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Copenhaver AE, LeGates TA. Sex-Specific Mechanisms Underlie Long-Term Potentiation at Hippocampus→Medium Spiny Neuron Synapses in the Medial Shell of the Nucleus Accumbens. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e0100242024. [PMID: 38806250 PMCID: PMC11223474 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0100-24.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Sex differences have complicated our understanding of the neurobiological basis of many behaviors that are key for survival. As such, continued elucidation of the similarities and differences between sexes is necessary to gain insight into brain function and vulnerability. The connection between the hippocampus (Hipp) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a crucial site where modulation of neuronal activity mediates reward-related behavior. Our previous work demonstrated that long-term potentiation (LTP) of Hipp→NAc synapses is rewarding, and mice can establish learned associations between LTP of these synapses and the contextual environment in which LTP occurred. Here, we investigated sex differences in the mechanisms underlying Hipp→NAc LTP using whole-cell electrophysiology and pharmacology. We observed similarities in basal synaptic strength between males and females and found that LTP occurs postsynaptically with similar magnitudes in both sexes. However, key sex differences emerged as LTP in males required NMDA receptors (NMDAR), whereas LTP in females utilized an NMDAR-independent mechanism involving L-type voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (VGCCs) and estrogen receptor α (ERα). We also uncovered sex-similar features as LTP in both sexes depended on CaMKII activity and occurred independently of dopamine-1 receptor (D1R) activation. Our results have elucidated sex-specific molecular mechanisms for LTP in an integral pathway that mediates reward-related behaviors, emphasizing the importance of considering sex as a variable in mechanistic studies. Continued characterization of sex-specific mechanisms underlying plasticity will offer novel insight into the neurophysiological basis of behavior, with significant implications for understanding how diverse processes mediate behavior and contribute to vulnerability to developing psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley E Copenhaver
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), Baltimore, Maryland 21250
| | - Tara A LeGates
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), Baltimore, Maryland 21250
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
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2
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Yang J, Guo H, Cai A, Zheng J, Liu J, Xiao Y, Ren S, Sun D, Duan J, Zhao T, Tang J, Zhang X, Zhu R, Wang J, Wang F. Aberrant Hippocampal Development in Early-onset Mental Disorders and Promising Interventions: Evidence from a Translational Study. Neurosci Bull 2024; 40:683-694. [PMID: 38141109 PMCID: PMC11178726 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-023-01162-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Early-onset mental disorders are associated with disrupted neurodevelopmental processes during adolescence. The methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) animal model, in which disruption in neurodevelopmental processes is induced, mimics the abnormal neurodevelopment associated with early-onset mental disorders from an etiological perspective. We conducted longitudinal structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood in MAM rats to identify specific brain regions and critical windows for intervention. Then, the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) intervention on the target brain region during the critical window was investigated. In addition, the efficacy of this intervention paradigm was tested in a group of adolescent patients with early-onset mental disorders (diagnosed with major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder) to evaluate its clinical translational potential. The results demonstrated that, compared to the control group, the MAM rats exhibited significantly lower striatal volume from childhood to adulthood (all P <0.001). In contrast, the volume of the hippocampus did not show significant differences during childhood (P >0.05) but was significantly lower than the control group from adolescence to adulthood (both P <0.001). Subsequently, rTMS was applied to the occipital cortex, which is anatomically connected to the hippocampus, in the MAM models during adolescence. The MAM-rTMS group showed a significant increase in hippocampal volume compared to the MAM-sham group (P <0.01), while the volume of the striatum remained unchanged (P >0.05). In the clinical trial, adolescents with early-onset mental disorders showed a significant increase in hippocampal volume after rTMS treatment compared to baseline (P <0.01), and these volumetric changes were associated with improvement in depressive symptoms (r = - 0.524, P = 0.018). These findings highlight the potential of targeting aberrant hippocampal development during adolescence as a viable intervention for early-onset mental disorders with neurodevelopmental etiology as well as the promise of rTMS as a therapeutic approach for mitigating aberrant neurodevelopmental processes and alleviating clinical symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyu Yang
- Early Intervention Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Huiling Guo
- Early Intervention Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Informatics, Nanjing, Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Aoling Cai
- Early Intervention Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Informatics, Nanjing, Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
- The Affiliated Changzhou Second People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou Second People's Hospital, Changzhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, 213004, China
| | - Junjie Zheng
- Early Intervention Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Juan Liu
- Early Intervention Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Yao Xiao
- Early Intervention Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Sihua Ren
- Department of Radiology, First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110002, China
| | - Dandan Sun
- Department of Cardiac Function, The People's Hospital of China Medical University and the People's Hospital of Liaoning Province, Shenyang, 110067, China
| | - Jia Duan
- Early Intervention Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Tongtong Zhao
- Early Intervention Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Jingwei Tang
- Early Intervention Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Xizhe Zhang
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Informatics, Nanjing, Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Rongxin Zhu
- Early Intervention Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China.
| | - Jie Wang
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan, 430064, China.
- Institute of Neuroscience and Brain Diseases; Xiangyang Central Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, 441021, China.
| | - Fei Wang
- Early Intervention Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China.
- Functional Brain Imaging Institute of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China.
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Yang Y, Fu S, Jiang G, Xu G, Tian J, Ma X. Functional connectivity changes of the hippocampal subregions in anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis. Brain Imaging Behav 2024; 18:686-697. [PMID: 38363500 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-024-00852-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
The hippocampus plays an important role in the pathophysiological mechanism of Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis. Nevertheless, the connection between the resting-state activity of the hippocampal subregions and neuropsychiatric disorders in patients remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the changes in functional connectivity (FC) in the hippocampal subregions of patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis and its association with clinical symptoms and cognitive performance. Twenty-three patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis and 23 healthy controls (HC) were recruited. All participants underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scans and completed clinical cognitive scales. Based on the Brainnetome Atlas, the rostral (anterior) and caudal (posterior) hippocampi of both the left and right hemispheres were selected as regions of interest (ROIs) for FC analysis. First, a one-sample t-test was used to observe the whole-brain connectivity distribution of hippocampal subregions within the patient and HC groups at a threshold of p < 0.05. The two-sample t-test was used to compare the differences in hippocampal ROIs connectivity between groups, followed by a partial correlation analysis between the FC values of brain regions with statistical differences and clinical variables. This study observed that the distribution of whole-brain functional connectivity in the rostral and caudal hippocampi aligned with the connectivity differences between the anterior and posterior hippocampi. Compared to the HC group, the patients showed significantly decreased FC between the bilateral rostral hippocampus and the left inferior orbitofrontal gyrus and between the right rostral hippocampus and the right cerebellum. However, a significant increase in FC was observed between the right rostral hippocampus and left superior temporal gyrus, the left caudal hippocampus and right superior frontal gyrus, and the right caudal hippocampus and left gyrus rectus. Partial correlation analysis showed that FC between the left inferior orbitofrontal gyrus and the right rostral hippocampus was significantly negatively correlated with the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) and Brief Visuospatial Memory Test (BVMT) scores. The FC between the right rostral hippocampus and the left superior temporal gyrus was negatively correlated with BVMT scores. FC abnormalities in the hippocampal subregions of patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis were associated with cognitive impairment, emotional changes, and seizures. These results may help explain the pathophysiological mechanisms and clinical manifestations of anti-NMDAR encephalitis and NMDAR dysfunction-related diseases such as schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujie Yang
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medial University, Guangzhou City, Guangdong province, PR China
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, No. 466 Road Xingang, Guangzhou, 510317, P. R. China
| | - Shishun Fu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, No. 466 Road Xingang, Guangzhou, 510317, P. R. China
| | - Guihua Jiang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, No. 466 Road Xingang, Guangzhou, 510317, P. R. China
| | - Guang Xu
- Department of Neurology, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, No.466 Road Xingang, Guangzhou, 510317, P. R. China
| | - Junzhang Tian
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, No. 466 Road Xingang, Guangzhou, 510317, P. R. China.
| | - Xiaofen Ma
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, No. 466 Road Xingang, Guangzhou, 510317, P. R. China.
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Bayassi-Jakowicka M, Lietzau G, Czuba E, Patrone C, Kowiański P. More than Addiction—The Nucleus Accumbens Contribution to Development of Mental Disorders and Neurodegenerative Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23052618. [PMID: 35269761 PMCID: PMC8910774 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23052618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress and negative emotions evoked by social relationships and working conditions, frequently accompanied by the consumption of addictive substances, and metabolic and/or genetic predispositions, negatively affect brain function. One of the affected structures is nucleus accumbens (NAc). Although its function is commonly known to be associated with brain reword responses and addiction, a growing body of evidence also suggests its role in some mental disorders, such as depression and schizophrenia, as well as neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, and Parkinson’s. This may result from disintegration of the extensive connections based on numerous neurotransmitter systems, as well as impairment of some neuroplasticity mechanisms in the NAc. The consequences of NAc lesions are both morphological and functional. They include changes in the NAc’s volume, cell number, modifications of the neuronal dendritic tree and dendritic spines, and changes in the number of synapses. Alterations in the synaptic plasticity affect the efficiency of synaptic transmission. Modification of the number and structure of the receptors affects signaling pathways, the content of neuromodulators (e.g., BDNF) and transcription factors (e.g., pCREB, DeltaFosB, NFκB), and gene expression. Interestingly, changes in the NAc often have a different character and intensity compared to the changes observed in the other parts of the basal ganglia, in particular the dorsal striatum. In this review, we highlight the role of the NAc in various pathological processes in the context of its structural and functional damage, impaired connections with the other brain areas cooperating within functional systems, and progression of the pathological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martyna Bayassi-Jakowicka
- Division of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, Dębinki 1, 80-211 Gdansk, Poland; (M.B.-J.); (E.C.)
| | - Grazyna Lietzau
- Division of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, Dębinki 1, 80-211 Gdansk, Poland; (M.B.-J.); (E.C.)
- Correspondence: (G.L.); (P.K.); Tel.: +48-58-349-14-01 (G.L. & P.K.)
| | - Ewelina Czuba
- Division of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, Dębinki 1, 80-211 Gdansk, Poland; (M.B.-J.); (E.C.)
| | - Cesare Patrone
- Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Internal Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Sjukhusbacken 17, 11883 Stockholm, Sweden;
| | - Przemysław Kowiański
- Division of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, Dębinki 1, 80-211 Gdansk, Poland; (M.B.-J.); (E.C.)
- Correspondence: (G.L.); (P.K.); Tel.: +48-58-349-14-01 (G.L. & P.K.)
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5
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Altered hippocampal-prefrontal functional network integrity in adult macaque monkeys with neonatal hippocampal lesions. Neuroimage 2020; 227:117645. [PMID: 33338613 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and ventral lateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) play critical but different roles in working memory (WM) processes. Resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) was employed to investigate the effects of neonatal hippocampal lesions on the functional connectivity (FC) between the hippocampus (H) and the DLPFC and VLPFC and its relation to WM performance in adult monkeys. Adult rhesus monkeys with neonatal H lesions (Neo-H, n = 5) and age- and gender-matched sham-operated monkeys (Neo-C, n = 5) were scanned around 10 years of age. The FC of H-DLPFC and H-VLPFC in Neo-H monkeys was significantly altered as compared to controls, but also switched from being positive in the Neo-C to negative in the Neo-H. In addition, the altered magnitude of FC between right H and bilateral DLPFC was significantly associated with the extent of the hippocampal lesions. In particular, the effects of neonatal hippocampal lesion on FC appeared to be selective to the left hemisphere of the brain (i.e. asymmetric in the two hemispheres). Finally, FC between H and DLPFC correlated with WM task performance on the SU-DNMS and the Obj-SO tasks for the control animals, but only with the H-VLPFC and SU-DNMS task for the Neo-H animals. In conclusion, the present rsfMRI study revealed that the neonatal hippocampal lesions significantly but differently altered the integrity in the functional connectivity of H-DLPFC and H-VLPFC. The similarities between the behavioral, cognitive and neural alterations in Neo-H monkeys and Schizophrenia (SZ) patients provide a strong translational model to develop new therapeutic tools for SZ.
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Tryon VL, Garman HD, Loewy RL, Niendam TA. Links Between Human and Animal Models of Trauma and Psychosis: A Narrative Review. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2020; 6:154-165. [PMID: 33309566 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2020.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Traumatic experiences during development are associated with an increased risk of developing psychosis. Individuals with psychosis also report a higher rate of past trauma than healthy control subjects and worse outcomes than those who do not have these experiences. It is thought that traumatic experiences negatively impact specific neurobiological processes to confer this increased risk, and that systems affected by trauma are similarly changed in individuals with psychosis. Examining animal models of psychosis and the shared neurobiological changes in response to stressors can offer valuable insight into biological mechanisms that mediate symptoms and targets for intervention. This targeted review highlights a subset of models of psychosis across humans and animals, examines the similarities with the brain's response to stress and traumatic events, and discusses how these models may interact. Suggestions for future research are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie L Tryon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis
| | - Heather D Garman
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Rachel L Loewy
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Tara A Niendam
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis.
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Schiavone S, Morgese MG, Bove M, Colia AL, Maffione AB, Tucci P, Trabace L, Cuomo V. Ketamine administration induces early and persistent neurochemical imbalance and altered NADPH oxidase in mice. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2020; 96:109750. [PMID: 31446158 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2019.109750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Revised: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Administration in adulthood of subanaesthetic doses of ketamine, an NMDA receptor (NMDA-R) antagonist, is commonly used to induce psychotic-like alterations in rodents. The NADPH oxidase (NOX) derived-oxidative stress has been shown to be implicated in ketamine-induced neurochemical dysfunctions and in the loss of parvalbumin (PV)-positive interneurons associated to the administration of this NMDA receptor antagonist in adult mice. However, very few data are available on the effects of early ketamine administration and its contribution to the development of long-term dysfunctions leading to psychosis. Here, by administering a subanaesthetic dose of ketamine (30 mg/kg i.p.) to mice at postnatal days (PNDs) 7, 9 and 11, we aimed at investigating early neurochemical and oxidative stress-related alterations induced by this NMDA-R antagonist in specific brain regions of mice pups, i.e. prefrontal cortex (PFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and to assess whether these alterations lasted until the adult period. To this purpose, we evaluated glutamatergic, glutamine and GABAergic tissue levels, as well as PV amount in the PFC, both two hours after the last ketamine injection (PND 11) and at 10 weeks of age. Dopamine (DA) tissue levels and DA turnover were also evaluated in the NAcc at the same time points. Levels of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a reliable biomarker of oxidative stress, as well as of the free radical producers NOX1 and NOX2 enzymes, were also assessed in both PFC and NAcc of ketamine-treated pups and adult mice. Ketamine-treated pups showed increased cortical levels of glutamate (GLU) and glutamine, as well as similar GABA amount compared to controls, together with an early reduction of cortical PV levels. In the adult period, the same was observed for GLU and PV, whereas GABA levels were increased and no changes in glutamine amount were detected. Ketamine administration in early life induced a decrease in DA tissue levels and an increase of DA turnover which were also detectable at 10 weeks of age. These alterations were accompanied by 8-OHdG elevations in both PFC and NAcc at the two considered life stages. The expression of NOX1 was significantly reduced in these brain regions following ketamine administration at early life stages, while, in the adult period, significant elevation of this enzyme was observed. Levels of NOX2 were found increased at both time points. Our results suggest that an early increase of NOX2-derived oxidative stress may contribute to the development of neurochemical imbalance in PFC and NAcc, induced by ketamine administration. Modifications of NOX1 expression might represent, instead, an early response of the developing brain to a neurotoxic insult, followed by a later attempt to counterbalance ketamine-related detrimental effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Schiavone
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Viale Pinto, 1, 71122 Foggia, Italy.
| | - Maria Grazia Morgese
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Viale Pinto, 1, 71122 Foggia, Italy.
| | - Maria Bove
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Viale Pinto, 1, 71122 Foggia, Italy.
| | - Anna Laura Colia
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Viale Pinto, 1, 71122 Foggia, Italy.
| | - Angela Bruna Maffione
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Viale Pinto, 1, 71122 Foggia, Italy.
| | - Paolo Tucci
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Viale Pinto, 1, 71122 Foggia, Italy.
| | - Luigia Trabace
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Viale Pinto, 1, 71122 Foggia, Italy.
| | - Vincenzo Cuomo
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
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Lebedeva-Georgievskaya KB, Kokhan VS, Shurtakova AK, Perevezentsev AA, Kudrin VS, Shtemberg AS, Bazyan AS. The Neurobiological Effects of the Combined Impact of Anti-Orthostatic Hanging and Different Ionizing Irradiations. NEUROCHEM J+ 2019. [DOI: 10.1134/s1819712419030103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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9
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Abstract
The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is a crucial cortical region that integrates information from numerous cortical and subcortical areas and converges updated information to output structures. It plays essential roles in the cognitive process, regulation of emotion, motivation, and sociability. Dysfunction of the mPFC has been found in various neurological and psychiatric disorders, such as depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and addiction. In the present review, we summarize the preclinical and clinical studies to illustrate the role of the mPFC in these neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan Xu
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Ai Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan China
| | - Yipeng Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Xuezhi Xing
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Hui Lu
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia
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Prenatal treatment with methylazoxymethanol acetate as a neurodevelopmental disruption model of schizophrenia in mice. Neuropharmacology 2019; 150:1-14. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.02.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Fan F, Xiang H, Tan S, Yang F, Fan H, Guo H, Kochunov P, Wang Z, Hong LE, Tan Y. Subcortical structures and cognitive dysfunction in first episode schizophrenia. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2019; 286:69-75. [PMID: 30921760 PMCID: PMC6475899 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2019.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Revised: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is associated with widespread cortical and subcortical abnormalities. Studies examining cognitive deficits in schizophrenia have historically focused on cortical deficits; however, many subcortical areas also support cognition. We sought to determine whether deficits in subcortical gray matter are linked to neurocognitive dysfunction in patients with first-episode schizophrenia. This study included 170 patients with first-episode schizophrenia and 88 healthy controls. Clinical symptoms, neurocognitive function, and structural images were assessed. Subcortical volumes were recorded. Patients had significant deficits in all cognitive domains, including processing speed, attention, memory, executive function and social cognition. Patients also demonstrated significantly smaller volumes in the amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus, and total cortical gray matter than did controls after Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. Reasoning/problem solving was significantly and positively correlated with the volume of the amygdala and nucleus accumbens in patients. Positive symptoms of psychosis were positively correlated with the volume of the amygdala and nucleus accumbens. In addition, the dose of antipsychotic medication was positively correlated with the volume of the amygdala, nucleus accumbens, caudate, putamen, and pallidum. In conclusion, schizophrenia is associated with profound cognitive deficits. Our findings suggest that subcortical structures contribute to specific domains of cognitive dysfunction in first-episode schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengmei Fan
- Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Peking University Huilongguan Clinical Medical School, Beijing 100096, China; State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & International Data Group/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Hong Xiang
- Chongqing Three Gorges Central Hospital, Chongqing 404000, China
| | - Shuping Tan
- Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Peking University Huilongguan Clinical Medical School, Beijing 100096, China
| | - Fude Yang
- Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Peking University Huilongguan Clinical Medical School, Beijing 100096, China
| | - Hongzhen Fan
- Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Peking University Huilongguan Clinical Medical School, Beijing 100096, China
| | - Hua Guo
- Zhumadian Psychiatry Hospital, Henan Province, China
| | - Peter Kochunov
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Zhiren Wang
- Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Peking University Huilongguan Clinical Medical School, Beijing 100096, China
| | - L Elliot Hong
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Yunlong Tan
- Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Peking University Huilongguan Clinical Medical School, Beijing 100096, China.
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Uliana DL, Resstel LBM, Grace AA. Fear extinction disruption in a developmental rodent model of schizophrenia correlates with an impairment in basolateral amygdala-medial prefrontal cortex plasticity. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:2459-2467. [PMID: 29973655 PMCID: PMC6180011 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0128-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Revised: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia patients typically exhibit prominent negative symptoms associated with deficits in extinction recall and decreased ventromedial prefrontal cortex activity (vmPFC, analogous to medial PFC infralimbic segment in rodents). mPFC activity modulates the activity of basolateral amygdala (BLA) and this connectivity is related to extinction. mPFC and BLA activity has been shown to be altered in the methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) developmental disruption model of schizophrenia. However, it is unknown if there are alterations in extinction processes in this model. Therefore, we investigated extinction and the role of mPFC-BLA balance in MAM rats. Male offspring of pregnant rats treated with Saline or MAM (20 mg/kg; i.p.) on gestational day 17 were used in fear conditioning (contextual/tone) and electrophysiological experiments (mPFC-BLA plasticity). No difference was observed in conditioning, extinction, and test sessions in contextual fear conditioning. However, MAM-treated rats demonstrated impairment in extinction learning and recall in tone fear conditioning. Furthermore, high frequency stimulation (HFS) of the BLA decreased spike probability in the mPFC of saline-treated rats but not in MAM rats. NMDA antagonist microinjected into the BLA disrupted extinction learning and recall in control rats, resulting in a similar deficit as that observed in MAM-treated rats. These data demonstrate extinction impairment in the MAM model that is analogous to that observed in schizophrenia patients, that was probably due to disruption in the regulation of mPFC activity by glutamatergic neurotransmission in the BLA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela L Uliana
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical School of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto/SP, 14049-900, Brazil.
| | - Leonardo B M Resstel
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical School of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto/SP, 14049-900, Brazil
| | - Anthony A Grace
- Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, A210 Langley Hall, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA
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Pittman-Polletta B, Hu K, Kocsis B. Subunit-specific NMDAR antagonism dissociates schizophrenia subtype-relevant oscillopathies associated with frontal hypofunction and hippocampal hyperfunction. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11588. [PMID: 30072757 PMCID: PMC6072790 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29331-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
NMDAR antagonism alters mesolimbic, hippocampal, and cortical function, acutely reproducing the positive, cognitive, and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. These physiological and behavioral effects may depend differentially on NMDAR subtype- and region-specific effects. The dramatic electrophysiological signatures of NMDAR blockade in rodents include potentiated high frequency oscillations (HFOs, ∼140 Hz), likely generated in mesolimbic structures, and increased HFO phase-amplitude coupling (PAC), a phenomenon related to goal-directed behavior and dopaminergic tone. This study examined the impact of subtype-specific NMDAR antagonism on HFOs and PAC. We found that positive-symptom-associated NR2A-preferring antagonism (NVP-AAM077), but not NR2B-specific antagonism (Ro25-6985) or saline control, replicated increases in HFO power seen with nonspecific antagonism (MK-801). However, PAC following NR2A-preferring antagonism was distinct from all other conditions. While θ-HFO PAC was prominent or potentiated in other conditions, NVP-AAM077 increased δ-HFO PAC and decreased θ-HFO PAC. Furthermore, active wake epochs exhibiting narrowband frontal δ oscillations, and not broadband sleep-associated δ, selectively exhibited δ-HFO coupling, while paradoxical sleep epochs having a high CA1 θ to frontal δ ratio selectively exhibited θ-HFO coupling. Our results suggest: (1) NR2A-preferring antagonism induces oscillopathies reflecting frontal hyperfunction and hippocampal hypofunction; and (2) HFO PAC indexes cortical vs. hippocampal control of mesolimbic circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Pittman-Polletta
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Kun Hu
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bernat Kocsis
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
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14
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Al-Amin M, Zinchenko A, Geyer T. Hippocampal subfield volume changes in subtypes of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Brain Res 2018; 1685:1-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2018.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Revised: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 02/05/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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15
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Yue JL, Li P, Shi L, Lin X, Sun HQ, Lu L. Enhanced temporal variability of amygdala-frontal functional connectivity in patients with schizophrenia. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2018; 18:527-532. [PMID: 29560309 PMCID: PMC5857898 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2018.02.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2017] [Revised: 01/27/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Background The “dysconnectivity hypothesis” was proposed 20 years ago. It characterized schizophrenia as a disorder with dysfunctional connectivity across a large range of distributed brain areas. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) data have supported this theory. Previous studies revealed that the amygdala might be responsible for the emotion regulation-related symptoms of schizophrenia. However, conventional methods oversimplified brain activities by assuming that it remained static throughout the entire scan duration, which may explain why inconsistent results have been reported for the same brain region. Methods An emerging technique is sliding time window analysis, which is used to describe functional connectivity based on the temporal variability of regions of interest (e.g., amygdala) in patients with schizophrenia. Conventional analysis of the static functional connectivity between the amygdala and whole brain was also conducted. Results Static functional connectivity between the amygdala and orbitofrontal region was impaired in patients with schizophrenia. The variability of connectivity between the amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex was enhanced (i.e., greater dynamics) in patients with schizophrenia. A negative relationship was found between the variability of connectivity and information processing efficiency. A positive correlation was found between the variability of connectivity and symptom severity. Conclusion The findings suggest that schizophrenia was related to abnormal patterns of fluctuating communication among brain areas that are involved in emotion regulations. Unveiling the temporal properties of functional connectivity could disentangle the inconsistent results of previous functional connectivity studies. FC between the amygdala and orbitofrontal region is impaired in patients with SZ. The variability of FC between amygdala and MPFC was enhanced in patients with SZ. Positive correlation was found between the variability of FC and symptom severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Li Yue
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing 100191, China
| | - Peng Li
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing 100191, China
| | - Le Shi
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Xiao Lin
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing 100191, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| | - Hong-Qiang Sun
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing 100191, China.
| | - Lin Lu
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing 100191, China; National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
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16
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Mar AC, Nilsson SRO, Gamallo-Lana B, Lei M, Dourado T, Alsiö J, Saksida LM, Bussey TJ, Robbins TW. MAM-E17 rat model impairments on a novel continuous performance task: effects of potential cognitive enhancing drugs. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2017; 234:2837-2857. [PMID: 28744563 PMCID: PMC5591806 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-017-4679-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 06/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Impairments in attention and inhibitory control are endophenotypic markers of neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and represent key targets for therapeutic management. Robust preclinical models and assays sensitive to clinically relevant treatments are crucial for improving cognitive enhancement strategies. OBJECTIVES We assessed a rodent model with neural and behavioral features relevant to schizophrenia (gestational day 17 methylazoxymethanol acetate treatment (MAM-E17)) on a novel test of attention and executive function, and examined the impact of putative nootropic drugs. METHODS MAM-E17 and sham control rats were trained on a novel touchscreen-based rodent continuous performance test (rCPT) designed to closely mimic the human CPT paradigm. Performance following acute, systemic treatment with an array of pharmacological compounds was investigated. RESULTS Two cohorts of MAM-E17 rats were impaired on rCPT performance including deficits in sensitivity (d') and increased false alarm rates (FARs). Sulpiride (0-30 mg/kg) dose-dependently reduced elevated FAR in MAM-E17 rats whereas low-dose modafinil (8 mg/kg) only improved d' in sham controls. ABT-594 (5.9-19.4 μg/kg) and modafinil (64 mg/kg) showed expected stimulant-like effects, while LSN2463359 (5 mg/kg), RO493858 (10 mg/kg), atomoxetine (0.3-1 mg/kg), and sulpiride (30 mg/kg) showed expected suppressant effects on performance across all animals. Donepezil (0.1-1 mg/kg) showed near-significant enhancements in d', and EVP-6124 (0.3-3 mg/kg) exerted no effects in the rCPT paradigm. CONCLUSION The MAM-E17 model exhibits robust and replicable impairments in rCPT performance that resemble attention and inhibitory control deficits seen in schizophrenia. Pharmacological profiles were highly consistent with known drug effects on cognition in preclinical and clinical studies. The rCPT is a sensitive and reliable tool with high translational potential for understanding the etiology and treatment of disorders affecting attention and executive dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam C Mar
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Simon R O Nilsson
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Begoña Gamallo-Lana
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ming Lei
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Health Industry Management, Beijing International Studies University, 1 Dingfuzhuang Nanli, Beijing, China
| | - Theda Dourado
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Johan Alsiö
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Neuroscience, Unit of Functional Neurobiology, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Lisa M Saksida
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Molecular Medicine Research Group, Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Molecular Medicine Research Group, Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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17
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Asif-Malik A, Dautan D, Young AMJ, Gerdjikov TV. Altered cortico-striatal crosstalk underlies object recognition memory deficits in the sub-chronic phencyclidine model of schizophrenia. Brain Struct Funct 2017; 222:3179-3190. [PMID: 28293729 PMCID: PMC5585296 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-017-1393-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2016] [Accepted: 02/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The neural mechanisms underlying cognitive deficits in schizophrenia are poorly understood. Sub-chronic treatment with the NMDA antagonist phencyclidine (PCP) produces cognitive abnormalities in rodents that reliably model aspects of the neurocognitive alterations observed in schizophrenia. Given that network activity across regions encompassing medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) plays a significant role in motivational and cognitive tasks, we measured activity across cortico-striatal pathways in PCP-treated rats to characterize neural enabling and encoding of task performance in a novel object recognition task. We found that PCP treatment impaired task performance and concurrently (1) reduced tonic NAc neuronal activity, (2) desynchronized cross-activation of mPFC and NAc neurons, and (3) prevented the increase in mPFC and NAc neural activity associated with the exploration of a novel object in relation to a familiar object. Taken together, these observations reveal key neuronal and network-level adaptations underlying PCP-induced cognitive deficits, which may contribute to the emergence of cognitive abnormalities in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aman Asif-Malik
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 9HN, UK
| | - Daniel Dautan
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Andrew M J Young
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 9HN, UK
| | - Todor V Gerdjikov
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 9HN, UK.
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18
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Chang CH, Ho TW. Inhibitory modulation of medial prefrontal cortical activation on lateral orbitofrontal cortex-amygdala information flow. J Physiol 2017; 595:6065-6076. [PMID: 28678402 DOI: 10.1113/jp274568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2017] [Accepted: 06/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS The basolateral complex of the amygdala (BLA) receives input from the lateral orbitofrontal cortex (lOFC) for cue-outcome contingencies and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) for emotion control. Here we examined how the mPFC modulates lOFC-BLA information flow. We found that the majority of BLA neurons responsive to lOFC stimulation were also responsive to mPFC stimulation. Activation of the mPFC exerted an inhibitory modulation of the lOFC-BLA pathway, which was reversed with intra-amygdala blockade of GABAergic receptors. mPFC tetanus potentiated the lOFC-BLA pathway, but did not alter its inhibitory modulatory gating. These results show that the mPFC potently inhibits lOFC drive of the BLA in a GABA-dependent manner, which is informative in understanding the normal and potential pathophysiological state of emotion and contingency associations in regulating behaviour. ABSTRACT Several neocortical projections converge onto the basolateral complex of the amygdala (BLA), including the lateral orbitofrontal cortex (lOFC) and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Lateral orbitofrontal input to the BLA is important for cue-outcome contingencies, while medial prefrontal input is essential for emotion control. In this study, we examined how the mPFC, specifically the infralimbic division of the mPFC, modulates lOFC-BLA information flow, using combined in vivo extracellular single-unit recordings and pharmacological manipulations in anaesthetized rats. We found that the majority (over 95%) of BLA neurons that responded to lOFC stimulation also responded to mPFC stimulation. Compared to basal condition, pharmacological (N-methyl-d-aspartate) or electrical activation of the mPFC exerted an inhibitory modulation of the lOFC-BLA pathway, which was reversed with intra-amygdala blockade of GABAergic receptors with combined GABAA and GABAB antagonists (bicuculline and saclofen). Moreover, mPFC tetanus potentiated the lOFC-BLA pathway, but mPFC tetanus or low-frequency stimulation did not alter its inhibitory modulatory gating on the lOFC-BLA pathway. These results show that the mPFC potently inhibits lOFC drive of BLA neurons in a GABA-dependent manner. Our result is informative in understanding the normal and potential pathophysiological state of emotion and contingency associations regulating behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Hui Chang
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, 30013
| | - Ta-Wen Ho
- Department of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, 30013
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19
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Neary JL, Perez SM, Peterson K, Lodge DJ, Carless MA. Comparative analysis of MBD-seq and MeDIP-seq and estimation of gene expression changes in a rodent model of schizophrenia. Genomics 2017; 109:204-213. [PMID: 28365388 PMCID: PMC5526217 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2017.03.004] [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: 09/30/2016] [Revised: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
We conducted a comparative study of multiplexed affinity enrichment sequence methodologies (MBD-seq and MeDIP-seq) in a rodent model of schizophrenia, induced by in utero methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) exposure. We also examined related gene expression changes using a pooled sample approach. MBD-seq and MeDIP-seq identified 769 and 1771 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) between F2 offspring of MAM-exposed rats and saline control rats, respectively. The assays showed good concordance, with ~56% of MBD-seq-detected DMRs being identified by or proximal to MeDIP-seq DMRs. There was no significant overlap between DMRs and differentially expressed genes, suggesting that DNA methylation regulatory effects may act upon more distal genes, or are too subtle to detect using our approach. Methylation and gene expression gene ontology enrichment analyses identified biological processes important to schizophrenia pathophysiology, including neuron differentiation, prepulse inhibition, amphetamine response, and glutamatergic synaptic transmission regulation, reinforcing the utility of the MAM rodent model for schizophrenia research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Neary
- Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, 7620 NW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX 78227, USA.
| | - Stephanie M Perez
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
| | - Kara Peterson
- Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, 7620 NW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX 78227, USA.
| | - Daniel J Lodge
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
| | - Melanie A Carless
- Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, 7620 NW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX 78227, USA.
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20
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Belujon P, Grace AA. Dopamine System Dysregulation in Major Depressive Disorders. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2017; 20:1036-1046. [PMID: 29106542 PMCID: PMC5716179 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyx056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 418] [Impact Index Per Article: 59.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2017] [Accepted: 06/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Anhedonia is considered a core feature of major depressive disorder, and the dopamine system plays a pivotal role in the hedonic deficits described in this disorder. Dopaminergic activity is complex and under the regulation of multiple brain structures, including the ventral subiculum of the hippocampus and the basolateral amygdala. Whereas basic and clinical studies demonstrate deficits of the dopaminergic system in depression, the origin of these deficits likely lies in dysregulation of its regulatory afferent circuits. This review explores the current information regarding the afferent modulation of the dopaminergic system and its relevance to major depressive disorder, as well as some of the system-level effects of novel antidepressants such as agomelatine and ketamine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Belujon
- INSERM, U1084, Poitiers, France (Dr Belujon); University of Poitiers, U1084, Poitiers, France (Dr Belujon); Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Dr Grace),Correspondence: Pauline Belujon, PhD, University of Poitiers, Laboratory of Experimental and Clinical Neurosciences, 1 rue Georges Bonnet, 86073 Poitiers, France ()
| | - Anthony A Grace
- INSERM, U1084, Poitiers, France (Dr Belujon); University of Poitiers, U1084, Poitiers, France (Dr Belujon); Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Dr Grace)
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21
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Chang CH. Lateral Orbitofrontal Cortical Modulation on the Medial Prefrontal Cortex-Amygdala Pathway: Differential Regulation of Intra-Amygdala GABAA and GABAB Receptors. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2017; 20:602-610. [PMID: 28444246 PMCID: PMC5492808 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyx027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The basolateral complex of the amygdala receives inputs from neocortical areas, including the medial prefrontal cortex and lateral orbitofrontal cortex. Earlier studies have shown that lateral orbitofrontal cortex activation exerts an inhibitory gating on medial prefrontal cortex-amygdala information flow. Here we examined the individual role of GABAA and GABAB receptors in this process. METHODS In vivo extracellular single-unit recordings were done in anesthetized rats. We searched amygdala neurons that fire in response to medial prefrontal cortex activation, tested lateral orbitofrontal cortex gating at different delays (lateral orbitofrontal cortex-medial prefrontal cortex delays: 25, 50, 100, 250, 500, and 1000 milliseconds), and examined differential contribution of GABAA and GABAB receptors with iontophoresis. RESULTS Relative to baseline, lateral orbitofrontal cortex stimulation exerted an inhibitory modulatory gating on the medial prefrontal cortex-amygdala pathway and was effective up to a long delay of 500 ms (long-delay latencies at 100, 250, and 500 milliseconds). Moreover, blockade of intra-amygdala GABAA receptors with bicuculline abolished the lateral orbitofrontal cortex inhibitory gating at both short- (25 milliseconds) and long-delay (100 milliseconds) intervals, while blockade of GABAB receptors with saclofen reversed the inhibitory gating at long delay (100 milliseconds) only. Among the majority of the neurons examined (8 of 9), inactivation of either GABAA or GABAB receptors during baseline did not change evoked probability per se, suggesting that local feed-forward inhibitory mechanism is pathway specific. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that the effect of lateral orbitofrontal cortex inhibitory modulatory gating was effective up to 500 milliseconds and that intra-amygdala GABAA and GABAB receptors differentially modulate the short- and long-delay lateral orbitofrontal cortex inhibitory gating on the medial prefrontal cortex-amygdala pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-hui Chang
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
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22
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Taylor CJ, Ohline SM, Moss T, Ulrich K, Abraham WC. The persistence of long-term potentiation in the projection from ventral hippocampus to medial prefrontal cortex in awake rats. Eur J Neurosci 2016; 43:811-22. [PMID: 26750170 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2015] [Revised: 12/07/2015] [Accepted: 12/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
A potentially vital pathway in the processing of spatial memory is the pathway from ventral hippocampus to medial prefrontal cortex (vHPC-mPFC). To assess long-term potentiation (LTP) induction and maintenance across days in this pathway, the effects of several induction paradigms were compared in awake, freely moving rats. Two different high-frequency stimulation (HFS) protocols generated LTP lasting no longer than 1 week. However, after delivering HFS on three consecutive days, LTP lasted an average of 20 days, due mainly to the greater initial induction. Thus the pathway does not require extensive multi-day stimulation to induce LTP, as for other intra-neocortical pathways, but also it does not exhibit the extremely long-lasting and stable LTP previously observed in area CA1 and the dentate gyrus. By using bilaterally placed stimulating and recording electrodes, we found that HFS in one vHPC generated responses and LTP in the contralateral mPFC, even when the ipsilateral mPFC was inactivated by CNQX. We attribute this crossed response to a polysynaptic pathway from the vHPC to the contralateral mPFC. Finally, we found that repeated overnight exposure to an enriched environment also potentiated the vHPC-mPFC response, but this too was a transient effect lasting < 9 days, declining to baseline even before the enriched environment treatment was completed. Overall, these findings are consistent with the view that potentiation of vHPC-mPFC pathway may play a key role in promoting the hippocampus-mPFC interplay that, over days, leads to long-term storage in the frontal cortex of memories that are independent of the hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chanel J Taylor
- Department of Psychology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.,Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand
| | - Shane M Ohline
- Department of Psychology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.,Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.,Brain Research New Zealand, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand
| | - Timothy Moss
- Department of Psychology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand
| | - Katharina Ulrich
- Department of Psychology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.,Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand
| | - Wickliffe C Abraham
- Department of Psychology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.,Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.,Brain Research New Zealand, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand
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Organization of Prefrontal-Striatal Connections. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-802206-1.00021-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
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Prefrontal and Striatal Glutamate Differently Relate to Striatal Dopamine: Potential Regulatory Mechanisms of Striatal Presynaptic Dopamine Function? J Neurosci 2015; 35:9615-21. [PMID: 26134644 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0329-15.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Theoretical and animal work has proposed that prefrontal cortex (PFC) glutamate inhibits dopaminergic inputs to the ventral striatum (VS) indirectly, whereas direct VS glutamatergic afferents have been suggested to enhance dopaminergic inputs to the VS. In the present study, we aimed to investigate relationships of glutamate and dopamine measures in prefrontostriatal circuitries of healthy humans. We hypothesized that PFC and VS glutamate, as well as their balance, are differently associated with VS dopamine. Glutamate concentrations in the left lateral PFC and left striatum were assessed using 3-Tesla proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Striatal presynaptic dopamine synthesis capacity was measured by fluorine-18-l-dihydroxyphenylalanine (F-18-FDOPA) positron emission tomography. First, a negative relationship was observed between glutamate concentrations in lateral PFC and VS dopamine synthesis capacity (n = 28). Second, a positive relationship was revealed between striatal glutamate and VS dopamine synthesis capacity (n = 26). Additionally, the intraindividual difference between PFC and striatal glutamate concentrations correlated negatively with VS dopamine synthesis capacity (n = 24). The present results indicate an involvement of a balance in PFC and striatal glutamate in the regulation of VS dopamine synthesis capacity. This notion points toward a potential mechanism how VS presynaptic dopamine levels are kept in a fine-tuned range. A disruption of this mechanism may account for alterations in striatal dopamine turnover as observed in mental diseases (e.g., in schizophrenia). SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The present work demonstrates complementary relationships between prefrontal and striatal glutamate and ventral striatal presynaptic dopamine using human imaging measures: a negative correlation between prefrontal glutamate and presynaptic dopamine and a positive relationship between striatal glutamate and presynaptic dopamine are revealed. The results may reflect a regulatory role of prefrontal and striatal glutamate for ventral striatal presynaptic dopamine levels. Such glutamate-dopamine relationships improve our understanding of neurochemical interactions in prefrontostriatal circuits and have implications for the neurobiology of mental disease.
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Rosen AM, Spellman T, Gordon JA. Electrophysiological endophenotypes in rodent models of schizophrenia and psychosis. Biol Psychiatry 2015; 77:1041-9. [PMID: 25910423 PMCID: PMC4444383 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2014] [Revised: 03/03/2015] [Accepted: 03/23/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is caused by a diverse array of risk factors and results in a similarly diverse set of symptoms. Electrophysiological endophenotypes lie between risks and symptoms and have the potential to link the two. Electrophysiological studies in rodent models, described here, demonstrate that widely differing risk factors result in a similar set of core electrophysiological endophenotypes, suggesting the possibility of a shared neurobiological substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M. Rosen
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons Columbia University New York, NY 10032
| | - Timothy Spellman
- Department of Physiology, College of Physicians and Surgeons Columbia University New York, NY 10032
| | - Joshua A. Gordon
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons Columbia University New York, NY 10032,Division of Integrative Neuroscience New York State Psychiatric Institute New York NY 10032,Correspondence to: Joshua A. Gordon 1051 Riverside Drive Unit 87 Kolb Annex Room 140 New York, NY 10032 Ph. 646 774-7116 Fax. 646 774-7101
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26
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Hippocampal, amygdala and nucleus accumbens volume in first-episode schizophrenia patients and individuals at high familial risk: A cross-sectional comparison. Schizophr Res 2015; 165:45-51. [PMID: 25864953 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2015.03.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2014] [Revised: 03/21/2015] [Accepted: 03/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
It is unknown whether brain changes occur prior to onset of schizophrenia or after it develops. Prospective familial high risk studies provide a good method to investigate this. In the Edinburgh High Risk Study, structural MRI scans of 150 young individuals at familial high risk of schizophrenia, 34 patients with first-episode schizophrenia and 36 matched controls were obtained. Of the high risk participants with scans suitable for analysis, 17 developed schizophrenia after the scans were taken, whilst 57 experienced isolated or sub-clinical psychotic symptoms, and 70 remained well. We used Freesurfer to extract volumetric measurements of the hippocampus, amygdala and nucleus accumbens with the aim of assessing whether any alterations found were present in all those at high risk, or selectively in the high risk cohort based on future clinical outcome, or only in those experiencing their first-episode of psychosis. We found no significant differences in any examined regions between controls and those at high risk, or between those at high risk who later developed schizophrenia and those who remained well. However, patients with first-episode schizophrenia demonstrated significant volumetric reductions in the bilateral hippocampus, left amygdala, and right nucleus accumbens compared to high risk individuals and healthy controls, which were not significantly associated with the intake of anti-psychotic medication or duration of illness. We found that patients had significantly smaller left amygdalae and bilateral hippocampus compared to HR[ill]. Our findings suggest that volumetric reductions of the hippocampus, amygdala and nucleus accumbens occur early in the first-episode of psychosis. The apparent absence of high risk versus control differences we found using Freesurfer is at odds with our previous studies conducted on the same sample, and possible methodological reasons for these apparent discrepancies are discussed.
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Modinos G, Allen P, Grace AA, McGuire P. Translating the MAM model of psychosis to humans. Trends Neurosci 2014; 38:129-38. [PMID: 25554679 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2014.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2014] [Revised: 11/12/2014] [Accepted: 12/02/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Elevated dopamine function and alterations in medial temporal lobe (MTL) structure and function are two of the most robust findings in schizophrenia, but how interactions between these abnormalities underlie the onset of psychosis is unclear. The methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) rodent model proposes that psychosis develops as a result of a perturbation of MTL function, leading to elevated striatal dopamine dysfunction. Here, we review several recent neuroimaging studies that examine components of the putative model in humans with an ultra high risk (UHR) of the psychosis. While data from these studies are broadly consistent with the MAM model, caution is required when comparing data across animal and human studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gemma Modinos
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Paul Allen
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Anthony A Grace
- Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry, and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Philip McGuire
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
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28
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Belujon P, Grace AA. Restoring mood balance in depression: ketamine reverses deficit in dopamine-dependent synaptic plasticity. Biol Psychiatry 2014; 76:927-36. [PMID: 24931705 PMCID: PMC4223010 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2013] [Revised: 04/01/2014] [Accepted: 04/18/2014] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND One of the most novel and exciting findings in major depressive disorder research over the last decade is the discovery of the fast-acting and long-lasting antidepressant effects of ketamine. Indeed, the therapeutic effects of classic antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, require a month or longer to be expressed, with about a third of major depressive disorder patients resistant to treatment. Clinical studies have shown that a low dose of ketamine exhibits fast-acting relatively sustained antidepressant action, even in treatment-resistant patients. However, the mechanisms of ketamine action at a systems level remain unclear. METHODS Wistar-Kyoto rats were exposed to inescapable, uncontrollable footshocks. To evaluate learned helplessness behavior, we used an active avoidance task in a shuttle box equipped with an electrical grid floor. After helplessness assessment, we performed in vivo electrophysiological recordings first from ventral tegmental area dopaminergic (DA) neurons and second from accumbens neurons responsive to fimbria stimulation. Ketamine was injected and tested on helpless behavior and electrophysiological recordings. RESULTS We show that ketamine is able to restore the integrity of a network by acting on the DA system and restoring synaptic dysfunction observed in stress-induced depression. We show that part of the antidepressant effect of ketamine is via the DA system. Indeed, injection of ketamine restores a decreased dopamine neuron population activity, as well as synaptic plasticity (long-term potentiation) in the hippocampus-accumbens pathway, via, in part, activation of D1 receptors. CONCLUSIONS This work provides a unique systems perspective on the mechanisms of ketamine on a disrupted limbic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Belujon
- Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry, and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
| | - Anthony A Grace
- Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry, and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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O'Reilly KC, Kao HY, Lee H, Fenton AA. Converging on a core cognitive deficit: the impact of various neurodevelopmental insults on cognitive control. Front Neurosci 2014; 8:153. [PMID: 24966811 PMCID: PMC4052340 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2014.00153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2014] [Accepted: 05/24/2014] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite substantial effort and immense need, the treatment options for major neuropsychiatric illnesses like schizophrenia are limited and largely ineffective at improving the most debilitating cognitive symptoms that are central to mental illness. These symptoms include cognitive control deficits, the inability to selectively use information that is currently relevant and ignore what is currently irrelevant. Contemporary attempts to accelerate progress are in part founded on an effort to reconceptualize neuropsychiatric illness as a disorder of neural development. This neuro-developmental framework emphasizes abnormal neural circuits on the one hand, and on the other, it suggests there are therapeutic opportunities to exploit the developmental processes of excitatory neuron pruning, inhibitory neuron proliferation, elaboration of myelination, and other circuit refinements that extend through adolescence and into early adulthood. We have crafted a preclinical research program aimed at cognition failures that may be relevant to mental illness. By working with a variety of neurodevelopmental rodent models, we strive to identify a common pathophysiology that underlies cognitive control failure as well as a common strategy for improving cognition in the face of neural circuit abnormalities. Here we review our work to characterize cognitive control deficits in rats with a neonatal ventral hippocampus lesion and rats that were exposed to Methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) in utero. We review our findings as they pertain to early developmental processes, including neurogenesis, as well as the power of cognitive experience to refine neural circuit function within the mature and maturing brain's cognitive circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kally C O'Reilly
- Graduate Program in Neural and Behavioral Science, Downstate Medical Center, State University of New York Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Hsin-Yi Kao
- Graduate Program in Neural and Behavioral Science, Downstate Medical Center, State University of New York Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Heekyung Lee
- Graduate Program in Neural and Behavioral Science, Downstate Medical Center, State University of New York Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - André A Fenton
- Neurobiology of Cognition Laboratory, Center for Neural Science, New York University New York, NY, USA ; The Robert F. Furchgott Center in Neural and Behavioral Science, Downstate Medical Center, State University of New York Brooklyn, NY, USA
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30
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Burattini C, Battistini G, Tamagnini F, Aicardi G. Low-frequency stimulation evokes serotonin release in the nucleus accumbens and induces long-term depression via production of endocannabinoid. J Neurophysiol 2014; 111:1046-55. [DOI: 10.1152/jn.00498.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The nucleus accumbens (NAc), a major component of the mesolimbic system, is involved in the mediation of reinforcing and addictive properties of many dependence-producing drugs. Glutamatergic synapses within the NAc can express plasticity, including a form of endocannabinoid (eCB)-long-term depression (LTD). Recent evidences demonstrate cross talk between eCB signaling pathways and those of other receptor systems, including serotonin (5-HT); the extensive colocalization of CB1 and 5-HT receptors within the NAc suggests the potential for interplay between them. In the present study, we found that 20-min low-frequency (4 Hz) stimulation (LFS-4Hz) of glutamatergic afferences in rat brain slices induces a novel form of eCB-LTD in the NAc core, which requires 5-HT2 and CB1 receptor activation and L-type voltage-gated Ca2+ channel opening. Moreover, we found that exogenous 5-HT application (5 μM, 20 min) induces an analogous LTD (5-HT-LTD) at the same synapses, requiring the activation of the same receptors and the opening of the same Ca2+ channels; LFS-4Hz-LTD and 5-HT-LTD were mutually occlusive. Present results suggest that LFS-4Hz induces the release of 5-HT, which acts at 5-HT2 postsynaptic receptors, increasing Ca2+ influx through L-type voltage-gated channels and 2-arachidonoylglycerol production and release; the eCB travels retrogradely and binds to presynaptic CB1 receptors, causing a long-lasting decrease of glutamate release, resulting in LTD. These observations might be helpful to understand the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying drug addiction, major depression, and other psychiatric disorders characterized by dysfunction of 5-HT neurotransmission in the NAc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Costanza Burattini
- Department for Life Quality Studies, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; and
| | - Giulia Battistini
- Department for Life Quality Studies, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; and
| | - Francesco Tamagnini
- Department for Life Quality Studies, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; and
| | - Giorgio Aicardi
- Department for Life Quality Studies, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; and
- Interdepartmental Center “Luigi Galvani” for the Study of Biophysics, Bioinformatics and Biocomplexity, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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31
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Zimmerman EC, Bellaire M, Ewing SG, Grace AA. Abnormal stress responsivity in a rodent developmental disruption model of schizophrenia. Neuropsychopharmacology 2013; 38:2131-9. [PMID: 23652286 PMCID: PMC3773662 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2013.110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2013] [Revised: 05/01/2013] [Accepted: 05/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Although numerous studies have implicated stress in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, less is known about how the effects of stress interact with genetic, developmental, and/or environmental determinants to promote disease progression. In particular, it has been proposed that in humans, stress exposure in adolescence could combine with a predisposition towards increased stress sensitivity, leading to prodromal symptoms and eventually psychosis. However, the neurobiological substrates for this interaction are not fully characterized. Previous work in our lab has demonstrated that rats born to dams administered with the DNA-methylating agent methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) at gestational day 17 exhibit as adults behavioral and anatomical abnormalities consistent with those observed in patients with schizophrenia. Here, we examined behavioral and neuroendocrine responses to stress in the MAM model of schizophrenia. MAM-treated male rats were exposed to acute and repeated footshock stress at prepubertal, peripubteral, and adult ages. Ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs), freezing, and corticosterone responses were quantified. We found that juvenile MAM-treated rats emitted significantly more calls, spent more time vocalizing, emitted calls at a higher rate, and showed more freezing in response to acute footshock stress when compared with their saline (SAL) treated counterparts, and that this difference is not present in older animals. In addition, adolescent MAM-treated animals displayed a blunted HPA axis corticosterone response to acute footshock that did not adapt after 10 days of stress exposure. These data demonstrate abnormal stress responsivity in the MAM model of schizophrenia and suggest that these animals are more sensitive to the effects of stress in youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric C Zimmerman
- Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA,Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Medical Scientist Training Program, 526 Scaife Hall, 3550 Terrace Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA, Tel: +1 262 893 8186, Fax: +1 412 624 9198, E-mail:
| | - Mark Bellaire
- Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Samuel G Ewing
- Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Anthony A Grace
- Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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32
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Abstract
Mood disorders are common and debilitating conditions characterized in part by profound deficits in reward-related behavioural domains. A recent literature has identified important structural and functional alterations within the brain's reward circuitry--particularly in the ventral tegmental area-nucleus accumbens pathway--that are associated with symptoms such as anhedonia and aberrant reward-associated perception and memory. This Review synthesizes recent data from human and rodent studies from which emerges a circuit-level framework for understanding reward deficits in depression. We also discuss some of the molecular and cellular underpinnings of this framework, ranging from adaptations in glutamatergic synapses and neurotrophic factors to transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott J Russo
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, USA. scott.russo@mssm. edu
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33
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Belujon P, Patton MH, Grace AA. Disruption of prefrontal cortical-hippocampal balance in a developmental model of schizophrenia: reversal by sulpiride. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2013; 16:507-12. [PMID: 23067577 PMCID: PMC3687537 DOI: 10.1017/s146114571200106x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The nucleus accumbens (NAc) receives converging inputs from the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the hippocampus which have competitive interactions in the NAc to influence motivational drive. We have previously shown altered synaptic plasticity in the hippocampal-NAc pathway in the methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) developmental model of schizophrenia in rodents that is dependent on cortical inputs. Thus, because mPFC-hippocampal balance is known to be partially altered in this model, we investigated potential pathological changes in the hippocampal influence over cortex-driven NAc spike activity. Here we show that the reciprocal interaction between the hippocampus and mPFC is absent in MAM animals but is able to be reinstated with administration of the antipsychotic drug, sulpiride. The lack of interaction between these structures in this model could explain the attentional deficits in schizophrenia patients and shed light onto their inability to focus on a single task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Belujon
- Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
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