1
|
Abstract
Over 2.6 million adults over the age of 65 develop delirium each year in the United States (US). Delirium is associated with a significant increase in mortality and the US health care costs associated with delirium are estimated at over $164 billion annually. Despite the prevalence of the condition, the molecular pathophysiology of delirium remains unexplained, limiting the development of pharmacotherapies. Delirious patients can be identified by prominent impairments in attention and working memory (WM), two cognitive domains that localize to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). The dlPFC is also a key site for Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology, and given the high risk of delirium in AD patients, suggests that efforts at understanding delirium might focus on the dlPFC as a final common endpoint for cognitive changes. Preclinical studies of the dlPFC reproduce many of the pharmacological observations made of delirious patients, including sensitivity to anticholinergics and an 'inverted U' pattern of dependence on monoaminergic input, with diminished performance outside a narrow range of signaling. Medications like guanfacine, which influence the dlPFC in the context of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), have emerged as therapies for delirium and motivate a detailed understanding of the influence of α-2 agonists on WM. In this review, I will discuss the neural circuitry and molecular mechanisms underlying WM and the function of the dlPFC. Localizing the cognitive deficits that are commonly seen in delirious patients may help identify new molecular targets for this highly prevalent disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kyle A. Lyman
- Department of Neurology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Akhgari A, Michel TM, Vafaee MS. Dendritic spines and their role in the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental and neurological disorders. Rev Neurosci 2024; 0:revneuro-2023-0151. [PMID: 38440811 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2023-0151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Since Cajal introduced dendritic spines in the 19th century, they have attained considerable attention, especially in neuropsychiatric and neurologic disorders. Multiple roles of dendritic spine malfunction and pathology in the progression of various diseases have been reported. Thus, it is inevitable to consider these structures as new therapeutic targets for treating neuropsychiatric and neurologic disorders such as autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia, dementia, Down syndrome, etc. Therefore, we attempted to prepare a narrative review of the literature regarding the role of dendritic spines in the pathogenesis of aforementioned diseases and to shed new light on their pathophysiology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aisan Akhgari
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Golgasht Street, Tabriz 5166616471, Iran
| | - Tanja Maria Michel
- Research Unit for Psychiatry, Odense University Hospital, J. B. Winsløws Vej 4, Odense 5000, Denmark
- Clinical Institute, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, Odense 5230, Denmark
| | - Manouchehr Seyedi Vafaee
- Research Unit for Psychiatry, Odense University Hospital, J. B. Winsløws Vej 4, Odense 5000, Denmark
- Clinical Institute, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, Odense 5230, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Reyes-Lizaola S, Luna-Zarate U, Tendilla-Beltrán H, Morales-Medina JC, Flores G. Structural and biochemical alterations in dendritic spines as key mechanisms for severe mental illnesses. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2024; 129:110876. [PMID: 37863171 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2023.110876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Severe mental illnesses (SMI) collectively affect approximately 20% of the global population, as estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO). Despite having diverse etiologies, clinical symptoms, and pharmacotherapies, these diseases share a common pathophysiological characteristic: the misconnection of brain areas involved in reality perception, executive control, and cognition, including the corticolimbic system. Dendritic spines play a crucial role in excitatory neurotransmission within the central nervous system. These small structures exhibit remarkable plasticity, regulated by factors such as neurotransmitter tone, neurotrophic factors, and innate immunity-related molecules, and other mechanisms - all of which are associated with the pathophysiology of SMI. However, studying dendritic spine mechanisms in both healthy and pathological conditions in patients is fraught with technical limitations. This is where animal models related to these diseases become indispensable. They have played a pivotal role in elucidating the significance of dendritic spines in SMI. In this review, the information regarding the potential role of dendritic spines in SMI was summarized, drawing from clinical and animal model reports. Also, the implications of targeting dendritic spine-related molecules for SMI treatment were explored. Specifically, our focus is on major depressive disorder and the neurodevelopmental disorders schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder. Abundant clinical and basic research has studied the functional and structural plasticity of dendritic spines in these diseases, along with potential pharmacological targets that modulate the dynamics of these structures. These targets may be associated with the clinical efficacy of the pharmacotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Reyes-Lizaola
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Licenciatura en Medicina, Universidad Popular del Estado de Puebla (UPAEP), Puebla, Mexico
| | - Ulises Luna-Zarate
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Licenciatura en Medicina, Universidad de las Américas Puebla (UDLAP), Puebla, Mexico
| | - Hiram Tendilla-Beltrán
- Laboratorio de Neuropsiquiatría, Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), Puebla, Mexico
| | - Julio César Morales-Medina
- Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, CINVESTAV-Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, Mexico
| | - Gonzalo Flores
- Laboratorio de Neuropsiquiatría, Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), Puebla, Mexico.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Gandy HM, Hollis F, Hernandez CM, McQuail JA. Aging or chronic stress impairs working memory and modulates GABA and glutamate gene expression in prelimbic cortex. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 15:1306496. [PMID: 38259638 PMCID: PMC10800675 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1306496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The glucocorticoid (GC) hypothesis posits that effects of stress and dysregulated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity accumulate over the lifespan and contribute to impairment of neural function and cognition in advanced aging. The validity of the GC hypothesis is bolstered by a wealth of studies that investigate aging of the hippocampus and decline of associated mnemonic functions. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) mediates working memory which also decreases with age. While the PFC is susceptible to stress and GCs, few studies have formally assessed the application of the GC hypothesis to PFC aging and working memory. Using parallel behavioral and molecular approaches, we compared the effects of normal aging versus chronic variable stress (CVS) on working memory and expression of genes that encode for effectors of glutamate and GABA signaling in male F344 rats. Using an operant delayed match-to-sample test of PFC-dependent working memory, we determined that normal aging and CVS each significantly impaired mnemonic accuracy and reduced the total number of completed trials. We then determined that normal aging increased expression of Slc6a11, which encodes for GAT-3 GABA transporter expressed by astrocytes, in the prelimbic (PrL) subregion of the PFC. CVS increased PrL expression of genes associated with glutamatergic synapses: Grin2b that encodes the GluN2B subunit of NMDA receptor, Grm4 that encodes for metabotropic glutamate receptor 4 (mGluR4), and Plcb1 that encodes for phospholipase C beta 1, an intracellular signaling enzyme that transduces signaling of Group I mGluRs. Beyond the identification of specific genes that were differentially expressed between the PrL in normal aging or CVS, examination of Log2 fold-changes for all expressed glutamate and GABA genes revealed a positive association between molecular phenotypes of aging and CVS in the PrL but no association in the infralimbic subregion. Consistent with predictions of the GC hypothesis, PFC-dependent working memory and PrL glutamate/GABA gene expression demonstrate comparable sensitivity to aging and chronic stress. However, changes in expression of specific genes affiliated with regulation of extracellular GABA in normal aging vs. genes encoding for effectors of glutamatergic signaling during CVS suggest the presence of unique manifestations of imbalanced inhibitory and excitatory signaling in the PFC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hannah M. Gandy
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Fiona Hollis
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
- Columbia VA Health Care System, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Caesar M. Hernandez
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Joseph A. McQuail
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Silnitsky S, Rubin SJS, Zerihun M, Qvit N. An Update on Protein Kinases as Therapeutic Targets-Part I: Protein Kinase C Activation and Its Role in Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17600. [PMID: 38139428 PMCID: PMC10743896 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein kinases are one of the most significant drug targets in the human proteome, historically harnessed for the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and a growing number of other conditions, including autoimmune and inflammatory processes. Since the approval of the first kinase inhibitors in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the field has grown exponentially, comprising 98 approved therapeutics to date, 37 of which were approved between 2016 and 2021. While many of these small-molecule protein kinase inhibitors that interact orthosterically with the protein kinase ATP binding pocket have been massively successful for oncological indications, their poor selectively for protein kinase isozymes have limited them due to toxicities in their application to other disease spaces. Thus, recent attention has turned to the use of alternative allosteric binding mechanisms and improved drug platforms such as modified peptides to design protein kinase modulators with enhanced selectivity and other pharmacological properties. Herein we review the role of different protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms in cancer and cardiovascular disease, with particular attention to PKC-family inhibitors. We discuss translational examples and carefully consider the advantages and limitations of each compound (Part I). We also discuss the recent advances in the field of protein kinase modulators, leverage molecular docking to model inhibitor-kinase interactions, and propose mechanisms of action that will aid in the design of next-generation protein kinase modulators (Part II).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shmuel Silnitsky
- The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, Bar-Ilan University, Henrietta Szold St. 8, Safed 1311502, Israel; (S.S.); (M.Z.)
| | - Samuel J. S. Rubin
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Stanford University, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA;
| | - Mulate Zerihun
- The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, Bar-Ilan University, Henrietta Szold St. 8, Safed 1311502, Israel; (S.S.); (M.Z.)
| | - Nir Qvit
- The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, Bar-Ilan University, Henrietta Szold St. 8, Safed 1311502, Israel; (S.S.); (M.Z.)
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Brosens N, Lesuis SL, Rao-Ruiz P, van den Oever MC, Krugers HJ. Shaping Memories Via Stress: A Synaptic Engram Perspective. Biol Psychiatry 2023:S0006-3223(23)01720-1. [PMID: 37977215 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Stress modulates the activity of various memory systems and can thereby guide behavioral interaction with the environment in an adaptive or maladaptive manner. At the cellular level, a large body of evidence indicates that (nor)adrenaline and glucocorticoid release induced by acute stress exposure affects synapse function and synaptic plasticity, which are critical substrates for learning and memory. Recent evidence suggests that memories are supported in the brain by sparsely distributed neurons within networks, termed engram cell ensembles. While the physiological and molecular effects of stress on the synapse are increasingly well characterized, how these synaptic modifications shape the multiscale dynamics of engram cell ensembles is still poorly understood. In this review, we discuss and integrate recent information on how acute stress affects synapse function and how this may alter engram cell ensembles and their synaptic connectivity to shape memory strength and memory precision. We provide a mechanistic framework of a synaptic engram under stress and put forward outstanding questions that address knowledge gaps in our understanding of the mechanisms that underlie stress-induced memory modulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Niek Brosens
- Brain Plasticity Group, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences-Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Sylvie L Lesuis
- Brain Plasticity Group, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences-Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Cellular and Cognitive Neuroscience group, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences-Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Priyanka Rao-Ruiz
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Michel C van den Oever
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Harm J Krugers
- Brain Plasticity Group, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences-Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Bal F. Efficacy of increasing levels of exposure therapy in the treatment of maladaptive behaviors and anxiety. MEDICINE INTERNATIONAL 2023; 3:55. [PMID: 37854724 PMCID: PMC10580115 DOI: 10.3892/mi.2023.115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
The present study examined the effectiveness of increasing levels of exposure therapy, which is applied for the treatment of maladaptive behaviors and anxiety. A total of 16 sessions were applied to the study group in the experimental group three times a week for 10 weeks. Patients aged ≥18 years whom the referring clinician evaluated as meeting the criteria for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-V-TR) Generalized Anxiety Disorder were included in the study. For the control group, demographic characteristics and Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were applied in the first session, followed by Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory as a post-test and follow-up. Electroencephalography (EEG) recordings of the study group were obtained at the cortical level. Electrodes for EEG measurements were recorded using the International 10/20 Electrode Placement System. EEG data were obtained using the EEG Analysis Program software. Following the data collection phase, all data were entered into cells based on items using SPSS 25 software. When the findings obtained in the study were examined, it was determined that the increasing levels of exposure and behavioral therapy applied for maladaptive anxiety decreased the anxiety levels compared to those before therapy. This finding can be interpreted as that the cortical function-oriented application method for anxiety effectively reduced the anxiety levels of the study group. However, EEG asymmetry revealed a change in the data before and after the application. These findings demonstrate that the application affects the EEG asymmetry changes at the cortical level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fatih Bal
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Sakarya University, Serdivan, Sakarya 54187, Turkey
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Datta D. Interrogating the Etiology of Sporadic Alzheimer's Disease Using Aging Rhesus Macaques: Cellular, Molecular, and Cortical Circuitry Perspectives. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2023; 78:1523-1534. [PMID: 37279946 PMCID: PMC10460555 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glad134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is the most significant risk factor for neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) associated with profound socioeconomic and personal costs. Consequently, there is an urgent need for animal models that recapitulate the age-related spatial and temporal complexity and patterns of pathology identical to human AD. Our research in aging nonhuman primate models involving rhesus macaques has revealed naturally occurring amyloid and tau pathology, including the formation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles comprising hyperphosphorylated tau. Moreover, rhesus macaques exhibit synaptic dysfunction in association cortices and cognitive impairments with advancing age, and thus can be used to interrogate the etiological mechanisms that generate neuropathological cascades in sporadic AD. Particularly, unique molecular mechanisms (eg, feedforward cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate [cAMP]-Protein kinase A (PKA)-calcium signaling) in the newly evolved primate dorsolateral prefrontal cortex are critical for persistent firing required for subserving higher-order cognition. For example, dendritic spines in primate dorsolateral prefrontal cortex contain a specialized repertoire of proteins to magnify feedforward cAMP-PKA-calcium signaling such as N-methyl-d-aspartic acid receptors and calcium channels on the smooth endoplasmic reticulum (eg, ryanodine receptors). This process is constrained by phosphodiesterases (eg, PDE4) that hydrolyze cAMP and calcium-buffering proteins (eg, calbindin) in the cytosol. However, genetic predispositions and age-related insults exacerbate feedforward cAMP-Protein kinase A-calcium signaling pathways that induce a myriad of downstream effects, including the opening of K+ channels to weaken network connectivity, calcium-mediated dysregulation of mitochondria, and activation of inflammatory cascades to eliminate synapses, thereby increasing susceptibility to atrophy. Therefore, aging rhesus macaques provide an invaluable model to explore novel therapeutic strategies in sporadic AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dibyadeep Datta
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Cooper MA, Grizzell JA, Whitten CJ, Burghardt GM. Comparing the ontogeny, neurobiology, and function of social play in hamsters and rats. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 147:105102. [PMID: 36804399 PMCID: PMC10023430 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
Syrian hamsters show complex social play behavior and provide a valuable animal model for delineating the neurobiological mechanisms and functions of social play. In this review, we compare social play behavior of hamsters and rats and underlying neurobiological mechanisms. Juvenile rats play by competing for opportunities to pin one another and attack their partner's neck. A broad set of cortical, limbic, and striatal regions regulate the display of social play in rats. In hamsters, social play is characterized by attacks to the head in early puberty, which gradually transitions to the flanks in late puberty. The transition from juvenile social play to adult hamster aggression corresponds with engagement of neural ensembles controlling aggression. Play deprivation in rats and hamsters alters dendritic morphology in mPFC neurons and impairs flexible, context-dependent behavior in adulthood, which suggests these animals may have converged on a similar function for social play. Overall, dissecting the neurobiology of social play in hamsters and rats can provide a valuable comparative approach for evaluating the function of social play.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A Cooper
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA.
| | - J Alex Grizzell
- Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Conner J Whitten
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Gordon M Burghardt
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA; Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Mahmud A, Avramescu RG, Niu Z, Flores C. Awakening the dormant: Role of axonal guidance cues in stress-induced reorganization of the adult prefrontal cortex leading to depression-like behavior. Front Neural Circuits 2023; 17:1113023. [PMID: 37035502 PMCID: PMC10079902 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2023.1113023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a chronic and disabling disorder affecting roughly 280 million people worldwide. While multiple brain areas have been implicated, dysfunction of prefrontal cortex (PFC) circuitry has been consistently documented in MDD, as well as in animal models for stress-induced depression-like behavioral states. During brain development, axonal guidance cues organize neuronal wiring by directing axonal pathfinding and arborization, dendritic growth, and synapse formation. Guidance cue systems continue to be expressed in the adult brain and are emerging as important mediators of synaptic plasticity and fine-tuning of mature neural networks. Dysregulation or interference of guidance cues has been linked to depression-like behavioral abnormalities in rodents and MDD in humans. In this review, we focus on the emerging role of guidance cues in stress-induced changes in adult prefrontal cortex circuitry and in precipitating depression-like behaviors. We discuss how modulating axonal guidance cue systems could be a novel approach for precision medicine and the treatment of depression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ashraf Mahmud
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Zhipeng Niu
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Cecilia Flores
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Neurology, and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
The gut microbiome modulates the transformation of microglial subtypes. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:1611-1621. [PMID: 36914812 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02017-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Clinical and animal studies have shown that gut microbiome disturbances can affect neural function and behaviors via the microbiota-gut-brain axis, and may be implicated in the pathogenesis of several brain diseases. However, exactly how the gut microbiome modulates nervous system activity remains obscure. Here, using a single-cell nucleus sequencing approach, we sought to characterize the cell type-specific transcriptomic changes in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus derived from germ-free (GF), specific pathogen free, and colonized-GF mice. We found that the absence of gut microbiota resulted in cell-specific transcriptomic changes. Furthermore, microglia transcriptomes were preferentially influenced, which could be effectively reversed by microbial colonization. Significantly, the gut microbiome modulated the mutual transformation of microglial subpopulations in the two regions. Cross-species analysis showed that the transcriptome changes of these microglial subpopulations were mainly associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and major depressive disorder (MDD), which were further supported by animal behavioral tests. Our findings demonstrate that gut microbiota mainly modulate the mutual transformation of microglial subtypes, which may lead to new insights into the pathogenesis of AD and MDD.
Collapse
|
12
|
The times they are a-changin': a proposal on how brain flexibility goes beyond the obvious to include the concepts of "upward" and "downward" to neuroplasticity. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:977-992. [PMID: 36575306 PMCID: PMC10005965 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01931-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Since the brain was found to be somehow flexible, plastic, researchers worldwide have been trying to comprehend its fundamentals to better understand the brain itself, make predictions, disentangle the neurobiology of brain diseases, and finally propose up-to-date treatments. Neuroplasticity is simple as a concept, but extremely complex when it comes to its mechanisms. This review aims to bring to light an aspect about neuroplasticity that is often not given enough attention as it should, the fact that the brain's ability to change would include its ability to disconnect synapses. So, neuronal shrinkage, decrease in spine density or dendritic complexity should be included within the concept of neuroplasticity as part of its mechanisms, not as an impairment of it. To that end, we extensively describe a variety of studies involving topics such as neurodevelopment, aging, stress, memory and homeostatic plasticity to highlight how the weakening and disconnection of synapses organically permeate the brain in so many ways as a good practice of its intrinsic physiology. Therefore, we propose to break down neuroplasticity into two sub-concepts, "upward neuroplasticity" for changes related to synaptic construction and "downward neuroplasticity" for changes related to synaptic deconstruction. With these sub-concepts, neuroplasticity could be better understood from a bigger landscape as a vector in which both directions could be taken for the brain to flexibly adapt to certain demands. Such a paradigm shift would allow a better understanding of the concept of neuroplasticity to avoid any data interpretation bias, once it makes clear that there is no morality with regard to the organic and physiological changes that involve dynamic biological systems as seen in the brain.
Collapse
|
13
|
Clancy J, Hoffmann CS, Pickett BE. Transcriptomics secondary analysis of severe human infection with SARS-CoV-2 identifies gene expression changes and predicts three transcriptional biomarkers in leukocytes. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2023; 21:1403-1413. [PMID: 36785619 PMCID: PMC9908618 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of COVID-19, which has greatly affected human health since it first emerged. Defining the human factors and biomarkers that differentiate severe SARS-CoV-2 infection from mild infection has become of increasing interest to clinicians. To help address this need, we retrieved 269 public RNA-seq human transcriptome samples from GEO that had qualitative disease severity metadata. We then subjected these samples to a robust RNA-seq data processing workflow to calculate gene expression in PBMCs, whole blood, and leukocytes, as well as to predict transcriptional biomarkers in PBMCs and leukocytes. This process involved using Salmon for read mapping, edgeR to calculate significant differential expression levels, and gene ontology enrichment using Camera. We then performed a random forest machine learning analysis on the read counts data to identify genes that best classified samples based on the COVID-19 severity phenotype. This approach produced a ranked list of leukocyte genes based on their Gini values that includes TGFBI, TTYH2, and CD4, which are associated with both the immune response and inflammation. Our results show that these three genes can potentially classify samples with severe COVID-19 with accuracy of ∼88% and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 92.6--indicating acceptable specificity and sensitivity. We expect that our findings can help contribute to the development of improved diagnostics that may aid in identifying severe COVID-19 cases, guide clinical treatment, and improve mortality rates.
Collapse
|
14
|
Arnsten AFT, Joyce MKP, Roberts AC. The Aversive Lens: Stress effects on the prefrontal-cingulate cortical pathways that regulate emotion. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 145:105000. [PMID: 36529312 PMCID: PMC9898199 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.105000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
ARNSTEN, A.F.T., M.K.P. Joyce and A.C. Roberts. The Aversive Lens: Stress effects on the prefrontal-cingulate cortical pathways that regulate emotion. NEUROSCI BIOBEHAV REV XXX-XXX, 2022. The symptoms of major-depressive-disorder include psychic pain and anhedonia, i.e. seeing the world through an "aversive lens". The neurobiology underlying this shift in worldview is emerging. Here these data are reviewed, focusing on how activation of subgenual cingulate (BA25) induces an "aversive lens", and how higher prefrontal cortical (PFC) areas (BA46/10/32) provide top-down regulation of BA25 but are weakened by excessive dopamine and norepinephrine release during stress exposure, and dendritic spine loss with chronic stress exposure. These changes may generate an attractor state, which maintains the brain under the control of BA25, requiring medication or neuromodulatory treatments to return connectivity to a more flexible state. In line with this hypothesis, effective anti-depressant treatments reduce the activity of BA25 and restore top-down regulation by higher circuits, e.g. as seen with SSRI medications, ketamine, deep brain stimulation of BA25, or rTMS to strengthen dorsolateral PFC. This research has special relevance in an era of chronic stress caused by the COVID19 pandemic, political unrest and threat of climate change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amy F T Arnsten
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
| | - Mary Kate P Joyce
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
| | - Angela C Roberts
- Department Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Lima-Filho R, Fortuna JS, Cozachenco D, Isaac AR, Lyra e Silva N, Saldanha A, Santos LE, Ferreira ST, Lourenco MV, De Felice FG. Brain FNDC5/Irisin Expression in Patients and Mouse Models of Major Depression. eNeuro 2023; 10:ENEURO.0256-22.2023. [PMID: 36697257 PMCID: PMC9927507 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0256-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a major cause of disability in adults. MDD is both a comorbidity and a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), and regular physical exercise has been associated with reduced incidence and severity of MDD and AD. Irisin is an exercise-induced myokine derived from proteolytic processing of fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5 (FNDC5). FNDC5/irisin is reduced in the brains of AD patients and mouse models. However, whether brain FNDC5/irisin expression is altered in depression remains elusive. Here, we investigate changes in fndc5 expression in postmortem brain tissue from MDD individuals and mouse models of depression. We found decreased fndc5 expression in the MDD prefrontal cortex, both with and without psychotic traits. We further demonstrate that the induction of depressive-like behavior in male mice by lipopolysaccharide decreased fndc5 expression in the frontal cortex, but not in the hippocampus. Conversely, chronic corticosterone administration increased fndc5 expression in the frontal cortex, but not in the hippocampus. Social isolation in mice did not result in altered fndc5 expression in either frontal cortex or hippocampus. Finally, fluoxetine, but not other antidepressants, increased fndc5 gene expression in the mouse frontal cortex. Results indicate a region-specific modulation of fndc5 in depressive-like behavior and by antidepressant in mice. Our finding of decreased prefrontal cortex fndc5 expression in MDD individuals differs from results in mice, highlighting the importance of carefully interpreting observations in mice. The reduction in fndc5 mRNA suggests that decreased central FNDC5/irisin could comprise a shared pathologic mechanism between MDD and AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Lima-Filho
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brazil
| | - Juliana S. Fortuna
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brazil
| | - Danielle Cozachenco
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brazil
| | - Alinny R. Isaac
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brazil
| | - Natalia Lyra e Silva
- Centre for Neurosciences Studies, Departments of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, and Psychiatry, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Alice Saldanha
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brazil
| | - Luis E. Santos
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brazil
| | - Sergio T. Ferreira
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brazil
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brazil
- D’Or Institute for Research and Education, Rio de Janeiro RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
| | - Mychael V. Lourenco
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brazil
| | - Fernanda G. De Felice
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brazil
- Centre for Neurosciences Studies, Departments of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, and Psychiatry, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada
- D’Or Institute for Research and Education, Rio de Janeiro RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Lissek T. Activity-Dependent Induction of Younger Biological Phenotypes. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2022; 6:e2200119. [PMID: 35976161 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202200119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
In several mammalian species, including humans, complex stimulation patterns such as cognitive and physical exercise lead to improvements in organ function, organism health and performance, as well as possibly longer lifespans. A framework is introduced here in which activity-dependent transcriptional programs, induced by these environmental stimuli, move somatic cells such as neurons and muscle cells toward a state that resembles younger cells to allow remodeling and adaptation of the organism. This cellular adaptation program targets several process classes that are heavily implicated in aging, such as mitochondrial metabolism, cell-cell communication, and epigenetic information processing, and leads to functional improvements in these areas. The activity-dependent gene program (ADGP) can be seen as a natural, endogenous cellular reprogramming mechanism that provides deep insight into the principles of inducible improvements in cell and organism function and can guide the development of therapeutic approaches for longevity. Here, these ADGPs are analyzed, exemplary critical molecular nexus points such as cAMP response element-binding protein, myocyte enhancer factor 2, serum response factor, and c-Fos are identified, and it is explored how one may leverage them to prevent, attenuate, and reverse human aging-related decline of body function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Lissek
- Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Wallace TL, Martin WJ, Arnsten AF. Kappa opioid receptor antagonism protects working memory performance from mild stress exposure in Rhesus macaques. Neurobiol Stress 2022; 21:100493. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2022.100493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
|
18
|
Shade RD, Ross JA, Van Bockstaele EJ. Targeting the cannabinoid system to counteract the deleterious effects of stress in Alzheimer’s disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:949361. [PMID: 36268196 PMCID: PMC9577232 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.949361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized histologically in postmortem human brains by the presence of dense protein accumulations known as amyloid plaques and tau tangles. Plaques and tangles develop over decades of aberrant protein processing, post-translational modification, and misfolding throughout an individual’s lifetime. We present a foundation of evidence from the literature that suggests chronic stress is associated with increased disease severity in Alzheimer’s patient populations. Taken together with preclinical evidence that chronic stress signaling can precipitate cellular distress, we argue that chronic psychological stress renders select circuits more vulnerable to amyloid- and tau- related abnormalities. We discuss the ongoing investigation of systemic and cellular processes that maintain the integrity of protein homeostasis in health and in degenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease that have revealed multiple potential therapeutic avenues. For example, the endogenous cannabinoid system traverses the central and peripheral neural systems while simultaneously exerting anti-inflammatory influence over the immune response in the brain and throughout the body. Moreover, the cannabinoid system converges on several stress-integrative neuronal circuits and critical regions of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, with the capacity to dampen responses to psychological and cellular stress. Targeting the cannabinoid system by influencing endogenous processes or exogenously stimulating cannabinoid receptors with natural or synthetic cannabis compounds has been identified as a promising route for Alzheimer’s Disease intervention. We build on our foundational framework focusing on the significance of chronic psychological and cellular stress on the development of Alzheimer’s neuropathology by integrating literature on cannabinoid function and dysfunction within Alzheimer’s Disease and conclude with remarks on optimal strategies for treatment potential.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ronnie D. Shade
- Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Jennifer A. Ross
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- *Correspondence: Jennifer A. Ross,
| | - Elisabeth J. Van Bockstaele
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Arnsten AFT, Woo E, Yang S, Wang M, Datta D. Unusual Molecular Regulation of Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Layer III Synapses Increases Vulnerability to Genetic and Environmental Insults in Schizophrenia. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 92:480-490. [PMID: 35305820 PMCID: PMC9372235 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is associated with reduced numbers of spines and dendrites from layer III of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), the layer that houses the recurrent excitatory microcircuits that subserve working memory and abstract thought. Why are these synapses so vulnerable, while synapses in deeper or more superficial layers are little affected? This review describes the special molecular properties that govern layer III neurotransmission and neuromodulation in the primate dlPFC and how they may render these circuits particularly vulnerable to genetic and environmental insults. These properties include a reliance on NMDA receptor rather than AMPA receptor neurotransmission; cAMP (cyclic adenosine monophosphate) magnification of calcium signaling near the glutamatergic synapse of dendritic spines; and potassium channels opened by cAMP/PKA (protein kinase A) signaling that dynamically alter network strength, with built-in mechanisms to take dlPFC "offline" during stress. A variety of genetic and/or environmental insults can lead to the same phenotype of weakened layer III connectivity, in which mechanisms that normally strengthen connectivity are impaired and those that normally weaken connectivity are intensified. Inflammatory mechanisms, such as increased kynurenic acid and glutamate carboxypeptidase II expression, are especially detrimental to layer III dlPFC neurotransmission and modulation, mimicking genetic insults. The combination of genetic and inflammatory insults may cross the threshold into pathology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amy F T Arnsten
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale Medical School, New Haven, Connecticut.
| | - Elizabeth Woo
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale Medical School, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Shengtao Yang
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale Medical School, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Min Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale Medical School, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Dibyadeep Datta
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale Medical School, New Haven, Connecticut
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
PRG-1 prevents neonatal stimuli-induced persistent hyperalgesia and memory dysfunction via NSF/Glu/GluR2 signaling. iScience 2022; 25:104989. [PMID: 36093041 PMCID: PMC9460187 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Neonatal repetitive noxious stimuli (RNS) has been shown to cause long-term harmful effects on nociceptive processing, learning, and memory which persist until adulthood. Plasticity-related gene 1 (PRG-1) regulates synaptic plasticity and functional reorganization in the brain during neuronal development. In this study, neonatal RNS rats were established by repetitive needle pricks to neonatal rats on all four feet to model repetitive pain exposure in infants. Neonatal RNS caused thermal hyperalgesia, mechanical allodynia, learning, and memory impairments which manifested in young rats and persisted until adulthood. Hippocampal PRG-1/N-ethylmaleimide sensitive fusion protein (NSF) interaction was determined to be responsible for the RNS-induced impairment via enhanced extracellular glutamate release and AMPAR GluR2 trafficking deficiency in a cell-autonomous manner. These pathways likely act synergistically to cause changes in dendritic spine density. Our findings suggest that PRG-1 prevents the RNS-induced hyperalgesia, learning, and memory impairment by regulating synaptic plasticity via NSF/Glu/GluR2 signaling. Neonatal RNS induced hyperalgesia, learning, and memory impairment until adulthood. PRG-1 attenuated RNS-induced impairments by dendritic spine regulation. PRG-1 prevents RNS-induced impairments via NSF/Glu/GluR2 signaling.
Collapse
|
21
|
Effects of Acute Exercise on Cognitive Flexibility in Young Adults with Different Levels of Aerobic Fitness. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19159106. [PMID: 35897486 PMCID: PMC9331115 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19159106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) and moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE) on cognitive flexibility in young adults with differing levels of aerobic fitness. Sixty-six young adults were grouped into high- and low-fit groups based on their final running distance on the 20 m Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) test. Individuals participated in a 10 min HIIE, a 20 min HIIE, a 20 min MICE, and a control session (reading quietly in a chair) in a counterbalanced order. The more-odd shifting task was completed before and approximately 5 min after each intervention to assess cognitive flexibility. The results showed that young adults with a high fitness level gained greater benefits in terms of switch cost from the 20 min HIIE, while low-fitness participants benefited more from the 10 min HIIE and the 20 min MICE. These findings suggest that aerobic fitness may influence the effect of acute HIIE and MICE on cognitive flexibility. Young adults should consider individual fitness level when adopting time-effective and appropriate exercise routines to improve cognitive flexibility.
Collapse
|
22
|
A 5-HT6R Agonist Alleviates Cognitive Dysfunction after Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats by Increasing BDNF Expression. Behav Brain Res 2022; 433:113997. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.113997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 06/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
|
23
|
Fu Y, Lorrai I, Zorman B, Mercatelli D, Shankula C, Marquez Gaytan J, Lefebvre C, de Guglielmo G, Kim HR, Sumazin P, Giorgi FM, Repunte-Canonigo V, Sanna PP. Escalated (Dependent) Oxycodone Self-Administration Is Associated with Cognitive Impairment and Transcriptional Evidence of Neurodegeneration in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Transgenic Rats. Viruses 2022; 14:669. [PMID: 35458399 PMCID: PMC9030762 DOI: 10.3390/v14040669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Substance use disorder is associated with accelerated disease progression in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV; PWH). Problem opioid use, including high-dose opioid therapy, prescription drug misuse, and opioid abuse, is high and increasing in the PWH population. Oxycodone is a broadly prescribed opioid in both the general population and PWH. Here, we allowed HIV transgenic (Tg) rats and wildtype (WT) littermates to intravenously self-administer oxycodone under short-access (ShA) conditions, which led to moderate, stable, "recreational"-like levels of drug intake, or under long-access (LgA) conditions, which led to escalated (dependent) drug intake. HIV Tg rats with histories of oxycodone self-administration under LgA conditions exhibited significant impairment in memory performance in the novel object recognition (NOR) paradigm. RNA-sequencing expression profiling of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in HIV Tg rats that self-administered oxycodone under ShA conditions exhibited greater transcriptional evidence of inflammation than WT rats that self-administered oxycodone under the same conditions. HIV Tg rats that self-administered oxycodone under LgA conditions exhibited transcriptional evidence of an increase in neuronal injury and neurodegeneration compared with WT rats under the same conditions. Gene expression analysis indicated that glucocorticoid-dependent adaptations contributed to the gene expression effects of oxycodone self-administration. Overall, the present results indicate that a history of opioid intake promotes neuroinflammation and glucocorticoid dysregulation, and excessive opioid intake is associated with neurotoxicity and cognitive impairment in HIV Tg rats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yu Fu
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92037, USA; (Y.F.); (I.L.); (C.S.); (J.M.G.); (C.L.)
- European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Irene Lorrai
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92037, USA; (Y.F.); (I.L.); (C.S.); (J.M.G.); (C.L.)
| | - Barry Zorman
- Department of Pediatrics, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (B.Z.); (H.R.K.); (P.S.)
| | - Daniele Mercatelli
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy; (D.M.); (F.M.G.)
| | - Chase Shankula
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92037, USA; (Y.F.); (I.L.); (C.S.); (J.M.G.); (C.L.)
| | - Jorge Marquez Gaytan
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92037, USA; (Y.F.); (I.L.); (C.S.); (J.M.G.); (C.L.)
| | - Celine Lefebvre
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92037, USA; (Y.F.); (I.L.); (C.S.); (J.M.G.); (C.L.)
- 92160 Antony, France
| | - Giordano de Guglielmo
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92093, USA;
| | - Hyunjae Ryan Kim
- Department of Pediatrics, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (B.Z.); (H.R.K.); (P.S.)
| | - Pavel Sumazin
- Department of Pediatrics, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (B.Z.); (H.R.K.); (P.S.)
| | - Federico M. Giorgi
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy; (D.M.); (F.M.G.)
| | - Vez Repunte-Canonigo
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92037, USA; (Y.F.); (I.L.); (C.S.); (J.M.G.); (C.L.)
| | - Pietro Paolo Sanna
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92037, USA; (Y.F.); (I.L.); (C.S.); (J.M.G.); (C.L.)
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Nashed MG, Waye S, Hasan SMN, Nguyen D, Wiseman M, Zhang J, Lau H, Dinesh OC, Raymond R, Greig IR, Bambico FR, Nobrega JN. Antidepressant activity of pharmacological and genetic deactivation of the small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channel subtype-3. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2022; 239:253-266. [PMID: 34982171 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-06045-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE The voltage-insensitive, small-conductance calcium-activated potassium (SK) channel is a key regulator of neuronal depolarization and is implicated in the pathophysiology of depressive disorders. OBJECTIVE We ascertained whether the SK channel is impaired in the chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) model and whether it can serve as a molecular target of antidepressant action. METHODS We assessed the depressive-like behavioral phenotype of CUS-exposed rats and performed post-mortem SK channel binding and activity-dependent zif268 mRNA analyses on their brains. To begin an assessment of SK channel subtypes involved, we examined the effects of genetic and pharmacological inhibition of the SK3 channel using conditional knockout mice and selective SK3 channel negative allosteric modulators (NAMs). RESULTS We found that [125I]apamin binding to SK channels is increased in the prefrontal cortex and decreased in the hippocampus, an effect that was associated with reciprocal levels of zif268 mRNA transcripts indicating abnormal regional cell activity in this model. We found that genetic and pharmacological manipulations significantly decreased immobility in the forced swim test without altering general locomotor activity, a hallmark of antidepressant-like activity. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these findings link depression-related neural and behavioral pathophysiology with abnormal SK channel functioning and suggest that this can be reversed by the selective inhibition of SK3 channels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mina G Nashed
- Behavioural Neurobiology Laboratory, Research Imaging Center, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Shannon Waye
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - S M Nageeb Hasan
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Diana Nguyen
- Behavioural Neurobiology Laboratory, Research Imaging Center, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Micaela Wiseman
- Behavioural Neurobiology Laboratory, Research Imaging Center, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Jing Zhang
- Behavioural Neurobiology Laboratory, Research Imaging Center, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Harry Lau
- Behavioural Neurobiology Laboratory, Research Imaging Center, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - O Chandani Dinesh
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Roger Raymond
- Behavioural Neurobiology Laboratory, Research Imaging Center, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Iain R Greig
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, King's College, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, Scotland
| | - Francis Rodriguez Bambico
- Behavioural Neurobiology Laboratory, Research Imaging Center, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada. .,Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador, A1B 3X9, Canada.
| | - José N Nobrega
- Behavioural Neurobiology Laboratory, Research Imaging Center, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Deutschmann AU, Kirkland JM, Briand LA. Adolescent social isolation induced alterations in nucleus accumbens glutamate signalling. Addict Biol 2022; 27:e13077. [PMID: 34278652 PMCID: PMC9206853 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to adversity during early childhood and adolescence increases an individual's vulnerability to developing substance use disorder. Despite the knowledge of this vulnerability, the mechanisms underlying it are still poorly understood. Excitatory afferents to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) mediate responses to both stressful and rewarding stimuli. Understanding how adolescent social isolation alters these afferents could inform the development of targeted interventions both before and after drug use. Here, we used social isolation rearing as a model of early life adversity which we have previously demonstrated increases vulnerability to cocaine addiction-like behaviour. The current study examined the effect of social isolation rearing on presynaptic glutamatergic transmission in NAc medium spiny neurons in both male and female mice. We show that social isolation rearing alters presynaptic plasticity in the NAc by decreasing the paired-pulse ratio and the size of the readily releasable pool of glutamate. Optogenetically activating the glutamatergic input from the ventral hippocampus to the NAc is sufficient to recapitulate the decreases in paired-pulse ratio and readily releasable pool size seen following electrical stimulation of all NAc afferents. Further, optogenetically inhibiting the ventral hippocampal afferent during electrical stimulation eliminates the effect of early life adversity on the paired-pulse ratio or readily releasable pool size. In summary, we demonstrate that social isolation rearing leads to alterations in glutamate transmission driven by projections from the ventral hippocampus. These data suggest that targeting the circuit from the ventral hippocampus to the nucleus accumbens could provide a means to reverse stress-induced plasticity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lisa A. Briand
- Department of Psychology, Temple University,Neuroscience Program, Temple University
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Krenz V, Sommer T, Alink A, Roozendaal B, Schwabe L. Noradrenergic arousal after encoding reverses the course of systems consolidation in humans. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6054. [PMID: 34663784 PMCID: PMC8523710 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26250-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
It is commonly assumed that episodic memories undergo a time-dependent systems consolidation process, during which hippocampus-dependent memories eventually become reliant on neocortical areas. Here we show that systems consolidation dynamics can be experimentally manipulated and even reversed. We combined a single pharmacological elevation of post-encoding noradrenergic activity through the α2-adrenoceptor antagonist yohimbine with fMRI scanning both during encoding and recognition testing either 1 or 28 days later. We show that yohimbine administration, in contrast to placebo, leads to a time-dependent increase in hippocampal activity and multivariate encoding-retrieval pattern similarity, an indicator of episodic reinstatement, between 1 and 28 days. This is accompanied by a time-dependent decrease in neocortical activity. Behaviorally, these neural changes are linked to a reduced memory decline over time after yohimbine intake. These findings indicate that noradrenergic activity shortly after encoding may alter and even reverse systems consolidation in humans, thus maintaining vividness of memories over time.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Krenz
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Universität Hamburg, Von-Melle-Park 5, 20146, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Sommer
- University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Department of Systems Neuroscience, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Arjen Alink
- University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Department of Systems Neuroscience, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Benno Roozendaal
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Kapittelweg 29, 6525 EN, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Lars Schwabe
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Universität Hamburg, Von-Melle-Park 5, 20146, Hamburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Woo E, Sansing LH, Arnsten AFT, Datta D. Chronic Stress Weakens Connectivity in the Prefrontal Cortex: Architectural and Molecular Changes. CHRONIC STRESS 2021; 5:24705470211029254. [PMID: 34485797 PMCID: PMC8408896 DOI: 10.1177/24705470211029254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Chronic exposure to uncontrollable stress causes loss of spines and dendrites in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), a recently evolved brain region that provides top-down regulation of thought, action, and emotion. PFC neurons generate top-down goals through recurrent excitatory connections on spines. This persistent firing is the foundation for higher cognition, including working memory, and abstract thought. However, exposure to acute uncontrollable stress drives high levels of catecholamine release in the PFC, which activates feedforward calcium-cAMP signaling pathways to open nearby potassium channels, rapidly weakening synaptic connectivity to reduce persistent firing. Chronic stress exposures can further exacerbate these signaling events leading to loss of spines and resulting in marked cognitive impairment. In this review, we discuss how stress signaling mechanisms can lead to spine loss, including changes to BDNF-mTORC1 signaling, calcium homeostasis, actin dynamics, and mitochondrial actions that engage glial removal of spines through inflammatory signaling. Stress signaling events may be amplified in PFC spines due to cAMP magnification of internal calcium release. As PFC dendritic spine loss is a feature of many cognitive disorders, understanding how stress affects the structure and function of the PFC will help to inform strategies for treatment and prevention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Woo
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale Medical School, New Haven, CT, USA.,Department of Neurology, Yale Medical School, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Lauren H Sansing
- Department of Neurology, Yale Medical School, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Amy F T Arnsten
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale Medical School, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Dibyadeep Datta
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale Medical School, New Haven, CT, USA
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Arnsten AFT, Datta D, Wang M. The genie in the bottle-magnified calcium signaling in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:3684-3700. [PMID: 33319854 PMCID: PMC8203737 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-00973-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Neurons in the association cortices are particularly vulnerable in cognitive disorders such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease, while those in primary visual cortex remain relatively resilient. This review proposes that the special molecular mechanisms needed for higher cognitive operations confer vulnerability to dysfunction, atrophy, and neurodegeneration when regulation is lost due to genetic and/or environmental insults. Accumulating data suggest that higher cortical circuits rely on magnified levels of calcium (from NMDAR, calcium channels, and/or internal release from the smooth endoplasmic reticulum) near the postsynaptic density to promote the persistent firing needed to maintain, manipulate, and store information without "bottom-up" sensory stimulation. For example, dendritic spines in the primate dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) express the molecular machinery for feedforward, cAMP-PKA-calcium signaling. PKA can drive internal calcium release and promote calcium flow through NMDAR and calcium channels, while in turn, calcium activates adenylyl cyclases to produce more cAMP-PKA signaling. Excessive levels of cAMP-calcium signaling can have a number of detrimental effects: for example, opening nearby K+ channels to weaken synaptic efficacy and reduce neuronal firing, and over a longer timeframe, driving calcium overload of mitochondria to induce inflammation and dendritic atrophy. Thus, calcium-cAMP signaling must be tightly regulated, e.g., by agents that catabolize cAMP or inhibit its production (PDE4, mGluR3), and by proteins that bind calcium in the cytosol (calbindin). Many genetic or inflammatory insults early in life weaken the regulation of calcium-cAMP signaling and are associated with increased risk of schizophrenia (e.g., GRM3). Age-related loss of regulatory proteins which result in elevated calcium-cAMP signaling over a long lifespan can additionally drive tau phosphorylation, amyloid pathology, and neurodegeneration, especially when protective calcium binding proteins are lost from the cytosol. Thus, the "genie" we need for our remarkable cognitive abilities may make us vulnerable to cognitive disorders when we lose essential regulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amy F T Arnsten
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
| | - Dibyadeep Datta
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Min Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Tomaskovic-Crook E, Guerrieri-Cortesi K, Crook JM. Induced pluripotent stem cells for 2D and 3D modelling the biological basis of schizophrenia and screening possible therapeutics. Brain Res Bull 2021; 175:48-62. [PMID: 34273422 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2021.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are providing unprecedented insight into complex neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia (SZ). Here we review the use of iPSCs for investigating the etiopathology and treatment of SZ, beginning with conventional in vitro two-dimensional (2D; monolayer) cell modelling, through to more advanced 3D tissue studies. With the advent of 3D modelling, utilising advanced differentiation paradigms and additive manufacturing technologies, inclusive of patient-specific cerebral/neural organoids and bioprinted neural tissues, such live disease-relevant tissue systems better recapitulate "within-body" tissue function and pathobiology. We posit that by enabling better understanding of biological causality, these evolving strategies will yield novel therapeutic targets and accordingly, drug candidates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eva Tomaskovic-Crook
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science, Intelligent Polymer Research Institute, AIIM Facility, University of Wollongong, 2500, Wollongong, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, 2500, Wollongong, Australia.
| | - Kyle Guerrieri-Cortesi
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science, Intelligent Polymer Research Institute, AIIM Facility, University of Wollongong, 2500, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Jeremy Micah Crook
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science, Intelligent Polymer Research Institute, AIIM Facility, University of Wollongong, 2500, Wollongong, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, 2500, Wollongong, Australia; Chris O'Brien Lifehouse Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia; Department of Surgery, St Vincent's Hospital, The University of Melbourne, 3065, Fitzroy, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Arnsten AFT, Condon EM, Dettmer AM, Gee DG, Lee KS, Mayes LC, Stover CS, Tseng WL. The prefrontal cortex in a pandemic: Restoring functions with system-, family-, and individual-focused interventions. AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGIST 2021; 76:729-743. [PMID: 33983754 PMCID: PMC8589866 DOI: 10.1037/amp0000823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic is an unanticipated and uncontrollable chronic stressor that is detrimental to the mental and behavioral health of children and families, particularly those from disadvantaged and marginalized backgrounds. Chronic stress impairs a myriad of prefrontal cortical functions, important for coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, and has consequences on dyadic parent-child functioning. Informed by neuroscience and clinical evidence, sensitive parenting is a vital avenue of intervention that buffers against the toxic effects of COVID-19 on parent-child mental health. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, we first discuss the neurobiological, psychological, and behavioral mechanisms behind exacerbated mental health risks in families. We then highlight the role of sensitive parenting as a buffer against stress-related mental health problems, and conclude with recommendations for systemic-, family-, and individual-interventions to most effectively address stress-related mental health problems and their impact on children and families during the COVID-19 pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amy F. T. Arnsten
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine
- Kavli Institute of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine
| | | | | | | | - Ka Shu Lee
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London
- Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
Nguyen LD, Fischer TT, Ehrlich BE. Pharmacological rescue of cognitive function in a mouse model of chemobrain. Mol Neurodegener 2021; 16:41. [PMID: 34174909 PMCID: PMC8235868 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-021-00463-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND After chemotherapy, many cancer survivors suffer from long-lasting cognitive impairment, colloquially known as "chemobrain." However, the trajectories of cognitive changes and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We previously established paclitaxel-induced inositol trisphosphate receptor (InsP3R)-dependent calcium oscillations as a mechanism for peripheral neuropathy, which was prevented by lithium pretreatment. Here, we investigated if a similar mechanism also underlay paclitaxel-induced chemobrain. METHOD Mice were injected with 4 doses of 20 mg/kg paclitaxel every other day to induced cognitive impairment. Memory acquisition was assessed with the displaced object recognition test. The morphology of neurons in the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus was analyzed using Golgi-Cox staining, followed by Sholl analyses. Changes in protein expression were measured by Western blot. RESULTS Mice receiving paclitaxel showed impaired short-term spatial memory acquisition both acutely 5 days post injection and chronically 23 days post injection. Dendritic length and complexity were reduced in the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex after paclitaxel injection. Concurrently, the expression of protein kinase C α (PKCα), an effector in the InsP3R pathway, was increased. Treatment with lithium before or shortly after paclitaxel injection rescued the behavioral, cellular, and molecular deficits observed. Similarly, memory and morphological deficits could be rescued by pretreatment with chelerythrine, a PKC inhibitor. CONCLUSION We establish the InsP3R calcium pathway and impaired neuronal morphology as mechanisms for paclitaxel-induced cognitive impairment. Our findings suggest lithium and PKC inhibitors as candidate agents for preventing chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lien D Nguyen
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.,Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.,Present Address: Department of Neurology, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Tom T Fischer
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.,Institute of Pharmacology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Barbara E Ehrlich
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA. .,Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Bittar TP, Labonté B. Functional Contribution of the Medial Prefrontal Circuitry in Major Depressive Disorder and Stress-Induced Depressive-Like Behaviors. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:699592. [PMID: 34234655 PMCID: PMC8257081 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.699592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite decades of research on the neurobiology of major depressive disorder (MDD), the mechanisms underlying its expression remain unknown. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a hub region involved in emotional processing and stress response elaboration, is highly impacted in MDD patients and animal models of chronic stress. Recent advances showed alterations in the morphology and activity of mPFC neurons along with profound changes in their transcriptional programs. Studies at the circuitry level highlighted the relevance of deciphering the contributions of the distinct prefrontal circuits in the elaboration of adapted and maladapted behavioral responses in the context of chronic stress. Interestingly, MDD presents a sexual dimorphism, a feature recognized in the molecular field but understudied on the circuit level. This review examines the recent literature and summarizes the contribution of the mPFC circuitry in the expression of MDD in males and females along with the morphological and functional alterations that change the activity of these neuronal circuits in human MDD and animal models of depressive-like behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thibault P. Bittar
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Benoit Labonté
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Liu T, Lu J, Lukasiewicz K, Pan B, Zuo Y. Stress induces microglia-associated synaptic circuit alterations in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 15:100342. [PMID: 34136592 PMCID: PMC8182072 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 05/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The mammalian dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) receives diverse inputs and plays important roles in adaptive behavior and cognitive flexibility. Stress, a major risk factor for many psychiatric disorders, compromises the structure and function of multiple brain regions and circuits. Here we show that 7-day restraint stress impairs reversal learning in the 4-choice odor discrimination test, a decision-making task requiring an intact dmPFC. In vivo two-photon imaging further reveals that stress increases dmPFC dendritic spine elimination, particularly those of the mushroom morphology, without affecting spine formation. In addition, stress alters dmPFC microglial branching complexity and elevates their terminal process dynamics. In stressed mice, dmPFC microglia contact dendrites more frequently, and dendritic spines with microglial contact are prone to elimination. In summary, our work suggests that stress-induced changes in glial-synapse interaction contributes to synaptic loss in dmPFC, resulting in neuronal circuit deficits and impaired cognitive flexibility. Restraint stress impairs cognitive flexibility in adolescent mice. Stress leads to synapse loss on pyramidal neurons in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. Stress decreases microglial complexity but increases their terminal dynamics and contacts with dendritic spines. Dendritic spines contacted by microglial processes are more prone to elimination.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Taohui Liu
- School of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330031, China.,Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | - Ju Lu
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | - Kacper Lukasiewicz
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | - Bingxing Pan
- School of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330031, China
| | - Yi Zuo
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Jeong HJ, Durham EL, Moore TM, Dupont RM, McDowell M, Cardenas-Iniguez C, Micciche ET, Berman MG, Lahey BB, Kaczkurkin AN. The association between latent trauma and brain structure in children. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:240. [PMID: 33895776 PMCID: PMC8068725 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01357-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The developing brain is marked by high plasticity, which can lead to vulnerability to early life stressors. Previous studies indicate that childhood maltreatment is associated with structural aberrations across a number of brain regions. However, prior work is limited by small sample sizes, heterogeneous age groups, the examination of one structure in isolation, the confounding of different types of early life stressors, and not accounting for socioeconomic status. These limitations may contribute to high variability across studies. The present study aimed to investigate how trauma is specifically associated with cortical thickness and gray matter volume (GMV) differences by leveraging a large sample of children (N = 9270) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive DevelopmentSM Study (ABCD Study®). A latent measure of trauma exposure was derived from DSM-5 traumatic events, and we related this measure of trauma to the brain using structural equation modeling. Trauma exposure was associated with thinner cortices in the bilateral superior frontal gyri and right caudal middle frontal gyrus (pfdr-values < .001) as well as thicker cortices in the left isthmus cingulate and posterior cingulate (pfdr-values ≤ .027), after controlling age, sex, and race/ethnicity. Furthermore, trauma exposure was associated with smaller GMV in the right amygdala and right putamen (pfdr-values ≤ .048). Sensitivity analyses that controlled for income and parental education were largely consistent with the main findings for cortical thickness. These results suggest that trauma may be an important risk factor for structural aberrations, specifically for cortical thickness differences in frontal and cingulate regions in children.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hee Jung Jeong
- grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA
| | - E. Leighton Durham
- grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Tyler M. Moore
- grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Randolph M. Dupont
- grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Malerie McDowell
- grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Carlos Cardenas-Iniguez
- grid.170205.10000 0004 1936 7822Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL USA
| | - Emily T. Micciche
- grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Marc G. Berman
- grid.170205.10000 0004 1936 7822Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL USA ,grid.170205.10000 0004 1936 7822The Grossman Institute for Neuroscience, Quantitative Biology and Human Behavior, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL USA
| | - Benjamin B. Lahey
- grid.170205.10000 0004 1936 7822Departments of Health Studies and Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL USA
| | - Antonia N. Kaczkurkin
- grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Yang S, Seo H, Wang M, Arnsten AFT. NMDAR Neurotransmission Needed for Persistent Neuronal Firing: Potential Roles in Mental Disorders. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:654322. [PMID: 33897503 PMCID: PMC8064413 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.654322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) generates the mental representations that are the foundation of abstract thought, and provides top-down regulation of emotion through projections to the medial PFC and cingulate cortices. Physiological recordings from dlPFC Delay cells have shown that the generation of mental representations during working memory relies on NMDAR neurotransmission, with surprisingly little contribution from AMPAR. Systemic administration of low "antidepressant" doses of the NMDAR antagonist, ketamine, erodes these representations and reduces dlPFC Delay cell firing. In contrast to the dlPFC, V1 neuronal firing to visual stimuli depends on AMPAR, with much less contribution from NMDAR. Similarly, neurons in the dlPFC that respond to sensory events (cue cells, response feedback cells) rely on AMPAR, and systemic ketamine increases their firing. Insults to NMDAR transmission, and the impaired ability for dlPFC to generate mental representations, may contribute to cognitive deficits in schizophrenia, e.g., from genetic insults that weaken NMDAR transmission, or from blockade of NMDAR by kynurenic acid. Elevated levels of kynurenic acid in dlPFC may also contribute to cognitive deficits in other disorders with pronounced neuroinflammation (e.g., Alzheimer's disease), or peripheral infections where kynurenine can enter brain (e.g., delirium from sepsis, "brain fog" in COVID19). Much less is known about NMDAR actions in the primate cingulate cortices. However, NMDAR neurotransmission appears to process the affective and visceral responses to pain and other aversive experiences mediated by the cingulate cortices, which may contribute to sustained alterations in mood state. We hypothesize that the very rapid, antidepressant effects of intranasal ketamine may involve the disruption of NMDAR-generated aversive mood states by the anterior and subgenual cingulate cortices, providing a "foot in the door" to allow the subsequent return of top-down regulation by higher PFC areas. Thus, the detrimental vs. therapeutic effects of NMDAR blockade may be circuit dependent.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shengtao Yang
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Hyojung Seo
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Min Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Amy F. T. Arnsten
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Nash B, Irollo E, Brandimarti R, Meucci O. Opioid Modulation of Neuronal Iron and Potential Contributions to NeuroHIV. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2201:139-162. [PMID: 32975796 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0884-5_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
Opioid use has substantially increased over recent years and remains a major driver of new HIV infections worldwide. Clinical studies indicate that opioids may exacerbate the symptoms of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND), but the mechanisms underlying opioid-induced cognitive decline remain obscure. We recently reported that the μ-opioid agonist morphine increased neuronal iron levels and levels of ferritin proteins that store iron, suggesting that opioids modulate neuronal iron homeostasis. Additionally, increased iron and ferritin heavy chain protein were necessary for morphine's ability to reduce the density of thin and mushroom dendritic spines in cortical neurons, which are considered critical mediators of learning and memory, respectively. As altered iron homeostasis has been reported in HAND and related neurocognitive disorders like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's disease, understanding how opioids regulate neuronal iron metabolism may help identify novel drug targets in HAND with potential relevance to these other neurocognitive disorders. Here, we review the known mechanisms of opioid-mediated regulation of neuronal iron and corresponding cellular responses and discuss the implications of these findings for patients with HAND. Furthermore, we discuss a new molecular approach that can be used to understand if opioid modulation of iron affects the expression and processing of amyloid precursor protein and the contributions of this pathway to HAND.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bradley Nash
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Elena Irollo
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Renato Brandimarti
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Olimpia Meucci
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Center for Neuroimmunology and CNS Therapeutics, Institute for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Disease, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Stavroulaki V, Ioakeimidis V, Konstantoudaki X, Sidiropoulou K. Enhanced synaptic properties of the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus after learning a spatial working memory task in adult male mice. J Neurosci Res 2021; 99:1802-1814. [PMID: 33740288 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24833] [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] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Working memory (WM) is the ability to hold on-line and manipulate information. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is a key brain region involved in WM, while the hippocampus is also involved, particularly, in spatial WM. Although several studies have investigated the neuronal substrates of WM in trained animals, the effects and the mechanisms underlying learning WM tasks have not been explored. In our study, we investigated the effects of learning WM tasks in mice on the function of PFC and hippocampus, by training mice in the delayed alternation task for 9 days (adaptive group). This group was compared to naïve mice (which stayed in their homecage) and mice trained in the alternation procedure only (non-adaptive). Following training, a cohort of mice (Experiment A) was tested in the left-right discrimination task and the reversal learning task, while another cohort (Experiment B) was tested in the attention set-shifting task (AST). The adaptive group performed significantly better in the reversal learning task (Experiment A) and AST (Experiment B), compared to non-adaptive and naïve groups. At the end of the behavioral experiments in Experiment A, field excitatory post-synaptic potential (fEPSP) recordings were performed in PFC and hippocampal brain slices. The adaptive group had enhanced the long-term potentiation (LTP) in the PFC, compared to the other groups. In the hippocampus, both the adaptive and the non-adaptive groups exhibited increased fEPSP compared to the naïve group, but no differences in LTP. In Experiment B, the dendritic spine density was measured, which, in the PFC, was found increased in the adaptive group, compared to the non-adaptive and naïve groups. In the hippocampus, there was an increase in mature dendritic spine density in the adaptive group, compared to the other two groups. Our results indicate a role for LTP and dendritic spine density in learning WM tasks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Kyriaki Sidiropoulou
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.,Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Arnsten AFT, Shanafelt T. Physician Distress and Burnout: The Neurobiological Perspective. Mayo Clin Proc 2021; 96:763-769. [PMID: 33673923 PMCID: PMC7944649 DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2020.12.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Physician burnout and other forms of occupational distress are a significant problem in modern medicine, especially during the coronavirus disease pandemic, yet few doctors are familiar with the neurobiology that contributes to these problems. Burnout has been linked to changes that reduce a physician's sense of control over their own practice, undermine connections with patients and colleagues, interfere with work-life integration, and result in uncontrolled stress. Brain research has revealed that uncontrollable stress, but not controllable stress, impairs the functioning of the prefrontal cortex, a recently evolved brain region that provides top-down regulation over thought, action, and emotion. The prefrontal cortex governs many cognitive operations essential to physicians, including abstract reasoning, higher-order decision making, insight, and the ability to persevere through challenges. However, the prefrontal cortex is remarkably reliant on arousal state and is impaired under conditions of fatigue and/or uncontrollable stress when there are inadequate or excessive levels of the arousal modulators (eg, norepinephrine, dopamine, acetylcholine). With chronic stress exposure, prefrontal gray matter connections are lost, but they can be restored by stress relief. Reduced prefrontal cortex self-regulation may explain several challenges associated with burnout in physicians, including reduced motivation, unprofessional behavior, and suboptimal communication with patients. Understanding this neurobiology may help physicians have a more informed perspective to help relieve or prevent symptoms of burnout and may help administrative leaders to optimize the work environment to create more effective organizations. Efforts to restore a sense of control to physicians may be particularly helpful.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amy F T Arnsten
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.
| | - Tait Shanafelt
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Nuno-Perez A, Trusel M, Lalive AL, Congiu M, Gastaldo D, Tchenio A, Lecca S, Soiza-Reilly M, Bagni C, Mameli M. Stress undermines reward-guided cognitive performance through synaptic depression in the lateral habenula. Neuron 2021; 109:947-956.e5. [PMID: 33535028 PMCID: PMC7980092 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Weighing alternatives during reward pursuit is a vital cognitive computation that, when disrupted by stress, yields aspects of neuropsychiatric disorders. To examine the neural mechanisms underlying these phenomena, we employed a behavioral task in which mice were confronted by a reward and its omission (i.e., error). The experience of error outcomes engaged neuronal dynamics within the lateral habenula (LHb), a subcortical structure that supports appetitive behaviors and is susceptible to stress. A high incidence of errors predicted low strength of habenular excitatory synapses. Accordingly, stressful experiences increased error choices while decreasing glutamatergic neurotransmission onto LHb neurons. This synaptic adaptation required a reduction in postsynaptic AMPA receptors (AMPARs), irrespective of the anatomical source of glutamate. Bidirectional control of habenular AMPAR transmission recapitulated and averted stress-driven cognitive deficits. Thus, a subcortical synaptic mechanism vulnerable to stress underlies behavioral efficiency during cognitive performance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alvaro Nuno-Perez
- The Department of Fundamental Neuroscience, The University of Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Massimo Trusel
- The Department of Fundamental Neuroscience, The University of Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Arnaud L Lalive
- The Department of Fundamental Neuroscience, The University of Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Mauro Congiu
- The Department of Fundamental Neuroscience, The University of Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Denise Gastaldo
- The Department of Fundamental Neuroscience, The University of Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Anna Tchenio
- The Department of Fundamental Neuroscience, The University of Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Salvatore Lecca
- The Department of Fundamental Neuroscience, The University of Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Claudia Bagni
- The Department of Fundamental Neuroscience, The University of Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Manuel Mameli
- The Department of Fundamental Neuroscience, The University of Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland; Inserm, UMR-S 839, 75005 Paris, France.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Chen JJ, Shen JX, Yu ZH, Pan C, Han F, Zhu XL, Xu H, Xu RT, Wei TY, Lu YP. The Antidepressant Effects of Resveratrol are Accompanied by the Attenuation of Dendrite/Dendritic Spine Loss and the Upregulation of BDNF/p-cofilin1 Levels in Chronic Restraint Mice. Neurochem Res 2021; 46:660-674. [PMID: 33392910 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-020-03200-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Depression afflicts more than 300 million people worldwide, but there is currently no universally effective drug in clinical practice. In this study, chronic restraint stress (CRS)-induced mice depression model was used to study the antidepressant effects of resveratrol and its mechanism. Our results showed that resveratrol significantly attenuated depression-like behavior in mice. Consistent with behavioral changes, resveratrol significantly attenuated CRS-induced reduction in the density of dendrites and dendritic spines in both hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Meanwhile, in hippocampus and mPFC, resveratrol consistently alleviated CRS-induced cofilin1 activation by increasing its ser3 phosphorylation. In addition, cofilin1 immunofluorescence distribution in neuronal inner peri-membrane in controls, and cofilin1 diffusely distribution in the cytoplasm in CRS group were common in hippocampus. However, the distribution of cofilin1 in mPFC was reversed. Pearson's correlation analysis revealed that there was a significant positive correlation found between the sucrose consumption in sucrose preference test and the dendrite density in multiple sub-regions of hippocampus and mPFC, and a significant negative correlation between the immobility time in tail suspension test and the dendrite/dendritic spine density in several different areas of hippocampus and mPFC. P-cofilin1 was significantly positively correlated with the overall dendritic spine density in mPFC as well as with the overall dendrite density or BDNF in the hippocampus. Our results suggest that the BDNF/cofilin1 pathway, in which cofilin1 may be activated in a brain-specific manner, was involved in resveratrol's attenuating the dendrite and dendritic spine loss and behavioral abnormality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Jing Chen
- College of Life Science, Anhui Normal University, No. 1 Beijing East Road, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Jun-Xian Shen
- College of Life Science, Anhui Normal University, No. 1 Beijing East Road, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Zong-Hao Yu
- College of Life Science, Anhui Normal University, No. 1 Beijing East Road, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Chuan Pan
- College of Life Science, Anhui Normal University, No. 1 Beijing East Road, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Fei Han
- College of Life Science, Anhui Normal University, No. 1 Beijing East Road, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Xiu-Ling Zhu
- College of Life Science, Anhui Normal University, No. 1 Beijing East Road, Wuhu, 241000, China
- Department of Anatomy, Wannan Medical College, No. 22 Wenchang West Road, Wuhu, 241002, China
| | - Hui Xu
- College of Life Science, Anhui Normal University, No. 1 Beijing East Road, Wuhu, 241000, China
- Anhui College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 18 Wuxiashan West Road, Wuhu, 241002, China
| | - Rui-Ting Xu
- College of Life Science, Anhui Normal University, No. 1 Beijing East Road, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Tong-Yao Wei
- College of Life Science, Anhui Normal University, No. 1 Beijing East Road, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Ya-Ping Lu
- College of Life Science, Anhui Normal University, No. 1 Beijing East Road, Wuhu, 241000, China.
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Stapleton P, Dispenza J, McGill S, Sabot D, Peach M, Raynor D. Large effects of brief meditation intervention on EEG spectra in meditation novices. IBRO Rep 2020; 9:290-301. [PMID: 33204893 PMCID: PMC7649620 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibror.2020.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
This study investigated the impact of a brief meditation workshop on a sample of 223 novice meditators. Participants attended a three-day workshop comprising daily guided seated meditation sessions using music without vocals that focused on various emotional states and intentions (open focus). Based on the theory of integrative consciousness, it was hypothesized that altered states of consciousness would be experienced by participants during the meditation intervention as assessed using electroencephalogram (EEG). Brainwave power bands patterns were measured throughout the meditation training workshop, producing a total of 5616 EEG scans. Changes in conscious states were analysed using pre-meditation and post-meditation session measures of delta through to gamma oscillations. Results suggested the meditation intervention had large varying effects on EEG spectra (up to 50 % increase and 24 % decrease), and the speed of change from pre-meditation to post-meditation state of the EEG co-spectra was significant (with 0.76 probability of entering end-meditation state within the first minute). There was a main 5 % decrease in delta power (95 % HDI = [-0.07, -0.03]); a global increase in theta power of 29 % (95 % HDI = [0.27, 0.33]); a global increase of 16 % (95 % HDI = [0.13, 0.19]) in alpha power; a main effect of condition, with global beta power increasing by 17 % (95 % HDI = [0.15, 0.19]); and an 11 % increase (95 % HDI = [0.08, 0.14]) in gamma power from pre-meditation to end-meditation. Findings provided preliminary support for brief meditation in altering states of consciousness in novice meditators. Future clinical examination of meditation was recommended as an intervention for mental health conditions particularly associated with hippocampal impairments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P. Stapleton
- School of Psychology, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, 4229, Australia
| | | | - S. McGill
- School of Psychology, University of Auckland, New Zealand
| | - D. Sabot
- School of Psychology, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, 4229, Australia
| | - M. Peach
- School of Psychology, Evexia Pty Ltd, Brisbane, Australia
| | - D. Raynor
- School of Psychology, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, 4229, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Arnsten AFT. Guanfacine's mechanism of action in treating prefrontal cortical disorders: Successful translation across species. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2020; 176:107327. [PMID: 33075480 PMCID: PMC7567669 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2020.107327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The selective norepinephrine (NE) α2A-adrenoceptor (α2A-AR) agonist, guanfacine (Intuniv™), is FDA-approved for treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) based on research in animals, a translational success story. Guanfacine is also widely used off-label in additional mental disorders that involve impaired functioning of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), including stress-related disorders such as substance abuse, schizotypic cognitive deficits, and traumatic brain injury. The PFC subserves high order cognitive and executive functions including working memory, abstract reasoning, insight and judgment, and top-down control of attention, action and emotion. These abilities arise from PFC microcircuits with extensive recurrent excitation through NMDAR synapses. There is powerful modulation of these synapses, where cAMP-PKA opening of nearby potassium (K+) channels can rapidly and dynamically alter synaptic strength to coordinate arousal state with cognitive state, e.g. to take PFC "offline" during uncontrollable stress. A variety of evidence shows that guanfacine acts within the PFC via post-synaptic α2A-AR on dendritic spines to inhibit cAMP-PKA-K+ channel signaling, thus strengthening network connectivity, enhancing PFC neuronal firing, and improving PFC cognitive functions. Although guanfacine's beneficial effects are present in rodent, they are especially evident in primates, where the PFC greatly expands and differentiates. In addition to therapeutic actions in PFC, stress-related disorders may also benefit from additional α2-AR actions, such as weakening plasticity in the amygdala, reducing NE release, and anti-inflammatory actions by deactivating microglia. Altogether, these NE α2-AR actions optimize top-down control by PFC networks, which may explain guanfacine's benefits in a variety of mental disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amy F T Arnsten
- Dept. Neuroscience, Yale Medical School, 333 Cedar St., New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Using rat operant delayed match-to-sample task to identify neural substrates recruited with increased working memory load. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 27:467-476. [PMID: 33060284 PMCID: PMC7571269 DOI: 10.1101/lm.052134.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The delayed match-to-sample task (DMS) is used to probe working memory (WM) across species. While the involvement of the PFC in this task has been established, limited information exists regarding the recruitment of broader circuitry, especially under the low- versus high-WM load. We sought to address this question by using a variable-delay operant DMS task. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained and tested to determine their baseline WM performance across all (0- to 24-sec) delays. Next, rats were tested in a single DMS test with either 0- or 24-sec fixed delay, to assess low-/high-load WM performance. c-Fos mRNA expression was quantified within cortical and subcortical regions and correlated with WM performance. High WM load up-regulated overall c-Fos mRNA expression within the PrL, as well as within a subset of mGlu5+ cells, with load-dependent, local activation of protein kinase C (PKC) as the proposed underlying molecular mechanism. The PrL activity negatively correlated with choice accuracy during high load WM performance. A broader circuitry, including several subcortical regions, was found to be activated under low and/or high load conditions. These findings highlight the role of mGlu5- and/or PKC-dependent signaling within the PrL, and corresponding recruitment of subcortical regions during high-load WM performance.
Collapse
|
44
|
Musaelyan K, Yildizoglu S, Bozeman J, Du Preez A, Egeland M, Zunszain PA, Pariante CM, Fernandes C, Thuret S. Chronic stress induces significant gene expression changes in the prefrontal cortex alongside alterations in adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Brain Commun 2020; 2:fcaa153. [PMID: 33543135 PMCID: PMC7850288 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcaa153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Adult hippocampal neurogenesis is involved in stress-related disorders such as depression, posttraumatic stress disorders, as well as in the mechanism of antidepressant effects. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in these associations remain to be fully explored. In this study, unpredictable chronic mild stress in mice resulted in a deficit in neuronal dendritic tree development and neuroblast migration in the hippocampal neurogenic niche. To investigate molecular pathways underlying neurogenesis alteration, genome-wide gene expression changes were assessed in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and the hypothalamus alongside neurogenesis changes. Cluster analysis showed that the transcriptomic signature of chronic stress is much more prominent in the prefrontal cortex compared to the hippocampus and the hypothalamus. Pathway analyses suggested huntingtin, leptin, myelin regulatory factor, methyl-CpG binding protein and brain-derived neurotrophic factor as the top predicted upstream regulators of transcriptomic changes in the prefrontal cortex. Involvement of the satiety regulating pathways (leptin) was corroborated by behavioural data showing increased food reward motivation in stressed mice. Behavioural and gene expression data also suggested circadian rhythm disruption and activation of circadian clock genes such as Period 2. Interestingly, most of these pathways have been previously shown to be involved in the regulation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis. It is possible that activation of these pathways in the prefrontal cortex by chronic stress indirectly affects neuronal differentiation and migration in the hippocampal neurogenic niche via reciprocal connections between the two brain areas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ksenia Musaelyan
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 9NU, UK.,Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
| | - Selin Yildizoglu
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 9NU, UK
| | - James Bozeman
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 9NU, UK
| | - Andrea Du Preez
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 9NU, UK.,Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 9NU, UK.,Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Martin Egeland
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 9NU, UK.,Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 9NU, UK.,Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Patricia A Zunszain
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 9NU, UK
| | - Carmine M Pariante
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 9NU, UK
| | - Cathy Fernandes
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK.,MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Sandrine Thuret
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 9NU, UK
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Barfield ET, Sequeira MK, Parsons RG, Gourley SL. Morphological Responses of Excitatory Prelimbic and Orbitofrontal Cortical Neurons to Excess Corticosterone in Adolescence and Acute Stress in Adulthood. Front Neuroanat 2020; 14:45. [PMID: 33013327 PMCID: PMC7506158 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2020.00045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Considerable evidence indicates that chronic stress and excess glucocorticoids induce neuronal remodeling in prefrontal cortical (PFC) regions. Adolescence is also characterized by a structural reorganization of PFC neurons, yet interactions between stress- and age-related structural plasticity are still being determined. We quantified dendritic spine densities on apical dendrites of excitatory neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex, prelimbic subregion (PL). Densities decreased across adolescent development, as expected, and spine volume increased. Unexpectedly, exposure to excess corticosterone (CORT) throughout adolescence did not cause additional dendritic spine loss detectable in adulthood. As a positive control dendrite population expected to be sensitive to CORT, we imaged neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), confirming CORT-induced dendritic spine attrition on basal arbors of layer V neurons. We next assessed the effects of acute, mild stress in adulthood: On PL neurons, an acute stressor increased the density of mature, mushroom-shaped spines. Meanwhile, on OFC neurons, dendritic spine volumes and lengths were lower in mice exposed to both CORT and an acute stressor (also referred to as a "double hit"). In sum, prolonged exposure to excess glucocorticoids during adolescence can have morphological and also metaplastic consequences, but they are not global. Anatomical considerations are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth T. Barfield
- Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, Emory University School of Medicine, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Michelle K. Sequeira
- Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, Emory University School of Medicine, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Graduate Training Programs in Neuroscience, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Ryan G. Parsons
- Graduate Program in Integrative Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Shannon L. Gourley
- Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, Emory University School of Medicine, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Graduate Training Programs in Neuroscience, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Yang M, Luo CH, Zhu YQ, Liu YC, An YJ, Iqbal J, Wang ZZ, Ma XM. 7, 8-Dihydroxy-4-methylcoumarin reverses depression model-induced depression-like behaviors and alteration of dendritic spines in the mood circuits. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 119:104767. [PMID: 32563935 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common mental disorder characterized by a persistent feeling of sadness, slow thought, impaired focus and loss of interest but the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. Dendritic spines play an important role in the formation and maintenance of emotional circuits in the brain. Abnormalities in this process can lead to psychiatric diseases. 7,8-Dihydroxy-4-methylcoumarin (Dhmc), a precursor in the synthesis of derivatives of 4-methyl coumarin, plays an important role in protecting the nervous system from developing diseases and its most distinctive feature is safety. The aim of this study was to investigate whether Dhmc alleviates chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced depression-like behaviors and reverses CUMS-induced alterations in dendritic spines of principal neurons in brain areas of the emotional circuits including the hippocampus, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), nucleus accumbens (NAc) and basolateral amygdala (BLA) in male rats. Our results showed that CUMS-induced depression-like behaviors were accompanied by a decrease in spine density in pyramidal neurons of both the hippocampal CA3 area and the mPFC, and an increase in spine density in both the neurons of BLA and the medium spiny neurons (MSNs) of the NAc, as well as a decrease in the levels of the AMPA receptor subunit GluA1 and Kalirin-7 in the hippocampus compared with the control group. Intraperitoneal injection (i.p.) of Dhmc to the CUMS-exposed rats ameliorated CUMS-induced depression-like behaviors and reversed CUMS-mediated alterations in spine density and the levels of both GluA1 and Kalirin-7. Our results show an important role of Dhmc in reversing CUMS-induced depression-like behaviors and CUMS-mediated alterations in spine density.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mi Yang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710062, China; Yangling Vocational & Technical College, Yangling, 71210, China
| | - Chang-Hao Luo
- Yangling Vocational & Technical College, Yangling, 71210, China
| | - Ying-Qi Zhu
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710062, China
| | - Yuan-Chu Liu
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710062, China
| | - Ye-Juan An
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710062, China
| | - Javed Iqbal
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710062, China
| | - Zhe-Zhi Wang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710062, China.
| | - Xin-Ming Ma
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710062, China; Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, CT 06030, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Nguyen LD, Ehrlich BE. Cellular mechanisms and treatments for chemobrain: insight from aging and neurodegenerative diseases. EMBO Mol Med 2020; 12:e12075. [PMID: 32346964 PMCID: PMC7278555 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202012075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy is a life-saving treatment for cancer patients, but also causes long-term cognitive impairment, or "chemobrain", in survivors. However, several challenges, including imprecise diagnosis criteria, multiple confounding factors, and unclear and heterogeneous molecular mechanisms, impede effective investigation of preventions and treatments for chemobrain. With the rapid increase in the number of cancer survivors, chemobrain is an urgent but unmet clinical need. Here, we leverage the extensive knowledge in various fields of neuroscience to gain insights into the mechanisms for chemobrain. We start by outlining why the post-mitotic adult brain is particularly vulnerable to chemotherapy. Next, through drawing comparisons with normal aging, Alzheimer's disease, and traumatic brain injury, we identify universal cellular mechanisms that may underlie the cognitive deficits in chemobrain. We further identify existing neurological drugs targeting these cellular mechanisms that can be repurposed as treatments for chemobrain, some of which were already shown to be effective in animal models. Finally, we briefly describe future steps to further advance our understanding of chemobrain and facilitate the development of effective preventions and treatments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lien D Nguyen
- Department of Pharmacology and Interdepartmental Neuroscience ProgramYale UniversityNew HavenCTUSA
| | - Barbara E Ehrlich
- Department of Pharmacology and Interdepartmental Neuroscience ProgramYale UniversityNew HavenCTUSA
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Hino K, Kimura T, Udagawa J. Handling has an anxiolytic effect that is not affected by the inhibition of the protein kinase C pathway in adult prenatal undernourished male rat offspring. Congenit Anom (Kyoto) 2020; 60:46-53. [PMID: 30883939 DOI: 10.1111/cga.12332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2018] [Revised: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Environmental enrichment (EE) after birth has been reported as an intervention improving the anxiety-like behavior and cognitive deficit due to maternal restraint, foot-shock, or social stress during pregnancy. However, it remains unclear whether EE after birth could benefit the early prenatal undernourished offspring. In this study, we examined the effect of daily handling as a simple EE intervention on the aberrant behavior of prenatally undernourished rats. The male rat offspring exhibited anxiety-like behavior at 9 weeks of age due to maternal food restriction in early pregnancy. Our study shows that the daily handling after weaning has an anxiolytic effect in the prenatally undernourished offspring without affecting the behavior of prenatally well-nourished offspring. Conversely, the concentrations of dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, and their metabolites were not altered in the prefrontal cortex by prenatal undernutrition or daily handling after weaning. We investigated whether the anxiolytic effect of daily handling was mediated by the protein kinase C (PKC) pathway using the PKC inhibitor, chelerythrine. The anxiolytic effect of the handling was not canceled by chelerythrine injection in prenatally undernourished offspring, whereas chelerythrine induced an anxiety-like behavior in control rats. Our results suggest that maternal undernutrition in early pregnancy induces an anxiety-like behavior accompanied with a PKC pathway-hyporesponsiveness; however, daily handling ameliorates the anxiety-like behavior through a PKC-independent pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kodai Hino
- Division of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Department of Anatomy, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Tomoko Kimura
- Division of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Department of Anatomy, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Jun Udagawa
- Division of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Department of Anatomy, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Anderson RM, Johnson SB, Lingg RT, Hinz DC, Romig-Martin SA, Radley JJ. Evidence for Similar Prefrontal Structural and Functional Alterations in Male and Female Rats Following Chronic Stress or Glucocorticoid Exposure. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:353-370. [PMID: 31184364 PMCID: PMC7029687 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Revised: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous work of ours and others has documented regressive changes in neuronal architecture and function in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of male rats following chronic stress. As recent focus has shifted toward understanding whether chronic stress effects on mPFC are sexually dimorphic, here we undertake a comprehensive analysis to address this issue. First, we show that chronic variable stress (14-day daily exposure to different challenges) resulted in a comparable degree of adrenocortical hyperactivity, working memory impairment, and dendritic spine loss in mPFC pyramidal neurons in both sexes. Next, exposure of female rats to 21-day regimen of corticosterone resulted in a similar pattern of mPFC dendritic spine attrition and increase in spine volume. Finally, we examined the effects of another widely used regimen, chronic restraint stress (CRS, 21-day of daily 6-h restraint), on dendritic spine changes in mPFC in both sexes. CRS resulted in response decrements in adrenocortical output (habituation), and induced a pattern of consistent, but less widespread, dendritic spine loss similar to the foregoing challenges. Our data suggest that chronic stress or glucocorticoid exposure induces a relatively undifferentiated pattern of structural and functional alterations in mPFC in both males and females.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel M Anderson
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Program in Neuroscience, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Shane B Johnson
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Program in Neuroscience, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Ryan T Lingg
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Program in Neuroscience, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Dalton C Hinz
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Program in Neuroscience, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Sara A Romig-Martin
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Program in Neuroscience, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Jason J Radley
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Program in Neuroscience, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Manukhina EB, Tseilikman VE, Karpenko MN, Pestereva NS, Tseilikman OB, Komelkova MV, Kondashevskaya MV, Goryacheva AV, Lapshin MS, Platkovskii PO, Sarapultsev AP, Alliluev AV, Downey HF. Intermittent Hypoxic Conditioning Alleviates Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder-Induced Damage and Dysfunction of Rat Visceral Organs and Brain. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21010345. [PMID: 31948051 PMCID: PMC6981426 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21010345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2019] [Revised: 01/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) causes mental and somatic diseases. Intermittent hypoxic conditioning (IHC) has cardio-, vaso-, and neuroprotective effects and alleviates experimental PTSD. IHC’s ability to alleviate harmful PTSD effects on rat heart, liver, and brain was examined. PTSD was induced by 10-day exposure to cat urine scent (PTSD rats). Some rats were then adapted to 14-day IHC (PTSD+IHC rats), while PTSD and untreated control rats were cage rested. PTSD rats had a higher anxiety index (AI, X-maze test), than control or PTSD+IHC rats. This higher AI was associated with reduced glycogen content and histological signs of metabolic and hypoxic damage and of impaired contractility. The livers of PTSD rats had reduced glycogen content. Liver and blood alanine and aspartate aminotransferase activities of PTSD rats were significantly increased. PTSD rats had increased norepinephrine concentration and decreased monoamine oxidase A activity in cerebral cortex. The PTSD-induced elevation of carbonylated proteins and lipid peroxidation products in these organs reflects oxidative stress, a known cause of organ pathology. IHC alleviated PTSD-induced metabolic and structural injury and reduced oxidative stress. Therefore, IHC is a promising preventive treatment for PTSD-related morphological and functional damage to organs, due, in part, to IHC’s reduction of oxidative stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eugenia B. Manukhina
- School of Medical Biology, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk 454080, Russia
- Laboratory for Regulatory Mechanisms of Stress and Adaptation, Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, Moscow 125315, Russia
- Department of Physiology and Anatomy, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Vadim E. Tseilikman
- School of Medical Biology, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk 454080, Russia
| | - Marina N. Karpenko
- I.P. Pavlov Physiology Department, Institute of Experimental Medicine, St. Petersburg 197376, Russia
| | - Nina S. Pestereva
- I.P. Pavlov Physiology Department, Institute of Experimental Medicine, St. Petersburg 197376, Russia
| | - Olga B. Tseilikman
- School of Medical Biology, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk 454080, Russia
- School of Basic Medicine, Chelyabinsk State University, Chelyabinsk 454001, Russia
| | - Maria V. Komelkova
- School of Medical Biology, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk 454080, Russia
| | - Marina V. Kondashevskaya
- Laboratory for Immunomorphology of Inflammation, Research Institute of Human Morphology, Moscow 117418, Russia
| | - Anna V. Goryacheva
- Laboratory for Regulatory Mechanisms of Stress and Adaptation, Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, Moscow 125315, Russia
| | - Maxim S. Lapshin
- School of Medical Biology, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk 454080, Russia
| | - Pavel O. Platkovskii
- School of Medical Biology, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk 454080, Russia
| | - Alexey P. Sarapultsev
- Laboratory of Immunopathophysiology, Institute of Immunology and Physiology of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ekaterinburg 620049, Russia
| | - Anatoly V. Alliluev
- School of Medical Biology, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk 454080, Russia
| | - H. Fred Downey
- School of Medical Biology, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk 454080, Russia
- Department of Physiology and Anatomy, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA
| |
Collapse
|