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Namoju R, Chilaka KN. Protective effect of alpha‑lipoic acid against in utero cytarabine exposure-induced hepatotoxicity in rat female neonates. NAUNYN-SCHMIEDEBERG'S ARCHIVES OF PHARMACOLOGY 2024; 397:6577-6589. [PMID: 38459988 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-024-03036-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
Cytarabine, an anti-metabolite drug, remains the mainstay of treatment for hematological malignancies. It causes various toxic effects including teratogenicity. Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) is a natural antioxidant reported to offer protection against hepatotoxicity induced by various pathological conditions, drugs, or chemicals. We investigated the protective effect of ALA against prenatal cytarabine exposure-induced hepatotoxicity in rat female neonates. A total of 30 dams were randomly assigned to five groups and received normal saline, ALA 200 mg/kg, cytarabine 12.5 mg/kg, cytarabine 25 mg/kg, and cytarabine 25 mg/kg + ALA 200 mg/kg, respectively, from gestational day (GD)8 to GD21. Cytarabine and ALA were administered via intraperitoneal and oral (gavage) routes, respectively. On postnatal day (PND)1, all the live female neonates (pups) were collected and weighed. The blood and liver from pups were carefully collected and used for histopathological, and biochemical evaluations. A significant and dose-dependent decrease in maternal food intake and weight gain was observed in the pregnant rats (dams) of the cytarabine groups as compared to the dams of the control group. The pups exposed to cytarabine showed a significant and dose-dependent (a) decrease in body weight, liver weight, hepatosomatic index, catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, serum albumin levels and (b) increase in malondialdehyde, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase, AST/ALT ratio, and histopathological anomalies. Maternal co-administration of ALA ameliorated these biochemical changes and histopathological abnormalities by combating oxidative stress. Future studies are warranted to explore the molecular mechanisms involved in the ALA's protective effects against prenatal cytarabine-induced hepatotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramanachary Namoju
- Department of Pharmacology, GITAM School of Pharmacy, GITAM Deemed to be University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, 530045, India.
- Department of Pharmacology, Bhaskar Pharmacy College, Jawaharlal Nehru Technical University, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500075, India.
| | - Kavitha N Chilaka
- Department of Pharmacology, GITAM School of Pharmacy, GITAM Deemed to be University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, 530045, India
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2
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Bhardwaj SK, Nath M, Wong TP, Srivastava LK. Loss of dysbindin-1 in excitatory neurons in mice impacts NMDAR-dependent behaviors, neuronal morphology and synaptic transmission in the ventral hippocampus. Sci Rep 2024; 14:15239. [PMID: 38956130 PMCID: PMC11219769 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65566-4] [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: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Dysbindin-1, a protein encoded by the schizophrenia susceptibility gene DTNBP1, is reduced in the hippocampus of schizophrenia patients. It is expressed in various cellular populations of the brain and implicated in dopaminergic and glutamatergic transmission. To investigate the impact of reduced dysbindin-1 in excitatory cells on hippocampal-associated behaviors and synaptic transmission, we developed a conditional knockout mouse model with deletion of dysbindin-1 gene in CaMKIIα expressing cells. We found that dysbindin-1 reduction in CaMKII expressing cells resulted in impaired spatial and social memories, and attenuation of the effects of glutamate N-methyl-d-asparate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist MK801 on locomotor activity and prepulse inhibition of startle (PPI). Dysbindin-1 deficiency in CaMKII expressing cells also resulted in reduced protein levels of NMDAR subunit GluN1 and GluN2B. These changes were associated with increased expression of immature dendritic spines in basiliar dendrites and abnormalities in excitatory synaptic transmission in the ventral hippocampus. These results highlight the functional relevance of dysbindin-1 in excitatory cells and its implication in schizophrenia-related pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjeev K Bhardwaj
- Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, 6875 LaSalle Boulevard, Montreal, QC, H4H 1R3, Canada.
| | - Moushumi Nath
- Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, 6875 LaSalle Boulevard, Montreal, QC, H4H 1R3, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Tak Pan Wong
- Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, 6875 LaSalle Boulevard, Montreal, QC, H4H 1R3, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Lalit K Srivastava
- Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, 6875 LaSalle Boulevard, Montreal, QC, H4H 1R3, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Integrated Programme in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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3
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Christian-Hinman CA. The Promise and Practicality of Addressing Sex as a Biological Variable and the Ovarian Cycle in Preclinical Epilepsy Research. Epilepsy Curr 2024; 24:274-279. [PMID: 39309055 PMCID: PMC11412390 DOI: 10.1177/15357597241261463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Seizures and epilepsy affect people of all sexes and genders. In the last several years, funding agency initiatives such as the U.S. National Institutes of Health policy on sex as a biological variable (SABV) have intended to encourage researchers to study both males and females from cell to tissue to organism and analyze and report the resulting data with sex as a factor. Preclinical epilepsy research, however, continues to be plagued by confusion regarding both the SABV policy and its implementation, reflecting similar beliefs in the larger neuroscience research community. This article aims to address some common misconceptions and provide practical tools and suggestions for preclinical epilepsy researchers in implementing SABV and analysis of the female ovarian cycle (estrous cycle in rodents) in their research programs, with a focus on studies using rodent models. Examples of recent publications in preclinical epilepsy research highlighting the value of incorporating SABV and information on the estrous cycle are included. The specifics of how best to address SABV and the estrous cycle can vary depending on the needs and goals of a particular research program, but an embrace of these physiological factors by the preclinical epilepsy research community promises to yield more rigorous research and improved treatment strategies for all people with epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine A. Christian-Hinman
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, Neuroscience Program, Beckman Institute of Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
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4
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Kheloui S, Jacmin-Park S, Larocque O, Kerr P, Rossi M, Cartier L, Juster RP. Sex/gender differences in cognitive abilities. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105333. [PMID: 37517542 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105333] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Sex/gender differences in cognitive sciences are riddled by conflicting perspectives. At the center of debates are clinical, social, and political perspectives. Front and center, evolutionary and biological perspectives have often focused on 'nature' arguments, while feminist and constructivist views have often focused on 'nurture arguments regarding cognitive sex differences. In the current narrative review, we provide a comprehensive overview regarding the origins and historical advancement of these debates while providing a summary of the results in the field of sexually polymorphic cognition. In so doing, we attempt to highlight the importance of using transdisciplinary perspectives which help bridge disciplines together to provide a refined understanding the specific factors that drive sex differences a gender diversity in cognitive abilities. To summarize, biological sex (e.g., birth-assigned sex, sex hormones), socio-cultural gender (gender identity, gender roles), and sexual orientation each uniquely shape the cognitive abilities reviewed. To date, however, few studies integrate these sex and gender factors together to better understand individual differences in cognitive functioning. This has potential benefits if a broader understanding of sex and gender factors are systematically measured when researching and treating numerous conditions where cognition is altered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Kheloui
- Department of Psychiatry and Addiction, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, Canada; Center on Sex⁎Gender, Allostasis and Resilience, Canada
| | - Silke Jacmin-Park
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, Canada; Center on Sex⁎Gender, Allostasis and Resilience, Canada
| | - Ophélie Larocque
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, Canada; Center on Sex⁎Gender, Allostasis and Resilience, Canada
| | - Philippe Kerr
- Department of Psychiatry and Addiction, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, Canada; Center on Sex⁎Gender, Allostasis and Resilience, Canada
| | - Mathias Rossi
- Department of Psychiatry and Addiction, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, Canada; Center on Sex⁎Gender, Allostasis and Resilience, Canada
| | - Louis Cartier
- Department of Psychiatry and Addiction, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, Canada; Center on Sex⁎Gender, Allostasis and Resilience, Canada
| | - Robert-Paul Juster
- Department of Psychiatry and Addiction, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, Canada; Center on Sex⁎Gender, Allostasis and Resilience, Canada.
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5
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Young JE, Wu M, Hunsberger HC. Editorial: Sex and gender differences in neurodegenerative diseases. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1175674. [PMID: 37008208 PMCID: PMC10061136 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1175674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Elaine Young
- Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Minjie Wu
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Holly C. Hunsberger
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Therapeutics, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Foundational Sciences and Humanities, The Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, IL, United States
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6
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Thongkorn S, Kanlayaprasit S, Kasitipradit K, Lertpeerapan P, Panjabud P, Hu VW, Jindatip D, Sarachana T. Investigation of autism-related transcription factors underlying sex differences in the effects of bisphenol A on transcriptome profiles and synaptogenesis in the offspring hippocampus. Biol Sex Differ 2023; 14:8. [PMID: 36803626 PMCID: PMC9940328 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-023-00496-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bisphenol A (BPA) has been linked to susceptibility to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Our recent studies have shown that prenatal BPA exposure disrupted ASD-related gene expression in the hippocampus, neurological functions, and behaviors associated with ASD in a sex-specific pattern. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of BPA are still unclear. METHODS Transcriptome data mining and molecular docking analyses were performed to identify ASD-related transcription factors (TFs) and their target genes underlying the sex-specific effects of prenatal BPA exposure. Gene ontology analysis was conducted to predict biological functions associated with these genes. The expression levels of ASD-related TFs and targets in the hippocampus of rat pups prenatally exposed to BPA were measured using qRT-PCR analysis. The role of the androgen receptor (AR) in BPA-mediated regulation of ASD candidate genes was investigated using a human neuronal cell line stably transfected with AR-expression or control plasmid. Synaptogenesis, which is a function associated with genes transcriptionally regulated by ASD-related TFs, was assessed using primary hippocampal neurons isolated from male and female rat pups prenatally exposed to BPA. RESULTS We found that there was a sex difference in ASD-related TFs underlying the effects of prenatal BPA exposure on the transcriptome profiles of the offspring hippocampus. In addition to the known BPA targets AR and ESR1, BPA could directly interact with novel targets (i.e., KDM5B, SMAD4, and TCF7L2). The targets of these TFs were also associated with ASD. Prenatal BPA exposure disrupted the expression of ASD-related TFs and targets in the offspring hippocampus in a sex-dependent manner. Moreover, AR was involved in the BPA-mediated dysregulation of AUTS2, KMT2C, and SMARCC2. Prenatal BPA exposure altered synaptogenesis by increasing synaptic protein levels in males but not in females, but the number of excitatory synapses was increased in female primary neurons only. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that AR and other ASD-related TFs are involved in sex differences in the effects of prenatal BPA exposure on transcriptome profiles and synaptogenesis in the offspring hippocampus. These TFs may play an essential role in an increased ASD susceptibility associated with endocrine-disrupting chemicals, particularly BPA, and the male bias of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surangrat Thongkorn
- grid.7922.e0000 0001 0244 7875Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Songphon Kanlayaprasit
- grid.7922.e0000 0001 0244 7875SYstems Neuroscience of Autism and PSychiatric Disorders (SYNAPS) Research Unit, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, 154 Soi Chula 12, Rama 1 Road, Wangmai, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330 Thailand
| | - Kasidit Kasitipradit
- grid.7922.e0000 0001 0244 7875Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Pattanachat Lertpeerapan
- grid.7922.e0000 0001 0244 7875Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Pawinee Panjabud
- grid.7922.e0000 0001 0244 7875Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Valerie W. Hu
- grid.253615.60000 0004 1936 9510Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC USA
| | - Depicha Jindatip
- grid.7922.e0000 0001 0244 7875SYstems Neuroscience of Autism and PSychiatric Disorders (SYNAPS) Research Unit, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, 154 Soi Chula 12, Rama 1 Road, Wangmai, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330 Thailand ,grid.7922.e0000 0001 0244 7875Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Tewarit Sarachana
- SYstems Neuroscience of Autism and PSychiatric Disorders (SYNAPS) Research Unit, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, 154 Soi Chula 12, Rama 1 Road, Wangmai, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.
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7
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Sanchis-Segura C, Aguirre N, Cruz-Gómez ÁJ, Félix S, Forn C. Beyond "sex prediction": Estimating and interpreting multivariate sex differences and similarities in the brain. Neuroimage 2022; 257:119343. [PMID: 35654377 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that machine-learning (ML) algorithms can "predict" sex based on brain anatomical/ functional features. The high classification accuracy achieved by ML algorithms is often interpreted as revealing large differences between the brains of males and females and as confirming the existence of "male/female brains". However, classification and estimation are different concepts, and using classification metrics as surrogate estimates of between-group differences may result in major statistical and interpretative distortions. The present study avoids these distortions and provides a novel and detailed assessment of multivariate sex differences in gray matter volume (GMVOL) that does not rely on classification metrics. Moreover, appropriate regression methods were used to identify the brain areas that contribute the most to these multivariate differences, and clustering techniques and analyses of similarities (ANOSIM) were employed to empirically assess whether they assemble into two sex-typical profiles. Results revealed that multivariate sex differences in GMVOL: (1) are "large" if not adjusted for total intracranial volume (TIV) variation, but "small" when controlling for this variable; (2) differ in size between individuals and also depends on the ML algorithm used for their calculation (3) do not stem from two sex-typical profiles, and so describing them in terms of "male/female brains" is misleading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Sanchis-Segura
- Departament de Psicologia Bàsica, Clínica i Psicobiologia, Universitat Jaume I, Avda. Sos Baynat, SN., Castelló 12071, Spain.
| | - Naiara Aguirre
- Departament de Psicologia Bàsica, Clínica i Psicobiologia, Universitat Jaume I, Avda. Sos Baynat, SN., Castelló 12071, Spain
| | - Álvaro Javier Cruz-Gómez
- Departament de Psicologia Bàsica, Clínica i Psicobiologia, Universitat Jaume I, Avda. Sos Baynat, SN., Castelló 12071, Spain
| | - Sonia Félix
- Departament de Psicologia Bàsica, Clínica i Psicobiologia, Universitat Jaume I, Avda. Sos Baynat, SN., Castelló 12071, Spain
| | - Cristina Forn
- Departament de Psicologia Bàsica, Clínica i Psicobiologia, Universitat Jaume I, Avda. Sos Baynat, SN., Castelló 12071, Spain
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8
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Pape M. Lost in translation? Beyond sex as a biological variable in animal research. HEALTH SOCIOLOGY REVIEW : THE JOURNAL OF THE HEALTH SECTION OF THE AUSTRALIAN SOCIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION 2021; 30:275-291. [PMID: 34448683 DOI: 10.1080/14461242.2021.1969981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In this article, I develop a feminist posthumanist account of biomedical policymaking as a material-discursive intervention that shapes the emergence of phenomena in the scientific laboratory. The setting is United States (U.S.) biomedicine, where a recent policy of the National Institutes of Health has mandated the consideration of sex in basic and preclinical research. Called Sex as a Biological Variable (SABV), the mandate configures cell lines and animal models as the next frontier in the project of advancing gender equity in biomedical research. Given sex and gender are increasingly recognised as having complex, entangled, and dynamic effects on human health and illness, how do laboratory animals respond to their attempted enrolment in this regulatory intervention? Through a qualitative analysis of this policy domain, I show how laboratory animals reveal the context-specific character of sex, its multiplicity and elusiveness as a so-called biological variable, and the considerable work needed to shore up human ideologies of sex as a pervasive cross-species form of binary difference. I suggest that while regulatory interventions constrain patterns of mattering, they also serve as agential openings in which laboratory animals can 'kick back' and reconfigure the pursuit of knowledge, particularly as it relates to difference and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine Pape
- Institute of Sports Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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9
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Pape M. Co-production, multiplied: Enactments of sex as a biological variable in US biomedicine. SOCIAL STUDIES OF SCIENCE 2021; 51:339-363. [PMID: 33491581 DOI: 10.1177/0306312720985939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In 2016 the US National Institutes of Health introduced a policy mandating consideration of Sex as a Biological Variable (SABV) in preclinical research. In this article, I ask what, precisely, is meant by the designation of sex as a 'biological variable', and how has its inclusion come to take the form of a policy mandate? Given the well documented complexity of 'sex' and the degree to which it is politically and scientifically contested, its enactment via policy as a biological variable is not a given. I explore how sex is multiply enacted in efforts to legitimate and realize the SABV policy and consider how the analytical lens of co-production sheds light on how and why this occurs. I show that the policy works to reassert scientific and political order by addressing two institutional concerns: the so-called reproducibility crisis in preclinical research, and pervasive gender inequality across the institution of biomedicine. From here, the entity that underpins this effort - sex as a biological variable - becomes more than one thing, with enactments ranging from an assigned category, to an outcome, to a causal biological force in its own right. Sex emerges as simultaneously entangled with yet distinct from gender, and binary (female/male) yet complex in its variation. I suggest that it is in the very attempt to delineate natural from social order, and in the process create the conditions to privilege a particular kind of science and account of embodied difference, that ontological multiplicity becomes readily visible. That this multiplicity goes unrecognized points to the unifying role of an overarching ideological commitment to sex as a presumed binary and biological scientific object, the institutional dominance of which is never guaranteed.
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10
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Abstract
Within preclinical research, attention has focused on experimental design and how current practices can lead to poor reproducibility. There are numerous decision points when designing experiments. Ethically, when working with animals we need to conduct a harm-benefit analysis to ensure the animal use is justified for the scientific gain. Experiments should be robust, not use more or fewer animals than necessary, and truly add to the knowledge base of science. Using case studies to explore these decision points, we consider how individual experiments can be designed in several different ways. We use the Experimental Design Assistant (EDA) graphical summary of each experiment to visualise the design differences and then consider the strengths and weaknesses of each design. Through this format, we explore key and topical experimental design issues such as pseudo-replication, blocking, covariates, sex bias, inference space, standardisation fallacy and factorial designs. There are numerous articles discussing these critical issues in the literature, but here we bring together these topics and explore them using real-world examples allowing the implications of the choice of design to be considered. Fundamentally, there is no perfect experiment; choices must be made which will have an impact on the conclusions that can be drawn. We need to understand the limitations of an experiment's design and when we report the experiments, we need to share the caveats that inherently exist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha A Karp
- Data Sciences and Quantitative Biology, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca R&D Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Derek Fry
- The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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11
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Zhang X, Hashimoto JG, Han X, Zhang F, Linhardt RJ, Guizzetti M. Characterization of Glycosaminoglycan Disaccharide Composition in Astrocyte Primary Cultures and the Cortex of Neonatal Rats. Neurochem Res 2021; 46:595-610. [PMID: 33398638 PMCID: PMC9116028 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-020-03195-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes are major producers of the extracellular matrix (ECM), which is involved in the plasticity of the developing brain. In utero alcohol exposure alters neuronal plasticity. Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are a family of polysaccharides present in the extracellular space; chondroitin sulfate (CS)- and heparan sulfate (HS)-GAGs are covalently bound to core proteins to form proteoglycans (PGs). Hyaluronic acid (HA)-GAGs are not bound to core proteins. In this study we investigated the contribution of astrocytes to CS-, HS-, and HA-GAG production by comparing the makeup of these GAGs in cortical astrocyte cultures and the neonatal rat cortex. We also explored alterations induced by ethanol in GAG and core protein levels in astrocytes. Finally, we investigated the relative expression in astrocytes of CS-PGs of the lectican family of proteins, major components of the brain ECM, in vivo using translating ribosome affinity purification (TRAP) (in Aldh1l1-EGFP-Rpl10a mice. Cortical astrocytes produce low levels of HA and show low expression of genes involved in HA biosynthesis compared to the whole developing cortex. Astrocytes have high levels of chondroitin-0-sulfate (C0S)-GAGs (possibly because of a higher sulfatase enzyme expression) and HS-GAGs. Ethanol upregulates C4S-GAGs as well as brain-specific lecticans neurocan and brevican, which are highly enriched in astrocytes of the developing cortex in vivo. These results begin to elucidate the role of astrocytes in the biosynthesis of CS- HS- and HA-GAGs, and suggest that ethanol-induced alterations of neuronal development may be in part mediated by increased astrocyte GAG levels and neurocan and brevican expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolu Zhang
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
- VA Portland Health Care System, R&D39, 3710 SW Veterans Hospital Road, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
| | - Joel G Hashimoto
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
- VA Portland Health Care System, R&D39, 3710 SW Veterans Hospital Road, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Xiaorui Han
- Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical and Biological Engineering, and Biology; Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA
| | - Fuming Zhang
- Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical and Biological Engineering, and Biology; Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA
| | - Robert J Linhardt
- Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical and Biological Engineering, and Biology; Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA
| | - Marina Guizzetti
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
- VA Portland Health Care System, R&D39, 3710 SW Veterans Hospital Road, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
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12
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Sanchis-Segura C, Ibañez-Gual MV, Aguirre N, Cruz-Gómez ÁJ, Forn C. Effects of different intracranial volume correction methods on univariate sex differences in grey matter volume and multivariate sex prediction. Sci Rep 2020; 10:12953. [PMID: 32737332 PMCID: PMC7395772 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-69361-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex differences in 116 local gray matter volumes (GMVOL) were assessed in 444 males and 444 females without correcting for total intracranial volume (TIV) or after adjusting the data with the scaling, proportions, power-corrected proportions (PCP), and residuals methods. The results confirmed that only the residuals and PCP methods completely eliminate TIV-variation and result in sex-differences that are "small" (∣d∣ < 0.3). Moreover, as assessed using a totally independent sample, sex differences in PCP and residuals adjusted-data showed higher replicability ([Formula: see text] 93%) than scaling and proportions adjusted-data [Formula: see text] 68%) or raw data ([Formula: see text] 45%). The replicated effects were meta-analyzed together and confirmed that, when TIV-variation is adequately controlled, volumetric sex differences become "small" (∣d∣ < 0.3 in all cases). Finally, we assessed the utility of TIV-corrected/ TIV-uncorrected GMVOL features in predicting individuals' sex with 12 different machine learning classifiers. Sex could be reliably predicted (> 80%) when using raw local GMVOL, but also when using scaling or proportions adjusted-data or TIV as a single predictor. Conversely, after properly controlling TIV variation with the PCP and residuals' methods, prediction accuracy dropped to [Formula: see text] 60%. It is concluded that gross morphological differences account for most of the univariate and multivariate sex differences in GMVOL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Sanchis-Segura
- Departament de Psicologia Bàsica, Clínica i Psicobiologia, Universitat Jaume I, Avda. Sos Baynat, SN, 12071, Castelló, Spain.
| | | | - Naiara Aguirre
- Departament de Psicologia Bàsica, Clínica i Psicobiologia, Universitat Jaume I, Avda. Sos Baynat, SN, 12071, Castelló, Spain
| | - Álvaro Javier Cruz-Gómez
- Departament de Psicologia Bàsica, Clínica i Psicobiologia, Universitat Jaume I, Avda. Sos Baynat, SN, 12071, Castelló, Spain
| | - Cristina Forn
- Departament de Psicologia Bàsica, Clínica i Psicobiologia, Universitat Jaume I, Avda. Sos Baynat, SN, 12071, Castelló, Spain
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13
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Martínez-Pinteño A, García-Cerro S, Mas S, Torres T, Boloc D, Rodríguez N, Lafuente A, Gassó P, Arnaiz JA, Parellada E. The positive allosteric modulator of the mGlu2 receptor JNJ-46356479 partially improves neuropathological deficits and schizophrenia-like behaviors in a postnatal ketamine mice model. J Psychiatr Res 2020; 126:8-18. [PMID: 32407891 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Revised: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Current antipsychotics have limited efficacy in controlling cognitive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia (SZ). Glutamatergic dysregulation has been implicated in the pathophysiology of SZ, based on the capacity of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonists such as ketamine (KET) to induce SZ-like behaviors. This could be related to their putative neuropathological effect on gamma-aminobutyric (GABAergic) interneurons expressing parvalbumin (PV), which would lead to a hyperglutamatergic condition. Metabotropic glutamate receptor 2 (mGluR2) negatively modulates glutamate release and has been considered a potential clinical target for novel antipsychotics drugs. Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy of JNJ-46356479 (JNJ), a positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of the mGluR2, in reversing neuropathological and behavioral deficits induced in a postnatal KET mice model of SZ. These animals presented impaired spontaneous alternation in the Y-maze test, suggesting deficits in spatial working memory, and a decrease in social motivation and memory, assessed in both the Three-Chamber and the Five Trial Social Memory tests. Interestingly, JNJ treatment of adult mice partially reversed these deficits. Mice treated with KET also showed a reduction in PV+ in the mPFC and dentate gyrus together with an increase in c-Fos expression in this hippocampal area. Compared to the control group, mice treated with KET + JNJ showed a similar PV density and c-Fos activity pattern. Our results suggest that pharmacological treatment with a PAM of the mGluR2 such as JNJ could help improve cognitive and negative symptoms related to SZ.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Susana García-Cerro
- Department of Basic Clinical Practice, Unit of Pharmacology, University of Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sergi Mas
- Department of Basic Clinical Practice, Unit of Pharmacology, University of Barcelona, Spain; The August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain
| | - Teresa Torres
- Department of Basic Clinical Practice, Unit of Pharmacology, University of Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniel Boloc
- Department of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Spain
| | - Natalia Rodríguez
- Department of Basic Clinical Practice, Unit of Pharmacology, University of Barcelona, Spain
| | - Amalia Lafuente
- Department of Basic Clinical Practice, Unit of Pharmacology, University of Barcelona, Spain; The August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain
| | - Patricia Gassó
- Department of Basic Clinical Practice, Unit of Pharmacology, University of Barcelona, Spain; The August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Albert Arnaiz
- Department of Basic Clinical Practice, Unit of Pharmacology, University of Barcelona, Spain; The August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain; Clinical Pharmacology Department, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Eduard Parellada
- The August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain; Department of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Clinic Schizophrenia Unit (BCSU), Institute of Neuroscience, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, University of Barcelona, Spain.
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14
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Mamlouk GM, Dorris DM, Barrett LR, Meitzen J. Sex bias and omission in neuroscience research is influenced by research model and journal, but not reported NIH funding. Front Neuroendocrinol 2020; 57:100835. [PMID: 32070715 PMCID: PMC7225067 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2020.100835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Neuroscience research has historically demonstrated sex bias that favors male over female research subjects, as well as sex omission, which is the lack of reporting sex. Here we analyzed the status of sex bias and omission in neuroscience research published across six different journals in 2017. Regarding sex omission, 16% of articles did not report sex. Regarding sex bias, 52% of neuroscience articles reported using both males and females, albeit only 15% of articles using both males and females reported assessing sex as an experimental variable. Overrepresentation of the sole use of males compared to females persisted (26% versus 5%, respectively). Sex bias and omission differed across research models, but not by reported NIH funding status. Sex omission differed across journals. These findings represent the latest information regarding the complex status of sex in neuroscience research and illustrate the continued need for thoughtful and informed action to enhance scientific discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella M Mamlouk
- Dept. of Biological Sciences, NC State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - David M Dorris
- Dept. of Biological Sciences, NC State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Lily R Barrett
- Dept. of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, United States
| | - John Meitzen
- Dept. of Biological Sciences, NC State University, Raleigh, NC, United States; Center for Human Health and the Environment, NC State University, Raleigh, NC, United States.
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15
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Datta U, Schoenrock SE, Bubier JA, Bogue MA, Jentsch JD, Logan RW, Tarantino LM, Chesler EJ. Prospects for finding the mechanisms of sex differences in addiction with human and model organism genetic analysis. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2020; 19:e12645. [PMID: 32012419 PMCID: PMC7060801 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 01/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Despite substantial evidence for sex differences in addiction epidemiology, addiction-relevant behaviors and associated neurobiological phenomena, the mechanisms and implications of these differences remain unknown. Genetic analysis in model organism is a potentially powerful and effective means of discovering the mechanisms that underlie sex differences in addiction. Human genetic studies are beginning to show precise risk variants that influence the mechanisms of addiction but typically lack sufficient power or neurobiological mechanistic access, particularly for the discovery of the mechanisms that underlie sex differences. Our thesis in this review is that genetic variation in model organisms are a promising approach that can complement these investigations to show the biological mechanisms that underlie sex differences in addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Udita Datta
- Center for Systems Neurogenetics of Addiction, The Jackson LaboratoryBar HarborMaine
| | - Sarah E. Schoenrock
- Center for Systems Neurogenetics of Addiction, Department of GeneticsUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth Carolina
| | - Jason A. Bubier
- Center for Systems Neurogenetics of Addiction, The Jackson LaboratoryBar HarborMaine
| | - Molly A. Bogue
- Center for Systems Neurogenetics of Addiction, The Jackson LaboratoryBar HarborMaine
| | - James D. Jentsch
- Center for Systems Neurogenetics of Addiction, PsychologyState University of New York at BinghamtonBinghamtonNew York
| | - Ryan W. Logan
- Center for Systems Neurogenetics of Addiction, PsychiatryUniversity of Pittsburgh School of MedicinePittsburghPennsylvania
| | - Lisa M. Tarantino
- Center for Systems Neurogenetics of Addiction, Department of GeneticsUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth Carolina
| | - Elissa J. Chesler
- Center for Systems Neurogenetics of Addiction, The Jackson LaboratoryBar HarborMaine
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16
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca M Shansky
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Behavior, Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
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17
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Abstract
Nonclinical studies form the basis for the decision whether to take a therapeutic candidate into the clinic. These studies need to exhibit translational robustness for both ethical and economic reasons. Key findings confirmed in multiple species have a greater chance to also occur in humans. Given the heterogeneity of patient populations, preclinical studies or at least programs comprising multiple studies need to reflect such heterogeneity, e.g., regarding strains, sex, age, and comorbidities of experimental animals. However, introducing such heterogeneity requires larger studies/programs to maintain statistical power in the face of greater variability. In addition to classic sources of bias, e.g., related to lack of randomization and concealment, translational studies face specific sources of potential bias such as that introduced by a model that may not reflect the full spectrum of underlying pathophysiology in patients, that defined by timing of treatment, or that implied in dosing decisions and interspecies differences in pharmacokinetic profiles. The balance of all these factors needs to be considered carefully for each study and program.
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18
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White JD, Kaffman A. The Moderating Effects of Sex on Consequences of Childhood Maltreatment: From Clinical Studies to Animal Models. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:1082. [PMID: 31680821 PMCID: PMC6797834 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.01082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress has pronounced effects on the brain, and thus behavioral outputs. This is particularly true when the stress occurs during vulnerable points in development. A review of the clinical literature regarding the moderating effects of sex on psychopathology in individuals exposed to childhood maltreatment (CM) is complicated by a host of variables that are difficult to quantify and control in clinical settings. As a result, the precise role of sex in moderating the consequences of CM remains elusive. In this review, we explore the rationale for studying this important question and their implications for treatment. We examine this issue using the threat/deprivation conceptual framework and highlight a growing body of work demonstrating important sex differences in human studies and in animal models of early life stress (ELS). The challenges and obstacles for effectively studying this question are reviewed and are followed by recommendations on how to move forward at the clinical and preclinical settings. We hope that this review will help inspire additional studies on this important topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordon D White
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Arie Kaffman
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
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19
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Sanchis-Segura C, Ibañez-Gual MV, Adrián-Ventura J, Aguirre N, Gómez-Cruz ÁJ, Avila C, Forn C. Sex differences in gray matter volume: how many and how large are they really? Biol Sex Differ 2019; 10:32. [PMID: 31262342 PMCID: PMC6604149 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-019-0245-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Studies assessing volumetric sex differences have provided contradictory results. Total intracranial volume (TIV) is a major confounding factor when estimating local volumes of interest (VOIs). We investigated how the number, size, and direction of sex differences in gray matter volume (GMv) vary depending on how TIV variation is statistically handled. Methods Sex differences in the GMv of 116 VOIs were assessed in 356 participants (171 females) without correcting for TIV variation or after adjusting the data with 5 different methods (VBM8 non-linear-only modulation, proportions, power-corrected-proportions, covariation, and the residuals method). The outcomes obtained with these procedures were compared to each other and to those obtained in three criterial subsamples, one comparing female-male pairs matched on their TIV and two others comparing groups of either females or males with large/small TIVs. Linear regression was used to quantify TIV effects on raw GMv and the efficacy of each method in controlling for them. Results Males had larger raw GMv than females in all brain areas, but these differences were driven by direct TIV-VOIs relationships and more closely resembled the differences observed between individuals with large/small TIVs of sex-specific subsamples than the sex differences observed in the TIV-matched subsample. All TIV-adjustment methods reduced the number of sex differences but their results were very different. The VBM8- and the proportions-adjustment methods inverted TIV-VOIs relationships and resulted in larger adjusted volumes in females, promoting sex differences largely attributable to TIV variation and very distinct from those observed in the TIV-matched subsample. The other three methods provided results unrelated to TIV and very similar to those of the TIV-matched subsample. In these datasets, sex differences were bidirectional and achieved satisfactory replication rates in 19 VOIs, but they were “small” (d < ∣0.38∣) and most of them faded away after correcting for multiple comparisons. Conclusions There is not just one answer to the question of how many and how large the sex differences in GMv are, but not all the possible answers are equally valid. When TIV effects are ruled out using appropriate adjustment methods, few sex differences (if any) remain statistically significant, and their size is quite reduced. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13293-019-0245-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Sanchis-Segura
- Departament de Psicologia bàsica, clínica i psicobiologia, Universitat Jaume I, Castelló, Spain.
| | | | - Jesús Adrián-Ventura
- Departament de Psicologia bàsica, clínica i psicobiologia, Universitat Jaume I, Castelló, Spain
| | - Naiara Aguirre
- Departament de Psicologia bàsica, clínica i psicobiologia, Universitat Jaume I, Castelló, Spain
| | | | - César Avila
- Departament de Psicologia bàsica, clínica i psicobiologia, Universitat Jaume I, Castelló, Spain
| | - Cristina Forn
- Departament de Psicologia bàsica, clínica i psicobiologia, Universitat Jaume I, Castelló, Spain
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20
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Karp NA, Reavey N. Sex bias in preclinical research and an exploration of how to change the status quo. Br J Pharmacol 2018; 176:4107-4118. [PMID: 30418665 DOI: 10.1111/bph.14539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2018] [Revised: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
There has been a revolution within clinical trials to include females in the research pipeline. However, there has been limited change in the preclinical arena; yet the research here lays the ground work for the subsequent clinical trials. Sex bias has been highlighted as one of the contributing factors to the poor translation and replicability issues undermining preclinical research. There have been multiple calls for action, and the funders of biomedical research are actively pushing the inclusion of sex as a biological variable. Here, we consider the current standard practice within the preclinical research setting, why there is a movement to include females and why the imbalance exists. We explore organizational change theory as a tool to shape strategies needed at an individual and institute level to change the status quo. The ultimate goal is to create a scientific environment in which our preclinical research automatically implements sex-sensitive approaches. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed section on The Importance of Sex Differences in Pharmacology Research. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v176.21/issuetoc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha A Karp
- Quantitative Biology, Discovery Sciences, IMED Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Neil Reavey
- Council for Science and Animal Welfare, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK.,Drug Safety and Metabolism, IMED Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
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21
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Riecher-Rössler A, Butler S, Kulkarni J. Sex and gender differences in schizophrenic psychoses-a critical review. Arch Womens Ment Health 2018; 21:627-648. [PMID: 29766281 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-018-0847-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Many sex and gender differences in schizophrenic psychoses have been reported, but few have been soundly replicated. A stable finding is the later age of onset in women compared to men. Gender differences in symptomatology, comorbidity, and neurocognition seem to reflect findings in the general population. There is increasing evidence for estrogens being psychoprotective in women and for hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal dysfunction in both sexes.More methodologically sound, longitudinal, multi-domain, interdisciplinary research investigating both sex (biological) and gender (psychosocial) factors is required to better understand the different pathogenesis and etiologies of schizophrenic psychoses in women and men, thereby leading to better tailored treatments and improved outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Riecher-Rössler
- Center of Gender Research and Early Detection, University of Basel Psychiatric Hospital, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Surina Butler
- Faculty of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jayashri Kulkarni
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPrc), Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
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22
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Wilhelm CJ, Hashimoto JG, Roberts ML, Zhang X, Goeke CM, Bloom SH, Guizzetti M. Plasminogen activator system homeostasis and its dysregulation by ethanol in astrocyte cultures and the developing brain. Neuropharmacology 2018; 138:193-209. [PMID: 29885422 PMCID: PMC6310223 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Revised: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 10/30/2022]
Abstract
In utero alcohol exposure can cause fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), characterized by structural brain abnormalities and long-lasting behavioral and cognitive dysfunction. Neuronal plasticity is affected by in utero alcohol exposure and can be modulated by extracellular proteolysis. Plasmin is a major extracellular serine-protease whose activation is tightly regulated by the plasminogen activator (PA) system. In the present study we explored the effect of ethanol on the expression of the main components of the brain PA system in sex-specific cortical astrocyte primary cultures in vitro and in the cortex and hippocampus of post-natal day (PD) 9 male and female rats. We find that ethanol alters the PA system in astrocytes and in the developing brain. In particular, the expression of tissue-type PA (tPA), encoded by the gene Plat, is consistently upregulated by ethanol in astrocytes in vitro and in the cortex and hippocampus in vivo. Astrocytes exhibit endogenous plasmin activity that is increased by ethanol and recombinant tPA and inhibited by tPA silencing. We also find that tPA is expressed by astrocytes of the developing cortex and hippocampus in vivo. All components of the PA system investigated, with the exception of Neuroserpin/Serpini1, are expressed at higher levels in astrocyte cultures than in the developing brain, suggesting that astrocytes are major producers of these proteins in the brain. In conclusion, astrocyte PA system may play a major role in the modulation of neuronal plasticity; ethanol-induced upregulation of tPA levels and plasmin activity may be responsible for altered neuronal plasticity in FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare J Wilhelm
- VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, 97239, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Joel G Hashimoto
- VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, 97239, USA; Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | | | | | - Calla M Goeke
- VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, 97239, USA; Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | | | - Marina Guizzetti
- VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, 97239, USA; Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
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23
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Huitron-Resendiz S, Nadav T, Krause S, Cates-Gatto C, Polis I, Roberts AJ. Effects of Withdrawal from Chronic Intermittent Ethanol Exposure on Sleep Characteristics of Female and Male Mice. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2018; 42:540-550. [PMID: 29265376 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sleep disruptions are an important consequence of alcohol use disorders. There is a dearth of preclinical studies examining sex differences in sleep patterns associated with ethanol (EtOH) dependence despite documented sex differences in alcohol-related behaviors and withdrawal symptoms. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of chronic intermittent EtOH on sleep characteristics in female and male mice. METHODS Female and male C57BL6/J mice had access to EtOH/water 2-bottle choice (2BC) 2 h/d for 3 weeks followed by exposure to EtOH vapor (vapor-2BC) or air for 5 cycles of 4 days. An additional group never experienced EtOH (naïve). Mice were implanted with electroencephalographic (EEG) electrodes, and vigilance states were recorded across 24 hours on the fourth day of withdrawal. The amounts of wakefulness, slow-wave sleep (SWS), and rapid eye movement sleep were calculated, and spectral analysis was performed by fast Fourier transformation. RESULTS Overall, vapor-2BC mice showed a decrease in the amount of SWS 4 days into withdrawal as well as a decrease in the power density of slow waves, indicating disruptions in both the amount and quality of sleep in EtOH-dependent mice. This was associated with a decrease in duration and an increase in number of SWS episodes in males and an increase in latency to sleep in females. CONCLUSIONS Our results revealed overall deficits in sleep regulation in EtOH-dependent mice of both sexes. Female mice appeared to be more affected with regard to the triggering of sleep, while male mice appeared more sensitive to disruptions in the maintenance of sleep.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tali Nadav
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Stephanie Krause
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Chelsea Cates-Gatto
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Ilham Polis
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Amanda J Roberts
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
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Problems and Progress regarding Sex Bias and Omission in Neuroscience Research. eNeuro 2017; 4:eN-NWR-0278-17. [PMID: 29134192 PMCID: PMC5677705 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0278-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2017] [Revised: 10/17/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroscience research has historically ignored female animals. This neglect comes in two general forms. The first is sex bias, defined as favoring one sex over another; in this case, male over female. The second is sex omission, which is the lack of reporting sex. The recognition of this phenomenon has generated fierce debate across the sciences. Here we test whether sex bias and omission are still present in the neuroscience literature, whether studies employing both males and females neglect sex as an experimental variable, and whether sex bias and omission differs between animal models and journals. To accomplish this, we analyzed the largest-ever number of neuroscience articles for sex bias and omission: 6636 articles using mice or rats in 6 journals published from 2010 to 2014. Sex omission is declining, as increasing numbers of articles report sex. Sex bias remains present, as increasing numbers of articles report the sole use of males. Articles using both males and females are also increasing, but few report assessing sex as an experimental variable. Sex bias and omission varies substantially by animal model and journal. These findings are essential for understanding the complex status of sex bias and omission in neuroscience research and may inform effective decisions regarding policy action.
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25
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Considering Sex as a Biological Variable Will Be Valuable for Neuroscience Research. J Neurosci 2017; 36:11817-11822. [PMID: 27881768 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1390-16.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2016] [Revised: 08/08/2016] [Accepted: 08/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The recently implemented National Institutes of Health policy requiring that grant applicants consider sex as a biological variable in the design of basic and preclinical animal research studies has prompted considerable discussion within the neuroscience community. Here, we present reasons to be optimistic that this new policy will be valuable for neuroscience, and we suggest some ways for neuroscientists to think about incorporating sex as a variable in their research.
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26
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Madayag AC, Czarnecki KS, Wangler LM, Robinson DL. Chronic Nicotine Exposure Initiated in Adolescence and Unpaired to Behavioral Context Fails to Enhance Sweetened Ethanol Seeking. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:153. [PMID: 28860980 PMCID: PMC5562684 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Nicotine use in adolescence is pervasive in the United States and, according to the Gateway Hypothesis, may lead to progression towards other addictive substances. Given the prevalence of nicotine and ethanol comorbidity, it is difficult to ascertain if nicotine is a gateway drug for ethanol. Our study investigated the relationship between adolescent exposure to nicotine and whether this exposure alters subsequent alcohol seeking behavior. We hypothesized that rats exposed to nicotine beginning in adolescence would exhibit greater alcohol seeking behavior than non-exposed siblings. To test our hypothesis, beginning at P28, female rats were initially exposed to once daily nicotine (0.4 mg/kg, SC) or saline for 5 days. Following these five initial injections, animals were trained to nose-poke for sucrose reinforcement (10%, w/v), gradually increasing to sweetened ethanol (10% sucrose; 10% ethanol, w/v) on an FR5 reinforcement schedule. Nicotine injections were administered after the behavioral sessions to minimize acute effects of nicotine on operant self-administration. We measured the effects of nicotine exposure on the following aspects of ethanol seeking: self-administration, naltrexone (NTX)-induced decreases, habit-directed behavior, motivation, extinction and reinstatement. Nicotine exposure did not alter self-administration or the effectiveness of NTX to reduce alcohol seeking. Nicotine exposure blocked habit-directed ethanol seeking. Finally, nicotine did not alter extinction learning or cue-induced reinstatement to sweetened ethanol seeking. Our findings suggest that nicotine exposure outside the behavioral context does not escalate ethanol seeking. Further, the Gateway Hypothesis likely applies to scenarios in which nicotine is either self-administered or physiologically active during the behavioral session.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aric C Madayag
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North CarolinaChapel Hill, NC, United States.,Department of Pharmacology, University of North CarolinaChapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Kyle S Czarnecki
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North CarolinaChapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Lynde M Wangler
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North CarolinaChapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Donita L Robinson
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North CarolinaChapel Hill, NC, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, University of North CarolinaChapel Hill, NC, United States
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27
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Petit EI, Michalak Z, Cox R, O'Tuathaigh CMP, Clarke N, Tighe O, Talbot K, Blake D, Joel J, Shaw A, Sheardown SA, Morrison AD, Wilson S, Shapland EM, Henshall DC, Kew JN, Kirby BP, Waddington JL. Dysregulation of Specialized Delay/Interference-Dependent Working Memory Following Loss of Dysbindin-1A in Schizophrenia-Related Phenotypes. Neuropsychopharmacology 2017; 42:1349-1360. [PMID: 27986973 PMCID: PMC5437891 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2016] [Revised: 11/28/2016] [Accepted: 12/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Dysbindin-1, a protein that regulates aspects of early and late brain development, has been implicated in the pathobiology of schizophrenia. As the functional roles of the three major isoforms of dysbindin-1, (A, B, and C) remain unknown, we generated a novel mutant mouse, dys-1A-/-, with selective loss of dysbindin-1A and investigated schizophrenia-related phenotypes in both males and females. Loss of dysbindin-1A resulted in heightened initial exploration and disruption in subsequent habituation to a novel environment, together with heightened anxiety-related behavior in a stressful environment. Loss of dysbindin-1A was not associated with disruption of either long-term (olfactory) memory or spontaneous alternation behavior. However, dys-1A-/- showed enhancement in delay-dependent working memory under high levels of interference relative to controls, ie, impairment in sensitivity to the disruptive effect of such interference. These findings in dys-1A-/- provide the first evidence for differential functional roles for dysbindin-1A vs dysbindin-1C isoforms among phenotypes relevant to the pathobiology of schizophrenia. Future studies should investigate putative sex differences in these phenotypic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie I Petit
- Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
- Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Zuzanna Michalak
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
- Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, University College London Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Rachel Cox
- Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Colm M P O'Tuathaigh
- Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
- School of Medicine, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Niamh Clarke
- Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
- Office of Research and Innovation, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Orna Tighe
- Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Konrad Talbot
- Department of Neurology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Derek Blake
- Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Josephine Joel
- Neurology Centre of Excellence for Drug Discovery, GlaxoSmithKline, Harlow, UK
- Horizon Discovery, Cambridge, UK
| | - Alexander Shaw
- Neurology Centre of Excellence for Drug Discovery, GlaxoSmithKline, Harlow, UK
| | - Steven A Sheardown
- Neurology Centre of Excellence for Drug Discovery, GlaxoSmithKline, Harlow, UK
- Takeda Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Alastair D Morrison
- Neurology Centre of Excellence for Drug Discovery, GlaxoSmithKline, Harlow, UK
- Worldwide Business Development, GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage, UK
| | - Stephen Wilson
- Neurology Centre of Excellence for Drug Discovery, GlaxoSmithKline, Harlow, UK
- Laboratory Animal Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage, UK
| | - Ellen M Shapland
- Neurology Centre of Excellence for Drug Discovery, GlaxoSmithKline, Harlow, UK
| | - David C Henshall
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - James N Kew
- Neurology Centre of Excellence for Drug Discovery, GlaxoSmithKline, Harlow, UK
| | - Brian P Kirby
- School of Pharmacy, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - John L Waddington
- Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Translational Research & Therapy for Neuro-Psychiatric-Disorders and Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
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28
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Joel D, McCarthy MM. Incorporating Sex As a Biological Variable in Neuropsychiatric Research: Where Are We Now and Where Should We Be? Neuropsychopharmacology 2017; 42:379-385. [PMID: 27240659 PMCID: PMC5399245 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.79] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2016] [Revised: 05/17/2016] [Accepted: 05/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the multiplicity of ways in which sex can alter the brain is essential to crafting policies and treatments that are beneficial for all human beings. This is particularly true for the field of neuropsychopharmacology, as many neuropsychiatric disorders exhibit gender bias in the frequency, severity, or response to treatment. The goal of this circumspective is to provide two views on the current state of the art of the relations between sex and the brain, relations that are studied almost exclusively by comparing females and males on specific end points, from gene expression to behavior. We start by suggesting a framework for defining what is being measured and what it means. We suggest that 'sex differences' can be classified on four dimensions: (1) persistent vs transient across the lifespan; (2) context independent vs dependent; (3) dimorphic vs continuous; and (4) a direct vs an indirect consequence of sex. To accurately classify a sex difference along these dimensions, one may need to compare females and males under varied conditions. We next discuss current data on the mechanisms of sexual differentiation of the brain and on sex differences in the brain to conclude that the brain of each male and female is a mosaic of relative masculinization, feminization, and sameness, which theoretically could produce an infinite variety of individuals. We also raise the possibility that sex differences in the brain are canalized, which may act to both enhance and restrain variation between males and females. We end by discussing ways to consider sex when studying neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daphna Joel
- School of Psychological Sciences and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel,School of Psychological Sciences and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel, Tel: +972 3 640 8996, Fax: +972 3 640 9547, E-mail:
| | - Margaret M McCarthy
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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29
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Exposure to sevoflurane anesthesia during development does not impair aspects of attention during adulthood in rats. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2016; 60:87-94. [PMID: 27919700 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2016.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2016] [Revised: 10/31/2016] [Accepted: 11/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to general anesthetic agents during development has been associated with neurotoxicity and long-term behavioral impairments in rodents and non-human primates. The phenotype of anesthetic-induced cognitive impairment has a robust learning and memory component, however less is known about other psychological domains. Data from retrospective human patient studies suggest that children undergoing multiple procedures requiring general anesthesia are at increased risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. We therefore assessed whether single or repeated exposures of neonatal rats to general anesthesia caused long-term attentional impairments. Female or male Long-Evans pups were exposed to 2.5% sevoflurane for 2h on postnatal day (P) 7, or for 2h each on P7, P10 and P13. Rats were behaviorally tested in late adolescence on the sustained attention task and on the attentional set shifting task. There was no compelling evidence for anesthetic-induced impairment in attentional processing in adult rats exposed to general anesthesia as neonates. These results suggest that, at least at the developmental stage tested here, the phenotype of anesthetic-induced cognitive impairment does not involve disruptions to attentional processing.
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30
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Gobinath AR, Choleris E, Galea LA. Sex, hormones, and genotype interact to influence psychiatric disease, treatment, and behavioral research. J Neurosci Res 2016; 95:50-64. [DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2016] [Revised: 07/08/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Aarthi R. Gobinath
- Centre for Brain Health, Program in Neuroscience; University of British Columbia; Vancouver British Columbia V6T1Z3 Canada
| | - Elena Choleris
- Department of Psychology; University of Guelph; Guelph Ontario N1G 2W1 Canada
| | - Liisa A.M. Galea
- Centre for Brain Health, Program in Neuroscience; University of British Columbia; Vancouver British Columbia V6T1Z3 Canada
- Department of Psychology; University of British Columbia; Vancouver British Columbia V6T1Z3 Canada
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31
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Zakiniaeiz Y, Cosgrove KP, Potenza MN, Mazure CM. Balance of the Sexes: Addressing Sex Differences in Preclinical Research. THE YALE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2016; 89:255-9. [PMID: 27354851 PMCID: PMC4918870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Preclinical research is fundamental for the advancement of biomedical sciences and enhancing healthcare. Considering sex differences in all studies throughout the entire biomedical research pipeline is necessary to adequately inform clinical research and improve health outcomes. However, there is a paucity of information to date on sex differences in preclinical work. As of 2009, most (about 80 percent) rodent studies across 10 fields of biology were still conducted with only male animals. In 2016, the National Institutes of Health implemented a policy aimed to address this concern by requiring the consideration of sex as a biological variable in preclinical research grant applications. This perspective piece aims to (1) provide a brief history of female inclusion in biomedical research, (2) describe the importance of studying sex differences, (3) explain possible reasons for opposition of female inclusion, and (4) present potential additional solutions to reduce sex bias in preclinical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin Zakiniaeiz
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT,To whom all correspondence should be addressed: Yasmin Zakiniaeiz, 1 Church Street, Suite 721, New Haven, CT 06510; Tel: 203-737-3448;
| | - Kelly P. Cosgrove
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT,Department of Radiology and Bioimaging, Yale University, New Haven, CT,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CT,Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Marc N. Potenza
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CT,Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT,Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT,CASAColumbia, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT,Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT,Women’s Health Research at Yale, New Haven, CT
| | - Carolyn M. Mazure
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CT,Women’s Health Research at Yale, New Haven, CT
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32
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Guizzetti M, Davies DL, Egli M, Finn DA, Molina P, Regunathan S, Robinson DL, Sohrabji F. Sex and the Lab: An Alcohol-Focused Commentary on the NIH Initiative to Balance Sex in Cell and Animal Studies. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2016; 40:1182-91. [PMID: 27154003 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2016] [Accepted: 03/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In May 2014, Dr. Francis Collins, the director of U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Dr. Janine Clayton, the director of the U.S. National Institutes of Health Office of Research on Women's Health, published a commentary in the journal Nature announcing new policies to ensure that preclinical research funded by the NIH considers both males and females. While these policies are still developing, they have already generated great interest by the scientific community and triggered both criticism and applause. This review provides a description and interpretation of the NIH guidelines, and it traces the history that led to their implementation. As expected, this NIH initiative generated some anxiety in the scientific community. The use of female animals in the investigation of basic mechanisms is perceived to increase variability in the results, and the use of both sexes has been claimed to slow the pace of scientific discoveries and to increase the cost at a time characterized by declining research support. This review discusses issues related to the study of sex as a biological variable (SABV) in alcohol studies and provides examples of how researchers have successfully addressed some of them. A practical strategy is provided to include both sexes in biomedical research while maintaining control of the research direction. The inclusion of sex as an important biological variable in experimental design, analysis, and reporting of preclinical alcohol research is likely to lead to a better understanding of alcohol pharmacology and the development of alcohol use disorder, may promote drug discovery for new pharmacotherapies by increasing scientific rigor, and may provide clinical benefit to women's health. This review aims to promote the understanding of the NIH's SABV guidelines and to provide alcohol researchers with a theoretical and practical framework for working with both sexes in preclinical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Guizzetti
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, Oregon
| | - Daryl L Davies
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Mark Egli
- Division of Neuroscience and Behavior, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Deborah A Finn
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, Oregon
| | - Patricia Molina
- Department of Physiology and Alcohol and Drug Abuse Center of Excellence , Louisiana State University, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Soundar Regunathan
- Division of Neuroscience and Behavior, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Donita L Robinson
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies and Department of Psychiatry , University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Farida Sohrabji
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics , Texas A&M, Bryan, Texas
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33
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Exposure to acute stress enhances decision-making competence: Evidence for the role of DHEA. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 67:51-60. [PMID: 26874561 PMCID: PMC4808381 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.01.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2015] [Revised: 01/30/2016] [Accepted: 01/31/2016] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to acute stress can impact performance on numerous cognitive abilities, but little is known about how acute stress affects real-world decision-making ability. In the present study, we induced acute stress with a standard laboratory task involving uncontrollable socio-evaluative stress and subsequently assessed decision-making ability using the Adult Decision Making Competence index. In addition, we took baseline and post-test saliva samples from participants to examine associations between decision-making competence and adrenal hormones. Participants in the stress induction group showed enhanced decision-making competence, relative to controls. Further, although both cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) reactivity predicted decision-making competence when considered in isolation, DHEA was a significantly better predictor than cortisol when both hormones were considered simultaneously. Thus, our results show that exposure to acute stress can have beneficial effects on the cognitive ability underpinning real-world decision-making and that this effect relates to DHEA reactivity more than cortisol.
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34
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Galea LAM, Frick KM, Hampson E, Sohrabji F, Choleris E. Why estrogens matter for behavior and brain health. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 76:363-379. [PMID: 27039345 PMCID: PMC5045786 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.03.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2016] [Revised: 03/21/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has required the inclusion of women in clinical studies since 1993, which has enhanced our understanding of how biological sex affects certain medical conditions and allowed the development of sex-specific treatment protocols. However, NIH's policy did not previously apply to basic research, and the NIH recently introduced a new policy requiring all new grant applications to explicitly address sex as a biological variable. The policy itself is grounded in the results of numerous investigations in animals and humans illustrating the existence of sex differences in the brain and behavior, and the importance of sex hormones, particularly estrogens, in regulating physiology and behavior. Here, we review findings from our laboratories, and others, demonstrating how estrogens influence brain and behavior in adult females. Research from subjects throughout the adult lifespan on topics ranging from social behavior, learning and memory, to disease risk will be discussed to frame an understanding of why estrogens matter to behavioral neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liisa A M Galea
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T1Z4, Canada.
| | - Karyn M Frick
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, United States
| | - Elizabeth Hampson
- Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5C2, Canada
| | - Farida Sohrabji
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M HSC College of Medicine, Bryan, TX 77807, United States
| | - Elena Choleris
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
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35
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Tannenbaum C, Schwarz JM, Clayton JA, de Vries GJ, Sullivan C. Evaluating sex as a biological variable in preclinical research: the devil in the details. Biol Sex Differ 2016; 7:13. [PMID: 26870316 PMCID: PMC4750169 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-016-0066-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2015] [Accepted: 02/03/2016] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Translating policy into action is a complex task, with much debate surrounding the process whereby US and Canadian health funding agencies intend to integrate sex and gender science as an integral component of methodological rigor and reporting in health research. Effective January 25, 2016, the US National Institutes of Health implemented a policy that expects scientists to account for the possible role of sex as a biological variable (SABV) in vertebrate animal and human studies. Applicants for NIH-funded research and career development awards will be asked to explain how they plan to factor consideration of SABV into their research design, analysis, and reporting; strong justification will be required for proposing single-sex studies. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research is revising their peer review accreditation process to ensure that peer reviewers are skilled in applying a critical lens to protocols that should be incorporating sex and gender science. The current paper outlines the components that peer reviewers in North America will be asked to assess when considering whether SABV is appropriately integrated into research designs, analyses, and reporting. Consensus argues against narrowly defining rules of engagement in applying SABV, with criteria provided for reviewers as guidance only. Scores will not be given for each criterion; applications will be judged on the overall merit of scientific innovation, rigor, reproducibility, and potential impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara Tannenbaum
- Institute of Gender and Health, The Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Montreal, Canada
| | - Jaclyn M Schwarz
- Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE USA ; Organization for the Study of Sex Differences, USA
| | - Janine A Clayton
- U.S. National Institutes of Health Office of Research on Women's Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Geert J de Vries
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA USA ; Organization for the Study of Sex Differences, USA
| | - Casey Sullivan
- U.S. National Institutes of Health Office of Research on Women's Health, Bethesda, MD USA
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