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Ma LH, Li S, Jiao XH, Li ZY, Zhou Y, Zhou CR, Zhou CH, Zheng H, Wu YQ. BLA-involved circuits in neuropsychiatric disorders. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 99:102363. [PMID: 38838785 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102363] [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: 11/04/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
The basolateral amygdala (BLA) is the subregion of the amygdala located in the medial of the temporal lobe, which is connected with a wide range of brain regions to achieve diverse functions. Recently, an increasing number of studies have focused on the participation of the BLA in many neuropsychiatric disorders from the neural circuit perspective, aided by the rapid development of viral tracing methods and increasingly specific neural modulation technologies. However, how to translate this circuit-level preclinical intervention into clinical treatment using noninvasive or minor invasive manipulations to benefit patients struggling with neuropsychiatric disorders is still an inevitable question to be considered. In this review, we summarized the role of BLA-involved circuits in neuropsychiatric disorders including Alzheimer's disease, perioperative neurocognitive disorders, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, posttraumatic stress disorders, autism spectrum disorders, and pain-associative affective states and cognitive dysfunctions. Additionally, we provide insights into future directions and challenges for clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin-Hui Ma
- Department of Anesthesiology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Shuai Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Xin-Hao Jiao
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
| | - Zi-Yi Li
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
| | - Yue Zhou
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
| | - Chen-Rui Zhou
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
| | - Cheng-Hua Zhou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China.
| | - Hui Zheng
- Department of Anesthesiology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China.
| | - Yu-Qing Wu
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China.
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2
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Asch RH, Abdallah CG, Carson RE, Esterlis I. Challenges and rewards of in vivo synaptic density imaging, and its application to the study of depression. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024:10.1038/s41386-024-01913-3. [PMID: 39039139 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01913-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
The development of novel radiotracers for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging agents targeting the synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2 A (SV2A), an integral glycoprotein present in the membrane of all synaptic vesicles throughout the central nervous system, provides a method for the in vivo quantification of synaptic density. This is of particular interest in neuropsychiatric disorders given that synaptic alterations appear to underlie disease progression and symptom severity. In this review, we briefly describe the development of these SV2A tracers and the evaluation of quantification methods. Next, we discuss application of SV2A PET imaging to the study of depression, including a review of our findings demonstrating lower SV2A synaptic density in people with significant depressive symptoms and the use of a ketamine drug challenge to examine synaptogenesis in vivo. We then highlight the importance of performing translational PET imaging in animal models in conjunction with clinical imaging. We consider the ongoing challenges, possible solutions, and present preliminary findings from our lab demonstrating the translational benefit and potential of in vivo SV2A imaging in animal models of chronic stress. Finally, we discuss methodological improvements and future directions for SV2A imaging, potentially in conjunction with other neural markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth H Asch
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Chadi G Abdallah
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Richard E Carson
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale Positron Emission Tomography Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale School of Engineering, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Irina Esterlis
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale Positron Emission Tomography Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Clinical Neurosciences Division, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA.
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3
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Kim H, Jeong H, Lee J, Yei J, Suh M. The Effects of Acute Stress on Evoked-cortical Connectivity through Wide-field Optical Mapping of Neural and Hemodynamic Signals. Exp Neurobiol 2024; 33:140-151. [PMID: 38993081 PMCID: PMC11247281 DOI: 10.5607/en23009] [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: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
A single exposure to stress can induce functional changes in neurons, potentially leading to acute stress disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder. In this study, we used in vivo wide-field optical mapping to simultaneously measure neural calcium signals and hemodynamic responses over the whole cortical area. We found that cortical mapping to whisker stimuli was altered under acute stress conditions. In particular, callosal projections in the anterior cortex (primary/secondary motor, somatosensory forelimb cortex) relative to barrel field (S1BF) of somatosensory cortex were weakened. On the contrary, the projections in posterior cortex relative to S1BF were mostly unchanged or were only occasionally strengthened. In addition, changes in intra-cortical connection were opposite to those in inter-cortical connection. Thus, the S1BF connections to the anterior cortex were strengthened while those to the posterior cortex were weakened. This suggests that the well-known barrel cortex projection route was enhanced. In summary, our in vivo wide-field optical mapping study indicates that a single acute stress can impact whole-brain networks, affecting both neural and hemodynamic responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayeon Kim
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research (CNIR), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon 16419, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea
| | - Haebin Jeong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea
- School of Medicine, CHA University, Seongnam 13488, Korea
| | - Jiyoung Lee
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research (CNIR), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon 16419, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea
| | - Jaeseung Yei
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research (CNIR), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon 16419, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea
- Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence (IPHC), Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea
| | - Minah Suh
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research (CNIR), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon 16419, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea
- Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence (IPHC), Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea
- Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences & Technology (SAIHST), Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea
- KIST-SKKU Brain Research Center, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea
- Biomedical Institute for Convergence at SKKU (BICS), Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea
- IMNEWRUN Inc., Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea
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4
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Parishar P, Rajagopalan M, Iyengar S. Changes in the dopaminergic circuitry and adult neurogenesis linked to reinforcement learning in corvids. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1359874. [PMID: 38808028 PMCID: PMC11130420 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1359874] [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: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
The caudolateral nidopallium (NCL, an analog of the prefrontal cortex) is known to be involved in learning, memory, and discrimination in corvids (a songbird), whereas the involvement of other brain regions in these phenomena is not well explored. We used house crows (Corvus splendens) to explore the neural correlates of learning and decision-making by initially training them on a shape discrimination task followed by immunohistochemistry to study the immediate early gene expression (Arc), a dopaminoceptive neuronal marker (DARPP-32, Dopamine- and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein, Mr 32 kDa) to understand the involvement of the reward pathway and an immature neuronal marker (DCX, doublecortin) to detect learning-induced changes in adult neurogenesis. We performed neuronal counts and neuronal tracing, followed by morphometric analyses. Our present results have demonstrated that besides NCL, other parts of the caudal nidopallium (NC), avian basal ganglia, and intriguingly, vocal control regions in house crows are involved in visual discrimination. We have also found that training on the visual discrimination task can be correlated with neurite pruning in mature dopaminoceptive neurons and immature DCX-positive neurons in the NC of house crows. Furthermore, there is an increase in the incorporation of new neurons throughout NC and the medial striatum which can also be linked to learning. For the first time, our results demonstrate that a combination of structural changes in mature and immature neurons and adult neurogenesis are linked to learning in corvids.
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Ayala-Rodríguez JD, García-Colunga J. Maternal separation modifies spontaneous synaptic activity in the infralimbic cortex of stress-resilient male rats. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0294151. [PMID: 37943747 PMCID: PMC10635473 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Glutamate and GABA signaling systems are necessary to maintain proper function of the central nervous system through excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance. Alteration of this balance in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), as an effect of early-life stress, may lead to the development of anxiety and depressive disorders. Few studies exist in the infralimbic division of the mPFC to understand the effect of early-life stress at different ages, which is the purpose of the present work. Newborn Sprague Dawley male rats were subjected to maternal separation (MS) for two weeks. First, tests measuring anxiety- and depression-like behaviors were performed on adolescent and adult rats subjected to MS (MS-rats). Then, to establish a relationship with behavioral results, electrophysiological recordings were performed in neurons of the infralimbic cortex in acute brain slices of infant, adolescent, and adult rats. In the behavioral tests, there were no significant differences in MS-rats compared to control rats at any age. Moreover, MS had no effect on the passive membrane properties nor neuronal excitability in the infralimbic cortex, whereas spontaneous synaptic activity in infralimbic neurons was altered. The frequency of spontaneous glutamatergic synaptic events increased in infant MS-rats, whereas in adolescent MS-rats both the frequency and the amplitude of spontaneous GABAergic events increased without any effect on glutamatergic synaptic responses. In adult MS-rats, these two parameters decreased in spontaneous GABAergic synaptic events, whereas only the frequency of glutamatergic events decreased. These data suggest that rats subjected to MS did not exhibit behavioral changes and presented an age-dependent E/I imbalance in the infralimbic cortex, possibly due to differential changes in neurotransmitter release and/or receptor expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús David Ayala-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Juriquilla, Querétaro, México
| | - Jesús García-Colunga
- Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Juriquilla, Querétaro, México
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6
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Garcia M, Paulus A, Vázquez-Reyes S, Klementieva O, Gouras G, Bachiller S, Deierborg T. Maternal separation differentially modulates early pathology by sex in 5xFAD Alzheimer's disease-transgenic mice. Brain Behav Immun Health 2023; 32:100663. [PMID: 37503358 PMCID: PMC10369403 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2023.100663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease. Most cases of AD are considered idiopathic and likely due to a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle-related risk factors. Despite occurring decades before the typical age of an AD diagnosis, early-life stress (ELS) has been suggested to have long-lasting effects that may contribute to AD risk and pathogenesis. Still, the mechanisms that underlie the role of ELS on AD risk remain largely unknown. Here, we used 5xFAD transgenic mice to study relatively short-term alterations related to ELS in an AD-like susceptible mouse model at 6 weeks of age. To model ELS, we separated pups from their dams for 3 h per day from postnatal day 2-14. Around 6 weeks of age, we found that maternally separated (MS) 5xFAD mice, particularly female mice, displayed increased amyloid-β-immunoreactivity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and basolateral amygdala (BLA). In anterior cingulate cortex, we also noted significantly increased intraneuronal amyloid-β-immunoreactivity associated with MS but only in female mice. Moreover, IBA1-positive DAPI density was significantly increased in relation to MS in ACC and BLA, and microglia in BLA of MS mice had significantly different morphology compared to microglia in non-MS 5xFAD mice. Cytokine analysis showed that male MS mice, specifically, had increased levels of neuroinflammatory markers CXCL1 and IL-10 in hippocampal extracts compared to non-MS counterparts. Additionally, hippocampal extracts from both male and female MS 5xFAD mice had decreased levels of synapse- and activity-related markers Bdnf, 5htr6, Cox2, and Syp in hippocampus. Lastly, we performed behavioral tests to evaluate anxiety- and depressive-like behavior and working memory but could not detect any significant differences between groups. Overall, we detected several sex-specific molecular and cellular alterations in 6-week-old adolescent 5xFAD mice associated with MS that may help explain the connection between ELS and AD risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- M.G. Garcia
- Experimental Neuroinflammation Laboratory, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, 22184 Lund, Sweden
- Experimental Dementia Research Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, 22184 Lund, Sweden
| | - A. Paulus
- Experimental Neuroinflammation Laboratory, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, 22184 Lund, Sweden
- Medical Microspectroscopy, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, 22184 Lund, Sweden
| | - S. Vázquez-Reyes
- Experimental Neuroinflammation Laboratory, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, 22184 Lund, Sweden
| | - O. Klementieva
- Medical Microspectroscopy, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, 22184 Lund, Sweden
| | - G.K. Gouras
- Experimental Dementia Research Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, 22184 Lund, Sweden
| | - S. Bachiller
- Experimental Neuroinflammation Laboratory, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, 22184 Lund, Sweden
- Institute of Biomedicine of Seville, IBiS/Virgen del Rocío University Hospital/CSIC/University of Seville/Seville, Spain
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - T. Deierborg
- Experimental Neuroinflammation Laboratory, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, 22184 Lund, Sweden
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7
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Wallace T, Myers B. Prefrontal representation of affective stimuli: importance of stress, sex, and context. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:8232-8246. [PMID: 37032618 PMCID: PMC10321111 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad110] [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: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress-related disorders such as depression and anxiety exhibit sex differences in prevalence and negatively impact both mental and physical health. Affective illness is also frequently accompanied by changes in ventromedial prefrontal cortical (vmPFC) function. However, the neurobiology that underlies sex-specific cortical processing of affective stimuli is poorly understood. Although rodent studies have investigated the prefrontal impact of chronic stress, postmortem studies have focused largely on males and yielded mixed results. Therefore, genetically defined population recordings in behaving animals of both sexes were used to test the hypothesis that chronic variable stress (CVS) impairs the neural processing of affective stimuli in the rodent infralimbic region. Here, we targeted expression of a calcium indicator, GCaMP6s, to infralimbic pyramidal cells. In males, CVS reduced infralimbic responses to social interaction and restraint stress but increased responses to novel objects and food reward. In contrast, females did not have CVS-induced changes in infralimbic activity, which was partially dependent on the ovarian status. These results indicate that both male and female vmPFC cells encode social, stress, and reward stimuli. However, chronic stress effects are sex-dependent and behavior-specific. Ultimately, these findings extend the understanding of chronic stress-induced prefrontal dysfunction and indicate that sex is a critical factor for cortical processing of affective stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler Wallace
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Brent Myers
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
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8
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Aten S, Du Y, Taylor O, Dye C, Collins K, Thomas M, Kiyoshi C, Zhou M. Chronic Stress Impairs the Structure and Function of Astrocyte Networks in an Animal Model of Depression. Neurochem Res 2023; 48:1191-1210. [PMID: 35796915 PMCID: PMC9823156 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-022-03663-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Now astrocytes appear to be the key contributors to the pathophysiology of major depression. Evidence in rodents shows that chronic stress is associated with a decreased expression of astrocytic GFAP-immunoreactivity within the cortex in addition to changes in the complexity and length of astrocyte processes. Furthermore, postmortem brains of individuals with depression have revealed a decrease in astrocyte density. Notably, astrocytes are extensively coupled to one another through gap junctions to form a network, or syncytium, and we have previously demonstrated that syncytial isopotentiality is a mechanism by which astrocytes function as an efficient system with respect to brain homeostasis. Interestingly, the question of how astrocyte network function changes following chronic stress is yet to be elucidated. Here, we sought to examine the effects of chronic stress on network-level astrocyte (dys)function. Using a transgenic aldh1l1-eGFP astrocyte reporter mouse, a six-week unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) paradigm as a rodent model of major depression, and immunohistochemical approaches, we show that the morphology of individual astrocytes is altered by chronic stress exposure. Additionally, in astrocyte syncytial isopotentiality measurement, we found that UCMS impairs the syncytial coupling strength of astrocytes within the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex-two brain regions that have been implicated in the regulation of mood. Together, these findings reveal that chronic stress leads to astrocyte atrophy and impaired gap junction coupling, raising the prospect that both individual and network-level astrocyte functionality are important in the etiology of major depression and other neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney Aten
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Graves Hall, Rm 4066C, 333 W. 10th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Department of Neurology, Division of Sleep Medicine, and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yixing Du
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Graves Hall, Rm 4066C, 333 W. 10th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Olivia Taylor
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Graves Hall, Rm 4066C, 333 W. 10th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Courtney Dye
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Graves Hall, Rm 4066C, 333 W. 10th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Kelsey Collins
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Graves Hall, Rm 4066C, 333 W. 10th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Matthew Thomas
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Graves Hall, Rm 4066C, 333 W. 10th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Conrad Kiyoshi
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Graves Hall, Rm 4066C, 333 W. 10th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Northern Marianas College, Saipan, MP, USA
| | - Min Zhou
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Graves Hall, Rm 4066C, 333 W. 10th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
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9
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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11
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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.
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12
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Vargas MV, Dunlap LE, Dong C, Carter SJ, Tombari RJ, Jami SA, Cameron LP, Patel SD, Hennessey JJ, Saeger HN, McCorvy JD, Gray JA, Tian L, Olson DE. Psychedelics promote neuroplasticity through the activation of intracellular 5-HT2A receptors. Science 2023; 379:700-706. [PMID: 36795823 PMCID: PMC10108900 DOI: 10.1126/science.adf0435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 103.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Decreased dendritic spine density in the cortex is a hallmark of several neuropsychiatric diseases, and the ability to promote cortical neuron growth has been hypothesized to underlie the rapid and sustained therapeutic effects of psychedelics. Activation of 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) 2A receptors (5-HT2ARs) is essential for psychedelic-induced cortical plasticity, but it is currently unclear why some 5-HT2AR agonists promote neuroplasticity, whereas others do not. We used molecular and genetic tools to demonstrate that intracellular 5-HT2ARs mediate the plasticity-promoting properties of psychedelics; these results explain why serotonin does not engage similar plasticity mechanisms. This work emphasizes the role of location bias in 5-HT2AR signaling, identifies intracellular 5-HT2ARs as a therapeutic target, and raises the intriguing possibility that serotonin might not be the endogenous ligand for intracellular 5-HT2ARs in the cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxemiliano V. Vargas
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Davis; Davis, CA 95618, USA
- Institute for Psychedelics and Neurotherapeutics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95618, USA
| | - Lee E. Dunlap
- Institute for Psychedelics and Neurotherapeutics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95618, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis; Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Chunyang Dong
- Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, University of California, Davis; Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Samuel J. Carter
- Institute for Psychedelics and Neurotherapeutics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95618, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis; Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Robert J. Tombari
- Institute for Psychedelics and Neurotherapeutics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95618, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis; Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Shekib A. Jami
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis; Davis, CA 95618, USA
| | - Lindsay P. Cameron
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Davis; Davis, CA 95618, USA
| | - Seona D. Patel
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis; Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Joseph J. Hennessey
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin; Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Hannah N. Saeger
- Institute for Psychedelics and Neurotherapeutics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95618, USA
- Pharmacology and Toxicology Graduate Program, University of California, Davis; Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - John D. McCorvy
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin; Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - John A. Gray
- Institute for Psychedelics and Neurotherapeutics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95618, USA
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis; Davis, CA 95618, USA
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Lin Tian
- Institute for Psychedelics and Neurotherapeutics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95618, USA
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis; Davis, CA 95618, USA
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis; Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - David E. Olson
- Institute for Psychedelics and Neurotherapeutics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95618, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis; Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis; Davis, CA 95618, USA
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis; Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
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13
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Helman TJ, Headrick JP, Stapelberg NJC, Braidy N. The sex-dependent response to psychosocial stress and ischaemic heart disease. Front Cardiovasc Med 2023; 10:1072042. [PMID: 37153459 PMCID: PMC10160413 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1072042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress is an important risk factor for modern chronic diseases, with distinct influences in males and females. The sex specificity of the mammalian stress response contributes to the sex-dependent development and impacts of coronary artery disease (CAD). Compared to men, women appear to have greater susceptibility to chronic forms of psychosocial stress, extending beyond an increased incidence of mood disorders to include a 2- to 4-fold higher risk of stress-dependent myocardial infarction in women, and up to 10-fold higher risk of Takotsubo syndrome-a stress-dependent coronary-myocardial disorder most prevalent in post-menopausal women. Sex differences arise at all levels of the stress response: from initial perception of stress to behavioural, cognitive, and affective responses and longer-term disease outcomes. These fundamental differences involve interactions between chromosomal and gonadal determinants, (mal)adaptive epigenetic modulation across the lifespan (particularly in early life), and the extrinsic influences of socio-cultural, economic, and environmental factors. Pre-clinical investigations of biological mechanisms support distinct early life programming and a heightened corticolimbic-noradrenaline-neuroinflammatory reactivity in females vs. males, among implicated determinants of the chronic stress response. Unravelling the intrinsic molecular, cellular and systems biological basis of these differences, and their interactions with external lifestyle/socio-cultural determinants, can guide preventative and therapeutic strategies to better target coronary heart disease in a tailored sex-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa J. Helman
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, NSW, Sydney, Australia
- Correspondence: Tessa J. Helman
| | - John P. Headrick
- Schoolof Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Nady Braidy
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, NSW, Sydney, Australia
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14
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Witztum J, Singh A, Zhang R, Johnson M, Liston C. An automated platform for Assessing Working Memory and prefrontal circuit function. Neurobiol Stress 2023; 24:100518. [PMID: 36970451 PMCID: PMC10033752 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Working memory is a process for actively maintaining and updating task-relevant information, despite interference from competing inputs, and is supported in part by sustained activity in prefrontal cortical pyramidal neurons and coordinated interactions with inhibitory interneurons, which may serve to regulate interference. Chronic stress has potent effects on working memory performance, possibly by interfering with these interactions or by disrupting long-range inputs from key upstream brain regions. Still, the mechanisms by which chronic stress disrupts working memory are not well understood, due in part to a need for scalable, easy-to-implement behavioral assays that are compatible with two-photon calcium imaging and other tools for recording from large populations of neurons. Here, we describe the development and validation of a platform that was designed specifically for automated, high-throughput assessments of working memory and simultaneous two-photon imaging in chronic stress studies. This platform is relatively inexpensive and easy to build; fully automated and scalable such that one investigator can test relatively large cohorts of animals concurrently; fully compatible with two-photon imaging, yet also designed to mitigate head-fixation stress; and can be easily adapted for other behavioral paradigms. Our validation data confirm that mice could be trained to perform a delayed response working memory task with relatively high-fidelity over the course of ∼15 days. Two-photon imaging data validate the feasibility of recording from large populations of cells during working memory tasks performance and characterizing their functional properties. Activity patterns in >70% of medial prefrontal cortical neurons were modulated by at least one task feature, and a majority of cells were engaged by multiple task features. We conclude with a brief literature review of the circuit mechanisms supporting working memory and their disruption in chronic stress states-highlighting directions for future research enabled by this platform.
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15
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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
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16
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Bernardo A, Lee P, Marcotte M, Mian MY, Rezvanian S, Sharmin D, Kovačević A, Savić MM, Cook JM, Sibille E, Prevot TD. Symptomatic and neurotrophic effects of GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulation in a mouse model of chronic stress. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:1608-1619. [PMID: 35701547 PMCID: PMC9283409 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01360-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Chronic stress is a risk factor for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), and in rodents, it recapitulates human behavioral, cellular and molecular changes. In MDD and after chronic stress, neuronal dysfunctions and deficits in GABAergic signaling are observed and responsible for symptom severity. GABA signals predominantly through GABAA receptors (GABAA-R) composed of various subunit types that relate to downstream outcomes. Activity at α2-GABAA-Rs contributes to anxiolytic properties, α5-GABAA-Rs to cognitive functions, and α1-GABAA-Rs to sedation. Therefore, a therapy aiming at increasing α2- and α5-GABAA-Rs activity, but devoid of α1-GABAA-R activity, has potential to address several symptomologies of depression while avoiding side-effects. This study investigated the activity profiles and behavioral efficacy of two enantiomers of each other (GL-II-73 and GL-I-54), separately and as a racemic mixture (GL-RM), and potential disease-modifying effects on neuronal morphology. Results confirm GL-I-54 and GL-II-73 exert positive allosteric modulation at the α2-, α3-, α5-GABAA-Rs and α5-containing GABAA-Rs, respectively, and separately reduces immobility in the forced swim test and improves stress-induced spatial working memory deficits. Using unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS), we show that acute and chronic administration of GL-RM provide pro-cognitive effects, with mild efficacy on mood symptoms, although at lower doses avoiding sedation. Morphology studies showed reversal of spine density loss caused by UCMS after chronic GL-RM treatment at apical and basal dendrites of the PFC and CA1. Together, these results support using a racemic mixture with combined α2-, α3-, α5-GABAA-R profile to reverse chronic stress-induced mood symptoms, cognitive deficits, and with anti-stress neurotrophic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Bernardo
- grid.155956.b0000 0000 8793 5925Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, Canada
| | - Philip Lee
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Michael Marcotte
- grid.155956.b0000 0000 8793 5925Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, Canada
| | - Md Yeunus Mian
- grid.267468.90000 0001 0695 7223Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Milwaukee, USA
| | - Sepideh Rezvanian
- grid.267468.90000 0001 0695 7223Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Milwaukee, USA
| | - Dishary Sharmin
- grid.267468.90000 0001 0695 7223Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Milwaukee, USA
| | - Aleksandra Kovačević
- grid.7149.b0000 0001 2166 9385Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Miroslav M. Savić
- grid.7149.b0000 0001 2166 9385Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - James M. Cook
- grid.267468.90000 0001 0695 7223Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Milwaukee, USA
| | - Etienne Sibille
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, Canada. .,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. .,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
| | - Thomas D. Prevot
- grid.155956.b0000 0000 8793 5925Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, Canada ,grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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17
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Gaspar R, Soares-Cunha C, Domingues AV, Coimbra B, Baptista FI, Pinto L, Ambrósio AF, Rodrigues AJ, Gomes CA. The Duration of Stress Determines Sex Specificities in the Vulnerability to Depression and in the Morphologic Remodeling of Neurons and Microglia. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:834821. [PMID: 35330844 PMCID: PMC8940280 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.834821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress exposure has been shown to induce a variety of molecular and functional alterations associated with anxiety and depression. Some studies suggest that microglia, the immune cells of the brain, play a significant role in determining neuronal and behavioral responses to chronic stress and also contribute to the development of stress-related psychopathologies. However, little is known about the impact of the duration of stress exposure upon microglia and neurons morphology, particularly considering sex differences. This issue deserves particular investigation, considering that the process of morphologic remodeling of neurons and microglia is usually accompanied by functional changes with behavioral expression. Here, we examine the effects of short and long unpredictable chronic mild stress (uCMS) protocols on behavior, evaluating in parallel microglia and neurons morphology in the dorsal hippocampus (dHIP) and in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), two brain regions involved in the etiology of depression. We report that long-term uCMS induced more behavioral alterations in males, which present anxiety and depression-like phenotypes (anhedonia and helplessness behavior), while females only display anxiety-like behavior. After short-term uCMS, both sexes presented anxiety-like behavior. Microglia cells undergo a process of morphologic adaptation to short-term uCMS, dependent on sex, in the NAc: we observed a hypertrophy in males and an atrophy in females, transient effects that do not persist after long-term uCMS. In the dHIP, the morphologic adaptation of microglia is only observed in females (hypertrophy) and after the protocol of long uCMS. Interestingly, males are more vulnerable to neuronal morphological alterations in a region-specific manner: dendritic atrophy in granule neurons of the dHIP and hypertrophy in the medium spiny neurons of the NAc, both after short- or long-term uCMS. The morphology of neurons in these brain regions were not affected in females. These findings raise the possibility that, by differentially affecting neurons and microglia in dHIP and NAc, chronic stress may contribute for differences in the clinical presentation of stress-related disorders under the control of sex-specific mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Gaspar
- Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Carina Soares-Cunha
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s –PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Ana Verónica Domingues
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s –PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Bárbara Coimbra
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s –PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Filipa I. Baptista
- Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Luísa Pinto
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s –PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - António F. Ambrósio
- Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana João Rodrigues
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s –PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
- *Correspondence: Ana João Rodrigues,
| | - Catarina A. Gomes
- Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), Coimbra, Portugal
- Catarina A. Gomes,
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18
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Herman JP. The neuroendocrinology of stress: Glucocorticoid signaling mechanisms. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 137:105641. [PMID: 34954409 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Glucocorticoid signaling plays major roles in energy homeostasis and adaptation to adversity, and dysregulation of this process is linked to systemic and psychological pathology. Over the last several decades, new work has challenged many of the long-standing assumptions regarding regulation of glucocorticoid secretion and glucocorticoid signaling mechanisms, revealing an exquisite complexity that accompanies the important and perhaps global role of these hormones in physiological and psychological regulation. New findings have included discovery of membrane signaling, direct neural control of the adrenal, a role for pulsatile glucocorticoid release in glucocorticoid receptor signaling, marked sex differences in brain glucocorticoid biology, and salutary as well as deleterious roles for glucocorticoids in long- and short-term adaptations to stress. This review covers some of the major lessons learned in the area of mechanisms of glucocorticoid signaling, and discusses how these may inform the field moving forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P Herman
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA; Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA; Cincinnati Veterans Administration Medical Center, USA
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19
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Laine M, Shansky R. Rodent models of stress and dendritic plasticity – Implications for psychopathology. Neurobiol Stress 2022; 17:100438. [PMID: 35257016 PMCID: PMC8897597 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2022.100438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress, as commonplace as it is, is a major environmental risk factor for psychopathology. While this association intuitively, anecdotally, and empirically makes sense, we are still very early in the process of understanding what the neurobiological manifestations of this risk truly are. Seminal work from the past few decades has established structural plasticity in the brain as a potential key mechanism. In this review we discuss evidence linking particularly chronic stress exposure in rodent models to plasticity at the dendrites, like remodeling of dendritic branches and spines, in a range of brain regions. A number of candidate mechanisms that seek to explain how stress influences neuroanatomy at this level have been proposed, utilizing in vivo, ex vivo and in vitro methods. However, a large gap still remains in our knowledge of how such dynamic structural changes ultimately relate to downstream effects such as altered affective and cognitive states relevant for psychopathology. We propose that future work expand our understanding of plasticity of specific stress-related brain circuits and cell-types. We also note that the vast majority of the work has been conducted solely on male rodents. The next big strides in our understanding of the neurobiology of psychopathology will require the inclusion of female subjects, as several studies have suggested both sex divergent and convergent features. By understanding plasticity, we can harness it. The growth of this body of knowledge will inform our efforts to improve the therapeutic options for stress-related psychopathology.
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20
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Abstract
During evolution, the cerebral cortex advances by increasing in surface and the introduction of new cytoarchitectonic areas among which the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is considered to be the substrate of highest cognitive functions. Although neurons of the PFC are generated before birth, the differentiation of its neurons and development of synaptic connections in humans extend to the 3rd decade of life. During this period, synapses as well as neurotransmitter systems including their receptors and transporters, are initially overproduced followed by selective elimination. Advanced methods applied to human and animal models, enable investigation of the cellular mechanisms and role of specific genes, non-coding regulatory elements and signaling molecules in control of prefrontal neuronal production and phenotypic fate, as well as neuronal migration to establish layering of the PFC. Likewise, various genetic approaches in combination with functional assays and immunohistochemical and imaging methods reveal roles of neurotransmitter systems during maturation of the PFC. Disruption, or even a slight slowing of the rate of neuronal production, migration and synaptogenesis by genetic or environmental factors, can induce gross as well as subtle changes that eventually can lead to cognitive impairment. An understanding of the development and evolution of the PFC provide insight into the pathogenesis and treatment of congenital neuropsychiatric diseases as well as idiopathic developmental disorders that cause intellectual disabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon M Kolk
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour and Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Pasko Rakic
- Department of Neuroscience and Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
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21
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Alexandra Kredlow M, Fenster RJ, Laurent ES, Ressler KJ, Phelps EA. Prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and threat processing: implications for PTSD. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:247-259. [PMID: 34545196 PMCID: PMC8617299 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01155-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder can be viewed as a disorder of fear dysregulation. An abundance of research suggests that the prefrontal cortex is central to fear processing-that is, how fears are acquired and strategies to regulate or diminish fear responses. The current review covers foundational research on threat or fear acquisition and extinction in nonhuman animals, healthy humans, and patients with posttraumatic stress disorder, through the lens of the involvement of the prefrontal cortex in these processes. Research harnessing advances in technology to further probe the role of the prefrontal cortex in these processes, such as the use of optogenetics in rodents and brain stimulation in humans, will be highlighted, as well other fear regulation approaches that are relevant to the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder and involve the prefrontal cortex, namely cognitive regulation and avoidance/active coping. Despite the large body of translational research, many questions remain unanswered and posttraumatic stress disorder remains difficult to treat. We conclude by outlining future research directions related to the role of the prefrontal cortex in fear processing and implications for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Alexandra Kredlow
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XDepartment of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Robert J. Fenster
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XDivision of Depression and Anxiety, McLean Hospital; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Emma S. Laurent
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XDepartment of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Kerry J. Ressler
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XDivision of Depression and Anxiety, McLean Hospital; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Phelps
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XDepartment of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA USA
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22
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Chakraborty P, Chattarji S, Jeanneteau F. A salience hypothesis of stress in PTSD. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 54:8029-8051. [PMID: 34766390 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15526] [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: 07/10/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Attention to key features of contexts and things is a necessary tool for all organisms. Detecting these salient features of cues, or simply, salience, can also be affected by exposure to traumatic stress, as has been widely reported in individuals suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Interestingly, similar observations have been robustly replicated across many animal models of stress as well. By using evidence from such rodent stress paradigms, in the present review, we explore PTSD through the lens of salience processing. In this context, we propose that interaction between the neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glucocorticoids determines the long lasting cellular and behavioural consequences of stress salience. We also describe the dual effect of glucocorticoid therapy in the amelioration of PTSD symptoms. Finally, by integrating in vivo observations at multiple scales of plasticity, we propose a unifying hypothesis that pivots on a crucial role of glucocorticoid signalling in dynamically orchestrating stress salience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prabahan Chakraborty
- Institut de Genomique Fonctionnelle, University of Montpellier, Inserm, CNRS, Montpellier, 34090, France.,Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bellary Road, Bangalore, 560065, India
| | - Sumantra Chattarji
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bellary Road, Bangalore, 560065, India.,Centre for Brain Development and Repair, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Bangalore, India.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Deanery of Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Freddy Jeanneteau
- Institut de Genomique Fonctionnelle, University of Montpellier, Inserm, CNRS, Montpellier, 34090, France
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23
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Cravedi KD, May MD, Abettan JA, Huckleberry KA, Trettel SG, Vuong CV, Altman DE, Gauchan S, Shansky RM, Matson LM, Sousa JC, Lowery-Gionta EG, Moore NLT. Response and recovery of endocrine, behavioral, and neuronal morphology outcomes after different traumatic stressor exposures in male rats. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 133:105394. [PMID: 34474197 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Preclinical models of organismal response to traumatic stress (threat of death or serious injury) can be monitored using neuroendocrine, behavioral, and structural metrics. While many rodent models of traumatic stress have provided a glimpse into select components of the physiological response to acute and chronic stressors, few studies have directly examined the potential differences between stressors and their potential outcomes. To address this gap, we conducted a multi-level comparison of the immediate and longer-term effects of two types of acute traumatic stressors. Adult male rats were exposed to either underwater trauma (UWT), predator exposure (PE), or control procedural handling conditions. Over the next 7 days, yoked cohorts underwent either serial blood sampling for neuroendocrine evaluation across the circadian cycle, or repeated behavioral testing in the elevated plus maze. In addition, a subset of brains from the latter cohort were assessed for dendritic spine changes in the prefrontal cortex and basolateral amygdala. We observed stressor-dependent patterns of response and recovery across all measures, with divergence between endocrine responses despite similar behavioral outcomes. These results demonstrate that different stressors elicit unique behavioral, neuroendocrine, and neuro-structural response profiles and suggest that specific stress models can be used to model desired responses for specific preclinical applications, such as evaluations of underlying mechanisms or therapeutic candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin D Cravedi
- Performance Assessment and Chemical Evaluation (PACE) Laboratory, Behavioral Biology Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Matthew D May
- Performance Assessment and Chemical Evaluation (PACE) Laboratory, Behavioral Biology Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Jordan A Abettan
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Behavior, Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kylie A Huckleberry
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Behavior, Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Sean G Trettel
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Behavior, Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Chau V Vuong
- Drug Metabolism and Distribution Laboratory, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Daniel E Altman
- Performance Assessment and Chemical Evaluation (PACE) Laboratory, Behavioral Biology Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Sangeeta Gauchan
- Performance Assessment and Chemical Evaluation (PACE) Laboratory, Behavioral Biology Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Rebecca M Shansky
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Behavior, Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Liana M Matson
- Performance Assessment and Chemical Evaluation (PACE) Laboratory, Behavioral Biology Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Jason C Sousa
- Drug Metabolism and Distribution Laboratory, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Emily G Lowery-Gionta
- Performance Assessment and Chemical Evaluation (PACE) Laboratory, Behavioral Biology Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA.
| | - Nicole L T Moore
- Performance Assessment and Chemical Evaluation (PACE) Laboratory, Behavioral Biology Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA; US Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010, USA
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24
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Papp M, Gruca P, Lason M, Litwa E, Solecki W, Willner P. Insufficiency of ventral hippocampus to medial prefrontal cortex transmission explains antidepressant non-response. J Psychopharmacol 2021; 35:1253-1264. [PMID: 34617804 PMCID: PMC8521380 DOI: 10.1177/02698811211048281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is extensive evidence that antidepressant drugs restore normal brain function by repairing damage to ventral hippocampus (vHPC) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). While the damage is more extensive in hippocampus, the evidence of treatments, such as deep brain stimulation, suggests that functional changes in prefrontal cortex may be more critical. We hypothesized that antidepressant non-response may result from an insufficiency of transmission from vHPC to mPFC. METHOD Antidepressant non-responsive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were subjected to chronic mild stress (CMS), then treated with chronic daily administration of the antidepressant drug venlafaxine (VEN) and/or repeated weekly optogenetic stimulation (OGS) of afferents to mPFC originating from vHPC or dorsal HPC (dHPC). RESULTS As in many previous studies, CMS decreased sucrose intake, open-arm entries on the elevated plus maze (EPM), and novel object recognition (NOR). Neither VEN nor vHPC-mPFC OGS alone was effective in reversing the effects of CMS, but the combination of chronic VEN and repeated OGS restored normal behaviour on all three measures. dHPC-mPFC OGS restored normal behaviour in the EPM and NOR test irrespective of concomitant VEN treatment, and had no effect on sucrose intake. CONCLUSIONS The synergism between VEN and vHPC-mPFC OGS supports the hypothesis that the antidepressant non-responsiveness of WKY rats results from a failure of antidepressant treatment fully to restore transmission in the vHPC-mPFC pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariusz Papp
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland,Mariusz Papp, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smetna Street, Krakow 31-343, Poland.
| | - Piotr Gruca
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Magdalena Lason
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Ewa Litwa
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Wojciech Solecki
- Department of Neurobiology and Neuropsychology, Institute of Applied Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Paul Willner
- Department of Psychology, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
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25
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Wallace T, Myers B. Effects of Biological Sex and Stress Exposure on Ventromedial Prefrontal Regulation of Mood-Related Behaviors. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:737960. [PMID: 34512290 PMCID: PMC8426926 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.737960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The ventral portion of the medial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) regulates mood, sociability, and context-dependent behaviors. Consequently, altered vmPFC activity has been implicated in the biological basis of emotional disorders. Recent methodological advances have greatly enhanced the ability to investigate how specific prefrontal cell populations regulate mood-related behaviors, as well as the impact of long-term stress on vmPFC function. However, emerging preclinical data identify prominent sexual divergence in vmPFC behavioral regulation and stress responsivity. Notably, the rodent infralimbic cortex (IL), a vmPFC subregion critical for anti-depressant action, shows marked functional divergence between males and females. Accordingly, this review examines IL encoding and modulation of mood-related behaviors, including coping style, reward, and sociability, with a focus on sex-based outcomes. We also review how these processes are impacted by prolonged stress exposure. Collectively, the data suggest that chronic stress has sex-specific effects on IL excitatory/inhibitory balance that may account for sex differences in the prevalence and course of mood disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler Wallace
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Brent Myers
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
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26
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Li J, Zeng Q, Su W, Song M, Xie M, Mao L. FBXO10 prevents chronic unpredictable stress-induced behavioral despair and cognitive impairment through promoting RAGE degradation. CNS Neurosci Ther 2021; 27:1504-1517. [PMID: 34492157 PMCID: PMC8611766 DOI: 10.1111/cns.13727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Aims Depression is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. The receptor for advanced glycosylation end products (RAGE) is closely related to chronic stress and is a target of F‐box protein O10 (FBXO10) which promotes the degradation of RAGE by ubiquitination. Here, we explored the role of FBXO10 and RAGE in chronic unpredictable stress (CUS)‐induced behavioral despair, cognitive impairment, neuroinflammation, and the polarization microglia. Methods Male C57BL/6 mice with or without infusion of viral in the medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) were subjected to CUS. Then the mice were exposed to forced swim test, sucrose consumption test, novelty‐suppressed feeding test, and temporal object recognition task to assess the behavioral despair and cognitive impairment. Inflammatory cytokines and the neurotrophic factor brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in PFC were assessed by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry staining were performed to observe the activation and phenotypic transformation of microglia in PFC. LPS‐induced cell model was constructed to explore the effect of FBXO10/RAGE axis in the polarization of microglia in vitro. Results FBXO10 promoted RAGE degradation by ubiquitination in BV2 cells. FBXO10 protein levels were reduced whereas RAGE protein levels were enhanced in CUS mice. FBXO10 overexpression or RAGE knockdown inhibited proinflammatory cytokine release, promoted BDNF expression, mitigated the depressive‐like and cognitive impairment behaviors, and affected the polarization of microglia induced by CUS exposure. FBXO10/RAGE axis promoted the polarization of microglia from the M1 to the M2 phenotype in vitro. Moreover, p38 MAPK and NF‐κΒ were identified to be the downstream effect factors for FBXO10/RAGE axis. Conclusions FBXO10 administration prevents CUS‐induced behavioral despair, cognitive impairment, neuroinflammation, and the polarization of microglia through decreasing the accumulation of RAGE, p38 MAPK, and NF‐κΒ, suggesting potential therapeutic strategies for the prevention and treatment of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiacen Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,Chinese Academy of Sciences Sichuan Translational Medicine Research Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Qingcui Zeng
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Sichuan Translational Medicine Research Hospital, Chengdu, China.,Geriatric Intensive Care Unit, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Wenjie Su
- Department of Anesthesiology, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,Chinese Academy of Sciences Sichuan Translational Medicine Research Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Menglong Song
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Sichuan Translational Medicine Research Hospital, Chengdu, China.,Emergency Intensive Care Unit, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Min Xie
- Department of Anesthesiology, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,Chinese Academy of Sciences Sichuan Translational Medicine Research Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Lei Mao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,Chinese Academy of Sciences Sichuan Translational Medicine Research Hospital, Chengdu, China
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27
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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.
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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
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28
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Mei X, Wang L, Yang B, Li X. Sex differences in noradrenergic modulation of attention and impulsivity in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2021; 238:2167-2177. [PMID: 33834255 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-05841-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Noradrenaline (NE) is closely related to attentive performance and impulsive control. However, the potential sex differences regarding attention and impulsivity under the noradrenergic modulation have been largely neglected. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate whether male and female rats exhibit differential responses to NE-related drugs during the five-choice serial reaction time task (5CSRT). METHODS Male and female rats were trained in 5CSRT and administered with different NE drugs after obtaining stable baseline performance: atipamezole, a highly selective α2 receptor antagonist; prazosin, an α1 receptor antagonist; and atomoxetine, a selective NE reuptake inhibitor. Later, prazosin was selected to co-administration with atomoxetine. RESULTS Male and female rats exhibited equal learning speed, and no significant baseline differences were found as measured by the 5CSRT. Atomoxetine decreased premature responses in both sexes, but the extent of this reduction was different, with the reduction greater in males. Besides, atomoxetine (1.8 mg/kg) increased the error of omissions in females. The high dose of prazosin (0.5 mg/kg) decreased the accuracy only in male rats, but this was ameliorated by the co-administration with atomoxetine. CONCLUSIONS Atomoxetine showed significant improvement in impulsivity, but atomoxetine had less beneficial effects on impulsive control in females than in males, and it even impaired attentional performance in female rats. The α1 receptors were mainly responsible for NE drug-related sex differences in attention rather than impulsivity. The results obtained in this study indicate that the sex differences exist in both attention and impulsivity by the modulation of noradrenaline and raise the concern to improve sex-specific treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolin Mei
- College of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Lutong Wang
- College of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - Bo Yang
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Xinwang Li
- College of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China.
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29
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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).
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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
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30
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Wallace T, Schaeuble D, Pace SA, Schackmuth MK, Hentges ST, Chicco AJ, Myers B. Sexually divergent cortical control of affective-autonomic integration. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 129:105238. [PMID: 33930756 PMCID: PMC8217303 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Depression and cardiovascular disease reduce quality of life and increase mortality risk. These conditions commonly co-occur with sex-based differences in incidence and severity. However, the biological mechanisms linking the disorders are poorly understood. In the current study, we hypothesized that the infralimbic (IL) prefrontal cortex integrates mood-related behaviors with the cardiovascular burden of chronic stress. In a rodent model, we utilized optogenetics during behavior and in vivo physiological monitoring to examine how the IL regulates affect, social motivation, neuroendocrine-autonomic stress reactivity, and the cardiac consequences of chronic stress. Our results indicate that IL glutamate neurons increase socio-motivational behaviors specifically in males. IL activation also reduced endocrine and cardiovascular stress responses in males, while increasing reactivity in females. Moreover, prior IL stimulation protected males from subsequent chronic stress-induced sympatho-vagal imbalance and cardiac hypertrophy. Our findings suggest that cortical regulation of behavior, physiological stress responses, and cardiovascular outcomes fundamentally differ between sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler Wallace
- Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Derek Schaeuble
- Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Sebastian A Pace
- Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Morgan K Schackmuth
- Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Shane T Hentges
- Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Adam J Chicco
- Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Brent Myers
- Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States.
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31
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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.
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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
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32
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Wang H, He S, Xin J, Zhang T, Sun N, Li L, Ni X, Zeng D, Ma H, Bai Y. Psychoactive Effects of Lactobacillus johnsonii Against Restraint Stress-Induced Memory Dysfunction in Mice Through Modulating Intestinal Inflammation and permeability-a Study Based on the Gut-Brain Axis Hypothesis. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:662148. [PMID: 34122081 PMCID: PMC8189558 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.662148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Though the underlying mechanism remains elusive, a close relationship between psychological stress and intestinal inflammation has been widely accepted. Such a link is very important to set the basis for our understanding of the critical role of gut-brain axis (GBA) in homeostatic processes in health and disease. Probiotics that could confer benefits to mental health through GBA are referred to as "psychobiotics". This study aimed to further determine whether a potential psychobiotic strain, Lactobacillus johnsonii BS15 could prevent memory dysfunction in mice induced by psychological stress through modulating the gut environment, including intestinal inflammation and permeability. Memory dysfunction in mice was induced by restraint stress (RS), one of the most commonly utilized models to mimic psychological stress. The mice were randomly categorized into three groups including no stress (NS), restraint stress (RS), and probiotic (RS-P) and administered with either phosphate buffered saline (NS and RS groups) or L. johnsonii BS15 (RS-P group) every day from day 1-28. From days 22-28, the mice in RS and RS-P groups were subjected to RS each day. Results revealed that BS15-pretreatment enhanced the performance of RS-induced mice during three different behavioral tests for memory ability and positively modulated the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis by attenuating the serum corticosterone level. In the hippocampus, L. johnsonii BS15 positively modulated the memory-related functional proteins related to synaptic plasticity, increased neurotransmitter levels, and prevented RS-induced oxidative stress and mitochondria-mediated apoptosis. In the intestines, L. johnsonii BS15 protected the RS-induced mice from damaged gut barrier by enhancing the mRNA levels of tight junction proteins and exerted beneficial effects on the anti-inflammatory cytokine levels reduced by RS. These findings provided more evidence to reveal the psychoactive effect of L. johnsonii BS15 against memory dysfunction in RS-induced mice by modulating intestinal inflammation and permeability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hesong Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Gastroenterology of Guangdong Province, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shunhui He
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Gastroenterology of Guangdong Province, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shunde Hospital, Southern Medical University, Foshan, China
| | - Jinge Xin
- Animal Microecology Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- School of Science, Xihua University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ning Sun
- Animal Microecology Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lianxin Li
- Animal Microecology Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xueqin Ni
- Animal Microecology Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Dong Zeng
- Animal Microecology Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hailin Ma
- Plateau Brain Science Research Center, South China Normal University/Tibet University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yang Bai
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Gastroenterology of Guangdong Province, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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33
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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.
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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
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34
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Lu J, Tjia M, Mullen B, Cao B, Lukasiewicz K, Shah-Morales S, Weiser S, Cameron LP, Olson DE, Chen L, Zuo Y. An analog of psychedelics restores functional neural circuits disrupted by unpredictable stress. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:6237-6252. [PMID: 34035476 PMCID: PMC8613316 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01159-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Psychological stress affects a wide spectrum of brain functions and poses risks for many mental disorders. However, effective therapeutics to alleviate or revert its deleterious effects are lacking. A recently synthesized psychedelic analog tabernanthalog (TBG) has demonstrated anti-addictive and antidepressant potential. Whether TBG can rescue stress-induced affective, sensory, and cognitive deficits, and how it may achieve such effects by modulating neural circuits, remain unknown. Here we show that in mice exposed to unpredictable mild stress (UMS), administration of a single dose of TBG decreases their anxiety level and rescues deficits in sensory processing as well as in cognitive flexibility. Post-stress TBG treatment promotes the regrowth of excitatory neuron dendritic spines lost during UMS, decreases the baseline neuronal activity, and enhances whisking-modulation of neuronal activity in the somatosensory cortex. Moreover, calcium imaging in head-fixed mice performing a whisker-dependent texture discrimination task shows that novel textures elicit responses from a greater proportion of neurons in the somatosensory cortex than do familiar textures. Such differential response is diminished by UMS and is restored by TBG. Together, our study reveals the effects of UMS on cortical neuronal circuit activity patterns and demonstrate that TBG combats the detrimental effects of stress by modulating basal and stimulus-dependent neural activity in cortical networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju Lu
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
| | - Michelle Tjia
- grid.205975.c0000 0001 0740 6917Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA USA
| | - Brian Mullen
- grid.205975.c0000 0001 0740 6917Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA USA
| | - Bing Cao
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Departments of Neurosurgery, Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford Neuroscience Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA USA
| | - Kacper Lukasiewicz
- grid.205975.c0000 0001 0740 6917Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA USA
| | - Sajita Shah-Morales
- grid.205975.c0000 0001 0740 6917Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA USA
| | - Sydney Weiser
- grid.205975.c0000 0001 0740 6917Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA USA
| | - Lindsay P. Cameron
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA USA
| | - David E. Olson
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA USA ,grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA USA ,grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA USA
| | - Lu Chen
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Departments of Neurosurgery, Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford Neuroscience Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA USA
| | - Yi Zuo
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
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35
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Muscat SA, Hartelius G, Crouch CR, Morin KW. An Integrative Approach to Ketamine Therapy May Enhance Multiple Dimensions of Efficacy: Improving Therapeutic Outcomes With Treatment Resistant Depression. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:710338. [PMID: 34899408 PMCID: PMC8653702 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.710338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Research over the last two decades has established ketamine as a safe, effective, fast-acting, and sustained antidepressant that significantly reduces adverse symptoms associated with depression, even in patients who are treatment resistant. Much of this research has evolved within the framework of several independent branches of scientific inquiry: in addition to the study of ketamine is a non-selective NMDAR antagonist with rapid antidepressant effects, it has also been found effective as a psychoplastogen that stimulates synaptogenesis and increases neuroplasticity, as a powerful anti-inflammatory that may improve inflammation-related depressive symptoms, as a substance that induces beneficial high entropy brain states, and as a subjectively impactful psychedelic agent. Each branch of inquiry has generated independent evidence of ketamine's efficacy but has advanced without substantive coordination or communication with other lines of inquiry. Integrative research that considers these branches of research together may lead toward a better understanding of ketamine's effects and improved treatment protocols and clinical outcomes. Such an overview can inform more comprehensive patient care through: (a) informed patient psychoeducation that encompasses all of ketamine's mechanisms of action; (b) calibration of optimal dosage to ensure induction and maintenance of high entropy brain states during each ketamine session utilizing EEG measurement; (c) Improved management of emergence side effects through proper care for set and setting; (d) inclusion of pre-selected appropriate music to enhance the emotional experience; (e) increased monitoring of ketamine effects on cortical activity, inter-hemispheric imbalance, and inflammation-related levels of cytokines to further improvements in ketamine protocols; and (f) appropriate timing of any adjunctive psychotherapy sessions to coincide with peak neurogenesis at 24-48 h post ketamine treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherry-Anne Muscat
- Youth Forensic Psychiatry, Alberta Hospital, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Integral and Transpersonal Psychology, California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Glenn Hartelius
- Integral and Transpersonal Psychology, California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Courtenay Richards Crouch
- Integral and Transpersonal Psychology, California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Kevin W Morin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Acute Adult Psychiatry, Alberta Hospital, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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36
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Qi C, Wang Z, Bai W, Liu T, Zheng X. Reduced Information Transmission of Medial Prefrontal Cortex to Basolateral Amygdala Inhibits Exploratory Behavior in Depressed Rats. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:608587. [PMID: 33343292 PMCID: PMC7744617 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.608587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Depression is a mental and neurological disease that reduces the desire for exploration. Dysregulation of the information transmission between medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and basolateral amygdala (BLA) is associated with depression. However, which direction of information transmission (mPFC-BLA or BLA-mPFC) related to the decline of exploratory interests in depression is unclear. Therefore, it is important to determine what specific changes occur in mPFC and BLA information transmission in depressed rats during exploratory behavior. In the present study, local field potentials (LFPs) were recorded via multi-electrodes implanted in the mPFC and BLA for the control and depression groups of rats when they were exploring in an open field. The theta band was determined to be the characteristic band of exploratory behavior. The direct transfer function (DTF) was used to calculate the mPFC and BLA bidirectional information flow (IF) to measure information transmission. Compared with the control group, the theta IF of mPFC-BLA in the depression group was significantly reduced, and there was no significant difference in theta IF of BLA-mPFC between the two groups. Our results indicated that the reduction of mPFC-BLA information transmission can inhibit the exploratory behavior of depressed rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengxi Qi
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zihe Wang
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Wenwen Bai
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Tiaotiao Liu
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xuyuan Zheng
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
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37
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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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy F T Arnsten
- Dept. Neuroscience, Yale Medical School, 333 Cedar St., New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
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38
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Wang C, Liu H, Li K, Wu ZZ, Wu C, Yu JY, Gong Q, Fang P, Wang XX, Duan SM, Wang H, Gu Y, Hu J, Pan BX, Schmidt MV, Liu YJ, Wang XD. Tactile modulation of memory and anxiety requires dentate granule cells along the dorsoventral axis. Nat Commun 2020; 11:6045. [PMID: 33247136 PMCID: PMC7695841 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19874-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Touch can positively influence cognition and emotion, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we report that tactile experience enrichment improves memory and alleviates anxiety by remodeling neurons along the dorsoventral axis of the dentate gyrus (DG) in adult mice. Tactile enrichment induces differential activation and structural modification of neurons in the dorsal and ventral DG, and increases the presynaptic input from the lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC), which is reciprocally connected with the primary somatosensory cortex (S1), to tactile experience-activated DG neurons. Chemogenetic activation of tactile experience-tagged dorsal and ventral DG neurons enhances memory and reduces anxiety respectively, whereas inactivation of these neurons or S1-innervated LEC neurons abolishes the beneficial effects of tactile enrichment. Moreover, adulthood tactile enrichment attenuates early-life stress-induced memory deficits and anxiety-related behavior. Our findings demonstrate that enriched tactile experience retunes the pathway from S1 to DG and enhances DG neuronal plasticity to modulate cognition and emotion. Touch can positively modulate cognitive performance and emotional response. Here the authors demonstrate that enriched tactile experience improves memory and reduces anxiety in adult mice by remodelling the pathway from the primary somatosensory cortex to the dentate gyrus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Wang
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Psychiatry of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058, Hangzhou, China.,NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hui Liu
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Psychiatry of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058, Hangzhou, China.,NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Kun Li
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Psychiatry of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhen-Zhen Wu
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Psychiatry of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chen Wu
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Psychiatry of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058, Hangzhou, China.,NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jing-Ying Yu
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Psychiatry of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qian Gong
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Psychiatry of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ping Fang
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Psychiatry of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xing-Xing Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Technische Universität München/Klinikum Rechts der Isar, 81675, Munich, Germany
| | - Shu-Min Duan
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hao Wang
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yan Gu
- Center of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ji Hu
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Bing-Xing Pan
- Laboratory of Fear and Anxiety Disorders, Institute of Life Science, Nanchang University, 330031, Nanchang, China
| | | | - Yi-Jun Liu
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Psychiatry of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Dong Wang
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Psychiatry of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058, Hangzhou, China. .,NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China.
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39
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Kaul D, Smith CC, Stevens J, Fröhlich AS, Binder EB, Mechawar N, Schwab SG, Matosin N. Severe childhood and adulthood stress associates with neocortical layer-specific reductions of mature spines in psychiatric disorders. Neurobiol Stress 2020; 13:100270. [PMID: 33344723 PMCID: PMC7739192 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2020.100270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe stress exposure causes the loss of dendritic spines on cortical pyramidal neurons and induces psychiatric-like symptoms in rodent models. These effects are strongest following early-life stress and are most persistent on apical dendrites. However, the long-term impacts and temporal effects of stress exposure on the human brain remain poorly understood. Using a novel postmortem cohort of psychiatric cases with severe stress experienced in childhood, adulthood, or no severe stress, and matched controls, we aimed to determine the impact of stress timing on pyramidal neuron structure in the human orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). We performed Golgi Cox staining and manually measured the morphology and density of over 22,000 dendritic spines on layer-specific pyramidal neuron apical dendrites. We also quantified glucocorticoid receptor mRNA and protein as a marker of stress dysregulation. Both childhood and adulthood stress were associated with large reductions in mature mushroom spine density (up to 56% loss) in both the superficial (II/III) and deeper layers (V) of the OFC. However, childhood stress caused more substantial reductions to both total and mature mushroom spines. No difference in glucocorticoid receptor mRNA and protein were seen between groups, although both negatively correlated with total spine density within the whole cohort. These findings indicate that severe stress, especially when experienced during childhood, persistently affects the fine morphological properties of neurons in the human OFC. This may impact on cell connectivity in this brain area, and at least partly explain the social and emotional symptoms that originate in the OFC in psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominic Kaul
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia.,Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
| | - Caine C Smith
- NSW Brain Tissue Resource Centre, Discipline of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Julia Stevens
- NSW Brain Tissue Resource Centre, Discipline of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Anna S Fröhlich
- Dept. of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 2-10, 80804, Munich, Germany.,International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Dept. of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 2-10, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Naguib Mechawar
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, 6875 LaSalle Blvd, Verdun, Qc, Canada, H4H 1R3
| | - Sibylle G Schwab
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia.,Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
| | - Natalie Matosin
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia.,Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia.,Dept. of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 2-10, 80804, Munich, Germany
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40
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Barthas F, Hu MY, Siniscalchi MJ, Ali F, Mineur YS, Picciotto MR, Kwan AC. Cumulative Effects of Social Stress on Reward-Guided Actions and Prefrontal Cortical Activity. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 88:541-553. [PMID: 32276717 PMCID: PMC7434704 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND When exposed to chronic social stress, animals display behavioral changes that are relevant to depressive-like phenotypes. However, the cascading relationship between incremental stress exposure and neural dysfunctions over time remains incompletely understood. METHODS We characterized the longitudinal effect of social defeat on goal-directed actions and prefrontal cortical activity in mice using a novel head-fixed sucrose preference task and two-photon calcium imaging. RESULTS Behaviorally, stress-induced loss of reward sensitivity intensifies over days. Motivational anhedonia, the failure to translate positive reinforcements into future actions, requires multiple sessions of stress exposure to become fully established. For neural activity, individual layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons in the cingulate and medial secondary motor subregions of the medial prefrontal cortex have heterogeneous responses to stress. Changes in ensemble activity differ significantly between susceptible and resilient mice after the first defeat session and continue to diverge following successive stress episodes before reaching persistent abnormal levels. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, these results demonstrate that the cumulative impact of an ethologically relevant stress can be observed at the level of cellular activity of individual prefrontal neurons. The distinct neural responses associated with resilience versus susceptibility suggests the hypothesis that the negative impact of social stress is neutralized in resilient animals, in part through an adaptive reorganization of prefrontal cortical activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florent Barthas
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Melody Y. Hu
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Michael J. Siniscalchi
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA,Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Farhan Ali
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Yann S. Mineur
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Marina R. Picciotto
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA,Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Alex C. Kwan
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA,Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
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41
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He ZX, Song HF, Liu TY, Ma J, Xing ZK, Yin YY, Liu L, Zhang YN, Zhao YF, Yu HL, He XX, Guo WX, Zhu XJ. HuR in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex is Critical for Stress-Induced Synaptic Dysfunction and Depressive-Like Symptoms in Mice. Cereb Cortex 2020; 29:2737-2747. [PMID: 30843060 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Revised: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic stress has been observed to increase the risk of developing depression and induce neuronal alterations of synaptic plasticity, yet the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we found that the ubiquitously expressed RNA-binding protein HuR was up-regulated in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of mice following chronic stress. In adult mice, AAV-Cre-mediated knockout of HuR in the mPFC prevented anxiety-like and depression-like behaviors induced by chronic stress. HuR was also required for the stress-induced dendritic spine loss and synaptic transmission deficits. Moreover, HuRflox/flox;Nex-Cre mice, which induce HuR loss of function from embryonic development, exhibited enhanced synaptic functions. Notably, we ascertained RhoA signaling to be regulated by HuR and involved in the modulation of structural synaptic plasticity in response to chronic stress. Our results demonstrate HuR is a critical modulator for the regulation of stress-induced synaptic plasticity alterations and depression, providing a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of depressive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Xuan He
- Key laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics Ministry of Education, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Hui-Fang Song
- Key laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics Ministry of Education, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Ting-Yu Liu
- Key laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics Ministry of Education, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Jun Ma
- Key laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics Ministry of Education, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Zhen-Kai Xing
- Key laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics Ministry of Education, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Yue-Yue Yin
- Key laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics Ministry of Education, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Lin Liu
- Key laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics Ministry of Education, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Yan-Ning Zhang
- Key laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics Ministry of Education, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Yi-Fei Zhao
- Key laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics Ministry of Education, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Hua-Li Yu
- Key laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics Ministry of Education, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiao-Xiao He
- Key laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics Ministry of Education, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Wei-Xiang Guo
- State Key Laboratory for Molecular and Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Juan Zhu
- Key laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics Ministry of Education, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
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42
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Fox ME, Figueiredo A, Menken MS, Lobo MK. Dendritic spine density is increased on nucleus accumbens D2 neurons after chronic social defeat. Sci Rep 2020; 10:12393. [PMID: 32709968 PMCID: PMC7381630 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-69339-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress alters the structure and function of brain reward circuitry and is an important risk factor for developing depression. In the nucleus accumbens (NAc), structural and physiological plasticity of medium spiny neurons (MSNs) have been linked to increased stress-related and depression-like behaviors. NAc MSNs have opposing roles in driving stress-related behaviors that is dependent on their dopamine receptor expression. After chronic social defeat stress, NAc MSNs exhibit increased dendritic spine density. However, it remains unclear if the dendritic spine plasticity is MSN subtype specific. Here we use viral labeling to characterize dendritic spine morphology specifically in dopamine D2 receptor expressing MSNs (D2-MSNs). After chronic social defeat, D2-MSNs exhibit increased spine density that is correlated with enhanced social avoidance behavior. Together, our data indicate dendritic spine plasticity is MSN subtype specific, improving our understanding of structural plasticity after chronic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan E Fox
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 20 Penn St, HSFII Building, Rm 265, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Antonio Figueiredo
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 20 Penn St, HSFII Building, Rm 265, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Miriam S Menken
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 20 Penn St, HSFII Building, Rm 265, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Mary Kay Lobo
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 20 Penn St, HSFII Building, Rm 265, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
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43
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Liu WZ, Zhang WH, Zheng ZH, Zou JX, Liu XX, Huang SH, You WJ, He Y, Zhang JY, Wang XD, Pan BX. Identification of a prefrontal cortex-to-amygdala pathway for chronic stress-induced anxiety. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2221. [PMID: 32376858 PMCID: PMC7203160 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15920-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 169] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysregulated prefrontal control over amygdala is engaged in the pathogenesis of psychiatric diseases including depression and anxiety disorders. Here we show that, in a rodent anxiety model induced by chronic restraint stress (CRS), the dysregulation occurs in basolateral amygdala projection neurons receiving mono-directional inputs from dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC→BLA PNs) rather than those reciprocally connected with dmPFC (dmPFC↔BLA PNs). Specifically, CRS shifts the dmPFC-driven excitatory-inhibitory balance towards excitation in the former, but not latter population. Such specificity is preferential to connections made by dmPFC, caused by enhanced presynaptic glutamate release, and highly correlated with the increased anxiety-like behavior in stressed mice. Importantly, low-frequency optogenetic stimulation of dmPFC afferents in BLA normalizes the enhanced prefrontal glutamate release onto dmPFC→BLA PNs and lastingly attenuates CRS-induced increase of anxiety-like behavior. Our findings thus reveal a target cell-based dysregulation of mPFC-to-amygdala transmission for stress-induced anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Zhu Liu
- Laboratory of Fear and Anxiety Disorders, Institutes of Life Science, Nanchang University, 330031, Nanchang, China.,Department of Biological Science, School of Life Science, Nanchang University, 330031, Nanchang, China
| | - Wen-Hua Zhang
- Laboratory of Fear and Anxiety Disorders, Institutes of Life Science, Nanchang University, 330031, Nanchang, China
| | - Zhi-Heng Zheng
- Laboratory of Fear and Anxiety Disorders, Institutes of Life Science, Nanchang University, 330031, Nanchang, China
| | - Jia-Xin Zou
- Laboratory of Fear and Anxiety Disorders, Institutes of Life Science, Nanchang University, 330031, Nanchang, China
| | - Xiao-Xuan Liu
- Laboratory of Fear and Anxiety Disorders, Institutes of Life Science, Nanchang University, 330031, Nanchang, China
| | - Shou-He Huang
- Laboratory of Fear and Anxiety Disorders, Institutes of Life Science, Nanchang University, 330031, Nanchang, China
| | - Wen-Jie You
- Laboratory of Fear and Anxiety Disorders, Institutes of Life Science, Nanchang University, 330031, Nanchang, China
| | - Ye He
- Laboratory of Fear and Anxiety Disorders, Institutes of Life Science, Nanchang University, 330031, Nanchang, China
| | - Jun-Yu Zhang
- Laboratory of Fear and Anxiety Disorders, Institutes of Life Science, Nanchang University, 330031, Nanchang, China
| | - Xiao-Dong Wang
- Department of Neurobiology, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Ministry of Health of China, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bing-Xing Pan
- Laboratory of Fear and Anxiety Disorders, Institutes of Life Science, Nanchang University, 330031, Nanchang, China. .,Department of Biological Science, School of Life Science, Nanchang University, 330031, Nanchang, China. .,Department of Ophthalmology, the 2nd Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Nanchang University, 330031, Nanchang, China.
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Moradi-Kor N, Ghanbari A, Rashidipour H, Bandegi AR, Yousefi B, Barati M, Kokhaei P, Rashidy-Pour A. Therapeutic Effects of Spirulina platensis Against Adolescent Stress-Induced Oxidative Stress, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Alterations and Morphological Remodeling in the Amygdala of Adult Female Rats. J Exp Pharmacol 2020; 12:75-85. [PMID: 32256126 PMCID: PMC7090200 DOI: 10.2147/jep.s237378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective The amygdala structural and functional abnormalities have been implicated in numerous neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. Given the important role of the amygdala in stress responses and the susceptibility of the females to adolescent stress, the present study investigated the beneficial effects of Spirulina platensis microalgae (SP) as a neuroprotective supplement against adolescent stress-induced oxidative stress, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) alterations, molecular and morphological remodeling in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) of adult female rats. Methods During the adolescent period (PNDs 30–40) rats were subjected to restraint stress (2 h/day for 10 days). Then, the animals were subjected to 15 days treatment (PNDs 41–55) with SP (200 mg/kg/day) followed by biochemical (BDNF and stress oxidative markers), molecular (BDNF and its receptor tropomyosin receptor kinase B [TrkB] mRNA expression), and morphological (dendritic length and spines) assessments in the BLA. Results The study revealed that adolescent stress decreased BDNF levels and reduced apical dendritic length and branch points of pyramidal neurons in the BLA. In addition, chronic stress significantly increased oxidative stress parameters and decreased BDNF and TrkB mRNA expression in the BLA. Treatment with SP alleviated both biochemical, molecular, and neuroanatomical deficits that induced by adolescent stress. Conclusion Our findings provide important evidence that SP as a non-pharmacological intervention during adolescent period can protect against chronic stress-induced neuroanatomical biochemical, and molecular deficits in adulthood, and thus, reduce stress-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasroallah Moradi-Kor
- Student Research Committee, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.,Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Ali Ghanbari
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Hadi Rashidipour
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Garmsar, Iran
| | - Ahmad Reza Bandegi
- Laboratory of Endocrine Research, Research Center of Physiology, School of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Behpour Yousefi
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Mehdi Barati
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Parviz Kokhaei
- Cancer Research Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Ali Rashidy-Pour
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
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45
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Lee AM, Calarco CA, McKee SA, Mineur YS, Picciotto MR. Variability in nicotine conditioned place preference and stress-induced reinstatement in mice: Effects of sex, initial chamber preference, and guanfacine. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2020; 19:e12601. [PMID: 31364813 PMCID: PMC8045136 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Relapse to smoking occurs at higher rates in women compared with men, especially when triggered by stress. Studies suggest that sex-specific interactions between nicotine reward and stress contribute to these sex differences. Accordingly, novel treatment options targeting stress pathways, such as guanfacine, an α2-adrenergic receptor agonist, may provide sex-sensitive therapeutic effects. Preclinical studies are critical for elucidating neurobiological mechanisms of stress-induced relapse and potential therapies, but rodent models of nicotine addiction are often hindered by large behavioral variability. In this study, we used nicotine conditioned place preference to investigate stress-induced reinstatement of nicotine preference in male and female mice, and the effects of guanfacine on this behavior. Our results showed that overall, nicotine induced significant place preference acquisition and swim stress-induced reinstatement in both male and female mice, but with different nicotine dose-response patterns. In addition, we explored the variability in nicotine-dependent behaviors with median split analyses and found that initial chamber preference in each sex differentially accounted for variability in stress-induced reinstatement. In groups that showed significant stress-induced reinstatement, pretreatment with guanfacine attenuated this behavior. Finally, we evaluated neuronal activation by Arc immunoreactivity in the infralimbic cortex, prelimbic cortex, anterior insula, basolateral amygdala, lateral central amygdala and nucleus accumbens core and shell. Guanfacine induced sex-dependent changes in Arc immunoreactivity in the infralimbic cortex and anterior insula. This study demonstrates sex-dependent relationships between initial chamber preference and stress-induced reinstatement of nicotine conditioned place preference, and the effects of guanfacine on both behavior and neurobiological mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela M. Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT 06508, USA
- Yale Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program
| | - Cali A. Calarco
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT 06508, USA
- Yale Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program
| | - Sherry A. McKee
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT 06508, USA
| | - Yann S. Mineur
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT 06508, USA
| | - Marina R. Picciotto
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT 06508, USA
- Yale Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program
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Repeated Exposure to Multiple Concurrent Stresses Induce Circuit Specific Loss of Inputs to the Posterior Parietal Cortex. J Neurosci 2020; 40:1849-1861. [PMID: 31949108 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1838-19.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe loss of excitatory synapses in key brain regions is thought to be one of the major mechanisms underlying stress-induced cognitive impairment. To date, however, the identity of the affected circuits remains elusive. Here we examined the effect of exposure to repeated multiple concurrent stressors (RMS) on the connectivity of the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) in adolescent male mice. We found that RMS led to layer-specific elimination of excitatory synapses with the most pronounced loss observed in deeper cortical layers. Quantitative analysis of cortical projections to the PPC revealed a significant loss of sensory and retrosplenial inputs to the PPC while contralateral and frontal projections were preserved. These results were confirmed by decreased synaptic strength from sensory, but not from contralateral, projections in stress-exposed animals. Functionally, RMS disrupted visuospatial working memory performance, implicating disrupted higher-order visual processing. These effects were not observed in mice subjected to restraint-only stress for an identical period of time. The PPC is considered to be a cortical hub for multisensory integration, working memory, and perceptual decision-making. Our data suggest that sensory information streams targeting the PPC may be impacted by recurring stress, likely contributing to stress-induced cognitive impairment.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Repeated exposure to stress profoundly impairs cognitive functions like memory, attention, or decision-making. There is emerging evidence that stress not only impacts high-order regions of the brain, but may affect earlier stages of cognitive processing. Our work focuses on the posterior parietal cortex, a brain region supporting short-term memory, multisensory integration, and decision-making. We show evidence that repeated stress specifically damages sensory inputs to this region. This disruption of synaptic connectivity is linked to working memory impairment and is specific to repeated exposure to multiple stressors. Altogether, our data provide a potential alternative explanation to ailments previously attributed to downstream, cognitive brain structures.
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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: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [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.
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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
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Won S, Park K, Lim H, Lee SJ. Sexual dimorphism in cognitive disorders in a murine model of neuropathic pain. Behav Brain Funct 2020; 16:1. [PMID: 31901234 PMCID: PMC6942364 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-019-0164-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A sex-difference in susceptibility to chronic pain is well-known. Although recent studies have begun to reveal the sex-dependent mechanisms of nerve injury-induced pain sensitization, sex differences in the affective and cognitive brain dysfunctions associated with chronic pain have not been investigated. Therefore, we tested whether chronic pain leads to affective and cognitive disorders in a mouse neuropathic pain model and whether those disorders are sexually dimorphic. METHODS Chronic neuropathic pain was induced in male and female mice by L5 spinal nerve transection (SNT) injury. Pain sensitivity was measured with the von Frey test. Affective behaviors such as depression and anxiety were assessed by the forced swim, tail suspension, and open field tests. Cognitive brain function was assessed with the Morris water maze and the novel object location and novel object recognition tests. RESULTS Mechanical allodynia was induced and maintained for up to 8 weeks after SNT in both male and female mice. Depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors were observed 8 weeks post-SNT injury regardless of sex. Chronic pain-induced cognitive deficits measured with the Morris water maze and novel object location test were seen only in male mice, not in female mice. CONCLUSIONS Chronic neuropathic pain is accompanied by anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors in a mouse model regardless of sex, and male mice are more vulnerable than female mice to chronic pain-associated cognitive deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soonmi Won
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University School of Dentistry, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Keebum Park
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University School of Dentistry, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, College of Natural Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyoungsub Lim
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University School of Dentistry, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Joong Lee
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University School of Dentistry, Seoul, Republic of Korea. .,Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, College of Natural Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
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Effects of stress on the structure and function of the medial prefrontal cortex: Insights from animal models. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2019; 150:129-153. [PMID: 32204829 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2019.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Stress alters both cognitive and emotional function, and increases risk for a variety of psychological disorders, such as depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. The prefrontal cortex is critical for executive function and emotion regulation, is a target for stress hormones, and is implicated in many stress-influenced psychological disorders. Therefore, understanding how stress-induced changes in the structure and function of the prefrontal cortex are related to stress-induced changes in behavior may elucidate some of the mechanisms contributing to stress-sensitive disorders. This review focuses on data from rodent models to describe the effects of chronic stress on behaviors mediated by the medial prefrontal cortex, the effects of chronic stress on the morphology and physiology of the medial prefrontal cortex, mechanisms that may mediate these effects, and evidence for sex differences in the effects of stress on the prefrontal cortex. Understanding how stress influences prefrontal cortex and behaviors mediated by it, as well as sex differences in this effect, will elucidate potential avenues for novel interventions for stress-sensitive disorders characterized by deficits in executive function and emotion regulation.
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50
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Donoso F, Ramírez VT, Golubeva AV, Moloney GM, Stanton C, Dinan TG, Cryan JF. Naturally Derived Polyphenols Protect Against Corticosterone-Induced Changes in Primary Cortical Neurons. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2019; 22:765-777. [PMID: 31812985 PMCID: PMC6929673 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyz052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Revised: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Polyphenols are phytochemicals that have been associated with therapeutic effects in stress-related disorders. Indeed, studies suggest that polyphenols exert significant neuroprotection against multiple neuronal injuries, including oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, but the mechanisms are unclear. Evidence indicates that polyphenol neuroprotection may be mediated by activation of Nrf2, a transcription factor associated with antioxidant and cell survival responses. On the other hand, in stress-linked disorders, Fkbp5 is a novel molecular target for treatment because of its capacity to regulate glucocorticoid receptor sensitivity. However, it is not clear the role Fkbp5 plays in polyphenol-mediated stress modulation. In this study, the neuroprotective effects and mechanisms of the naturally derived polyphenols xanthohumol and quercetin against cytotoxicity induced by corticosterone were investigated in primary cortical cells. METHODS Primary cortical cells containing both neurons and astrocytes were pre-incubated with different concentrations of quercetin and xanthohumol to examine the neuroprotective effects of polyphenols on cell viability, morphology, and gene expression following corticosterone insult. RESULTS Both polyphenols tested prevented the reduction of cell viability and alterations of neuronal/astrocytic numbers due to corticosterone exposure. Basal levels of Bdnf mRNA were also decreased after corticosterone insult; however, this was reversed by both polyphenol treatments. Interestingly, the Nrf2 inhibitor blocked xanthohumol but not quercetin-mediated neuroprotection. In contrast, we found that Fkbp5 expression is exclusively modulated by quercetin. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that naturally derived polyphenols protect cortical cells against corticosterone-induced cytotoxicity and enhance cell survival via modulation of the Nrf2 pathway and expression of Fkbp5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Donoso
- APC Microbiome Ireland,Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | | | - Anna V Golubeva
- APC Microbiome Ireland,Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Gerard M Moloney
- APC Microbiome Ireland,Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Catherine Stanton
- APC Microbiome Ireland,Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
| | - Timothy G Dinan
- APC Microbiome Ireland,Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - John F Cryan
- APC Microbiome Ireland,Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland,Correspondence: Prof. John F. Cryan, Department Anatomy & Neuroscience/APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Ireland ()
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