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Chaudhary S, Zhang S, Zhornitsky S, Chen Y, Chao HH, Li CSR. Age-related reduction in trait anxiety: Behavioral and neural evidence of automaticity in negative facial emotion processing. Neuroimage 2023; 276:120207. [PMID: 37263454 PMCID: PMC10330646 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Trait anxiety diminishes with age, which may result from age-related decline in registering salient emotional stimuli and/or enhancement in emotion regulation. We tested the hypotheses in 88 adults 21 to 85 years of age and studied with fMRI of the Hariri task. Age-related decline in stimulus registration would manifest in delayed reaction time (RT) and diminished saliency circuit activity in response to emotional vs. neutral stimuli. Enhanced control of negative emotions would manifest in diminished limbic/emotional circuit and higher prefrontal cortical (PFC) responses to negative emotion. The results showed that anxiety was negatively correlated with age. Age was associated with faster RT and diminished activation of the medial PFC, in the area of the dorsal and rostral anterior cingulate cortex (dACC/rACC) - a hub of the saliency circuit - during matching of negative but not positive vs. neutral emotional faces. A slope test confirmed the differences in the regressions. Further, age was not associated with activation of the PFC in whole-brain regression or in region-of-interest analysis of the dorsolateral PFC, an area identified from meta-analyses of the emotion regulation literature. Together, the findings fail to support either hypothesis; rather, the findings suggest age-related automaticity in processing negative emotions as a potential mechanism of diminished anxiety. Automaticity results in faster RT and diminished anterior cingulate activity in response to negative but not positive emotional stimuli. In support, analyses of psychophysiological interaction demonstrated higher dACC/rACC connectivity with the default mode network, which has been implicated in automaticity in information processing. As age increased, individuals demonstrated faster RT with higher connectivity during matching of negative vs. neutral images. Automaticity in negative emotion processing needs to be investigated as a mechanism of age-related reduction in anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shefali Chaudhary
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, United States.
| | - Sheng Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, United States.
| | - Simon Zhornitsky
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, United States.
| | - Yu Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, United States.
| | - Herta H Chao
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT 06516, United States; Department of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, United States.
| | - Chiang-Shan R Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, United States; Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, United States; Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, United States.
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2
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Sankar A, Ozenne B, Dam VH, Svarer C, Jørgensen MB, Miskowiak KW, Frokjaer VG, Knudsen GM, Fisher PM. Association between brain serotonin 4 receptor binding and reactivity to emotional faces in depressed and healthy individuals. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:165. [PMID: 37169780 PMCID: PMC10175268 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02440-3] [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: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain serotonergic (5-HT) signaling is posited to modulate neural responses to emotional stimuli. Dysfunction in 5-HT signaling is implicated in major depressive disorder (MDD), a disorder associated with significant disturbances in emotion processing. In MDD, recent evidence points to altered 5-HT4 receptor (5-HT4R) levels, a promising target for antidepressant treatment. However, how these alterations influence neural processing of emotions in MDD remains poorly understood. This is the first study to examine the association between 5-HT4R binding and neural responses to emotions in patients with MDD and healthy controls. The study included one hundred and thirty-eight participants, comprising 88 outpatients with MDD from the NeuroPharm clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02869035) and 50 healthy controls. Participants underwent an [11C]SB207145 positron emission tomography (PET) scan to quantify 5-HT4R binding (BPND) and a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan during which they performed an emotional face matching task. We examined the association between regional 5-HT4R binding and corticolimbic responses to emotional faces using a linear latent variable model, including whether this association was moderated by depression status. We observed a positive correlation between 5-HT4R BPND and the corticolimbic response to emotional faces across participants (r = 0.20, p = 0.03). This association did not differ between groups (parameter estimate difference = 0.002, 95% CI = -0.008: 0.013, p = 0.72). Thus, in the largest PET/fMRI study of associations between serotonergic signaling and brain function, we found a positive association between 5-HT4R binding and neural responses to emotions that appear unaltered in MDD. Future clinical trials with novel pharmacological agents targeting 5-HT4R are needed to confirm whether they ameliorate emotion processing biases in MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjali Sankar
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Brice Ozenne
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Public Health, Section of Biostatistics, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Vibeke H Dam
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Claus Svarer
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Martin B Jørgensen
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Psychiatric Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kamilla W Miskowiak
- Neurocognition and Emotion in Affective Disorders (NEAD) Centre, Mental Health Services, Capital Region of Denmark, and Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Vibe G Frokjaer
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Psychiatric Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gitte M Knudsen
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Patrick M Fisher
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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3
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Braccagni G, Scheggi S, Bortolato M. Elevated levels of serotonin 5-HT 2A receptors in the orbitofrontal cortex of antisocial individuals. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2023; 273:411-425. [PMID: 36094569 PMCID: PMC10831872 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-022-01480-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Antisocial behavior (ASB) is characterized by frequent violations of the rights and properties of others, as well as aggressive conduct. While ample evidence points to a critical role of serotonin in the emotional modulation of social responses, the implication of this neurotransmitter in ASB is unclear. Here, we performed the first-ever postmortem analysis of serotonergic markers in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) of male subjects with ASB (n = 9). We focused on this brain region, given its well-recognized role in social response and ASB pathophysiology. Given that all individuals also had a substance use disorder (SUD) diagnosis, two age-matched control groups were used: SUD only and unaffected controls. Tissues were processed for immunoblotting analyses on eight key serotonergic targets: tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2), the rate-limiting enzyme of brain serotonin synthesis; serotonin transporter (SERT), the primary carrier for serotonin uptake; monoamine oxidase A (MAOA), the primary enzyme for serotonin catabolism; and five serotonin receptors previously shown to influence social behavior: 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B, 5-HT2A, 5-HT2C, and 5-HT4. Our analyses documented a significant increase in 5-HT2A receptor levels in the ASB + SUD group compared to SUD-only controls. Furthermore, TPH2 levels were significantly reduced in the SUD group (including SUD only and ASB + SUD) compared to unaffected controls. No difference was detected in the expression of any other serotonergic target. These results are in keeping with previous evidence showing high 5-HT2A receptor binding in the OFC of pathologically aggressive individuals and point to this molecule as a potential target for ASB treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Braccagni
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, L.S. Skaggs Hall, Room 3916, 30 S 2000 E, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Simona Scheggi
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Marco Bortolato
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, L.S. Skaggs Hall, Room 3916, 30 S 2000 E, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA.
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4
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Griebsch NI, Kern J, Hansen J, Rullmann M, Luthardt J, Helfmeyer S, Dekorsy FJ, Soeder M, Hankir MK, Zientek F, Becker GA, Patt M, Meyer PM, Dietrich A, Blüher M, Ding YS, Hilbert A, Sabri O, Hesse S. Central Serotonin/Noradrenaline Transporter Availability and Treatment Success in Patients with Obesity. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12111437. [PMID: 36358364 PMCID: PMC9688491 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12111437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) as well as noradrenaline (NA) are key modulators of various fundamental brain functions including the control of appetite. While manipulations that alter brain serotoninergic signaling clearly affect body weight, studies implicating 5-HT transporters and NA transporters (5-HTT and NAT, respectively) as a main drug treatment target for human obesity have not been conclusive. The aim of this positron emission tomography (PET) study was to investigate how these central transporters are associated with changes of body weight after 6 months of dietary intervention or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery in order to assess whether 5-HTT as well as NAT availability can predict weight loss and consequently treatment success. The study population consisted of two study cohorts using either the 5-HTT-selective radiotracer [11C]DASB to measure 5-HTT availability or the NAT-selective radiotracer [11C]MRB to assess NAT availability. Each group included non-obesity healthy participants, patients with severe obesity (body mass index, BMI, >35 kg/m2) following a conservative dietary program (diet) and patients undergoing RYGB surgery within a 6-month follow-up. Overall, changes in BMI were not associated with changes of both 5-HTT and NAT availability, while 5-HTT availability in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) prior to intervention was associated with substantial BMI reduction after RYGB surgery and inversely related with modest BMI reduction after diet. Taken together, the data of our study indicate that 5-HTT and NAT are involved in the pathomechanism of obesity and have the potential to serve as predictors of treatment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Johanna Kern
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jonas Hansen
- Integrated Research and Treatment Center Adiposity Diseases, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Pneumology, Jena University Hospital, University of Jena, 07747 Jena, Germany
| | - Michael Rullmann
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Julia Luthardt
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stephanie Helfmeyer
- Integrated Research and Treatment Center Adiposity Diseases, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Nutritional Sciences, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Franziska J. Dekorsy
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Marvin Soeder
- Integrated Research and Treatment Center Adiposity Diseases, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Mohammed K. Hankir
- Department of Experimental Surgery, University Hospital Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Franziska Zientek
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Integrated Research and Treatment Center Adiposity Diseases, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Marianne Patt
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Philipp M. Meyer
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Integrated Research and Treatment Center Adiposity Diseases, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Arne Dietrich
- Integrated Research and Treatment Center Adiposity Diseases, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Abdominal, Transplant, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Matthias Blüher
- Medical Department III-Endocrinology, Nephrology, Rheumatology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Helmholtz Institute for Metabolic, Obesity and Vascular Research (HI-MAG) of the Helmholtz Zentrum München at the University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Yu-Shin Ding
- Departments of Radiology and Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Anja Hilbert
- Integrated Research and Treatment Center Adiposity Diseases, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Behavioral Medicine Research Unit, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Osama Sabri
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Swen Hesse
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Integrated Research and Treatment Center Adiposity Diseases, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Correspondence:
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5
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Fisher PM, Ozenne B, Ganz M, Frokjaer VG, Dam VN, Penninx BW, Sankar A, Miskowiak K, Jensen PS, Knudsen GM, Jorgensen MB. Emotional faces processing in major depressive disorder and prediction of antidepressant treatment response: A NeuroPharm study. J Psychopharmacol 2022; 36:626-636. [PMID: 35549538 DOI: 10.1177/02698811221089035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent neuropsychiatric illness for which it is important to resolve underlying brain mechanisms. Current treatments are often unsuccessful, precipitating a need to identify predictive markers. AIM We evaluated (1) alterations in brain responses to an emotional faces functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigm in individuals with MDD, compared to controls, (2) whether pretreatment brain responses predicted antidepressant treatment response, and (3) pre-post change in brain responses following treatment. METHODS Eighty-nine medication-free, depressed individuals and 115 healthy controls completed the fMRI paradigm. Depressed individuals completed a nonrandomized, open-label, 8-week treatment with escitalopram, including the option to switch to duloxetine after 4 weeks. We examined patient-control group differences in regional fMRI responses at baseline, whether baseline fMRI responses predicted treatment response at 8 weeks, including early life stress moderating effects, and change in fMRI responses in 36 depressed individuals rescanned following 8 weeks of treatment. RESULTS Task reaction time was 5% slower in patients. Multiple brain regions showed significant task-related responses, but we observed no statistically significant patient-control group differences (Cohen's d < 0.35). Patient pretreatment brain responses did not predict antidepressant treatment response (area under the curve of the receiver operator characteristic (AUC-ROC) < 0.6) and brain responses were not statistically significantly changed after treatment (Cohen's d < 0.33). CONCLUSION This represents the largest prediction study to date examining emotional faces fMRI features as predictors of antidepressant treatment response. Brain response to this fMRI emotional faces paradigm did not distinguish depressed individuals from healthy controls, nor was it predictive of antidepressant treatment response.Clinical Trial Registration: Site: https://clinicaltrials.gov, Trial Number: NCT02869035, Trial Title: Treatment Outcome in Major Depressive Disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick M Fisher
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,NeuroPharm, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,BrainDrugs, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Brice Ozenne
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,NeuroPharm, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,BrainDrugs, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Public Health, Section of Biostatistics, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Melanie Ganz
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,BrainDrugs, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Computer Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Vibe G Frokjaer
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,NeuroPharm, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,BrainDrugs, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Psychiatric Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Vibeke Nh Dam
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,NeuroPharm, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,BrainDrugs, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Brenda Wjh Penninx
- BrainDrugs, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Psychiatry, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anajli Sankar
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,BrainDrugs, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kamilla Miskowiak
- BrainDrugs, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Copenhagen Affective Disorder Research Centre (CADIC), Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Peter S Jensen
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,NeuroPharm, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,BrainDrugs, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gitte M Knudsen
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,NeuroPharm, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,BrainDrugs, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Martin B Jorgensen
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,NeuroPharm, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,BrainDrugs, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Psychiatric Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
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6
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Casey AB, Cui M, Booth RG, Canal CE. "Selective" serotonin 5-HT 2A receptor antagonists. Biochem Pharmacol 2022; 200:115028. [PMID: 35381208 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.115028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Blockade of the serotonin 5-HT2A G protein-coupled receptor (5-HT2AR) is a fundamental pharmacological characteristic of numerous antipsychotic medications, which are FDA-approved to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and as adjunctive therapies in major depressive disorder. Meanwhile, activation of the 5-HT2AR by serotonergic psychedelics may be useful in treating neuropsychiatric indications, including major depressive and substance use disorders. Serotonergic psychedelics and other 5-HT2AR agonists, however, often bind other receptors, and standard 5-HT2AR antagonists lack sufficient selectivity to make well-founded mechanistic conclusions about the 5-HT2AR-dependent effects of these compounds and the general neurobiological function of 5-HT2ARs. This review discusses the limitations and strengths of currently available "selective" 5-HT2AR antagonists, the molecular determinants of antagonist selectivity at 5-HT2ARs, and the utility of molecular pharmacological and computational methods in guiding the discovery of novel unambiguously selective 5-HT2AR antagonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austen B Casey
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Meng Cui
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA; Center for Drug Discovery, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Raymond G Booth
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA; Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA; Center for Drug Discovery, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Clinton E Canal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Mercer University Health Sciences Center, Mercer University, 3001 Mercer University Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, USA
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7
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van Eijndhoven P, Collard R, Vrijsen J, Geurts DEM, Vasquez AA, Schellekens A, van den Munckhof E, Brolsma S, Duyser F, Bergman A, van Oort J, Tendolkar I, Schene A. Measuring Integrated Novel Dimensions in Neurodevelopmental and Stress-Related Mental Disorders (MIND-SET): Protocol for a Cross-sectional Comorbidity Study From a Research Domain Criteria Perspective. JMIRX MED 2022; 3:e31269. [PMID: 37725542 PMCID: PMC10414459 DOI: 10.2196/31269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is widely acknowledged that comorbidity between psychiatric disorders is common. Shared and diverse underpinnings of psychiatric disorders cannot be systematically understood based on symptom-based categories of mental disorders, which map poorly onto pathophysiological mechanisms. In the Measuring Integrated Novel Dimensions in Neurodevelopmental and Stress-Related Mental Disorders (MIND-SET) study, we make use of current concepts of comorbidity that transcend the current diagnostic categories. We test this approach to psychiatric problems in patients with frequently occurring psychiatric disorders and their comorbidities (excluding psychosis). OBJECTIVE The main aim of the MIND-SET project is to determine the shared and specific mechanisms of neurodevelopmental and stress-related psychiatric disorders at different observational levels. METHODS This is an observational cross-sectional study. Data from different observational levels as defined in the Research Domain Criteria (genetics, physiology, neuropsychology, system-level neuroimaging, behavior, self-report, and experimental neurocognitive paradigms) are collected over four time points. Included are adult (aged ≥18 years), nonpsychotic, psychiatric patients with a clinical diagnosis of a stress-related disorder (mood disorder, anxiety disorder, or substance use disorder) or a neurodevelopmental disorder (autism spectrum disorder or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). Individuals with no current or past psychiatric diagnosis are included as neurotypical controls. Data collection started in June 2016 with the aim to include a total of 650 patients and 150 neurotypical controls by 2021. The data collection procedure includes online questionnaires and three subsequent sessions with (1) standardized clinical examination, physical examination, and blood sampling; (2) psychological constructs, neuropsychological tests, and biological marker sampling; and (3) neuroimaging measures. RESULTS We aim to include a total of 650 patients and 150 neurotypical control participants in the time period between 2016 and 2022. In October 2021, we are at 95% of our target. CONCLUSIONS The MIND-SET study enables us to investigate the mechanistic underpinnings of nonpsychotic psychiatric disorders transdiagnostically. We will identify both shared and disorder-specific markers at different observational levels that can be used as targets for future diagnostic and treatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip van Eijndhoven
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Rose Collard
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Janna Vrijsen
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Pro Persona Mental Health Care, Depression Expertise Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Dirk E M Geurts
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Alejandro Arias Vasquez
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Arnt Schellekens
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Nijmegen Institute of Scientist-Practitioners in Addiction, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Eva van den Munckhof
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Sophie Brolsma
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Fleur Duyser
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Annemiek Bergman
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Jasper van Oort
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Indira Tendolkar
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- LVR-Klinikum Essen, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Aart Schene
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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8
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Stenbæk DS, Madsen MK, Ozenne B, Kristiansen S, Burmester D, Erritzoe D, Knudsen GM, Fisher PM. Brain serotonin 2A receptor binding predicts subjective temporal and mystical effects of psilocybin in healthy humans. J Psychopharmacol 2021; 35:459-468. [PMID: 33501857 DOI: 10.1177/0269881120959609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Psilocybin is a serotonergic psychedelic with psychoactive effects mediated by serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) activation. It produces an acute psychedelic altered state of consciousness with a unique phenomenology that can be temporally characterized by three intensity phases: onset of psychoactive effect, a peak plateau and return to normal consciousness. AIMS We evaluated whether pre-drug brain 5-HT2AR binding predicted the three phases of psilocybin subjective drug intensity (SDI) and retrospective self-report of mystical type experiences in healthy individuals. METHOD Sixteen participants completed a pre-drug [11C]Cimbi-36 positron emission tomography scan to assess 5-HT2AR binding. On a separate day, participants completed a single psilocybin session (oral dose range 0.2-0.3 mg/kg), during which SDI was assessed every 20 min. The Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ) was completed at the end of the session. The three SDI phases were modelled using segmented linear regressions. We evaluated the associations between neocortex 5-HT2AR binding and SDI/MEQ outcomes using linear regression models. RESULTS Neocortex 5-HT2AR was statistically significantly negatively associated with peak plateau duration and positively with time to return to normal waking consciousness. It was also statistically significantly negatively associated with MEQ total score. CONCLUSION This is the first study to investigate how individual brain 5-HT2AR binding predicts subjective effects of a single dose of psilocybin. Our findings reinforce the role of cerebral 5-HT2AR in shaping the temporal and mystical features of the psychedelic experience. Future studies should examine whether individual brain levels of 5-HT2AR have an impact on therapeutic outcomes in clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dea Siggaard Stenbæk
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Martin Korsbak Madsen
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Brice Ozenne
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sara Kristiansen
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Daniel Burmester
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - David Erritzoe
- Psychedelic Research Group, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Gitte Moos Knudsen
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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9
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Jalal B. "Men Fear Most What They Cannot See." sleep paralysis "Ghost Intruders" and faceless "Shadow-People"-The role of the right hemisphere and economizing nature of vision. Med Hypotheses 2021; 148:110521. [PMID: 33573871 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2021.110521] [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: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Sleep paralysis is a curious condition where the paralyzed person may hallucinate terrifying ghosts. These hypnogogic and hypnopompic visions are common worldwide. They often entail seeing and sensing shadow beings; although hallucinating full-fledged figures (e.g., cat-like creatures and witches) are not uncommon. In this paper, I propose a neuroscientific account (building on previous work) for why people see ghosts during sleep paralysis and why these tend to manifest as faceless shadows. This novel venture considers the distinct computational styles of the right and left hemisphere and their functional specializations vis-à-vis florid intruder hallucinations and out-of-body experiences (OBEs) during these dream-like states. Additionally, I provide a brain-based explanation for dissociative phenomena common during sleep paralysis. Specifically, I posit that these ghost hallucinations and OBEs are chiefly mediated by activity in key regions in the right hemisphere; and outline how the functional organization of the visual system (evoking concepts like surface interpolation) and its economizing nature (i.e., proclivity to minimize computational load and take short-cuts) can explain faceless humanoid-shadows and sensed presence hallucinations during sleep paralysis; and how the hypothalamus and anterior cingulate may be implicated during related dissociative states. Ultimately empirical research must shed light on the validity of this account. If this hypothesis is correct, patients with right hemisphere damage (i.e., in implicated areas) should be less likely to hallucinate ghosts during sleep paralysis; i.e., compared to those with intact hemispheres or damage to the left only. It may also be possible to temporarily disable right hemisphere functions during sleep paralysis using transcranial magnetic stimulation. Accordingly, this procedure should eradicate sleep paralysis ghost hallucinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baland Jalal
- Harvard University, USA; University of Cambridge, UK.
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10
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Kokhan VS, Mariasina S, Pikalov VA, Abaimov DA, Somasundaram SG, Kirkland CE, Aliev G. Neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist reverses functional CNS alteration caused by combined γ-rays and carbon nuclei irradiation. CNS & NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS-DRUG TARGETS 2021; 21:278-289. [PMID: 33480350 DOI: 10.2174/1871527320666210122092330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ionizing radiation (IR) is one of the major limiting factors for human deep-space missions. Preventing IR-induced cognitive alterations in astronauts is a critical success factor. It has been shown that cognitive alterations in rodents can be inferred by alterations of a psycho-emotional balance, primarily an anxiogenic effect of IR. In our recent work we hypothesized that the neurokinin-1 (NK1) receptor may be instrumental for such alterations. OBJECTIVE The NK1 receptor antagonist rolapitant and the classic anxiolytic diazepam (as a comparison drug) were selected to test this hypothesis on Wistar rats. METHOD Pharmacological substances were administered through intragastric probes. We used a battery of tests for a comprehensive ethological analysis. A high-performance liquid chromatography was applied to quantify monoamines content. An analysis of mRNA expression was performed by real-time PCR. Protein content was studied by Western blotting technique. RESULTS Our salient finding includes no substantial changes in anxiety, locomotor activity and cognitive abilities of treated rats under irradiation. No differences were found in the content of monoamines. We discovered a synchronous effect on mRNA expression and protein content of 5-HT2a and 5-HT4 receptors in the prefrontal cortex, as well as decreased content of serotonin transporter and increased content of tryptophan hydroxylase in the hypothalamus of irradiated rats. Rolapitant affected the protein amount of a number of serotonin receptors in the amygdala of irradiated rats. CONCLUSION Rolapitant may be the first atypical radioprotector, providing symptomatic treatment of CNS functional disorders in astronauts caused by IR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktor S Kokhan
- V.P. Serbsky Federal Medical Research Centre for Psychiatry and Narcology, Moscow. Russian Federation
| | - Sofia Mariasina
- M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow. Russian Federation
| | - Vladimir A Pikalov
- Institute for High Energy Physics named by A.A. Logunov of NRC "Kurchatov Institute", Protvino. Russian Federation
| | | | - Siva G Somasundaram
- Department of Biological Sciences, Salem University, Salem, WV, 26426. United States
| | - Cecil E Kirkland
- Department of Biological Sciences, Salem University, Salem, WV, 26426. United States
| | - Gjumrakch Aliev
- I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Sechenov University), 8/2 Trubetskaya Str., Moscow, 119991. Russian Federation
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11
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Tripathi SJ, Chakraborty S, Rao BSS. Remediation of chronic immobilization stress-induced negative affective behaviors and altered metabolism of monoamines in the prefrontal cortex by inactivation of basolateral amygdala. Neurochem Int 2020; 141:104858. [PMID: 33010391 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2020.104858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 09/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to chronic stress precipitates depression and anxiety. Stress-induced responses are differentially regulated by the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and basolateral amygdala (BLA). For instance, repeated stress leads to hypertrophy of BLA, resulting in the emergence of affective symptoms. Chronic stress-induced changes in the metabolism of monoamines are central in the manifestation of affective symptoms. Interestingly, BLA via its reciprocal connections modulates prefrontal cortical monoaminergic responses to acute stress. However, the effects of BLA inactivation on chronic stress-induced affective behaviors and monoaminergic changes in the PFC are relatively unknown. Thus, we hypothesized that inactivation of BLA might prevent chronic immobilization stress (CIS)-induced depressive-, anxiety-like behaviors, and associated monoaminergic alterations in the prelimbic (PrL) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) subregions of PFC. We used two different BLA silencing strategies, namely ibotenic acid lesion and reversible temporary inactivation using lidocaine. We found that CIS precipitates depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors. Further, CIS-induced negative affective behaviors were associated with decreased levels of 5-HT, DA, and NE, and increased 5-HIAA/5-HT, DOPAC + HVA/DA, and MHPG/NE ratio in the PrL and ACC, suggesting enhanced metabolism. Interestingly, BLA lesion prior to CIS blocked the emergence of depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors. Moreover, the lesion of BLA prior to CIS was sufficient to prevent alterations in levels of monoamines and their metabolites in the PrL and ACC. Thereafter, we evaluated whether the effects of BLA lesion could be mirrored by temporary inactivation of BLA, specifically during stress. Remarkably, temporary inactivation of BLA during stress recapitulated the effects of lesion. Our results have implications for understanding the role of BLA in chronic stress-induced metabolic alterations in prefrontal cortical monoaminergic systems, and associated mood and anxiety disorders. The current study supports the hypothesis that combating amygdalar hyperactivity might be a viable strategy for the management of stress and associated affective disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunil Jamuna Tripathi
- Department of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Hosur Road, Bengaluru, 560 029, India
| | - Suwarna Chakraborty
- Department of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Hosur Road, Bengaluru, 560 029, India
| | - B S Shankaranarayana Rao
- Department of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Hosur Road, Bengaluru, 560 029, India.
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12
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Mora S, Merchán A, Aznar S, Flores P, Moreno M. Increased amygdala and decreased hippocampus volume after schedule-induced polydipsia in high drinker compulsive rats. Behav Brain Res 2020; 390:112592. [PMID: 32417273 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Fronto-limbic structures and serotonin 2A receptors (5-HT2A) have been implicated in the pathophysiology and treatment of compulsive spectrum disorders. Schedule-Induced Polydipsia (SIP), characterized by the development of excessive drinking under intermittent food reinforcement schedules, is a valid preclinical model for studying the compulsive phenotype. In the present study, we explored the individual differences and effect of SIP in brain volume and 5-HT2A receptor binding in fronto-limbic structures in rats selected according to their compulsive drinking behavior. Rats were divided into high (HD) and low drinkers (LD) by SIP (20 sessions); later, we analyzed the brains of HD and LD selected rats, in two different conditions: non-re-exposure (NRE) or re-exposure to SIP (RE), with four groups: LD-NRE, LD-RE, HD-NRE and HD-RE. Histological analyses were carried out for volumetric (stereology) and receptor binding (autoradiography) in the prelimbic and infralimbic cortex, dorsal hippocampus and basolateral amygdala. After SIP re-exposure, HD-RE showed an increased basolateral amygdala and a reduced hippocampus volume compared to HD-NRE rats, and also compared to LD-RE rats. No differences were found between HD and LD in NRE condition. Moreover, HD rats exhibit a lower 5-HT2A receptor binding in the basolateral amygdala, independently of SIP re-exposure, compared to LD rats. However, LD-RE showed a decreased 5-HT2A receptor binding in basolateral amygdala compared to LD-NRE. No differences were found in the remaining structures. These findings suggest that SIP might be differentially impacting HD and LD brains, pointing towards a possible explanation of how the latent vulnerability to compulsivity is triggered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Mora
- Department of Psychology & Health Research Centre (CEINSA), University of Almería, Almería, Spain
| | - Ana Merchán
- Department of Psychology & Health Research Centre (CEINSA), University of Almería, Almería, Spain
| | - Susana Aznar
- Research Laboratory for Stereology and Neuroscience, Bispebjerg-Frederiksberg University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Pilar Flores
- Department of Psychology & Health Research Centre (CEINSA), University of Almería, Almería, Spain
| | - Margarita Moreno
- Department of Psychology & Health Research Centre (CEINSA), University of Almería, Almería, Spain.
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13
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Common and dissociable effects of oxytocin and lorazepam on the neurocircuitry of fear. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:11781-11787. [PMID: 32385158 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1920147117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Benzodiazepines (BZDs) represent the gold standard of anxiolytic pharmacotherapy; however, their clinical benefit is limited by side effects and addictive potential. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop novel and safe anxiolytics. The peptide hormone oxytocin (OXT) exhibits anxiolytic-like properties in animals and humans, but whether OXT and BZDs share similar effects on the neural circuitry of fear is unclear. Therefore, the rationale of this ultra-high-field functional MRI (fMRI) study was to test OXT against the clinical comparator lorazepam (LZP) with regard to their neuromodulatory effects on local and network responses to fear-related stimuli. One hundred twenty-eight healthy male participants volunteered in this randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-group study. Before scanning using an emotional face-matching paradigm, participants were randomly administered a single dose of OXT (24 IU), LZP (1 mg), or placebo. On the behavioral level, LZP, but not OXT, caused mild sedation, as evidenced by a 19% increase in reaction times. On the neural level, both OXT and LZP inhibited responses to fearful faces vs. neutral faces within the centromedial amygdala (cmA). In contrast, they had different effects on intra-amygdalar connectivity; OXT strengthened the coupling between the cmA and basolateral amygdala, whereas LZP increased the interplay between the cmA and superficial amygdala. Furthermore, OXT, but not LZP, enhanced the coupling between the cmA and the precuneus and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. These data implicate inhibition of the cmA as a common denominator of anxiolytic action, with only OXT inducing large-scale connectivity changes of potential therapeutic relevance.
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14
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Madsen MK, Fisher PM, Stenbæk DS, Kristiansen S, Burmester D, Lehel S, Páleníček T, Kuchař M, Svarer C, Ozenne B, Knudsen GM. A single psilocybin dose is associated with long-term increased mindfulness, preceded by a proportional change in neocortical 5-HT2A receptor binding. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2020; 33:71-80. [PMID: 32146028 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2019] [Revised: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
A single dose of the serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) agonist psilocybin can have long-lasting beneficial effects on mood, personality, and potentially on mindfulness, but underlying mechanisms are unknown. Here, we for the first time conduct a study that assesses psilocybin effects on cerebral 5-HT2AR binding with [11C]Cimbi-36 positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and on personality and mindfulness. Ten healthy and psychedelic-naïve volunteers underwent PET neuroimaging of 5-HT2AR at baseline (BL) and one week (1W) after a single oral dose of psilocybin (0.2-0.3 mg/kg). Personality (NEO PI-R) and mindfulness (MAAS) questionnaires were completed at BL and at three-months follow-up (3M). Paired t-tests revealed statistically significant increases in personality Openness (puncorrected = 0.04, mean change [95%CI]: 4.2[0.4;∞]), which was hypothesized a priori to increase, and mindfulness (pFWER = 0.02, mean change [95%CI]: 0.5 [0.2;0.7]). Although 5-HT2AR binding at 1W versus BL was similar across individuals (puncorrected = 0.8, mean change [95%CI]: 0.007 [-0.04;0.06]), a post hoc linear regression analysis showed that change in mindfulness and 5-HT2AR correlated negatively (β [95%CI] = -5.0 [-9.0; -0.9], pFWER= 0.046). In conclusion, we confirm that psilocybin intake is associated with long-term increases in Openness and - as a novel finding - mindfulness, which may be a key element of psilocybin therapy. Cerebral 5-HT2AR binding did not change across individuals but the negative association between changes in 5-HT2AR binding and mindfulness suggests that individual change in 5-HT2AR levels after psilocybin is variable and represents a potential mechanism influencing long-term effects of psilocybin on mindfulness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Korsbak Madsen
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Patrick MacDonald Fisher
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Dea Siggaard Stenbæk
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sara Kristiansen
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Daniel Burmester
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Szabolcs Lehel
- PET and Cyclotron Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tomas Páleníček
- National Institute of Mental Health, 250 67 Klecany, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Kuchař
- National Institute of Mental Health, 250 67 Klecany, Czech Republic; Forensic Laboratory of Biologically Active Substances, Department of Chemistry of Natural Compounds, University of Chemistry and Technology, 166 28 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Claus Svarer
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Brice Ozenne
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; Section of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gitte M Knudsen
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
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15
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Bilek E, Itz ML, Stößel G, Ma R, Berhe O, Clement L, Zang Z, Robnik L, Plichta MM, Neukel C, Schmahl C, Kirsch P, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Tost H. Deficient Amygdala Habituation to Threatening Stimuli in Borderline Personality Disorder Relates to Adverse Childhood Experiences. Biol Psychiatry 2019; 86:930-938. [PMID: 31366446 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Revised: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Heightened amygdala response to threatening cues has been repeatedly observed in borderline personality disorder (BPD). A previous report linked hyperactivation to deficient amygdala habituation to repeated stimuli, but the biological underpinnings are incompletely understood. METHODS We examined a sample of 120 patients with BPD and 115 healthy control subjects with a well-established functional magnetic resonance imaging emotional face processing task to replicate the previously reported amygdala habituation deficit in BPD and probed this neural phenotype for associations with symptom severity and early social risk exposure. RESULTS Our results confirm a significant reduction in amygdala habituation to repeated negative stimuli in BPD (pFWE = .015, peak-level familywise error [FWE] corrected for region of interest). Post hoc comparison and regression analysis did not suggest a role for BPD clinical state (pFWE > .56) or symptom severity (pFWE > .45) for this phenotype. Furthermore, deficient amygdala habituation was significantly related to increased exposure to adverse childhood experiences (pFWE = .013, region of interest corrected). CONCLUSIONS Our data replicate a prior report on deficient amygdala habituation in BPD and link this neural phenotype to early adversity, a well-established social environmental risk factor for emotion dysregulation and psychiatric illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edda Bilek
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelburg University, Mannheim, Germany.
| | - Marlena L Itz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelburg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Gabriela Stößel
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelburg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Ren Ma
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelburg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Oksana Berhe
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelburg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Laura Clement
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelburg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Zhenxiang Zang
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelburg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Lydia Robnik
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelburg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Michael M Plichta
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Corinne Neukel
- Department of Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian Schmahl
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelburg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Peter Kirsch
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelburg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelburg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Heike Tost
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelburg University, Mannheim, Germany
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16
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Muttoni S, Ardissino M, John C. Classical psychedelics for the treatment of depression and anxiety: A systematic review. J Affect Disord 2019; 258:11-24. [PMID: 31382100 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.07.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depression and anxiety are prevalent psychiatric disorders that carry significant morbidity. Pharmacological and psychosocial interventions are used to manage these conditions, but their efficacy is limited. Recent interest into the use of psychedelic-assisted therapy using ayahuasca, psilocybin or lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) may be a promising alternative for patients unresponsive to traditional treatments. This review aims to determine the efficacy and tolerability of psychedelics in the management of resistant depression. METHODS Clinical trials investigating psychedelics in patients with depression and/or anxiety were searched via MEDLINE, EMBASE and PsychINFO. Efficacy was assessed by measuring symptom improvement from baseline, and tolerability was evaluated by noting the incidence and type of adverse effects reported. Risk of bias was assessed. RESULTS Seven studies, with 130 patients, were analysed in this review. Three were conducted in patients with depression, two in patients with anxiety and two in patients with both. In a supportive setting, ayahuasca, psilocybin, and LSD consistently produced immediate and significant anti-depressant and anxiolytic effects that were endured for several months. Psychedelics were well-tolerated. The most common adverse effects were transient anxiety, short-lived headaches, nausea and mild increases in heart rate and blood pressure. LIMITATIONS At present, the number of studies on this subject is very limited; and the number of participating patients within these is also limited as the treatment under investigations is a relatively novel concept. CONCLUSIONS Though further evidence is required, psychedelics appear to be effective in significantly reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety and are well-tolerated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Muttoni
- Imperial College London, School of Medicine, London, SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Maddalena Ardissino
- Imperial College London, School of Medicine, London, SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom; Magill Department of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care and Pain Management, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, SW10 9NH, United Kingdom.
| | - Christopher John
- Imperial College London, School of Medicine, London, SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
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17
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Insula serotonin 2A receptor binding and gene expression contribute to serotonin transporter polymorphism anxious phenotype in primates. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:14761-14768. [PMID: 31266890 PMCID: PMC6642374 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1902087116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic variation in the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) is associated with vulnerability to affective disorders and pharmacotherapy efficacy. We recently identified sequence polymorphisms in the common marmoset SLC6A4 repeat region (AC/C/G and CT/T/C) associated with individual differences in anxiety-like trait, gene expression, and response to antidepressants. The mechanisms underlying the effects of these polymorphisms are unknown, but a key mediator of serotonin action is the serotonin 2A receptor (5HT2A). Thus, we correlated 5HT2A binding potential (BP) and RNA gene expression in 16 SLC6A4 genotyped marmosets with responsivity to 5HT2A antagonism during the human intruder test of anxiety. Voxel-based analysis and RNA measurements showed a reduction in 5HT2A BP and gene expression specifically in the right posterior insula of individuals homozygous for the anxiety-related variant AC/C/G. These same marmosets displayed an anxiogenic, dose-dependent response to the human intruder after 5HT2A pharmacological antagonism, while CT/T/C individuals showed no effect. A voxel-based correlation analysis, independent of SLC6A4 genotype, revealed that 5HT2A BP in the adjacent right anterior insula and insula proisocortex was negatively correlated with trait anxiety scores. Moreover, 5HT2A BP in both regions was a good predictor of the size and direction of the acute emotional response to the human intruder threat after 5HT2A antagonism. Our findings suggest that genetic variation in the SLC6A4 repeat region may contribute to the trait anxious phenotype via neurochemical changes in brain areas implicated in interoceptive and emotional processing, with a critical role for the right insula 5HT2A in the regulation of affective responses to threat.
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18
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Prouty EW, Chandler DJ, Gao WJ, Waterhouse BD. Selective vulnerability of dorsal raphe-medial prefrontal cortex projection neurons to corticosterone-induced hypofunction. Eur J Neurosci 2019; 50:1712-1726. [PMID: 30687960 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Revised: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Glucocorticoid hormones and serotonin (5-HT) are strongly associated with the development and treatment of depression, respectively. Glucocorticoids regulate the function of serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DR), which are the major source of 5-HT to the forebrain. DR 5-HT neurons are electrophysiologically heterogeneous, though whether this phenotypic variation aligns with specific brain functions or neuropsychiatric disease states is largely unknown. The goal of this work was to determine if chronic exogenous glucocorticoid administration differentially affects the electrophysiological profile of DR neurons implicated in the regulation of emotion versus visual sensation by comparing properties of cells projecting to medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) versus lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN). Following retrograde tracer injection into mPFC or LGN, male Sprague-Dawley rats received daily injections of corticosterone (CORT) for 21 days, after which whole-cell patch clamp recordings were made from retrogradely labeled DR neurons. CORT-treatment significantly increased the action potential half-width of LGN-projecting DR neurons, but did not significantly affect the firing frequency or excitatory postsynaptic currents of these cells. CORT-treatment significantly reduced the input resistance, evoked firing frequency, and spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic current frequency of mPFC-projecting DR neurons, indicating a concurrent reduction of both intrinsic excitability and excitatory drive. Our results suggest that the serotonergic regulation of cognitive and emotional networks in the mPFC may be more sensitive to the effects of glucocorticoid excess than visual sensory circuits in the LGN and that reduced 5-HT transmission in the mPFC may underlie the association between glucocorticoid excess and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric W Prouty
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Daniel J Chandler
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Stratford, New Jersey
| | - Wen-Jun Gao
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Barry D Waterhouse
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Stratford, New Jersey
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19
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Jalal B. The neuropharmacology of sleep paralysis hallucinations: serotonin 2A activation and a novel therapeutic drug. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2018; 235:3083-3091. [PMID: 30288594 PMCID: PMC6208952 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-018-5042-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Sleep paralysis is a state of involuntary immobility occurring at sleep onset or offset, often accompanied by uncanny "ghost-like" hallucinations and extreme fear reactions. I provide here a neuropharmacological account for these hallucinatory experiences by evoking the role of the serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR). Research has shown that 5-HT2AR activation can induce visual hallucinations, "mystical" subjective states, and out-of-body experiences (OBEs), and modulate fear circuits. Hallucinatory experiences triggered by serotonin-serotonergic ("pseudo") hallucinations, induced by hallucinogenic drugs-tend to be "dream-like" with the experiencer having insight ("meta-awareness") that he is hallucinating, unlike dopaminergic ("psychotic" and "life-like") hallucinations where such insight is lost. Indeed, hallucinatory experiences during sleep paralysis have the classic features of serotonergic hallucinations, and are strikingly similar to perceptual and subjective states induced by hallucinogenic drugs (e.g., lysergic acid diethylamide [LSD] and psilocybin), i.e., they entail visual hallucinations, mystical experiences, OBEs, and extreme fear reactions. I propose a possible mechanism whereby serotonin could be functionally implicated in generating sleep paralysis hallucinations and fear reactions through 5-HT2AR activity. Moreover, I speculate on the role of 5-HT2C receptors vis-à-vis anxiety and panic during sleep paralysis, and the orbitofrontal cortex-rich with 5-HT2A receptors-in influencing visual pathways during sleep paralysis, and, in effect, hallucinations. Finally, I propose, for the first time, a drug to target sleep paralysis hallucinations and fear reactions, namely the selective 5-HT2AR inverse agonist, pimavanserin. This account implicates gene HTR2A on chromosome 13q as the underlying cause of sleep paralysis hallucinations and could be explored using positron emission tomography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baland Jalal
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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Wolf D, Klasen M, Eisner P, Zepf FD, Zvyagintsev M, Palomero-Gallagher N, Weber R, Eisert A, Mathiak K. Central serotonin modulates neural responses to virtual violent actions in emotion regulation networks. Brain Struct Funct 2018; 223:3327-3345. [PMID: 29948188 PMCID: PMC6698268 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-018-1693-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 06/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Disruptions in the cortico-limbic emotion regulation networks have been linked to depression, anxiety, impulsivity, and aggression. Altered transmission of the central nervous serotonin (5-HT) contributes to dysfunctions in the cognitive control of emotions. To date, studies relating to pharmaco-fMRI challenging of the 5-HT system have focused on emotion processing for facial expressions. We investigated effects of a single-dose selective 5-HT reuptake inhibitor (escitalopram) on emotion regulation during virtual violence. For this purpose, 38 male participants played a violent video game during fMRI scanning. The SSRI reduced neural responses to violent actions in right-hemispheric inferior frontal gyrus and medial prefrontal cortex encompassing the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), but not to non-violent actions. Within the ACC, the drug effect differentiated areas with high inhibitory 5-HT1A receptor density (subgenual s25) from those with a lower density (pregenual p32, p24). This finding links functional responses during virtual violent actions with 5-HT neurotransmission in emotion regulation networks, underpinning the ecological validity of the 5-HT model in aggressive behavior. Available 5-HT receptor density data suggest that this SSRI effect is only observable when inhibitory and excitatory 5-HT receptors are balanced. The observed early functional changes may impact patient groups receiving SSRI treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhana Wolf
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
| | - Martin Klasen
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Patrick Eisner
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Florian D Zepf
- Centre and Discipline of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Division of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences and Division of Paediatrics and Child Health, School of Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
- Specialised Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, Department of Health in Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Mikhail Zvyagintsev
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Nicola Palomero-Gallagher
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - René Weber
- Media Neuroscience Lab, Department of Communication, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Albrecht Eisert
- Department of Pharmacy, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Klaus Mathiak
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- JARA-Translational Brain Medicine, Aachen, Germany
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Primary and Secondary Variants of Psychopathy in a Volunteer Sample Are Associated With Different Neurocognitive Mechanisms. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2018; 3:1013-1021. [PMID: 29752216 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2018.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Revised: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent work has indicated that there at least two distinct subtypes of psychopathy. Primary psychopathy is characterized by low anxiety and thought to result from a genetic predisposition, whereas secondary psychopathy is characterized by high anxiety and thought to develop in response to environmental adversity. Primary psychopathy is robustly associated with reduced neural activation to others' emotions and, in particular, distress. However, it has been proposed that the secondary presentation has different neurocognitive correlates. METHODS Primary (n = 50), secondary (n = 100), and comparison (n = 82) groups were drawn from a large volunteer sample (N = 1444) using a quartile-split approach across psychopathic trait (affective-interpersonal) and anxiety measures. Participants performed a widely utilized emotional face processing task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS The primary group showed reduced amygdala and insula activity in response to fear. The secondary group did not differ from the comparison group in these regions. Instead, the secondary group showed reduced activity compared with the comparison group in other areas, including the superior temporal sulcus/inferior parietal lobe, thalamus, pallidum, and substantia nigra. Both psychopathy groups also showed reduced activity in response to fear in the anterior cingulate cortex. During anger processing, the secondary group exhibited reduced activity in the anterior cingulate cortex compared with the primary group. CONCLUSIONS Distinct neural correlates of fear processing characterize individuals with primary and secondary psychopathy. The reduced neural response to fear that characterizes individuals with the primary variant of psychopathic traits is not observed in individuals with the secondary presentation. The neurocognitive mechanisms underpinning secondary psychopathy warrant further systematic investigation.
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Piel JH, Lett TA, Wackerhagen C, Plichta MM, Mohnke S, Grimm O, Romanczuk-Seiferth N, Degenhardt F, Tost H, Witt S, Nöthen M, Rietschel M, Heinz A, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Walter H, Erk S. The effect of 5-HTTLPR and a serotonergic multi-marker score on amygdala, prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortex reactivity and habituation in a large, healthy fMRI cohort. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2018; 28:415-427. [PMID: 29358097 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2017.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Revised: 12/06/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by low mood for at least two weeks. Impaired emotion regulation has been suggested to be the consequence of dysfunctional serotonergic regulation of limbic and prefrontal regions, especially the amygdala, the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the prefrontal cortex (PFC). The impact of genetic variation on brain function can be investigated with intermediate phenotypes. A suggested intermediate phenotype of MDD is emotion recognition: The 5-HTTLPR polymorphism of SLC6A4 as well as other serotonergic genes have been associated with amygdala and prefrontal function during emotion recognition. Previously, it has been suggested that habituation is a more reliable index of emotion recognition than functional activation. We examined the relationship of genes involved in serotonergic signaling with amygdala as well as prefrontal functional activation and habituation during an emotion recognition task in 171 healthy subjects. While effects of 5-HTTLPR and of a serotonergic multi-marker score (5-HTTLPR, TPH1(rs1800532), TPH2(rs4570625), HTR1A(rs6295) and HTR2A(rs6311)) on amygdala activation did not withstand correction for multiple regions of interest, we observed a strong correlation of the multi-marker score and habituation in the amygdala, DLPFC, and ACC. We replicated a well-studied intermediate phenotype for association with 5-HTTLPR and provided additional evidence for polygenic involvement. Furthermore, we showed that task habituation may be influenced by genetic variation in serotonergic signaling, particularly by a serotonergic multi-marker score. We provided preliminary evidence that PFC activation is an important intermediate phenotype of MDD. Future studies are needed to corroborate the results in larger samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- J H Piel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany; Division of Mind and Brain Research, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - T A Lett
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany; Division of Mind and Brain Research, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - C Wackerhagen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany; Division of Mind and Brain Research, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - M M Plichta
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - S Mohnke
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany; Division of Mind and Brain Research, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - O Grimm
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - N Romanczuk-Seiferth
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - F Degenhardt
- Department of Genomics, Life & Brain Center, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - H Tost
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - S Witt
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - M Nöthen
- Department of Genomics, Life & Brain Center, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - M Rietschel
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - A Heinz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - A Meyer-Lindenberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - H Walter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany; Division of Mind and Brain Research, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - S Erk
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany; Division of Mind and Brain Research, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany.
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Amygdala Adaptation and Temporal Dynamics of the Salience Network in Conditioned Fear: A Single-Trial fMRI Study. eNeuro 2018; 5:eN-NWR-0445-17. [PMID: 29497705 PMCID: PMC5830351 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0445-17.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2017] [Revised: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 02/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Research in rodents has established the role of the amygdaloid complex in defensive responses to conditioned threat. In human imaging studies, however, activation of the amygdala by conditioned threat cues is often not observed. One hypothesis states that this finding reflects adaptation of amygdaloid responses over time. We tested this hypothesis by estimating single-trial neural responses over a large number of conditioning trials. Functional MRI (fMRI) was recorded from 18 participants during classical differential fear conditioning: Participants viewed oriented grayscale grating stimuli (45° or 135°) presented centrally in random order. In the acquisition block, one grating (the CS+) was paired with a noxious noise, the unconditioned stimulus (US), on 25% of trials. The other grating, denoted CS–, was never paired with the US. Consistent with previous reports, BOLD in dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and insula, but not the amygdala, was heightened when viewing CS+ stimuli that were not paired with US compared to CS– stimuli. Trial-by-trial analysis showed that over the course of acquisition, activity in the amygdala attenuated. Interestingly, activity in the dACC and insula also declined. Representational similarity analysis (RSA) corroborated these results, indicating that the voxel patterns evoked by CS+ and CS– in these brain regions became less distinguishable over time. Together, the present findings support the hypothesis that the lack of BOLD differences in the amygdaloid complex in many studies of classical conditioning is due to adaptation, and the adaptation effects may reflect changes in large-scale networks mediating aversive conditioning, particularly the salience network.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Pharmacotherapy for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) may be effective in reducing symptoms in the majority of patients. The study of moderators and predictors of treatment response may help clinicians both to select appropriate interventions to maximize the probability of response and to inform the general prognosis. METHODS A systematic literature search of electronic databases, selected authors, and reference lists was used to identify articles that reported trials of drug monotherapy in GAD. Data on predictors and moderators were extracted. Quality of evidence was determined by the presence of a priori hypotheses, number of variables investigated, adequate quality of the measurement, and use of interaction-effects testing. RESULTS From the 98 articles meeting inclusion criteria, 24 reported a total of 22 factors associated with treatment response. The reported results were heterogeneous, ranging over sociodemographic, clinical, comorbidity, genetic, and functional-imaging studies. Major depressive symptoms were found to moderate treatment outcome in favor of antidepressants versus benzodiazepines. Neuroticism, previous treatment, genetic polymorphisms (including serotonin receptor gene 2A), and functional activation of the anterior cingulate cortex and amygdala were identified as potential predictors of treatment response. CONCLUSIONS Correlates of poor emotion regulation predicted poor treatment response, but subclinical depression was the only variable capable of informing treatment selection in this review. Future research should focus on further exploring the value of depression as a moderator and on a narrower list of potential genetic, brain-imaging, and temperament predictors of response to pharmacotherapy in GAD.
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da Cunha-Bang S, Fisher PM, Hjordt LV, Perfalk E, Beliveau V, Holst K, Knudsen GM. Men with high serotonin 1B receptor binding respond to provocations with heightened amygdala reactivity. Neuroimage 2018; 166:79-85. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.10.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Revised: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
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Matsunaga M, Kawamichi H, Umemura T, Hori R, Shibata E, Kobayashi F, Suzuki K, Ishii K, Ohtsubo Y, Noguchi Y, Ochi M, Yamasue H, Ohira H. Neural and Genetic Correlates of the Social Sharing of Happiness. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:718. [PMID: 29311795 PMCID: PMC5742108 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Happiness is regarded as one of the most fundamental human goals. Given recent reports that positive feelings are contagious (e.g., the presence of a happy person enhances others' happiness) because of the human ability to empathize (i.e., sharing emotions), empathic ability may be a key factor in increasing one's own subjective level of happiness. Based on previous studies indicating that a single nucleotide polymorphism in the serotonin 2A receptor gene [HTR2A rs6311 guanine (G) vs. adenine (A)] is associated with sensitivity to emotional stimuli and several mental disorders such as depression, we predicted that the polymorphism might be associated with the effect of sharing happiness. To elucidate the neural and genetic correlates of the effect of sharing happiness, we first performed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a “happy feelings” evocation task (emotional event imagination task), during which we manipulated the valence of the imagined event (positive, neutral, or negative), as well as the presence of a friend experiencing a positive-valence event (presence or absence). We recruited young adult women for this fMRI study because empathic ability may be higher in women than in men. Participants felt happier (p < 0.01) and the mentalizing/theory-of-mind network, which spans the medial prefrontal cortex, temporoparietal junction, temporal poles, and precuneus, was significantly more active (p < 0.05) in the presence condition than in the absence condition regardless of event valence. Moreover, participants with the GG (p < 0.01) and AG (p < 0.05) genotypes of HTR2A experienced happier feelings as well as greater activation of a part of the mentalizing/theory-of-mind network (p < 0.05) during empathy for happiness (neutral/presence condition) than those with the AA genotype. In a follow-up study with a vignette-based questionnaire conducted in a relatively large sample, male and female participants were presented with the same imagined events wherein their valence and the presence of a friend were manipulated. Results showed genetic differences in happiness-related empathy regardless of sex (p < 0.05). Findings suggest that HTR2A polymorphisms are associated with the effect of sharing happiness by modulating the activity of the mentalizing/theory-of-mind network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiro Matsunaga
- Department of Health and Psychosocial Medicine, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Kawamichi
- Division of Cerebral Integration, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Umemura
- Department of Health and Psychosocial Medicine, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Japan
| | - Reiko Hori
- Department of Health and Psychosocial Medicine, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Japan
| | - Eiji Shibata
- Department of Health and Psychosocial Medicine, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Japan
| | - Fumio Kobayashi
- Department of Health and Psychosocial Medicine, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Japan
| | - Kohta Suzuki
- Department of Health and Psychosocial Medicine, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Japan
| | - Keiko Ishii
- Department of Psychology, Graduate School of Humanities, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
| | - Yohsuke Ohtsubo
- Department of Psychology, Graduate School of Humanities, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
| | - Yasuki Noguchi
- Department of Psychology, Graduate School of Humanities, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
| | - Misaki Ochi
- Department of Psychology, Graduate School of Humanities, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
| | - Hidenori Yamasue
- Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Hideki Ohira
- Department of Cognitive and Psychological Sciences, Graduate School of Informatics, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
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Prouty EW, Chandler DJ, Waterhouse BD. Neurochemical differences between target-specific populations of rat dorsal raphe projection neurons. Brain Res 2017; 1675:28-40. [PMID: 28867482 PMCID: PMC5822427 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2017.08.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2017] [Revised: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 08/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Serotonin (5-HT)-containing neurons in the dorsal raphe (DR) nucleus project throughout the forebrain and are implicated in many physiological processes and neuropsychiatric disorders. Diversity among these neurons has been characterized in terms of their neurochemistry and anatomical organization, but a clear sense of whether these attributes align with specific brain functions or terminal fields is lacking. DR 5-HT neurons can co-express additional neuroactive substances, increasing the potential for individualized regulation of target circuits. The goal of this study was to link DR neurons to a specific functional role by characterizing cells according to both their neurotransmitter expression and efferent connectivity; specifically, cells projecting to the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a region implicated in cognition, emotion, and responses to stress. Following retrograde tracer injection, brainstem sections from Sprague-Dawley rats were immunohistochemically stained for markers of serotonin, glutamate, GABA, and nitric oxide (NO). 98% of the mPFC-projecting serotonergic neurons co-expressed the marker for glutamate, while the markers for NO and GABA were observed in 60% and less than 1% of those neurons, respectively. To identify potential target-specific differences in co-transmitter expression, we also characterized DR neurons projecting to a visual sensory structure, the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN). The proportion of serotonergic neurons co-expressing NO was greater amongst cells targeting the mPFC vs LGN (60% vs 22%). The established role of 5-HT in affective disorders and the emerging role of NO in stress signaling suggest that the impact of 5-HT/NO co-localization in DR neurons that regulate mPFC circuit function may be clinically relevant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric W Prouty
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA
| | - Daniel J Chandler
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA
| | - Barry D Waterhouse
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA.
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da Cunha-Bang S, Hjordt LV, Dam VH, Stenbæk DS, Sestoft D, Knudsen GM. Anterior cingulate serotonin 1B receptor binding is associated with emotional response inhibition. J Psychiatr Res 2017; 92:199-204. [PMID: 28502766 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2017.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2017] [Revised: 05/02/2017] [Accepted: 05/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Serotonin has a well-established role in emotional processing and is a key neurotransmitter in impulsive aggression, presumably by facilitating response inhibition and regulating subcortical reactivity to aversive stimuli. In this study 44 men, of whom 19 were violent offenders and 25 were non-offender controls, completed an emotional Go/NoGo task requiring inhibition of prepotent motor responses to emotional facial expressions. We also measured cerebral serotonin 1B receptor (5-HT1BR) binding with [11C]AZ10419369 positron emission tomography within regions of the frontal cortex. We hypothesized that 5-HT1BR would be positively associated with false alarms (failures to inhibit nogo responses) in the context of aversive (angry and fearful) facial expressions. Across groups, we found that frontal cortex 5-HT1BR binding was positively correlated with false alarms when angry faces were go stimuli and neutral faces were nogo stimuli (p = 0.05, corrected alpha = 0.0125), but not with false alarms for non-emotional stimuli (failures to inhibit geometric figures). A posthoc analysis revealed the strongest association in anterior cingulate cortex (p = 0.006). In summary, 5-HT1BRs in the anterior cingulate are involved in withholding a prepotent response in the context of angry faces. Our findings suggest that serotonin modulates response inhibition in the context of certain emotional stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofi da Cunha-Bang
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Liv Vadskjær Hjordt
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100, Denmark; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Vibeke Høyrup Dam
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100, Denmark; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Dea Siggaard Stenbæk
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Dorte Sestoft
- Ministry of Justice, Clinic of Forensic Psychiatry, Blegdamsvej 6B, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gitte M Knudsen
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100, Denmark; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Pitts EG, Minerva AR, Chandler EB, Kohn JN, Logun MT, Sulima A, Rice KC, Howell LL. 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine Increases Affiliative Behaviors in Squirrel Monkeys in a Serotonin 2A Receptor-Dependent Manner. Neuropsychopharmacology 2017; 42:1962-1971. [PMID: 28425496 PMCID: PMC5561347 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.80] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2017] [Revised: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 04/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) increases sociality in humans and animals. Release of serotonin (5-HT) is thought to have an important role in the increase in social behaviors, but the mechanisms underlying these effects are poorly understood. Despite the advantages of nonhuman primate models, no studies have examined the mechanisms of the social effects of MDMA in nonhuman primates. The behavior and vocalizations of four group-housed squirrel monkeys were examined following administration of MDMA, its enantiomers, and methamphetamine. 5-HT receptor antagonists and agonists were given as drug pretreatments. Data were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models. MDMA and its enantiomers increased affiliative social behaviors and vocalizations, whereas methamphetamine had only modest effects on affiliative behaviors. Pretreatment with a 5-HT2A receptor antagonist and a 5-HT2C receptor agonist attenuated the MDMA-induced increase in social behaviors, while a 5-HT1A receptor antagonist did not alter affiliative vocalizations and increased MDMA-induced social contact. Nonhuman primates show MDMA-specific increases in affiliative social behaviors following MDMA administration, in concordance with human and rodent studies. MDMA-induced increases in social behaviors are 5-HT2A, but not 5-HT1A, receptor dependent. Understanding the neurochemical mechanisms mediating the prosocial effects of MDMA could help in the development of novel therapeutics with the unique social effects of MDMA but fewer of its limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth G Pitts
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Adelaide R Minerva
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Erika B Chandler
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jordan N Kohn
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Meghan T Logun
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Agnieszka Sulima
- Drug Design and Synthesis Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kenner C Rice
- Drug Design and Synthesis Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Leonard L Howell
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA,Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA, Tel: +1 404 727 7786, Fax: +1 404 727 1266, E-mail:
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Prefrontal mechanisms of comorbidity from a transdiagnostic and ontogenic perspective. Dev Psychopathol 2017; 28:1147-1175. [PMID: 27739395 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579416000742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Accumulating behavioral and genetic research suggests that most forms of psychopathology share common genetic and neural vulnerabilities and are manifestations of a relatively few core underlying processes. These findings support the view that comorbidity mostly arises, not from true co-occurrence of distinct disorders, but from the behavioral expression of shared vulnerability processes across the life span. The purpose of this review is to examine the role of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in the shared vulnerability mechanisms underlying the clinical phenomena of comorbidity from a transdiagnostic and ontogenic perspective. In adopting this perspective, we suggest complex transactions between neurobiologically rooted vulnerabilities inherent in PFC circuitry and environmental factors (e.g., parenting, peers, stress, and substance use) across development converge on three key PFC-mediated processes: executive functioning, emotion regulation, and reward processing. We propose that individual differences and impairments in these PFC-mediated functions provide intermediate mechanisms for transdiagnostic symptoms and underlie behavioral tendencies that evoke and interact with environmental risk factors to further potentiate vulnerability.
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Ganella DE, Lee-Kardashyan L, Luikinga SJ, Nguyen DLD, Madsen HB, Zbukvic IC, Coulthard R, Lawrence AJ, Kim JH. Aripiprazole Facilitates Extinction of Conditioned Fear in Adolescent Rats. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:76. [PMID: 28536511 PMCID: PMC5422437 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2017] [Accepted: 04/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are the most common type of mental disorder during adolescence, which is at least partly due to the resistance to extinction exhibited at this age. The dopaminergic system is known to be dysregulated during adolescence; therefore, we aimed to facilitate extinction in adolescent rats using the dopamine receptor 2 partial agonist aripiprazole (Abilify™), and examine the behavioral and neural outcomes. Adolescent rats were conditioned to fear a tone. The next day, rats received extinction 30 min after a systemic injection of either 5 mg/kg aripiprazole or vehicle, and then were tested the following day. For the immunohistochemistry experiment, naïve and "no extinction" conditions were added and rats were perfused either on the extinction day or test day. To assess the activation of neurons receiving dopaminergic input, c-Fos, and dopamine- and cAMP-regulated neuronal phosphoprotein (DARPP-32) labeled neurons were quantified in the amygdala and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Systemic treatment with aripiprazole at the time of extinction significantly reduced freezing at test the next day. This effect was not observed in rats that were fear conditioned but did not receive any extinction. Aripiprazole's facilitation of extinction was accompanied by increased activation of neurons in the mPFC. Taken together, aripiprazole represents a novel pharmacological adjunct to exposure therapy worthy of further examination. The effect of aripiprazole is related to enhanced activation of mPFC neurons receiving dopaminergic innervation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Despina E Ganella
- Behavioral Neuroscience Division, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthParkville, VIC, Australia.,Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of MelbourneParkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Liubov Lee-Kardashyan
- Behavioral Neuroscience Division, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthParkville, VIC, Australia.,Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of MelbourneParkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Sophia J Luikinga
- Behavioral Neuroscience Division, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthParkville, VIC, Australia.,Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of MelbourneParkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Danny L D Nguyen
- Behavioral Neuroscience Division, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthParkville, VIC, Australia.,Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of MelbourneParkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Heather B Madsen
- Behavioral Neuroscience Division, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthParkville, VIC, Australia.,Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of MelbourneParkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Isabel C Zbukvic
- Behavioral Neuroscience Division, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthParkville, VIC, Australia.,Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of MelbourneParkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Russell Coulthard
- Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of MelbourneParkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Andrew J Lawrence
- Behavioral Neuroscience Division, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthParkville, VIC, Australia.,Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of MelbourneParkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Jee Hyun Kim
- Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of MelbourneParkville, VIC, Australia
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Involvement of serotonin 2A receptor activation in modulating medial prefrontal cortex and amygdala neuronal activation during novelty-exposure. Behav Brain Res 2017; 326:1-12. [PMID: 28263831 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.02.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2016] [Revised: 02/23/2017] [Accepted: 02/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays a major role in executive function by exerting a top-down control onto subcortical areas. Novelty-induced frontal cortex activation is 5-HT2A receptor (5-HT2AR) dependent. Here, we further investigated how blockade of 5-HT2ARs in mice exposed to a novel open-field arena affects medial PFC activation and basolateral amygdala (BLA) reactivity. We used c-Fos immunoreactivity (IR) as a marker of neuronal activation and stereological quantification for obtaining the total number of c-Fos-IR neurons as a measure of regional activation. We further examined the impact of 5-HT2AR blockade on the striatal-projecting BLA neurons. Systemic administration of ketanserin (0.5mg/kg) prior to novel open-field exposure resulted in reduced total numbers of c-Fos-IR cells in dorsomedial PFC areas and the BLA. Moreover, there was a positive correlation between the relative time spent in the centre of the open-field and BLA c-Fos-IR in the ketanserin-treated animals. Unilateral medial PFC lesions blocked this effect, ascertaining an involvement of this frontal cortex area. On the other hand, medial PFC lesioning exacerbated the more anxiogenic-like behaviour of the ketanserin-treated animals, upholding its involvement in modulating averseness. Ketanserin did not affect the number of activated striatal-projecting BLA neurons (measured by number of Cholera Toxin b (CTb) retrograde labelled neurons also being c-Fos-IR) following CTb injection in the ventral striatum. These results support a role of 5-HT2AR activation in modulating mPFC and BLA activation during exposure to a novel environment, which may be interrelated. Conversely, 5-HT2AR blockade does not seem to affect the amygdala-striatal projection.
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Carthy T, Benaroya-Milshtein N, Valevski A, Apter A. Emotional Reactivity and Regulation Following Citalopram Therapy in Children and Adolescents with Anxiety Disorders. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2017; 27:43-51. [PMID: 26771291 DOI: 10.1089/cap.2015.0067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Emotional dysregulation is an important element in the pathophysiology of childhood anxiety disorders and can distinguish anxious subjects from controls. Treatment with selective serotonin inhibitors (SSRIs) has been found to lessen anxiety, but its effects on emotional reactivity and regulation are less documented. The aim of the study was to prospectively assess changes in emotional reactivity and regulation in response to citalopram in children and adolescents with anxiety disorders, with special focus on the mechanism of reappraisal. METHODS The sample included 70 children and adolescents (38 boys, 32 girls) 10-17 years of age, divided into three groups: Those with anxiety disorder treated with citalopram for 8 weeks (n = 35); untreated subjects with anxiety disorder on the waiting list for cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) (n = 15); and subjects without anxiety disorder (controls) (n = 20). Emotional reactivity and regulation (i.e., reappraisal), were assessed at baseline and after 8 weeks (follow-up) with validated computer-based instruments, Reactivity and Regulation-Situations (REAR-S) and Reactivity and Regulation-Images (REAR-I). RESULTS Citalopram-treated subjects showed significantly greater improvement in reappraisal ability than CBT-waitlisted subjects. Improvement in the ability to reappraise threatening images correlated significantly with the decrease in anxiety. There was a decrease in negative emotional reactivity between assessments, which was positively correlated with clinical improvement. Higher intensity of baseline reactivity (on the REAR-S) predicted more severe symptoms at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS Citalopram therapy improves reappraisal ability in children and adolescents with anxiety. However, the improvement in other examined emotional reactivity indices occurred in both medicated and waitlisted groups. It is possible that these findings may have implications for understanding the pathophysiology of anxiety in children and adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tal Carthy
- 1 Department of Medical Psychology, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel , Petah Tikwa, Israel .,2 Department of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center , Herzliya; Israel
| | - Noa Benaroya-Milshtein
- 1 Department of Medical Psychology, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel , Petah Tikwa, Israel .,3 Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Avi Valevski
- 3 Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv, Israel .,4 Geha Mental Health Center, Petah Tikwa, Israel, affiliated with Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University , Israel
| | - Alan Apter
- 1 Department of Medical Psychology, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel , Petah Tikwa, Israel .,3 Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv, Israel
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Velasquez F, Wiggins JL, Mattson WI, Martin DM, Lord C, Monk CS. The influence of 5-HTTLPR transporter genotype on amygdala-subgenual anterior cingulate cortex connectivity in autism spectrum disorder. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2016; 24:12-20. [PMID: 28088648 PMCID: PMC5858904 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2016.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Revised: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 12/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Social deficits in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are linked to amygdala functioning and functional connection between the amygdala and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sACC) is involved in the modulation of amygdala activity. Impairments in behavioral symptoms and amygdala activation and connectivity with the sACC seem to vary by serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) variant genotype in diverse populations. The current preliminary investigation examines whether amygdala-sACC connectivity differs by 5-HTTLPR genotype and relates to social functioning in ASD. A sample of 108 children and adolescents (44 ASD) completed an fMRI face-processing task. Youth with ASD and low expressing 5-HTTLPR genotypes showed significantly greater connectivity than youth with ASD and higher expressing genotypes as well as typically developing (TD) individuals with both low and higher expressing genotypes, in the comparison of happy vs. baseline faces and happy vs. neutral faces. Moreover, individuals with ASD and higher expressing genotypes exhibit a negative relationship between amygdala-sACC connectivity and social dysfunction. Altered amygdala-sACC coupling based on 5-HTTLPR genotype may help explain some of the heterogeneity in neural and social function observed in ASD. This is the first ASD study to combine genetic polymorphism analyses and functional connectivity in the context of a social task.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Donna M Martin
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, United States
| | - Catherine Lord
- Center for Autism and the Developing Brain, Weill Cornell Medicine, United States
| | - Christopher S Monk
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, Center for Growth and Human Development, University of Michigan, United States
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Raab K, Kirsch P, Mier D. Understanding the impact of 5-HTTLPR, antidepressants, and acute tryptophan depletion on brain activation during facial emotion processing: A review of the imaging literature. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 71:176-197. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.08.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2016] [Revised: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 08/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Mills M, Wieda O, Stoltenberg SF, Dodd MD. Emotion moderates the association between HTR2A (rs6313) genotype and antisaccade latency. Exp Brain Res 2016; 234:2653-65. [PMID: 27161551 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-016-4669-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2015] [Accepted: 04/29/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The serotonin system is heavily involved in cognitive and emotional control processes. Previous work has typically investigated this system's role in control processes separately for cognitive and emotional domains, yet it has become clear the two are linked. The present study, therefore, examined whether variation in a serotonin receptor gene (HTR2A, rs6313) moderated effects of emotion on inhibitory control. An emotional antisaccade task was used in which participants looked toward (prosaccade) or away (antisaccade) from a target presented to the left or right of a happy, angry, or neutral face. Overall, antisaccade latencies were slower for rs6313 C allele homozygotes than T allele carriers, with no effect of genotype on prosaccade latencies. Thus, C allele homozygotes showed relatively weak inhibitory control but intact reflexive control. Importantly, the emotional stimulus was either present during target presentation (overlap trials) or absent (gap trials). The gap effect (slowed latency in overlap versus gap trials) in antisaccade trials was larger with angry versus neutral faces in C allele homozygotes. This impairing effect of negative valence on inhibitory control was larger in C allele homozygotes than T allele carriers, suggesting that angry faces disrupted/competed with the control processes needed to generate an antisaccade to a greater degree in these individuals. The genotype difference in the negative valence effect on antisaccade latency was attenuated when trial N-1 was an antisaccade, indicating top-down regulation of emotional influence. This effect was reduced in C/C versus T/_ individuals, suggesting a weaker capacity to downregulate emotional processing of task-irrelevant stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Mills
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 238 Burnett Hall, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA.
| | - Olivia Wieda
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 238 Burnett Hall, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA
| | - Scott F Stoltenberg
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 238 Burnett Hall, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA
| | - Michael D Dodd
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 238 Burnett Hall, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA
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Aznar S, Hervig MES. The 5-HT2A serotonin receptor in executive function: Implications for neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 64:63-82. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2015] [Revised: 11/05/2015] [Accepted: 02/08/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Sanguedo FV, Dias CVB, Dias FRC, Samuels RI, Carey RJ, Carrera MP. Reciprocal activation/inactivation of ERK in the amygdala and frontal cortex is correlated with the degree of novelty of an open-field environment. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2016; 233:841-50. [PMID: 26685992 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-015-4163-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2015] [Accepted: 11/18/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) has been used to identify brain areas activated by exogenous stimuli including psychostimulant drugs. OBJECTIVE Assess the role of the amygdala in emotional responses. METHODS Experimental manipulations were performed in which environmental familiarity was the variable. To provide the maximal degree of familiarity, ERK was measured after removal from the home cage and re-placement back into the same cage. To maximize exposure to an unfamiliar environment, ERK was measured following placement into a novel open field. To assess whether familiarity was the critical variable in the ERK response to the novel open field, ERK was also measured after either four or eight placements into the same environment. ERK quantification was carried out in the amygdala, frontal cortex, and the nucleus accumbens. RESULTS After home cage re-placement, ERK activation was found in the frontal cortex and nucleus accumbens but was absent in the amygdala. Following placement in a novel environment, ERK activation was more prominent in the amygdala than the frontal cortex or nucleus accumbens. In contrast, with habituation to the novel environment, ERK phosphors declined markedly in the amygdala but increased in the frontal cortex and nucleus accumbens to the level observed following home cage re-placement. CONCLUSIONS The differential responsiveness of the amygdala versus the frontal cortex and the nucleus accumbens to a novel versus a habituated environment is consistent with a reciprocal interaction between these neural systems and points to their important role in the mediation of behavioral activation to novelty and behavioral inactivation with habituation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederico Velasco Sanguedo
- Behavioral Pharmacology Group, Laboratory of Animal Morphology and Pathology, State University of North Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Avenida Alberto Lamego, 2000, Campos dos Goytacazes, 28013-600, RJ, Brazil
| | - Caio Vitor Bueno Dias
- Behavioral Pharmacology Group, Laboratory of Animal Morphology and Pathology, State University of North Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Avenida Alberto Lamego, 2000, Campos dos Goytacazes, 28013-600, RJ, Brazil
| | - Flavia Regina Cruz Dias
- Behavioral Pharmacology Group, Laboratory of Animal Morphology and Pathology, State University of North Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Avenida Alberto Lamego, 2000, Campos dos Goytacazes, 28013-600, RJ, Brazil
| | - Richard Ian Samuels
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, State University of North Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil
| | - Robert J Carey
- Research and Development (151), VA Medical Center and SUNY Upstate Medical University, 800 Irving Avenue, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Marinete Pinheiro Carrera
- Behavioral Pharmacology Group, Laboratory of Animal Morphology and Pathology, State University of North Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Avenida Alberto Lamego, 2000, Campos dos Goytacazes, 28013-600, RJ, Brazil.
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Schneck N, Miller JM, Delorenzo C, Kikuchi T, Sublette ME, Oquendo MA, Mann JJ, Parsey RV. Relationship of the serotonin transporter gene promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) genotype and serotonin transporter binding to neural processing of negative emotional stimuli. J Affect Disord 2016; 190:494-498. [PMID: 26561939 PMCID: PMC5021308 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2015.10.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2015] [Revised: 09/20/2015] [Accepted: 10/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The lower-expressing (S') alleles of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) are linked to mood and anxiety related psychopathology. However, the specific neural mechanism through which these alleles may influence emotional and cognitive processing remains unknown. We examined the relationship between both 5-HTTLPR genotype and in vivo 5-HTT binding quantified via PET with amygdala reactivity to emotionally negative stimuli. We hypothesized that 5-HTT binding in both raphe nuclei (RN) and amygdala would be inversely correlated with amygdala reactivity, and that number of S' alleles would correlate positively with amygdala reactivity. METHODS In medication-free patients with current major depressive disorder (MDD; N=21), we determined 5-HTTLPR genotype, employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine amygdala responses to negative emotional stimuli, and used positron emission tomography with [(11)C]DASB to examine 5-HTT binding. RESULTS [(11)C]DASB binding in RN and amygdala was inversely correlated with amygdala response to negative stimuli. 5-HTTLPR S' alleles were not associated with amygdala response to negative emotional stimuli. LIMITATIONS Primary limitations are small sample size and lack of control group. CONCLUSIONS Consistent with findings in healthy volunteers, 5-HTT binding is associated with amygdala reactivity to emotional stimuli in MDD. 5-HTT binding may be a stronger predictor of emotional processing in MDD as compared with 5-HTTLPR genotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noam Schneck
- Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.
| | - Jeffrey M. Miller
- Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States,Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Christine Delorenzo
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, United States
| | - Toshiaki Kikuchi
- Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States,Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - M. Elizabeth Sublette
- Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States,Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Maria A. Oquendo
- Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States,Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - J. John Mann
- Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States,Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Ramin V. Parsey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, United States
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Komulainen E, Heikkilä R, Meskanen K, Raij TT, Nummenmaa L, Lahti J, Jylhä P, Melartin T, Harmer CJ, Isometsä E, Ekelund J. A single dose of mirtazapine attenuates neural responses to self-referential processing. J Psychopharmacol 2016; 30:23-32. [PMID: 26577062 DOI: 10.1177/0269881115616384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Increased self-focus is a core factor in the psychopathology of depression. Cortical midline structures (CMS) are implicated in the neurobiology of self, depression and antidepressant treatment response. Mirtazapine, an antidepressant that increases serotonin and norepinephrine release, enhances processing of positive and attenuates processing of negative emotional information in healthy volunteers after a single dose. These early changes, which are opposite to the negative information bias in depression, may be important for the therapeutic effect of mirtazapine. It nevertheless remains unresolved whether/how mirtazapine specifically influences processing of self-referential emotional information.Half of the healthy volunteers (n=15/30) received a single dose of mirtazapine, in an open-label design, two hours before functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and the other half was scanned as a control group without medication. During fMRI the participants categorized positive and negative self-referential adjectives.Mirtazapine attenuated responses to self-referential processing in the medial prefrontal cortex and the anterior cingulate cortex. Mirtazapine further decreased responses to positive self-referential processing in the posterior cingulate cortex and parietal cortex.These decreased responses of the CMS suggest that mirtazapine may rapidly improve the ability of the CMS to down-regulate self-referential processing. In depressed patients, this could lead to decreased self-focus and rumination, contributing to the antidepressant effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Komulainen
- University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Psychiatry, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Roope Heikkilä
- University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Psychiatry, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Katarina Meskanen
- University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Psychiatry, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tuukka T Raij
- University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Psychiatry, Helsinki, Finland Aalto NeuroImaging, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland Aalto University, School of Science, Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Espoo, Finland
| | - Lauri Nummenmaa
- Aalto University, School of Science, Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Espoo, Finland Turku PET Centre and Department of Psychology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jari Lahti
- University of Helsinki, Institute of Behavioural Sciences, Helsinki, Finland Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Pekka Jylhä
- University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Psychiatry, Helsinki, Finland National Institute of Health and Welfare, Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tarja Melartin
- University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Psychiatry, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Erkki Isometsä
- University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Psychiatry, Helsinki, Finland National Institute of Health and Welfare, Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jesper Ekelund
- University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Psychiatry, Helsinki, Finland Vaasa Hospital District, Department of Psychiatry, Vaasa, Finland
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Yildirim BO, Derksen JJL. Mesocorticolimbic dopamine functioning in primary psychopathy: A source of within-group heterogeneity. Psychiatry Res 2015; 229:633-77. [PMID: 26277034 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2015.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2014] [Revised: 04/08/2015] [Accepted: 07/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Despite similar emotional deficiencies, primary psychopathic individuals can be situated on a continuum that spans from controlled to disinhibited. The constructs on which primary psychopaths are found to diverge, such as self-control, cognitive flexibility, and executive functioning, are crucially regulated by dopamine (DA). As such, the goal of this review is to examine which specific alterations in the meso-cortico-limbic DA system and corresponding genes (e.g., TH, DAT, COMT, DRD2, DRD4) might bias development towards a more controlled or disinhibited expression of primary psychopathy. Based on empirical data, it is argued that primary psychopathy is generally related to a higher tonic and population activity of striatal DA neurons and lower levels of D2-type DA receptors in meso-cortico-limbic projections, which may boost motivational drive towards incentive-laden goals, dampen punishment sensitivity, and increase future reward-expectancy. However, increasingly higher levels of DA activity in the striatum (moderate versus pathological elevations), lower levels of DA functionality in the prefrontal cortex, and higher D1-to-D2-type receptor ratios in meso-cortico-limbic projections may lead to increasingly disinhibited and impetuous phenotypes of primary psychopathy. Finally, in order to provide a more coherent view on etiological mechanisms, we discuss interactions between DA and serotonin that are relevant for primary psychopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bariş O Yildirim
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Radboud University Nijmegen, De Kluyskamp 1002, 6545 JD Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Jan J L Derksen
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Room: A.07.04B, Radboud University Nijmegen, Montessorilaan 3, 6525 HR Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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Selvaraj S, Mouchlianitis E, Faulkner P, Turkheimer F, Cowen PJ, Roiser JP, Howes O. Presynaptic Serotoninergic Regulation of Emotional Processing: A Multimodal Brain Imaging Study. Biol Psychiatry 2015; 78:563-571. [PMID: 24882568 PMCID: PMC5322825 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2013] [Revised: 04/01/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The amygdala is a central node in the brain network that processes aversive emotions and is extensively innervated by dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]) neurons. Alterations in DRN 5-HT1A receptor availability cause phenotypes characterized by fearful behavior in preclinical models. However, it is unknown whether 5-HT1A receptor availability is linked specifically to the processing of aversive emotions in humans or whether it modulates connectivity in brain networks involved in emotion processing. To answer this question, we investigated the relationship between DRN 5-HT1A receptor availability and amygdala reactivity to aversive emotion and functional connectivity within the amygdala-cortical network. METHODS We studied 15 healthy human participants who underwent positron emission tomography scanning with [(11)C]CUMI-101, a 5-HT1A partial agonist radioligand, and functional magnetic resonance imaging of brain responses during an incidental emotion processing task including happy, fearful, and neutral faces. Regional estimates of 5-HT1A receptor binding potential (nondisplaceable) were obtained by calculating total volumes of distribution for presynaptic DRN and amygdala. Connectivity between the amygdala and corticolimbic areas was assessed using psychophysiologic interaction analysis with the amygdala as the seed region. RESULTS Analysis of the fear versus neutral contrast revealed a significant negative correlation between amygdala response and DRN binding potential (nondisplaceable) (r = -.87, p < .001). Availability of DRN 5-HT1A receptors positively correlated with amygdala connectivity with middle frontal gyrus, anterior cingulate cortex, bilateral precuneus, and left supramarginal gyrus for fearful (relative to neutral) faces. CONCLUSIONS Our data show that DRN 5-HT1A receptor availability is linked specifically to the processing of aversive emotions in the amygdala and the modulation of amygdala-cortical connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudhakar Selvaraj
- Medical Research Council Clinical Sciences Centre, Hammersmith Hospital, London, W12 0NN, UK,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Elias Mouchlianitis
- Medical Research Council Clinical Sciences Centre, Hammersmith Hospital, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Paul Faulkner
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, WC1N 3AR, UK
| | | | | | - Jonathan P Roiser
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, WC1N 3AR, UK
| | - Oliver Howes
- Medical Research Council Clinical Sciences Centre, Hammersmith Hospital, London, W12 0NN, UK,Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, SE5 8AF, UK
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Kraehenmann R, Schmidt A, Friston K, Preller KH, Seifritz E, Vollenweider FX. The mixed serotonin receptor agonist psilocybin reduces threat-induced modulation of amygdala connectivity. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2015; 11:53-60. [PMID: 26909323 PMCID: PMC4732191 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2015.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2015] [Revised: 07/27/2015] [Accepted: 08/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Stimulation of serotonergic neurotransmission by psilocybin has been shown to shift emotional biases away from negative towards positive stimuli. We have recently shown that reduced amygdala activity during threat processing might underlie psilocybin's effect on emotional processing. However, it is still not known whether psilocybin modulates bottom-up or top-down connectivity within the visual-limbic-prefrontal network underlying threat processing. We therefore analyzed our previous fMRI data using dynamic causal modeling and used Bayesian model selection to infer how psilocybin modulated effective connectivity within the visual–limbic–prefrontal network during threat processing. First, both placebo and psilocybin data were best explained by a model in which threat affect modulated bidirectional connections between the primary visual cortex, amygdala, and lateral prefrontal cortex. Second, psilocybin decreased the threat-induced modulation of top-down connectivity from the amygdala to primary visual cortex, speaking to a neural mechanism that might underlie putative shifts towards positive affect states after psilocybin administration. These findings may have important implications for the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders. We measured BOLD signals during a threat-inducing pictures task. Subjects were treated with psilocybin (a serotonergic hallucinogen) and placebo. We compared effective connectivity changes between psilocybin and placebo using DCM. We found that psilocybin decreased top-down connectivity from the amygdala to visual cortex. Results point at a neural mechanism underlying emotional shifts induced by psilocybin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rainer Kraehenmann
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zürich 8032, Switzerland; Neuropsychopharmacology and Brain Imaging, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zürich 8032, Switzerland.
| | - André Schmidt
- Department of Psychiatry (UPK), University of Basel, Basel 4012, Switzerland; Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 AF, United Kingdom
| | - Karl Friston
- Wellcome Centre for Imaging Neuroscience, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - Katrin H Preller
- Neuropsychopharmacology and Brain Imaging, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zürich 8032, Switzerland
| | - Erich Seifritz
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zürich 8032, Switzerland
| | - Franz X Vollenweider
- Neuropsychopharmacology and Brain Imaging, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zürich 8032, Switzerland
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Phillips ML, Chase HW, Sheline YI, Etkin A, Almeida JR, Deckersbach T, Trivedi MH. Identifying predictors, moderators, and mediators of antidepressant response in major depressive disorder: neuroimaging approaches. Am J Psychiatry 2015; 172:124-38. [PMID: 25640931 PMCID: PMC4464814 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2014.14010076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 180] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Despite significant advances in neuroscience and treatment development, no widely accepted biomarkers are available to inform diagnostics or identify preferred treatments for individuals with major depressive disorder. METHOD In this critical review, the authors examine the extent to which multimodal neuroimaging techniques can identify biomarkers reflecting key pathophysiologic processes in depression and whether such biomarkers may act as predictors, moderators, and mediators of treatment response that might facilitate development of personalized treatments based on a better understanding of these processes. RESULTS The authors first highlight the most consistent findings from neuroimaging studies using different techniques in depression, including structural and functional abnormalities in two parallel neural circuits: serotonergically modulated implicit emotion regulation circuitry, centered on the amygdala and different regions in the medial prefrontal cortex; and dopaminergically modulated reward neural circuitry, centered on the ventral striatum and medial prefrontal cortex. They then describe key findings from the relatively small number of studies indicating that specific measures of regional function and, to a lesser extent, structure in these neural circuits predict treatment response in depression. CONCLUSIONS Limitations of existing studies include small sample sizes, use of only one neuroimaging modality, and a focus on identifying predictors rather than moderators and mediators of differential treatment response. By addressing these limitations and, most importantly, capitalizing on the benefits of multimodal neuroimaging, future studies can yield moderators and mediators of treatment response in depression to facilitate significant improvements in shorter- and longer-term clinical and functional outcomes.
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Andolina D, Maran D, Viscomi MT, Puglisi-Allegra S. Strain-dependent variations in stress coping behavior are mediated by a 5-HT/GABA interaction within the prefrontal corticolimbic system. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2015; 18:pyu074. [PMID: 25522413 PMCID: PMC4360254 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyu074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Serotonin and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transmission is crucial in coping strategies. METHODS Here, using mice from 2 inbred strains widely exploited in behavioral neurochemistry, we investigated whether serotonin transmission in medial prefrontal cortex and GABA in basolateral amygdala determine strain-dependent liability to stress response and differences in coping. RESULTS C57BL/6J mice displayed greater immobility in the forced swimming test, higher serotonin outflow in medial prefrontal cortex, higher GABA outflow in basolateral amygdala induced by stress, and higher serotonin 1A receptor levels in medial prefrontal cortex accompanied by lower GABAb receptor levels in basolateral amygdala than DBA/2J mice. In assessing whether serotonin in medial prefrontal cortex determines GABA functioning in response to stress and passive coping behavior in C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mice, we observed that selective prefrontal serotonin depletion in C57BL/6J and DBA/2J reduced stress-induced GABA outflow in basolateral amygdala and immobility in the forced swimming test. CONCLUSIONS These results show that strain-dependent prefrontal corticolimbic serotonin/GABA regulation determines the strain differences in stress-coping behavior in the forced swimming test and point to a role of a specific neuronal system in genetic susceptibility to stress that opens up new prospects for innovative therapies for stress disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Andolina
- Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy (Drs Andolina, Viscomi, and Puglisi-Allegra); Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche Applicate e Biotecnologie, Universita` degli Studi dell'Aquila, Via Vetoio, L'Aquila, Italy (Dr Andolina); Dipartimento di Psicologia and Centro 'Daniel Bovet,' Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy (Drs Maran and Puglisi-Allegra).
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Halberstadt AL. Recent advances in the neuropsychopharmacology of serotonergic hallucinogens. Behav Brain Res 2015; 277:99-120. [PMID: 25036425 PMCID: PMC4642895 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 191] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2014] [Revised: 07/07/2014] [Accepted: 07/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Serotonergic hallucinogens, such as (+)-lysergic acid diethylamide, psilocybin, and mescaline, are somewhat enigmatic substances. Although these drugs are derived from multiple chemical families, they all produce remarkably similar effects in animals and humans, and they show cross-tolerance. This article reviews the evidence demonstrating the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor is the primary site of hallucinogen action. The 5-HT2A receptor is responsible for mediating the effects of hallucinogens in human subjects, as well as in animal behavioral paradigms such as drug discrimination, head twitch response, prepulse inhibition of startle, exploratory behavior, and interval timing. Many recent clinical trials have yielded important new findings regarding the psychopharmacology of these substances. Furthermore, the use of modern imaging and electrophysiological techniques is beginning to help unravel how hallucinogens work in the brain. Evidence is also emerging that hallucinogens may possess therapeutic efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam L Halberstadt
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.
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Shirazi SN, Friedman AR, Kaufer D, Sakhai SA. Glucocorticoids and the Brain: Neural Mechanisms Regulating the Stress Response. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-2895-8_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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48
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Harrison AM. Ten Little Monkeys. PSYCHOANALYTIC STUDY OF THE CHILD 2015; 69:261-74. [PMID: 27337819 DOI: 10.1080/00797308.2016.11785531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Observations of videotaped sessions of the analytic treatment of a four-year-old autistic boy offer insights into the meanings and the mechanisms of transference. These observations illustrate the well-known fact that the relationship of transference to symbolization is ambiguous. They also demonstrate that multiple simultaneous meanings exist in a transference field, and many of these meanings emerge from partially or nonsymbolized domains of experience, including and perhaps most important, bodily experience. Whereas many clinicians would agree with these proposals, finding supportive data for them is difficult. One way to explore nonsymbolized phenomena is by analyzing the observable data in videotapes of an autistic child with limited symbolic capacity. Then these data can be put together with the emerging symbolic communications of the child as well as the countertransference reactions of the analyst and some of the biological processes contributing to these meanings. In this study, complex interactions between and among transference reactions of varying degrees of symbolization and in different domains of meaning may provide clues to transference in patients of all ages.
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Plichta MM, Grimm O, Morgen K, Mier D, Sauer C, Haddad L, Tost H, Esslinger C, Kirsch P, Schwarz AJ, Meyer-Lindenberg A. Amygdala habituation: a reliable fMRI phenotype. Neuroimage 2014; 103:383-390. [PMID: 25284303 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.09.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2014] [Revised: 09/04/2014] [Accepted: 09/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Amygdala function is of high interest for cognitive, social and psychiatric neuroscience, emphasizing the need for reliable assessments in humans. Previous work has indicated unsatisfactorily low within-subject reliability of amygdala activation fMRI measures. Based on basic science evidence for strong habituation of amygdala response to repeated stimuli, we investigated whether a quantification of habituation provides additional information beyond the usual estimate of the overall mean activity. We assessed the within-subject reliability of amygdala habituation measures during a facial emotion matching paradigm in 25 healthy subjects. We extracted the amygdala signal decrement across the course of the fMRI run for the two test-retest measurement sessions and compared reliability estimates with previous findings based on mean response amplitude. Retest-reliability of the session-wise amygdala habituation was significantly higher than the evoked amygdala mean amplitude (intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC)=0.53 vs. 0.16). To test the task-specificity of this finding, we compared the retest-reliability of amygdala habituation across two different tasks. Significant amygdala response decrement was also seen in a cognitive task (n-back working memory) that did not per se activate the amygdala, but was totally unreliable in that context (ICC~0.0), arguing for task-specificity. Together the results show that emotion-dependent amygdala habituation is a robust and considerably more reliable index than the mean amplitude, and provides a robust potential endpoint for within-subject designs including pharmaco-fMRI studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael M Plichta
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Heidelberg/Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany.
| | - Oliver Grimm
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Heidelberg/Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Katrin Morgen
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Heidelberg/Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Daniela Mier
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Heidelberg/Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Carina Sauer
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Heidelberg/Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Leila Haddad
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Heidelberg/Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Heike Tost
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Heidelberg/Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Christine Esslinger
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Heidelberg/Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Peter Kirsch
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Heidelberg/Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | | | - Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Heidelberg/Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
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Goetz SM, Tang L, Thomason ME, Diamond MP, Hariri AR, Carré JM. Testosterone rapidly increases neural reactivity to threat in healthy men: a novel two-step pharmacological challenge paradigm. Biol Psychiatry 2014; 76:324-31. [PMID: 24576686 PMCID: PMC9552187 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2013] [Revised: 12/17/2013] [Accepted: 01/10/2014] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous research suggests that testosterone (T) plays a key role in shaping competitive and aggressive behavior in humans, possibly by modulating threat-related neural circuitry. However, this research has been limited by the use of T augmentation that fails to account for baseline differences and has been conducted exclusively in women. Thus, the extent to which normal physiologic concentrations of T affect threat-related brain function in men remains unknown. METHODS In the current study, we use a novel two-step pharmacologic challenge protocol to overcome these limitations and to evaluate causal modulation of threat- and aggression-related neural circuits by T in healthy young men (n = 16). First, we controlled for baseline differences in T through administration of a gonadotropin releasing hormone antagonist. Once a common baseline was established across participants, we then administered T to within the normal physiologic range. During this second step of the protocol we acquired functional neuroimaging data to examine the impact of T augmentation on neural circuitry supporting threat and aggression. RESULTS Gonadotropin releasing hormone antagonism successfully reduced circulating concentrations of T and brought subjects to a common baseline. Administration of T rapidly increased circulating T concentrations and was associated with heightened reactivity of the amygdala, hypothalamus, and periaqueductal grey to angry facial expressions. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide novel causal evidence that T rapidly potentiates the response of neural circuits mediating threat processing and aggressive behavior in men.
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