, and frontal cortex of F344 and WKY male rats using genome-wide microarray analyses. Genes with both expression differences and non-synonymous sequence variations in their coding regions were considered candidate quantitative trait genes (QTGs). As a proof-of-concept, the F344.WKY-Stresp10 congenic strain was generated with the Stresp10 WKY donor region into the F344 recipient strain. This congenic strain showed behavioral phenotypes similar to those of WKYs. Expression patterns of Gpatch11 (G-patch domain containing 11), Cdkl4 (Cyclin dependent kinase like 4), and Drc1 (Dynein regulatory complex subunit 1) paralleled that of WKY in the F344.WKY-Stresp10 strain matching the behavioral profiles of WKY as opposed to F344 parental strains. We propose that these genes are candidate QTGs for behavioral responsiveness to acute stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanie K. Meckes
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Patrick H. Lim
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Stephanie L. Wert
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Wendy Luo
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Stephanie A. Gacek
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Dana Platt
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Ryan Jankord
- Applied Neuroscience, Warfighter Interface Division, 711th Human Performance Wing, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH, United States of America
| | - Kathrin Saar
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin-Buch, Germany
| | - Eva E. Redei
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States of America
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Zhang HF, Mellor D, Peng DH. Neuroimaging genomic studies in major depressive disorder: A systematic review. CNS Neurosci Ther 2018; 24:1020-1036. [PMID: 29476595 DOI: 10.1111/cns.12829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2017] [Revised: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic-neuroimaging studies could identify new potential endophenotypes of major depressive disorder (MDD). Morphological and functional alterations may be attributable to genetic factors that regulate neurogenesis and neurodegeneration. Given that the association between gene polymorphisms and brain morphology or function has varied across studies, this systematic review aims at evaluating and summarizing all available genetic-neuroimaging studies. Twenty-eight gene variants were evaluated in 64 studies by structural or functional magnetic resonance imaging. Significant genetic-neuroimaging associations were found in monoaminergic genes, BDNF genes, glutamatergic genes, HPA axis genes, and the other common genes, which were consistent with common hypotheses of the pathogenesis of MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Feng Zhang
- Division of Mood Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - David Mellor
- School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Dai-Hui Peng
- Division of Mood Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Igata R, Katsuki A, Kakeda S, Watanabe K, Igata N, Hori H, Konishi Y, Atake K, Kawasaki Y, Korogi Y, Yoshimura R. PCLO rs2522833-mediated gray matter volume reduction in patients with drug-naive, first-episode major depressive disorder. Transl Psychiatry 2017; 7:e1140. [PMID: 28556829 PMCID: PMC5534936 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2017.100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2016] [Revised: 01/27/2017] [Accepted: 03/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) has been linked to differences in the volume of certain areas of the brain and to variants in the piccolo presynaptic cytomatrix protein (PCLO), but the relationship between PCLO and brain morphology has not been studied. A single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in PCLO, rs2522833, is thought to affect protein stability and the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. We investigated the relationship between cortical volume and this SNP in first-episode, drug-naive patients with MDD or healthy control subjects. Seventy-eight participants, including 30 patients with MDD and 48 healthy control subjects, were recruited via interview. PCLO rs2522833 genotyping and plasma cortisol assays were performed, and gray matter volume was estimated using structural magnetic resonance images. Among the individuals carrying the C-allele of PCLO rs2522833, the volume of the left temporal pole was significantly smaller in those with MDD than in healthy controls (family-wise error-corrected, P=0.003). No differences were detected in other brain regions. In addition, the C-carriers showed a larger volume reduction in the left temporal pole than those in the individuals with A/A genotype (P=0.0099). Plasma cortisol levels were significantly higher in MDD-affected C-carriers than in the healthy control C-carriers (12.76±6.10 vs 9.31±3.60 nm, P=0.045). We conclude that PCLO SNP rs2522833 is associated with a gray matter volume reduction in the left temporal pole in drug-naive, first-episode patients with MDD carrying the C-allele.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Igata
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - A Katsuki
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - S Kakeda
- Department of Radiology, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - K Watanabe
- Department of Radiology, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - N Igata
- Department of Radiology, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - H Hori
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Y Konishi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - K Atake
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Y Kawasaki
- Department of Environmental Oncology, Institute of Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Y Korogi
- Department of Radiology, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - R Yoshimura
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan,Department of Psychiatry, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu 8078555, Fukuoka, Japan. E-mail:
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Savage JE, Sawyers C, Roberson-Nay R, Hettema JM. The genetics of anxiety-related negative valence system traits. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2017; 174:156-177. [PMID: 27196537 PMCID: PMC5349709 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2015] [Accepted: 05/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
NIMH's Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) domain of negative valence systems (NVS) captures constructs of negative affect such as fear and distress traditionally subsumed under the various internalizing disorders. Through its aims to capture dimensional measures that cut across diagnostic categories and are linked to underlying neurobiological systems, a large number of phenotypic constructs have been proposed as potential research targets. Since "genes" represent a central "unit of analysis" in the RDoC matrix, it is important for studies going forward to apply what is known about the genetics of these phenotypes as well as fill in the gaps of existing knowledge. This article reviews the extant genetic epidemiological data (twin studies, heritability) and molecular genetic association findings for a broad range of putative NVS phenotypic measures. We find that scant genetic epidemiological data is available for experimentally derived measures such as attentional bias, peripheral physiology, or brain-based measures of threat response. The molecular genetic basis of NVS phenotypes is in its infancy, since most studies have focused on a small number of candidate genes selected for putative association to anxiety disorders (ADs). Thus, more research is required to provide a firm understanding of the genetic aspects of anxiety-related NVS constructs. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanne E. Savage
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
| | - Chelsea Sawyers
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
| | - Roxann Roberson-Nay
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA,Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
| | - John M. Hettema
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA,Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
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McCoy CR, Jackson NL, Day J, Clinton SM. Genetic predisposition to high anxiety- and depression-like behavior coincides with diminished DNA methylation in the adult rat amygdala. Behav Brain Res 2016; 320:165-178. [PMID: 27965039 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2016] [Revised: 11/22/2016] [Accepted: 12/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Understanding biological mechanisms that shape vulnerability to emotional dysfunction is critical for elucidating the neurobiology of psychiatric illnesses like anxiety and depression. To elucidate molecular and epigenetic alterations in the brain that contribute to individual differences in emotionality, our laboratory utilized a rodent model of temperamental differences. Rats bred for low response to novelty (Low Responders, LRs) are inhibited in novel situations and display high anxiety, helplessness, and diminished sociability compared to High Novelty Responder (HR) rats. Our current transcriptome profiling experiment identified widespread gene expression differences in the amygdala of adult HR/LR rats; we hypothesize that HR/LR gene expression and downstream behavioral differences stem from distinct epigenetic (specifically DNA methylation) patterning in the HR/LR brain. Although we found similar levels of DNA methyltransferase proteins in the adult HR/LR amygdala, next-generation sequencing analysis of the methylome revealed 793 differentially methylated genomic sites between the groups. Most of the differentially methylated sites were hypermethylated in HR versus LR, so we next tested the hypothesis that enhancing DNA methylation in LRs would improve their anxiety/depression-like phenotype. We found that increasing DNA methylation in LRs (via increased dietary methyl donor content) improved their anxiety-like behavior and decreased their typically high levels of Forced Swim Test (FST) immobility; however, dietary methyl donor depletion exacerbated LRs' high FST immobility. These data are generally consistent with findings in depressed patients showing that treatment with DNA methylation-promoting agents improves depressive symptoms, and highlight epigenetic mechanisms that may contribute to individual differences in risk for emotional dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea R McCoy
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA
| | - Nateka L Jackson
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham AL, USA
| | - Jeremy Day
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham AL, USA
| | - Sarah M Clinton
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA.
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10
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Piccolo paralogs and orthologs display conserved patterns of alternative splicing within the C2A and C2B domains. Genes Genomics 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s13258-015-0383-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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11
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Jeon SW, Kim YK. Molecular Neurobiology and Promising New Treatment in Depression. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:381. [PMID: 26999106 PMCID: PMC4813239 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17030381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2016] [Revised: 03/03/2016] [Accepted: 03/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The limited effects of currently available antidepressants are becoming an urgent issue in depression research. It takes a long time to determine treatment effects, and the overall remission rate is low. Although we expect the development of non-monoamine antidepressants in the near future, efforts in this regard over the past several decades have not yet been compensated. Thus, researchers and clinicians should clarify the neurobiological mechanisms of integrated modulators that regulate changes in genes, cells, the brain, and behaviors associated with depression. In this study, we review molecular neurobiological theories and new treatments for depression. Beyond neuroanatomy and monoamine theory, we discuss cells and molecules, neural plasticity, neurotrophisms, endocrine mechanisms, immunological mechanisms, genetics, circadian rhythms, and metabolic regulation in depression. In addition, we introduce the possibility of new antidepressant drug development using protein translation signaling (mTOR) pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang Won Jeon
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Korea University, Ansan Hospital, 123, Jeokgeum-ro, Danwon-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do, Seoul 15355, Korea.
| | - Yong-Ku Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Korea University, Ansan Hospital, 123, Jeokgeum-ro, Danwon-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do, Seoul 15355, Korea.
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Ryan J, Artero S, Carrière I, Maller JJ, Meslin C, Ritchie K, Ancelin ML. GWAS-identified risk variants for major depressive disorder: Preliminary support for an association with late-life depressive symptoms and brain structural alterations. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2016; 26:113-125. [PMID: 26391493 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2015.08.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2015] [Revised: 08/28/2015] [Accepted: 08/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A number of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have investigated risk factors for major depressive disorder (MDD), however there has been little attempt to replicate these findings in population-based studies of depressive symptoms. Variants within three genes, BICC1, PCLO and GRM7 were selected for replication in our study based on the following criteria: they were identified in a prior MDD GWAS study; a subsequent study found evidence that they influenced depression risk; and there is a solid biological basis for a role in depression. We firstly investigated whether these variants were associated with depressive symptoms in our population-based cohort of 929 elderly (238 with clinical depressive symptoms and 691 controls), and secondly to investigate associations with structural brain alterations. A number of nominally significant associations were identified, but none reached Bonferroni-corrected significance levels. Common SNPs in BICC1 and PCLO were associated with a 50% and 30% decreased risk of depression, respectively. PCLO rs2522833 was also associated with the volume of grey matter (p=1.6×10(-3)), and to a lesser extent with hippocampal volume and white matter lesions. Among depressed individuals rs9870680 (GRM7) was associated with the volume of grey and white matter (p=10(-4) and 8.3×10(-3), respectively). Our results provide some support for the involvement of BICC1 and PCLO in late-life depressive disorders and preliminary evidence that these genetic variants may also influence brain structural volumes. However effect sizes remain modest and associations did not reach corrected significance levels. Further large imaging studies are needed to confirm our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne Ryan
- Inserm, U1061, Montpellier F-34093; Université Montpellier, Montpellier F-34000, France; Disease Epigenetics Group, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute & Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Sylvaine Artero
- Inserm, U1061, Montpellier F-34093; Université Montpellier, Montpellier F-34000, France
| | - Isabelle Carrière
- Inserm, U1061, Montpellier F-34093; Université Montpellier, Montpellier F-34000, France
| | - Jerome J Maller
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred & Monash University Central Clinical School, Melbourne 3004, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chantal Meslin
- Centre for Mental Health Research, Australian National University, ACT, Canberra 0200, Australia
| | - Karen Ritchie
- Inserm, U1061, Montpellier F-34093; Université Montpellier, Montpellier F-34000, France; Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Marie-Laure Ancelin
- Inserm, U1061, Montpellier F-34093; Université Montpellier, Montpellier F-34000, France
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13
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Alfimova MV, Melnikova TS, Golimbet VE. [Molecular-genetic and electroencephalographic markers of neurocognitive processes in depressive disorders]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2015; 115:103-109. [PMID: 26438903 DOI: 10.17116/jnevro201511551103-109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Perspectives of molecular-genetic approaches to the establishment of mechanisms of development and causes of heterogeneity of neurocognitive impairment are discussed. The current results indicate that candidate genes for depression can contribute to the variance of memory and regulatory functions in patients. At the same time, these genes are closely related to affective information processing and .cortisol level. By that fact, it can't be excluded that affective processes moderate the association between cognition and genes. EEG parameters could be useful phenotypes in the search for and understanding of genetic mechanisms of cognitive deficit in depression. Parameters of resting EEG and its reactive changes are known to reflect the certain cognitive processes. They are influenced by genetic factors and are sensitive indicators of mechanisms that might underlie cognitive impairment in depressive patients. Accumulating data on molecular-genetic correlates of normal electric brain activity may be a source of choosing new candidate genes for cognitive impairment in depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- M V Alfimova
- Mental Health Research Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow; Moscow Research Institute of Psychiatry, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow
| | - T S Melnikova
- Moscow Research Institute of Psychiatry, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow
| | - V E Golimbet
- Mental Health Research Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow
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Giniatullina A, Maroteaux G, Geerts CJ, Koopmans B, Loos M, Klaassen R, Chen N, van der Schors RC, van Nierop P, Li KW, de Jong J, Altrock WD, Cornelisse LN, Toonen RF, van der Sluis S, Sullivan PF, Stiedl O, Posthuma D, Smit AB, Groffen AJ, Verhage M. Functional characterization of the PCLO p.Ser4814Ala variant associated with major depressive disorder reveals cellular but not behavioral differences. Neuroscience 2015; 300:518-38. [PMID: 26045179 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.05.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2014] [Revised: 05/17/2015] [Accepted: 05/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies have suggested a role for a genetic variation in the presynaptic gene PCLO in major depressive disorder (MDD). As with many complex traits, the PCLO variant has a small contribution to the overall heritability and the association does not always replicate. One variant (rs2522833, p.Ser4814Ala) is of particular interest given that it is a common, nonsynonymous exon variant near a calcium-sensing part of PCLO. It has been suggested that the molecular effects of such variations penetrate to a variable extent in the population due to phenotypic and genotypic heterogeneity at the population level. More robust effects may be exposed by studying such variations in isolation, in a more homogeneous context. We tested this idea by modeling PCLO variation in a mouse knock-in model expressing the Pclo(SA)(/)(SA) variant. In the highly homogeneous background of inbred mice, two functional effects of the SA-variation were observed at the cellular level: increased synaptic Piccolo levels, and 30% increased excitatory synaptic transmission in cultured neurons. Other aspects of Piccolo function were unaltered: calcium-dependent phospholipid binding, synapse formation in vitro, and synaptic accumulation of synaptic vesicles. Moreover, anxiety, cognition and depressive-like behavior were normal in Pclo(SA)(/)(SA) mice. We conclude that the PCLO p.Ser4814Ala missense variant produces mild cellular phenotypes, which do not translate into behavioral phenotypes. We propose a model explaining how (subtle) cellular phenotypes do not penetrate to the mouse behavioral level but, due to genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity and non-linearity, can produce association signals in human population studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Giniatullina
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - G Maroteaux
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - C J Geerts
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - B Koopmans
- Sylics (Synaptologics BV), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - M Loos
- Sylics (Synaptologics BV), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - R Klaassen
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - N Chen
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - R C van der Schors
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - P van Nierop
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - K W Li
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - J de Jong
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - W D Altrock
- Department of Neurochemistry and Molecular Biology, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - L N Cornelisse
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Section Complex Trait Genetics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - R F Toonen
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - S van der Sluis
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Section Complex Trait Genetics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - P F Sullivan
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - O Stiedl
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - D Posthuma
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - A B Smit
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A J Groffen
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - M Verhage
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Clinical Genetics, Section Complex Trait Genetics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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15
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Vrijsen JN, Speckens A, Arias-Vásquez A, Franke B, Becker ES, van Oostrom I. No evidence for the association between a polymorphism in the PCLO depression candidate gene with memory bias in remitted depressed patients and healthy individuals. PLoS One 2014; 9:e112153. [PMID: 25379724 PMCID: PMC4224395 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0112153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2014] [Accepted: 10/13/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The PCLO rs2522833 candidate polymorphism for depression has been associated to monoaminergic neurotransmission. In healthy and currently depressed individuals, the polymorphism has been found to affect activation of brain areas during memory processing, but no direct association of PCLO with memory bias was found. We hypothesized that the absence of this association might have been obscured by current depressive symptoms or genetically driven individual differences in reactivity to stressful events. Experiencing stressful childhood events fosters dysfunctional assumptions that are related to cognitive biases, and may modulate the predisposition for depression via epigenetic effects. The association between PCLO and memory bias, as well as interaction between PCLO and childhood events was studied in patients remitted from depression (N = 299), as well as a sample of healthy individuals (N = 157). The participants performed an emotional verbal memory task after a sad mood induction. Childhood trauma and adversity were measured with a questionnaire. The Genotype main effect, and Genotype by Childhood Events interaction were analyzed for memory bias in both samples. PCLO risk allele carrying remitted depressed patients did not show more negatively biased memory than non-risk allele carriers, not even patients with stressful childhood events. A similar pattern of results was found in healthy individuals. Memory bias may not be strongly associated with the PCLO rs2522833 polymorphism. We did not find any support for the PCLO-childhood events interaction, but the power of our study was insufficient to exclude this possibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janna N. Vrijsen
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- * E-mail:
| | - Anne Speckens
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Alejandro Arias-Vásquez
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Barbara Franke
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Eni S. Becker
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Iris van Oostrom
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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16
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Modulatory effects of the piccolo genotype on emotional memory in health and depression. PLoS One 2013; 8:e61494. [PMID: 23620758 PMCID: PMC3631241 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2012] [Accepted: 03/10/2013] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) has been associated with biased memory formation for mood-congruent information, which may be related to altered monoamine levels. The piccolo (PCLO) gene, involved in monoaminergic neurotransmission, has previously been linked to depression in a genome-wide association study. Here, we investigated the role of the PCLO risk allele on functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) correlates of emotional memory in a sample of 89 MDD patients (64 PCLO risk allele carriers) and 29 healthy controls (18 PCLO risk allele carriers). During negative word encoding, risk allele carriers showed significant lower activity relative to non-risk allele carriers in the insula, and trend-wise in the anterior cingulate cortex and inferior frontal gyrus. Moreover, depressed risk allele carriers showed significant lower activity relative to non-risk allele carriers in the striatum, an effect which was absent in healthy controls. Finally, amygdalar response during processing new positive words vs. known words was blunted in healthy PCLO+ carriers and in MDD patients irrespective of genotype, which may indicate that signalling of salient novel information does not occur to the same extent in PCLO+ carriers and MDD patients. The PCLO risk allele may increase vulnerability for MDD by modulating local brain function with regard to responsiveness to salient stimuli (i.e. insula) and processing novel negative information. Also, depression-specific effects of PCLO on dorsal striatal activation during negative word encoding and the absence of amygdalar salience signalling for novel positive information further suggest a role of PCLO in symptom maintenance in MDD.
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