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Diehl MM, Moscarello JM, Trask S. Behavioral outputs and overlapping circuits between conditional fear and active avoidance. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2024; 213:107943. [PMID: 38821256 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2024.107943] [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: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 05/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Aversive learning can produce a wide variety of defensive behavioral responses depending on the circumstances, ranging from reactive responses like freezing to proactive avoidance responses. While most of this initial learning is behaviorally supported by an expectancy of an aversive outcome and neurally supported by activity within the basolateral amygdala, activity in other brain regions become necessary for the execution of defensive strategies that emerge in other aversive learning paradigms such as active avoidance. Here, we review the neural circuits that support both reactive and proactive defensive behaviors that are motivated by aversive learning, and identify commonalities between the neural substrates of these distinct (and often exclusive) behavioral strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria M Diehl
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | | | - Sydney Trask
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA; Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
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2
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Park EH, Jo YS, Kim EJ, Park EH, Lee KJ, Rhyu IJ, Kim HT, Choi JS. Heterogenous effect of early adulthood stress on cognitive aging and synaptic function in the dentate gyrus. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 17:1344141. [PMID: 38638601 PMCID: PMC11024304 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1344141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Cognitive aging widely varies among individuals due to different stress experiences throughout the lifespan and vulnerability of neurocognitive mechanisms. To understand the heterogeneity of cognitive aging, we investigated the effect of early adulthood stress (EAS) on three different hippocampus-dependent memory tasks: the novel object recognition test (assessing recognition memory: RM), the paired association test (assessing episodic-like memory: EM), and trace fear conditioning (assessing trace memory: TM). Two-month-old rats were exposed to chronic mild stress for 6 weeks and underwent behavioral testing either 2 weeks or 20 months later. The results show that stress and aging impaired different types of memory tasks to varying degrees. RM is affected by combined effect of stress and aging. EM became less precise in EAS animals. TM, especially the contextual memory, showed impairment in aging although EAS attenuated the aging effect, perhaps due to its engagement in emotional memory systems. To further explore the neural underpinnings of these multi-faceted effects, we measured long-term potentiation (LTP), neural density, and synaptic density in the dentate gyrus (DG). Both stress and aging reduced LTP. Additionally, the synaptic density per neuron showed a further reduction in the stress aged group. In summary, EAS modulates different forms of memory functions perhaps due to their substantial or partial dependence on the functional integrity of the hippocampus. The current results suggest that lasting alterations in hippocampal circuits following EAS could potentially generate remote effects on individual variability in cognitive aging, as demonstrated by performance in multiple types of memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun Hye Park
- School of Psychology, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Yong Sang Jo
- School of Psychology, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Joo Kim
- School of Psychology, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Eui Ho Park
- Department of Anatomy, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kea Joo Lee
- Department of Structure and Function of Neural Network, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Im Joo Rhyu
- Department of Anatomy, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Taek Kim
- School of Psychology, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - June-Seek Choi
- School of Psychology, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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3
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Santos TB, Kramer-Soares JC, Coelho CAO, Oliveira MGM. Temporal association activates projections from the perirhinal cortex and ventral CA1 to the prelimbic cortex and from the prelimbic cortex to the basolateral amygdala. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:11456-11470. [PMID: 37823340 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad375] [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: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
In trace fear conditioning, the prelimbic cortex exhibits persistent activity during the interval between the conditioned and unconditioned stimuli, which maintains a conditioned stimulus representation. Regions cooperating for this function or encoding the conditioned stimulus before the interval could send inputs to the prelimbic cortex, supporting learning. The basolateral amygdala has conditioned stimulus- and unconditioned stimulus-responsive neurons, convergently activated. The prelimbic cortex could directly project to the basolateral amygdala to associate the transient memory of the conditioned stimulus with the unconditioned stimulus. We investigated the neuronal circuit supporting temporal associations using contextual fear conditioning with a 5-s interval, in which 5 s separates the contextual conditioned stimulus from the unconditioned stimulus. Injecting retrobeads, we quantified c-Fos in prelimbic cortex- or basolateral amygdala-projecting neurons from 9 regions after contextual fear conditioning with a 5-s interval or contextual fear conditioning, in which the conditioned and unconditioned stimuli overlap. The contextual fear conditioning with a 5-s interval activated ventral CA1 and perirhinal cortex neurons projecting to the prelimbic cortex and prelimbic cortex neurons projecting to basolateral amygdala. Both fear conditioning activated ventral CA1 and lateral entorhinal cortex neurons projecting to basolateral amygdala and basolateral amygdala neurons projecting to prelimbic cortex. The perirhinal cortex → prelimbic cortex and ventral CA1 → prelimbic cortex connections are the first identified prelimbic cortex afferent projections participating in temporal associations. These results help to understand time-linked memories, a process required in episodic and working memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thays B Santos
- Departamento de Psicobiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-UNIFESP, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Juliana C Kramer-Soares
- Departamento de Psicobiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-UNIFESP, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
- Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul-UNICSUL, São Paulo 08060-070, Brazil
| | - Cesar A O Coelho
- Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Maria G M Oliveira
- Departamento de Psicobiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-UNIFESP, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
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Melo MBD, Favaro VM, Oliveira MGM. The contextual fear conditioning consolidation depends on the functional interaction of the dorsal subiculum and basolateral amygdala in rats. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2023; 205:107827. [PMID: 37678544 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2023.107827] [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: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Fear conditioning tasks enable us to explore the neural basis of adaptative and maladaptive behaviors related to aversive memories. Recently, we provided the first evidence of the dorsal subiculum (DSub) involvement in contextual fear conditioning (CFC) consolidation by showing that the post-training bilateral NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor blockade in DSub impaired the performance of animals in the test session. As the memory consolidation process depends on the coordinated engagement of different brain regions, and the DSub share reciprocal projections with the basolateral amygdala (BLA), which is also involved in CFC, it is possible that the functional interaction between these sites can be relevant for the consolidation of this task. In this sense, the present study aimed to explore the effects of the functional disconnection of the DSub and BLA in the CFC consolidation after NMDA post-training blockade. In addition, to verify if the observed effects were due to spatial representation processes mediated by the DSub, we employed a hippocampal-independent procedure: tone fear conditioning (TFC). Results showed that the functional disconnection of these regions by post-training NMDA blockade impaired CFC consolidation, whereas there was no impairment in TFC. Altogether, the present data suggest that the DSub and BLA would functionally interact through NMDA-related synaptic plasticity to support CFC consolidation probably due to DSub-related spatial processing showing that the TFC consolidation was not disrupted. This work contributes to filling a gap of studies exploring the DSub involvement in fear conditioning by providing a broad framework of the subicular-amygdaloid connection functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Márcio Braga de Melo
- Departamento de Psicobiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - Vanessa Manchim Favaro
- Setor de Investigação de Doenças Neuromusculares, Departamento de Neurologia e Neurocirurgia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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Zuluaga MJ, Agrati D, Athaíde V, Ferreira A, Uriarte N. Fear response of rat pups to a non-aversive social stimulus: Evidence for the involvement of memory processes. Dev Psychobiol 2023; 65:e22417. [PMID: 37860902 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22417] [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: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Learning processes in rats during early development are importantly mediated by the mother, which represents the primary source of environmental information. This study aimed to determine whether aversive early experiences can induce the expression of pups' fear responses toward a non-aversive stimulus as a consequence of a memory process. First, we determined pups' fear responses toward an anesthetized female after being exposed to this stimulus or an empty cage together with their mothers from Postnatal Day (PNDs) 1 to 4. Second, we evaluated if the administration of the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide (CHX; 0.2 mg/kg, subcutaneously (sc).) disrupted the reconsolidation processes and abolished the fear response on PND 9. Only female pups previously exposed to the female intruder expressed fear responses toward an anesthetized female on PND 8. CHX administration to female pups immediately after exposure to an anesthetized female on PND 8 suppressed fear responses on PND 9, indicating that the fear expression was the result of a memory process, probably mediated by the mother. These findings demonstrated that early experiences can shape responses to social stimuli in a sex-dependent manner and emphasize the critical role of the mother in influencing fear learning in a social context.
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Affiliation(s)
- María José Zuluaga
- Biofisicoquímica, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Centro Universitario Regional Litoral Norte-Sede Salto, Universidad de la República, Salto, Uruguay
- Sección Fisiología y Nutrición, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Daniella Agrati
- Sección Fisiología y Nutrición, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Vanessa Athaíde
- Sección Fisiología y Nutrición, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Annabel Ferreira
- Sección Fisiología y Nutrición, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Natalia Uriarte
- Laboratorio de Neurociencias, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
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Celorrio M, Friess SH. Chemogenetic inhibition of amygdala excitatory neurons impairs rhEPO-enhanced contextual fear memory after TBI. Neurosci Lett 2023; 804:137216. [PMID: 36997018 PMCID: PMC10518055 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137216] [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: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Erythropoietin (EPO) is a hypoxia-responsive cytokine that induces neuroprotective effect in hypoxic-ischaemic, traumatic, excitotoxic and inflammatory injuries. Recently, utilizing a clinically relevant murine model of TBI and delayed hypoxemia, we have found that ongoing recombinant human EPO (rhEPO) administration influenced neurogenesis, neuroprotection, synaptic density and, behavioral outcomes early after TBI, and the impact on long-lasting outcomes 6 months after injury. We also demonstrated that the 1-month behavioral improvement was associated with mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) signaling activation and increased of excitatory synaptic density in the amygdala. However, we did not uncover which type of cells were involved in fear memory response enhancement after rhEPO treatment in the setting of TBI with delayed hypoxemia. In this report, using chemogenetic tools in our controlled cortical impact (CCI) model, we were able to inactivate excitatory neurons and eliminate rhEPO-induced fear memory recall enhancement. In summary, these data demonstrate that rhEPO treatment initiated after TBI enhances contextual fear memory in the injured brain via activation of excitatory neurons in the amygdala.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Celorrio
- One Children's Place, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, Campus Box 8208, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
| | - Stuart H Friess
- One Children's Place, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, Campus Box 8208, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
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Cassaday HJ, Muir C, Stevenson CW, Bonardi C, Hock R, Waite L. From safety to frustration: The neural substrates of inhibitory learning in aversive and appetitive conditioning procedures. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2023; 202:107757. [PMID: 37044368 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2023.107757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Inhibitory associative learning counters the effects of excitatory learning, whether appetitively or aversively motivated. Moreover, the affective responses accompanying the inhibitory associations are of opponent valence to the excitatory conditioned responses. Inhibitors for negative aversive outcomes (e.g. shock) signal safety, while inhibitors for appetitive outcomes (e.g. food reward) elicit frustration and/or disappointment. This raises the question as to whether studies using appetitive and aversive conditioning procedures should demonstrate the same neural substrates for inhibitory learning. We review the neural substrates of appetitive and aversive inhibitory learning as measured in different procedural variants and in the context of the underpinning excitatory conditioning on which it depends. The mesocorticolimbic dopamine pathways, retrosplenial cortex and hippocampus are consistently implicated in inhibitory learning. Further neural substrates identified in some procedural variants may be related to the specific motivation of the learning task and modalities of the learning cues. Finally, we consider the translational implications of our understanding of the neural substrates of inhibitory learning, for obesity and addictions as well as for anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - C Muir
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham; School of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, University of Bristol
| | | | - C Bonardi
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham
| | - R Hock
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham
| | - L Waite
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham
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8
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Santos TB, Kramer-Soares JC, Oliveira MGM. Contextual fear conditioning with a time interval induces CREB phosphorylation in the dorsal hippocampus and amygdala nuclei that depend on prelimbic cortex activity. Hippocampus 2023. [PMID: 36847108 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
In temporal associations, a conditioned stimulus (CS) is separated by a time interval from the unconditioned stimulus (US), which activates the prelimbic cortex (PL) to maintain a CS representation over time. However, it is unknown whether the PL participates, besides the encoding, in the memory consolidation, and thus directly, with activity-dependent changes or indirectly, by modulation of activity-dependent changes in other brain regions. We investigated brain regions supporting the consolidation of associations with intervals and the influence of PL activity in this consolidation process. For this, we observed in Wistar rats the effect of pre-training PL inactivation by muscimol in CREB (cAMP response element-binding protein) phosphorylation, which is essential for memory consolidation, in subdivisions of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), hippocampus, and amygdala 3 h after the training in the contextual fear conditioning (CFC) or CFC with 5-s interval (CFC-5s), fear associations without or with an interval between the CS and US, respectively. Both the CFC-5s and CFC training increased phosphorylation of CREB in the PL and infralimbic cortex (IL); lateral (LA) and basolateral (BLA) amygdala; dorsal CA1 (dCA1); dorsal (dDG), and ventral dentate gyrus, and the CFC-5s training in the central amygdala (CEA). PL activity was necessary for the CREB phosphorylation in the PL, BLA, CEA, dCA1, and dDG only in animals trained in the CFC-5s. The cingulate cortex, ventral CA1, and ventral subiculum did not have learning-induced phosphorylation of CREB. These results suggest that the mPFC, hippocampus, and amygdala support the consolidation of associations with or without intervals and that PL activity influences consolidation in the dorsal hippocampus and amygdala in temporal associations. Thereby, the PL contributes directly and indirectly by modulation to memory consolidation. The time interval engaged the PL early in recent memory consolidation. Results expanded PL's role beyond the time interval and remote memory consolidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thays Brenner Santos
- Departamento de Psicobiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo - UNIFESP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Juliana Carlota Kramer-Soares
- Departamento de Psicobiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo - UNIFESP, São Paulo, Brazil.,Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul - UNICSUL, São Paulo, Brazil
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9
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Wehrli JM, Xia Y, Gerster S, Bach DR. Measuring human trace fear conditioning. Psychophysiology 2022; 59:e14119. [PMID: 35675529 PMCID: PMC9787976 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Trace fear conditioning is an important research paradigm to model aversive learning in biological or clinical scenarios, where predictors (conditioned stimuli, CS) and aversive outcomes (unconditioned stimuli, US) are separated in time. The optimal measurement of human trace fear conditioning, and in particular of memory retention after consolidation, is currently unclear. We conducted two identical experiments (N1 = 28, N2 = 28) with a 15-s trace interval and a recall test 1 week after acquisition, while recording several psychophysiological observables. In a calibration approach, we explored which learning and memory measures distinguished CS+ and CS- in the first experiment and confirmed the most sensitive measures in the second experiment. We found that in the recall test without reinforcement, only fear-potentiated startle but not skin conductance, pupil size, heart period, or respiration amplitude, differentiated CS+ and CS-. During acquisition without startle probes, skin conductance responses and pupil size responses but not heart period or respiration amplitude differentiated CS+ and CS-. As a side finding, there was no evidence for extinction of fear-potentiated startle over 30 trials without reinforcement. These results may be useful to inform future substantive research using human trace fear conditioning protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena M. Wehrli
- Computational Psychiatry Research, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric HospitalUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Yanfang Xia
- Computational Psychiatry Research, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric HospitalUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Samuel Gerster
- Computational Psychiatry Research, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric HospitalUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Dominik R. Bach
- Computational Psychiatry Research, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric HospitalUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland,Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging & Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing ResearchUniversity College LondonLondonUK
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10
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Hernandez CM, Jackson NL, Hernandez AR, McMahon LL. Impairments in Fear Extinction Memory and Basolateral Amygdala Plasticity in the TgF344-AD Rat Model of Alzheimer's Disease Are Distinct from Nonpathological Aging. eNeuro 2022; 9:ENEURO.0181-22.2022. [PMID: 35998297 PMCID: PMC9239848 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0181-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Fear-based disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) steepen age-related cognitive decline and double the risk for developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). Because of the seemingly hyperactive properties of fear memories, PTSD symptoms can worsen with age. Perturbations in the synaptic circuitry supporting fear memory extinction are key neural substrates of PTSD. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) is a medial temporal lobe structure that is critical in the encoding, consolidation, and retrieval of fear memories. As little is known about fear extinction memory and BLA synaptic dysfunction within the context of aging and AD, the goal of this study was to investigate how fear extinction memory deficits and basal amygdaloid nucleus (BA) synaptic dysfunction differentially associate in nonpathologic aging and AD in the TgF344AD (TgAD) rat model of AD. Young, middle-aged, and older-aged WT and TgAD rats were trained on a delay fear conditioning and extinction procedure before ex vivo extracellular field potential recording experiments in the BA. Relative to young WT rats, long-term extinction memory was impaired, and in general, was associated with a hyperexcitable BA and impaired LTP in TgAD rats at all ages. In contrast, long-term extinction memory was impaired in aged WT rats and was associated with impaired LTP but not BA hyperexcitability. Interestingly, the middle-aged TgAD rats showed intact short-term extinction and BA LTP, which is suggestive of a compensatory mechanism, whereas differential neural recruitment in older-aged WT rats may have facilitated short-term extinction. As such, associations between fear extinction memory and amygdala deficits in nonpathologic aging and AD are dissociable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caesar M Hernandez
- Department of Cellular, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294-0006
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294-2182
| | - Nateka L Jackson
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294-2182
| | - Abbi R Hernandez
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294-2182
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294
| | - Lori L McMahon
- Department of Cellular, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294-0006
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294-2182
- Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294
- Integrative Center for Aging Research, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294
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11
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Marks WD, Yokose J, Kitamura T, Ogawa SK. Neuronal Ensembles Organize Activity to Generate Contextual Memory. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:805132. [PMID: 35368306 PMCID: PMC8965349 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.805132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Contextual learning is a critical component of episodic memory and important for living in any environment. Context can be described as the attributes of a location that are not the location itself. This includes a variety of non-spatial information that can be derived from sensory systems (sounds, smells, lighting, etc.) and internal state. In this review, we first address the behavioral underpinnings of contextual memory and the development of context memory theory, with a particular focus on the contextual fear conditioning paradigm as a means of assessing contextual learning and the underlying processes contributing to it. We then present the various neural centers that play roles in contextual learning. We continue with a discussion of the current knowledge of the neural circuitry and physiological processes that underlie contextual representations in the Entorhinal cortex-Hippocampal (EC-HPC) circuit, as the most well studied contributor to contextual memory, focusing on the role of ensemble activity as a representation of context with a description of remapping, and pattern separation and completion in the processing of contextual information. We then discuss other critical regions involved in contextual memory formation and retrieval. We finally consider the engram assembly as an indicator of stored contextual memories and discuss its potential contribution to contextual memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- William D. Marks
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Jun Yokose
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Takashi Kitamura
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Sachie K. Ogawa
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
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12
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Herbst MR, Twining RC, Gilmartin MR. Ventral hippocampal shock encoding modulates the expression of trace cued fear. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2022; 190:107610. [PMID: 35302040 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2022.107610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The hippocampus is crucial for associative fear learning when the anticipation of threat requires temporal or contextual binding of predictive stimuli as in trace and contextual fear conditioning. Compared with the dorsal hippocampus, far less is known about the contribution of the ventral hippocampus to fear learning. The ventral hippocampus, which is highly interconnected with defensive and emotional networks, has a prominent role in both innate and learned affective behaviors including anxiety, fear, and reward. Lesions or temporary inactivation of the ventral hippocampus impair both cued and contextual fear learning, but whether the ventral hippocampal role in learning is driven by affective processing, associative encoding, or both is not clear. Here, we used trace fear conditioning in mixed sex cohorts to assess the contribution of shock-encoding to the acquisition of cued and contextual fear memories. Trace conditioning requires subjects to associate an auditory conditional stimulus (CS) with a shock unconditional stimulus (UCS) that are separated in time by a 20-s trace interval. We first recorded neuronal activity in the ventral hippocampus during trace fear conditioning and found that ventral CA1 predominantly encoded the shock reinforcer. Potentiated firing to the CS was evident at testing, but no encoding of the trace interval was observed. We then tested the necessity of shock encoding for conditional fear acquisition by optogenetically silencing ventral hippocampal activity during the UCS on each trial of training. Contrary to our predictions, preventing hippocampal shock-evoked firing did not impair associative fear. Instead, it led to a more prolonged expression of CS freezing across test trials, an effect observed in males, but not females. Contextual fear learning was largely intact, although a subset of animals in each sex were differentially affected by shock-silencing. Taken together, the results show that shock encoding in the ventral hippocampus modulates the expression of learned fear in a sex-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R Herbst
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA
| | - Robert C Twining
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA
| | - Marieke R Gilmartin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA.
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13
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Namkung H, Thomas KL, Hall J, Sawa A. Parsing neural circuits of fear learning and extinction across basic and clinical neuroscience: Towards better translation. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 134:104502. [PMID: 34921863 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Over the past decades, studies of fear learning and extinction have advanced our understanding of the neurobiology of threat and safety learning. Animal studies can provide mechanistic/causal insights into human brain regions and their functional connectivity involved in fear learning and extinction. Findings in humans, conversely, may further enrich our understanding of neural circuits in animals by providing macroscopic insights at the level of brain-wide networks. Nevertheless, there is still much room for improvement in translation between basic and clinical research on fear learning and extinction. Through the lens of neural circuits, in this article, we aim to review the current knowledge of fear learning and extinction in both animals and humans, and to propose strategies to fill in the current knowledge gap for the purpose of enhancing clinical benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ho Namkung
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Kerrie L Thomas
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK; School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Jeremy Hall
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK; School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Akira Sawa
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
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Oberländer K, Witte V, Mallien AS, Gass P, Bengtson CP, Bading H. Dysregulation of Npas4 and Inhba expression and an altered excitation-inhibition balance are associated with cognitive deficits in DBA/2 mice. Learn Mem 2022; 29:55-70. [PMID: 35042829 PMCID: PMC8774195 DOI: 10.1101/lm.053527.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Differences in the learning associated transcriptional profiles between mouse strains with distinct learning abilities could provide insight into the molecular basis of learning and memory. The inbred mouse strain DBA/2 shows deficits in hippocampus-dependent memory, yet the transcriptional responses to learning and the underlying mechanisms of the impairments are unknown. Comparing DBA/2J mice with the reference standard C57BL/6N mouse strain we verify an enhanced susceptibility to kainic acid induced seizures, confirm impairments in hippocampus-dependent spatial memory tasks and uncover additional behavioral abnormalities including deficits in hippocampus-independent learning. Surprisingly, we found no broad dysfunction of the DBA/2J strain in immediate early gene (IEG) activation but instead report brain region-specific and gene-specific alterations. The learning-associated IEGs Arc, c-Fos, and Nr4a1 showed no DBA/2J deficits in basal or synaptic activity induced gene expression in hippocampal or cortical primary neuronal cultures or in the CA1, CA3, or retrosplenial cortex following spatial object recognition (SOR) training in vivo. However, the parietal cortex showed reduced and the dentate gyrus showed enhanced SOR-evoked induction of most IEGs. All DBA/2J hippocampal regions exhibited elevated basal expression of inhibin β A (Inhba) and a learning-associated superinduction of the transcription factor neuronal Per-Arnt-Sim domain protein 4 (Npas4) known to regulate the synaptic excitation-inhibition balance. In line with this, CA1 pyramidal neurons of DBA/2J mice showed fewer inhibitory and more excitatory miniature postsynaptic currents but no alteration in most other electrophysiological properties or gross dendritic morphology. The dysregulation of Npas4 and Inhba expression and synaptic connectivity may underlie the cognitive deficits and increased susceptibility to seizures of DBA/2J mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Oberländer
- Department of Neurobiology, Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences (IZN), Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Victoria Witte
- Department of Neurobiology, Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences (IZN), Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anne Stephanie Mallien
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Research Group Animal Models in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Peter Gass
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Research Group Animal Models in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - C. Peter Bengtson
- Department of Neurobiology, Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences (IZN), Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hilmar Bading
- Department of Neurobiology, Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences (IZN), Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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15
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Lutas A, Fernando K, Zhang SX, Sambangi A, Andermann ML. History-dependent dopamine release increases cAMP levels in most basal amygdala glutamatergic neurons to control learning. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110297. [PMID: 35081349 PMCID: PMC8867603 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Dopaminergic inputs to basal amygdala (BA) instruct learning of motivational salience. This learning depends on intracellular plasticity signals such as cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), which is regulated by activation of dopamine receptors. We examine the dynamics of dopamine release and downstream signaling during multiple salient events occurring within tens of seconds. We perform real-time tracking and manipulation of cAMP in BA neurons in vitro and in vivo. Optogenetically evoked release of dopamine drives proportional increases in cAMP in almost all BA glutamatergic neurons, suggesting widespread actions of dopamine across neurons preferring positive or negative valence. This cAMP response decreases across trials with short intertrial intervals owing to depression of dopamine release. No such depression is evident when photostimulating cAMP production directly. cAMP and protein kinase A responses to repeated appetitive or aversive stimuli also exhibit pronounced depression. Thus, history-dependent dynamics of dopamine and cAMP may regulate learning of temporally clustered, salient stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Lutas
- Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Obesity Branch, National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Kayla Fernando
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Stephen X Zhang
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Abhijeet Sambangi
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Mark L Andermann
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Differential Effects of Lateral and Medial Entorhinal Cortex Lesions on Trace, Delay and Contextual Fear Memories. Brain Sci 2021; 12:brainsci12010034. [PMID: 35053778 PMCID: PMC8773659 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12010034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The entorhinal cortex (EC), with connections to the hippocampus, amygdala, and neocortex, is a critical, yet still underexplored, contributor to fear memory. Previous research suggests possible heterogeneity of function among its lateral (LEC) and medial (MEC) subregions. However, it is not well established what unique roles these subregions serve as the literature has shown mixed results depending on target of manipulation and type of conditioning used. Few studies have manipulated both the LEC and MEC within the same experiment. The present experiment systematically manipulated LEC and MEC function to examine their potential roles in fear memory expression. Long-Evans rats were trained using either trace or delay fear conditioning. The following day, rats received an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced lesion to the LEC or MEC or received a sham surgery. Following recovery, rats were given an 8-min context test in the original context. The next day, rats were tested for tone freezing in a novel context with three discrete tone presentations. Further, rats were tested for hyperactivity in an open field under both dark and bright light gradient conditions. Results: Following either LEC or MEC lesion, freezing to context was significantly reduced in both trace and delay conditioned rats. LEC-lesioned rats consistently showed significantly less freezing following tone-offset (trace interval, or equivalent, and intertrial interval) in both trace and delay fear conditioned rats. Conclusions: These data suggest that the LEC may play a role in the expression of a conjunctive representation between the tone and context that mediates the maintenance of post-tone freezing.
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Sarver DC, Xu C, Cheng Y, Terrillion CE, Wong GW. CTRP4 ablation impairs associative learning and memory. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21910. [PMID: 34610176 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202100733rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
C1q/TNF-related protein (CTRP) family comprises fifteen highly conserved secretory proteins with diverse central and peripheral functions. In zebrafish, mouse, and human, CTRP4 is most highly expressed in the brain. We previously showed that CTRP4 is a metabolically responsive regulator of food intake and energy balance, and mice lacking CTRP4 exhibit sexually dimorphic changes in ingestive behaviors and systemic metabolism. Recent single-cell RNA sequencing also revealed Ctrp4/C1qtnf4 expression in diverse neuronal cell types across distinct anatomical brain regions, hinting at additional roles in the central nervous system not previously characterized. To uncover additional central functions of CTRP4, we subjected Ctrp4 knockout (KO) mice to a battery of behavioral tests. Relative to wild-type (WT) littermates, loss of CTRP4 does not alter exploratory, anxiety-, or depressive-like behaviors, motor function and balance, sensorimotor gating, novel object recognition, and spatial memory. While pain-sensing mechanisms in response to thermal stress and mild shock are intact, both male and female Ctrp4 KO mice have increased sensitivity to pain induced by higher-level shock, suggesting altered nociceptive function. Importantly, CTRP4 deficiency impairs hippocampal-dependent associative learning and memory as assessed by trace fear conditioning paradigm. This deficit is sex-dependent, affects only female mice, and is associated with altered expression of learning and memory genes (Arc, c-fos, and Pde4d) in the hippocampus and cortex. Altogether, our behavioral and gene expression analyses have uncovered novel aspects of the CTRP4 function and provided a physiological context to further investigate its mechanism of action in the central and peripheral nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan C Sarver
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Cheng Xu
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Yi Cheng
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Chantelle E Terrillion
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - G William Wong
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Torres ERS, Stanojlovic M, Zelikowsky M, Bonsberger J, Hean S, Mulligan C, Baldauf L, Fleming S, Masliah E, Chesselet MF, Fanselow MS, Richter F. Alpha-synuclein pathology, microgliosis, and parvalbumin neuron loss in the amygdala associated with enhanced fear in the Thy1-aSyn model of Parkinson's disease. Neurobiol Dis 2021; 158:105478. [PMID: 34390837 PMCID: PMC8447919 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2021.105478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, non-motor symptoms often precede the development of debilitating motor symptoms and present a severe impact on the quality of life. Lewy bodies containing misfolded α-synuclein progressively develop in neurons throughout the peripheral and central nervous system, which may be correlated with the early development of non-motor symptoms. Among those, increased fear and anxiety is frequent in PD and thought to result from pathology outside the dopaminergic system, which has been the focus of symptomatic treatment to alleviate motor symptoms. Alpha-synuclein accumulation has been reported in the amygdala of PD patients, a brain region critically involved in fear and anxiety. Here we asked whether α-synuclein overexpression alone is sufficient to induce an enhanced fear phenotype in vivo and which pathological mechanisms are involved. Transgenic mice expressing human wild-type α-synuclein (Thy1-aSyn), a well-established model of PD, were subjected to fear conditioning followed by extinction and then tested for extinction memory retention followed by histopathological analysis. Thy1-aSyn mice showed enhanced tone fear across acquisition and extinction compared to wild-type littermates, as well as a trend to less retention of fear extinction. Immunohistochemical analysis of the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala, a nucleus critically involved in tone fear learning, revealed extensive α-synuclein pathology, with accumulation, phosphorylation, and aggregation of α-synuclein in transgenic mice. This pathology was accompanied by microgliosis and parvalbumin neuron loss in this nucleus, which could explain the enhanced fear phenotype. Importantly, this non-motor phenotype was detected in the pre-clinical phase, prior to dopamine loss in Thy1-aSyn mice, thus replicating observations in patients. Results obtained in this study suggest a possible mechanism by which increased anxiety and maladaptive fear processing may occur in PD, opening a door for therapeutic options and further early biomarker research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eileen Ruth S Torres
- Department of Neurology, The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Milos Stanojlovic
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hannover, Germany
| | - Moriel Zelikowsky
- Department of Psychology, Staglin Center for Brain and Behavioral Health, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
| | - Jana Bonsberger
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hannover, Germany
| | - Sindalana Hean
- Department of Neurology, The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Caitlin Mulligan
- Department of Neurology, The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Leonie Baldauf
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hannover, Germany
| | - Sheila Fleming
- Department of Neurology, The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Eliezer Masliah
- Department of Neurosciences, UCSD School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | | | - Michael S Fanselow
- Department of Psychology, Staglin Center for Brain and Behavioral Health, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Franziska Richter
- Department of Neurology, The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hannover, Germany; Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hanover, Germany.
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Rule L, Yang J, Watkin H, Hall J, Brydges NM. Environmental enrichment rescues survival and function of adult-born neurons following early life stress. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:1898-1908. [PMID: 32286496 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-0718-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Adverse experiences early in life are associated with the development of psychiatric illnesses. The hippocampus is likely to play pivotal role in generating these effects: it undergoes significant development during childhood and is extremely reactive to stress. In rodent models, stress in the pre-pubertal period impairs adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) and behaviours which rely on this process. In normal adult animals, environmental enrichment (EE) is a potent promoter of AHN and hippocampal function. Whether exposure to EE during adolescence can restore normal hippocampal function and AHN following pre-pubertal stress (PPS) is unknown. We investigated EE as a treatment for reduced AHN and hippocampal function following PPS in a rodent model. Stress was administered between post-natal days (PND) 25-27, EE from PND 35 to early adulthood, when behavioural testing and assessment of AHN took place. PPS enhanced fear reactions to a conditioned stimulus (CS) following a trace fear protocol and reduced the survival of 4-week-old adult-born neurons throughout the adult hippocampus. Furthermore, we show that fewer adult-born neurons were active during recall of the CS stimulus following PPS. All effects were reversed by EE. Our results demonstrate lasting effects of PPS on the hippocampus and highlight the utility of EE during adolescence for restoring normal hippocampal function. EE during adolescence is a promising method of enhancing impaired hippocampal function resulting from early life stress, and due to multiple benefits (low cost, few side effects, widespread availability) should be more thoroughly explored as a treatment option in human sufferers of childhood adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lowenna Rule
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Jessica Yang
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Holly Watkin
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Jeremy Hall
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK.,MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Nichola Marie Brydges
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK.
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Dulka BN, Trask S, Helmstetter FJ. Age-Related Memory Impairment and Sex-Specific Alterations in Phosphorylation of the Rpt6 Proteasome Subunit and Polyubiquitination in the Basolateral Amygdala and Medial Prefrontal Cortex. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:656944. [PMID: 33897408 PMCID: PMC8062735 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.656944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging is marked by an accumulation of damaged and modified brain proteins, and the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is important for cellular protein degradation. Recent work has established a critical role for the UPS in memory and synaptic plasticity, but the role of the UPS in age-related cognitive decline remains poorly understood. We trained young, middle-aged, and aged male and female rats using trace fear conditioning (TFC) to investigate the effects of age and sex on memory. We then measured markers of UPS-related protein degradation (phosphorylation of the Rpt6 proteasome regulatory subunit and K48-linked polyubiquitination) using western blots. We found that aged males, but not aged females, showed behavioral deficits at memory retrieval. Aged males also displayed reduced phosphorylation of the Rpt6 proteasome subunit and accumulation of K48 in the basolateral amygdala, while aged females displayed a similar pattern in the medial prefrontal cortex. These findings suggest that markers of UPS function are differentially affected by age and sex in a brain region-dependent manner. Together these results provide an important step toward understanding the UPS and circuit-level differences in aging males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke N Dulka
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Sydney Trask
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Fred J Helmstetter
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, United States
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21
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Effects of Dizocilpine, Midazolam and Their Co-Application on the Trimethyltin (TMT)-Induced Rat Model of Cognitive Deficit. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11030400. [PMID: 33809889 PMCID: PMC8004281 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11030400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Research of treatment options addressing the cognitive deficit associated with neurodegenerative disorders is of particular importance. Application of trimethyltin (TMT) to rats represents a promising model replicating multiple relevant features of such disorders. N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists and gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor potentiators have been reported to alleviate the TMT-induced cognitive deficit. These compounds may provide synergistic interactions in other models. The aim of this study was to investigate, whether co-application of NMDA receptor antagonist dizocilpine (MK-801) and GABAA receptor potentiator midazolam would be associated with an improved effect on the TMT-induced model of cognitive deficit. Wistar rats injected with TMT were repeatedly (12 days) treated with MK-801, midazolam, or both. Subsequently, cognitive performance was assessed. Finally, after a 17-day drug-free period, hippocampal neurodegeneration (neuronal density in CA2/3 subfield in the dorsal hippocampus, dentate gyrus morphometry) were analyzed. All three protective treatments induced similar degree of therapeutic effect in Morris water maze. The results of histological analyses were suggestive of minor protective effect of the combined treatment (MK-801 and midazolam), while these compounds alone were largely ineffective at this time point. Therefore, in terms of mitigation of cognitive deficit, the combined treatment was not associated with improved effect.
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Impact of Acute and Persistent Excitation of Prelimbic Pyramidal Neurons on Motor Activity and Trace Fear Learning. J Neurosci 2021; 41:960-971. [PMID: 33402420 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2606-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug-induced neuroadaptations in the mPFC have been implicated in addictive behaviors. Repeated cocaine exposure has been shown to increase pyramidal neuron excitability in the prelimbic (PL) region of the mouse mPFC, an adaptation attributable to a suppression of G protein-gated inwardly rectifying K+ (GIRK) channel activity. After establishing that this neuroadaptation is not seen in adjacent GABA neurons, we used viral GIRK channel ablation and complementary chemogenetic approaches to selectively enhance PL pyramidal neuron excitability in adult mice, to evaluate the impact of this form of plasticity on PL-dependent behaviors. GIRK channel ablation decreased somatodendritic GABAB receptor-dependent signaling and rheobase in PL pyramidal neurons. This manipulation also enhanced the motor-stimulatory effect of cocaine but did not impact baseline activity or trace fear learning. In contrast, selective chemogenetic excitation of PL pyramidal neurons, or chemogenetic inhibition of PL GABA neurons, increased baseline and cocaine-induced activity and disrupted trace fear learning. These effects were mirrored in male mice by selective excitation of PL pyramidal neurons projecting to the VTA, but not NAc or BLA. Collectively, these data show that manipulations enhancing the excitability of PL pyramidal neurons, and specifically those projecting to the VTA, recapitulate behavioral hallmarks of repeated cocaine exposure in mice.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Prolonged exposure to drugs of abuse triggers neuroadaptations that promote core features of addiction. Understanding these neuroadaptations and their implications may suggest interventions capable of preventing or treating addiction. While previous work showed that repeated cocaine exposure increased the excitability of pyramidal neurons in the prelimbic cortex (PL), the behavioral implications of this neuroadaptation remained unclear. Here, we used neuron-specific manipulations to evaluate the impact of increased PL pyramidal neuron excitability on PL-dependent behaviors. Acute or persistent excitation of PL pyramidal neurons potentiated cocaine-induced motor activity and disrupted trace fear conditioning, effects replicated by selective excitation of the PL projection to the VTA. Our work suggests that hyperexcitability of this projection drives key behavioral hallmarks of addiction.
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Luyten L, Schnell AE, Schroyens N, Beckers T. Lack of drug-induced post-retrieval amnesia for auditory fear memories in rats. BMC Biol 2021; 19:17. [PMID: 33499865 PMCID: PMC7836479 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-00957-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long-term memory formation is generally assumed to involve the permanent storage of recently acquired memories, making them relatively insensitive to disruption, a process referred to as memory consolidation. However, when retrieved under specific circumstances, consolidated fear memories are thought to return to a labile state, thereby opening a window for modification (e.g., attenuation) of the memory. Several interventions during a critical time frame after this destabilization seem to be able to alter the retrieved memory, for example by pharmacologically interfering with the restabilization process, either by direct protein synthesis inhibition or indirectly, using drugs that can be safely administered in patients (e.g., propranolol). Here, we find that, contrary to expectations, systemic pharmacological manipulations in auditory fear-conditioned rats do not lead to drug-induced post-retrieval amnesia. RESULTS In a series of well-powered auditory fear conditioning experiments (four with propranolol, 10 mg/kg, two with rapamycin, 20-40 mg/kg, one with anisomycin, 150 mg/kg and cycloheximide, 1.5 mg/kg), we found no evidence for reduced cued fear memory expression during a drug-free test in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats that had previously received a systemic drug injection upon retrieval of the tone fear memory. All experiments used standard fear conditioning and reactivation procedures with freezing as the behavioral read-out (conceptual or exact replications of published reports) and common pharmacological agents. Additional tests confirmed that the applied drug doses and administration routes were effective in inducing their conventional effects on expression of fear (propranolol, acutely), body weight (rapamycin, anisomycin, cycloheximide), and consolidation of extinction memories (cycloheximide). CONCLUSIONS In contrast with previously published studies, we did not find evidence for drug-induced post-retrieval amnesia, underlining that this effect, as well as its clinical applicability, may be considerably more constrained and less readily reproduced than what the current literature would suggest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Luyten
- KU Leuven, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology, Tiensestraat 102 PB 3712, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute, Herestraat 49 PB 1021, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Anna Elisabeth Schnell
- KU Leuven, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology, Tiensestraat 102 PB 3712, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute, Herestraat 49 PB 1021, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Natalie Schroyens
- KU Leuven, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology, Tiensestraat 102 PB 3712, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute, Herestraat 49 PB 1021, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tom Beckers
- KU Leuven, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology, Tiensestraat 102 PB 3712, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute, Herestraat 49 PB 1021, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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Trask S, Dulka BN, Helmstetter FJ. Age-Related Memory Impairment Is Associated with Increased zif268 Protein Accumulation and Decreased Rpt6 Phosphorylation. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E5352. [PMID: 32731408 PMCID: PMC7432048 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21155352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is associated with cognitive decline, including impairments in the ability to accurately form and recall memories. Some behavioral and brain changes associated with aging are evident as early as middle age, making the understanding of associated neurobiological mechanisms essential to aid in efforts aimed at slowing cognitive decline throughout the lifespan. Here, we found that both 15-month-old and 22-month-old rats showed impaired memory recall following trace fear conditioning. This behavioral deficit was accompanied by increased zif268 protein accumulation relative to 3-month-old animals in the medial prefrontal cortex, the dorsal and ventral hippocampi, the anterior and posterior retrosplenial cortices, the lateral amygdala, and the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray. Elevated zif268 protein levels corresponded with decreases in phosphorylation of the Rpt6 proteasome regulatory subunit, which is indicative of decreased engagement of activity-driven protein degradation. Together, these results identify several brain regions differentially impacted by aging and suggest that the accumulation of proteins associated with memory retrieval, through reduced proteolytic activity, is associated with age-related impairments in memory retention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Fred J. Helmstetter
- Department of Psychology, The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, P.O. Box 413, Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA; (S.T.); (B.N.D.)
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Kirry AJ, Twining RC, Gilmartin MR. Prelimbic input to basolateral amygdala facilitates the acquisition of trace cued fear memory under weak training conditions. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2020; 172:107249. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2020.107249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Revised: 03/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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26
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Warlow SM, Naffziger EE, Berridge KC. The central amygdala recruits mesocorticolimbic circuitry for pursuit of reward or pain. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2716. [PMID: 32483118 PMCID: PMC7264246 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16407-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
How do brain mechanisms create maladaptive attractions? Here intense maladaptive attractions are created in laboratory rats by pairing optogenetic channelrhodopsin (ChR2) stimulation of central nucleus of amygdala (CeA) in rats with encountering either sucrose, cocaine, or a painful shock-delivering object. We find that pairings make the respective rats pursue either sucrose exclusively, or cocaine exclusively, or repeatedly self-inflict shocks. CeA-induced maladaptive attractions, even to the painful shock-rod, recruit mesocorticolimbic incentive-related circuitry. Shock-associated cues also gain positive incentive value and are pursued. Yet the motivational effects of paired CeA stimulation can be reversed to negative valence in a Pavlovian fear learning situation, where CeA ChR2 pairing increases defensive reactions. Finally, CeA ChR2 valence can be switched to neutral by pairing with innocuous stimuli. These results reveal valence plasticity and multiple modes for motivation via mesocorticolimbic circuitry under the control of CeA activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelley M Warlow
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church St., Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
| | - Erin E Naffziger
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church St., Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Kent C Berridge
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church St., Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
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Li F, Jia CH, Huang J, Bi GQ, Lau PM. High frequency optogenetic activation of inputs to the lateral amygdala forms distant association with foot-shock. Mol Brain 2020; 13:44. [PMID: 32197621 PMCID: PMC7082919 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-020-00587-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim A hallmark of classical conditioning is that conditioned stimulus (CS) must be tightly coupled with unconditioned stimulus (US), often requiring temporal overlap between the two, or a short gap of several seconds. In this study, we investigate the temporal requirements for fear conditioning association between a strong artificial CS, high-frequency optogenetic activation of inputs into the lateral amygdala of rats, and a foot-shock to the animal with delays up to many minutes. Methods AAV-oChIEF-tdTomato viruses were injected into the auditory cortex and the medial geniculate nucleus of rats. An optical fiber was implanted just above the lateral amygdala of the animal. Optogenetic high-frequency stimuli (oHFS; containing five 1-s trains of 100 Hz laser pulses) were delivered to the lateral amygdala, before or after (with varying intervals) a foot-shock that elicits fear responses in the animal. Pre-trained lever-press behavior was used to assess the degree of fear recall by optogenetic test stimuli (OTS; 10 Hz for 2 min) 24 h after the association experiment. Results In contrast to the tight temporal requirement for classical conditioning with paired optogenetic moderate-frequency stimuli (oMFS; 10 Hz for 20 s) and foot-shock, oHFS followed by foot-shock with a 5-min or even 1-h (but not 3-h) interval could successfully establish an association to be recalled by OTS the next day. Meanwhile, foot-shock followed by oHFS with a 5-min (but not 1-h) interval could also establish the conditioning. Thus, distant association may be formed between temporally distant stimuli when the CS is strong.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China
| | - Chun-Hui Jia
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China
| | - Jun Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China
| | - Guo-Qiang Bi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China. .,CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China.
| | - Pak-Ming Lau
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China.
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Noh K, Park JC, Han JS, Lee SJ. From Bound Cells Comes a Sound Mind: The Role of Neuronal Growth Regulator 1 in Psychiatric Disorders. Exp Neurobiol 2020; 29:1-10. [PMID: 32122104 PMCID: PMC7075657 DOI: 10.5607/en.2020.29.1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell-to-cell adhesion is important for maintenance of brain structure and function. Abnormal neuronal cell adhesion and loss of its connectivity are considered a main cause of psychiatric disorders such as major depressive disorder (MDD). Various cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) are involved in neuronal cell adhesions and thereby affect brain functions such as learning and memory, cognitive functions, and psychiatric functions. Compared with other CAMs, neuronal growth regulator 1 (Negr1) has a distinct functioning mechanism in terms of its cross-talk with cytokine receptor signaling. Negr1 is a member of the immunoglobulin LON (IgLON) family of proteins and is involved in neuronal outgrowth, dendritic arborization, and synapse formation. In humans, Negr1 is a risk gene for obesity based on a genome-wide association study. More recently, accumulating evidence supports that it also plays a critical role in psychiatric disorders. In this review, we discuss the recent findings on the role of Negr1 in MDD, focusing on its regulatory mechanism. We also provide evidence of putative involvement of Negr1 in other psychiatric disorders based on the novel behavioral phenotypes of Negr1 knockout mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyungchul Noh
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University School of Dentistry, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Jung-Cheol Park
- Department of Biological Science, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - Jung-Soo Han
- Department of Biological Science, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - Sung Joong Lee
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University School of Dentistry, Seoul 08826, Korea
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29
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Raven F, Bolsius YG, Renssen LV, Meijer EL, Zee EA, Meerlo P, Havekes R. Elucidating the role of protein synthesis in hippocampus‐dependent memory consolidation across the day and night. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 54:6972-6981. [PMID: 31965655 PMCID: PMC8596627 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
It is widely acknowledged that de novo protein synthesis is crucial for the formation and consolidation of long‐term memories. While the basal activity of many signaling cascades that modulate protein synthesis fluctuates in a circadian fashion, it is unclear whether the temporal dynamics of protein synthesis‐dependent memory consolidation vary depending on the time of day. More specifically, it is unclear whether protein synthesis inhibition affects hippocampus‐dependent memory consolidation in rodents differentially across the day (i.e., the inactive phase with an abundance of sleep) and night (i.e., the active phase with little sleep). To address this question, male and female C57Bl6/J mice were trained in a contextual fear conditioning task at the beginning or the end of the light phase. Animals received a single systemic injection with the protein synthesis inhibitor anisomycin or vehicle directly, 4, 8 hr, or 11.5 hr following training, and memory was assessed after 24 hr. Here, we show that protein synthesis inhibition impaired the consolidation of context–fear memories selectively when the protein synthesis inhibitor was administered at the first three time points, irrespective of timing of training. Even though the basal activity of signaling pathways regulating de novo protein synthesis may fluctuate across the 24‐hr cycle, these results suggest that the temporal dynamics of protein synthesis‐dependent memory consolidation are similar for day‐time and night‐time learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Raven
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES) University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Youri G. Bolsius
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES) University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Lara V. Renssen
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES) University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Elroy L. Meijer
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES) University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Eddy A. Zee
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES) University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Peter Meerlo
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES) University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Robbert Havekes
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES) University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
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30
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Zhou Y, Qiu L, Wang H, Chen X. Induction of activity synchronization among primed hippocampal neurons out of random dynamics is key for trace memory formation and retrieval. FASEB J 2020; 34:3658-3676. [PMID: 31944374 PMCID: PMC7079015 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201902274r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Memory is thought to be encoded by sparsely distributed neuronal ensembles in memory‐related regions. However, it is unclear how memory‐eligible neurons react during learning to encode trace fear memory and how they retrieve a memory. We implemented a fiber‐optic confocal fluorescence endomicroscope to directly visualize calcium dynamics of hippocampal CA1 neurons in freely behaving mice subjected to trace fear conditioning. Here we report that the overall activity levels of CA1 neurons showed a right‐skewed lognormal distribution, with a small portion of highly active neurons (termed Primed Neurons) filling the long‐tail. Repetitive training induced Primed Neurons to shift from random activity to well‐tuned synchronization. The emergence of activity synchronization coincided with the appearance of mouse freezing behaviors. In recall, a partial synchronization among the same subset of Primed Neurons was induced from random dynamics, which also coincided with mouse freezing behaviors. Additionally, training‐induced synchronization facilitated robust calcium entry into Primed Neurons. In contrast, most CA1 neurons did not respond to tone and foot shock throughout the training and recall cycles. In conclusion, Primed Neurons are preferably recruited to encode trace fear memory and induction of activity synchronization among Primed Neurons out of random dynamics is critical for trace memory formation and retrieval.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Zhou
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
| | - Liyan Qiu
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
| | - Haiying Wang
- Department of Statistics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Xuanmao Chen
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
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31
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Mantanona CP, Alsiö J, Elson JL, Fisher BM, Dalley JW, Bussey T, Pienaar IS. Altered motor, anxiety-related and attentional task performance at baseline associate with multiple gene copies of the vesicular acetylcholine transporter and related protein overexpression in ChAT::Cre+ rats. Brain Struct Funct 2019; 224:3095-3116. [PMID: 31506825 PMCID: PMC6875150 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-019-01957-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Transgenic rodents expressing Cre recombinase cell specifically are used for exploring mechanisms regulating behavior, including those mediated by cholinergic signaling. However, it was recently reported that transgenic mice overexpressing a bacterial artificial chromosome containing choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) gene, for synthesizing the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, present with multiple vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) gene copies, resulting in altered cholinergic tone and accompanying behavioral abnormalities. Since ChAT::Cre+ rats, used increasingly for understanding the biological basis of CNS disorders, utilize the mouse ChAT promotor to control Cre recombinase expression, we assessed for similar genotypical and phenotypical differences in such rats compared to wild-type siblings. The rats were assessed for mouse VAChT copy number, VAChT protein expression levels and for sustained attention, response control and anxiety. Rats were also subjected to a contextual fear conditioning paradigm using an unconditional fear-inducing stimulus (electrical foot shocks), with blood samples taken at baseline, the fear acquisition phase and retention testing, for measuring blood plasma markers of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal gland (HPA)-axis activity. ChAT::Cre+ rats expressed multiple mouse VAChT gene copies, resulting in significantly higher VAChT protein expression, revealed anxiolytic behavior, hyperlocomotion and deficits in tasks requiring sustained attention. The HPA-axis was intact, with unaltered circulatory levels of acute stress-induced corticosterone, leptin and glucose. Our findings, therefore, reveal that in ChAT::Cre+ rats, VAChT overexpression associates with significant alterations of certain cognitive, motor and affective functions. Although highly useful as an experimental tool, it is essential to consider the potential effects of altered cholinergic transmission on baseline behavior in ChAT::Cre rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig P Mantanona
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Johan Alsiö
- Department of Psychology, The Behavioral and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, UK
| | - Joanna L Elson
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Beth M Fisher
- Department of Psychology, The Behavioral and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jeffrey W Dalley
- Department of Psychology, The Behavioral and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, UK
| | - Timothy Bussey
- Department of Psychology, The Behavioral and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Ilse S Pienaar
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, BN1 9PH, UK.
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32
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Schönfeld LM, Zech MP, Schäble S, Wöhr M, Kalenscher T. Lesions of the rat basolateral amygdala reduce the behavioral response to ultrasonic vocalizations. Behav Brain Res 2019; 378:112274. [PMID: 31589896 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Revised: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Rats emit vocalizations in the ultrasonic range (ultrasonic vocalizations; USVs), of which 50-kHz USVs could communicate positive affective states and induce approach behavior in conspecifics, whereas 22-kHz USVs might signal negative affective states and potential threats. Listening to 50-kHz USVs can be rewarding, but it is unknown which brain mechanisms are responsible for the assignment of reinforcing value to 50-kHz USVs . The behavioral responses induced by listening to 22-kHz USVs are heterogeneous and need further characterization. The amygdala is a region relevant for social perception, behavior and reward. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the basolateral amygdala (BLA) plays a causal role in motivating behavioral responses to 50-kHz and 22-kHz USVs. Rats with lesions of the BLA or sham lesions were repeatedly exposed to playback of either 50-kHz or 22-kHz USVs in a radial maze. Compared to sham rats, BLA-lesioned rats spent less time in the arms close to the USV speaker during playback of both 50-kHz or 22-kHz USVs. This difference in behavior was not due to impaired motor or general auditory abilities, indicating that BLA lesions selectively reduced the responsiveness to stimuli with social significance. This finding provides further support for the hypothesis that the BLA plays an important role in motivating approach behavior to social reinforcers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa-Maria Schönfeld
- Comparative Psychology, Institute of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Maurice-Philipp Zech
- Comparative Psychology, Institute of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Sandra Schäble
- Comparative Psychology, Institute of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Markus Wöhr
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Experimental and Biological Psychology, Philipps-University of Marburg, 35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Kalenscher
- Comparative Psychology, Institute of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
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Li KX, He M, Ye W, Simms J, Gill M, Xiang X, Jan YN, Jan LY. TMEM16B regulates anxiety-related behavior and GABAergic neuronal signaling in the central lateral amygdala. eLife 2019; 8:47106. [PMID: 31482844 PMCID: PMC6746550 DOI: 10.7554/elife.47106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
TMEM16B (ANO2) is the Ca2+-activated chloride channel expressed in multiple brain regions, including the amygdala. Here we report that Ano2 knockout mice exhibit impaired anxiety-related behaviors and context-independent fear memory, thus implicating TMEM16B in anxiety modulation. We found that TMEM16B is expressed in somatostatin-positive (SOM+) GABAergic neurons of the central lateral amygdala (CeL), and its activity modulates action potential duration and inhibitory postsynaptic current (IPSC). We further provide evidence for TMEM16B actions not only in the soma but also in the presynaptic nerve terminals of GABAergic neurons. Our study reveals an intriguing role for TMEM16B in context-independent but not context-dependent fear memory, and supports the notion that dysfunction of the amygdala contributes to anxiety-related behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke-Xin Li
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Mu He
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Wenlei Ye
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Jeffrey Simms
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, United States
| | - Michael Gill
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, United States
| | - Xuaner Xiang
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Yuh Nung Jan
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Lily Yeh Jan
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
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Dunn AR, Kaczorowski CC. Regulation of intrinsic excitability: Roles for learning and memory, aging and Alzheimer's disease, and genetic diversity. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2019; 164:107069. [PMID: 31442579 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2019.107069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Revised: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Plasticity of intrinsic neuronal excitability facilitates learning and memory across multiple species, with aberrant modulation of this process being linked to the development of neurological symptoms in models of cognitive aging and Alzheimer's disease. Learning-related increases in intrinsic excitability of neurons occurs in a variety of brain regions, and is generally thought to promote information processing and storage through enhancement of synaptic throughput and induction of synaptic plasticity. Experience-dependent changes in intrinsic neuronal excitability rely on activity-dependent gene expression patterns, which can be influenced by genetic and environmental factors, aging, and disease. Reductions in baseline intrinsic excitability, as well as aberrant plasticity of intrinsic neuronal excitability and in some cases pathological hyperexcitability, have been associated with cognitive deficits in animal models of both normal cognitive aging and Alzheimer's disease. Genetic factors that modulate plasticity of intrinsic excitability likely underlie individual differences in cognitive function and susceptibility to cognitive decline. Thus, targeting molecular mediators that either control baseline intrinsic neuronal excitability, subserve learning-related intrinsic neuronal plasticity, and/or promote resilience may be a promising therapeutic strategy for maintaining cognitive function in aging and disease. In this review, we discuss the complementary relationship between intrinsic excitability and learning, with a particular focus on how this relationship varies as a function of age, disease state, and genetic make-up, and how targeting these factors may help to further elucidate our understanding of the role of intrinsic excitability in cognitive function and cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy R Dunn
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
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35
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Li Q, Fernagut P, Bezard E. l
‐Dopa–free learned dyskinetic behavior in a Parkinson's primate model. Mov Disord 2019; 34:1237. [DOI: 10.1002/mds.27715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 04/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Qin Li
- Motac Neuroscience UK‐M15 6WE Manchester United Kingdom
- Institute of Laboratory Animal SciencesChina Academy of Medical Sciences Beijing China
| | - Pierre‐Olivier Fernagut
- Université de Poitiers, INSERM, U‐1084Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques Poitiers France
| | - Erwan Bezard
- Motac Neuroscience UK‐M15 6WE Manchester United Kingdom
- Institute of Laboratory Animal SciencesChina Academy of Medical Sciences Beijing China
- Université de BordeauxInstitut des maladies neurodégénératives Bordeaux France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Unité Mixte de Recherche 5293Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives Bordeaux France
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36
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Wang J, Chen Y, Zhang C, Xiang Z, Ding J, Han X. Learning and memory deficits and alzheimer's disease-like changes in mice after chronic exposure to microcystin-LR. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2019; 373:504-518. [PMID: 30947040 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.03.106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2018] [Revised: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have demonstrated that toxins produced by toxic cyanobacterial blooms are hazardous materials. Although microcystin-LR (MC-LR) has been revealed to inflict damage to the brain, the mechanisms underlying its neurotoxicity as a result of chronic exposure to MC-LR are not fully described. In this study, the mice were exposed to MC-LR dissolved in drinking water at doses of 1, 7.5, 15, or 30 μg/L for 180 days. MC-LR accumulated mostly in the mouse hippocampus (55 ng/g dry weight) followed by cortex (28 ng/g dry weight) after exposure to MC-LR at 30 μg/L. MC-LR exposure at this concentration induced dysfunction of learning and memory, accompanied with apoptosis of neuronal cells (with 10% reduction of the neurons in the CA1 region and 15% in the CA2 region), reduction of spine density, accumulation of β-amyloid plaques 1-42 (Aβ1-42), and enhanced phosphorylation of tau (p-tau) in the brain, which is characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD). These data indicate that MC-LR may induce AD-like pathology. Following prolonged exposure, MC-LR significantly upregulated the ratio of proBDNF to BDNF by downregulating the tPA levels, thereby activating downstream signaling pathways to improve the expression of p-JNK, and c-Jun while to inhibit the expression of p-Creb and p-PKC. This study uncovered new molecular mechanisms that account for neurotoxicity after chronic exposure to MC-LR, which has wide-ranging implications for public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Yabing Chen
- Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Changliang Zhang
- Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Zou Xiang
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jie Ding
- Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
| | - Xiaodong Han
- Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
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Anxiety-like features and spatial memory problems as a consequence of hippocampal SV2A expression. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0217882. [PMID: 31166988 PMCID: PMC6550411 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The Synaptic Vesicle Protein 2A (SV2A) is a transmembrane protein whose presence is reduced both in animal models and in patients with chronic epilepsy. Besides its implication in the epileptic process, the behavioural consequences of the changes in its expression remain unclear. The purpose of our research is to better understand the possible role(s) of this protein through the phenotype of cKO (Grik4 Cre+/-, SV2A lox/lox) mice, male and female, which present a specific decrease of SV2A expression levels in the hippocampal glutamatergic neurons but without any epileptic seizures. In this study, we compare the cKO mice with cHZ (Grik4 Cre+/-, SV2A lox/+) and WT (Grik4 Cre+/+, SV2A lox/lox) mice through a battery of tests, used to evaluate different features: the anxiety-related features (Elevated Plus Maze), the locomotor activity (Activity Chambers), the contextual fear-related memory (Contextual Fear Conditioning), and the spatial memory (Barnes Maze). Our results showed statistically significant differences in the habituation to a new environment, an increase in the anxiety levels and spatial memory deficit in the cHZ and cKO groups, compared to the WT group. No statistically significant differences due to the genotype appeared in the spontaneous locomotor activity or the fear-linked memory. However, sexual differences were observed in this last feature. These results highlight not only an important role of the SV2A protein in the cognitive and anxiety problems typically encountered in epileptic patients, but also a possible role in the symptomatology of other neurodegenerative diseases, such as the Alzheimer’s disease.
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Huang CCY, Muszynski KJ, Bolshakov VY, Balu DT. Deletion of Dtnbp1 in mice impairs threat memory consolidation and is associated with enhanced inhibitory drive in the amygdala. Transl Psychiatry 2019; 9:132. [PMID: 30967545 PMCID: PMC6456574 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-019-0465-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a severe and highly heritable disorder. Dystrobrevin-binding protein 1 (DTNBP1), also known as dysbindin-1, has been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Specifically, dysbindin-1 mRNA and protein expression are decreased in the brains of subjects with this disorder. Mice lacking dysbinidn-1 also display behavioral phenotypes similar to those observed in schizophrenic patients. However, it remains unknown whether deletion of dysbindin-1 impacts functions of the amygdala, a brain region that is critical for emotional processing, which is disrupted in patients with schizophrenia. Here, we show that dysbindin-1 is expressed in both excitatory and inhibitory neurons of the basolateral amygdala (BLA). Deletion of dysbindin-1 in male mice (Dys-/-) impaired cued and context-dependent threat memory, without changes in measures of anxiety. The behavioral deficits observed in Dys-/- mice were associated with perturbations in the BLA, including the enhancement of GABAergic inhibition of pyramidal neurons, increased numbers of parvalbumin interneurons, and morphological abnormalities of dendritic spines on pyramidal neurons. Our findings highlight an important role for dysbindin-1 in the regulation of amygdalar function and indicate that enhanced inhibition of BLA pyramidal neuron activity may contribute to the weakened threat memory expression observed in Dys-/- mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cathy C Y Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Translational Psychiatry laboratory, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA.
- Department of Life Sciences, National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
| | - Kevin J Muszynski
- Translational Psychiatry laboratory, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Vadim Y Bolshakov
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Cellular Neurobiology laboratory, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Darrick T Balu
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Translational Psychiatry laboratory, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA.
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Estrous cycle stage gates sex differences in prefrontal muscarinic control of fear memory formation. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2019; 161:26-36. [PMID: 30851433 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2019.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Revised: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The association of a sensory cue and an aversive footshock that are separated in time, as in trace fear conditioning, requires persistent activity in prelimbic cortex during the cue-shock interval. The activation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors has been shown to facilitate persistent firing of cortical cells in response to brief stimulation, and muscarinic antagonists in the prefrontal cortex impair working memory. It is unknown, however, if the acquisition of associative trace fear conditioning is dependent on muscarinic signaling in the prefrontal cortex. Here, we delivered the muscarinic receptor antagonist scopolamine to the prelimbic cortex of rats prior to trace fear conditioning and tested their memories of the cue and training context the following day. The effect of scopolamine on working memory performance was also tested using a spatial delayed non-match to sample task. Male and female subjects were included to examine potential sex differences in the modulation of memory formation, as we have previously observed for pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide signaling in the prefrontal cortex (Kirry et al., 2018). We found that pre-training administration of intra-prelimbic scopolamine impaired the formation of cued and contextual fear memories in males, but not females at a dose that impairs spatial working memory in both sexes. Fear memory formation in females was impaired by a higher dose of scopolamine and this impairment was gated by estrous cycle stage: scopolamine failed to impair memory in rats in the diestrus or proestrus stages of the estrous cycle. These findings add to the growing body of evidence that the prefrontal cortex is sexually dimorphic in learning and memory and additionally suggest that males and females differentially engage prefrontal neuromodulatory systems in support of learning.
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Brydges NM, Moon A, Rule L, Watkin H, Thomas KL, Hall J. Sex specific effects of pre-pubertal stress on hippocampal neurogenesis and behaviour. Transl Psychiatry 2018; 8:271. [PMID: 30531788 PMCID: PMC6288078 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0322-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Revised: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Experience of traumatic events in childhood is linked to an elevated risk of developing psychiatric disorders in adulthood. The neurobiological mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are not fully understood. The limbic system, particularly the hippocampus, is significantly impacted by childhood trauma. In particular, it has been hypothesised that childhood stress may impact adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) and related behaviours, conferring increased risk for later mental illness. Stress in utero can lead to impaired hippocampal synaptic plasticity, and stress in the first 2-3 weeks of life reduces AHN in animal models. Less is known about the effects of stress in the post-weaning, pre-pubertal phase, a developmental time-point more akin to human childhood. Therefore, we investigated persistent effects of pre-pubertal stress (PPS) on functional and molecular aspects of the hippocampus. AHN was altered following PPS in male rats only. Specifically males showed reduced production of new neurons following PPS, but increased survival in the ventral dentate gyrus. In adult males, but not females, pattern separation and trace fear conditioning, behaviours that rely heavily on AHN, were also impaired after PPS. PPS also increased the expression of parvalbumin-positive GABAergic interneurons in the ventral dentate gyrus and increased glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 expression in the ventral hilus, in males only. Our results demonstrate the lasting effects of PPS on the hippocampus in a sex- and time-dependent manner, provide a potential mechanistic link between PPS and later behavioural impairments, and highlight sex differences in vulnerability to neuropsychiatric conditions after early-life stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nichola Marie Brydges
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK.
| | - Anna Moon
- 0000 0001 0807 5670grid.5600.3Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ UK
| | - Lowenna Rule
- 0000 0001 0807 5670grid.5600.3Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ UK
| | - Holly Watkin
- 0000 0001 0807 5670grid.5600.3Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ UK
| | - Kerrie L. Thomas
- 0000 0001 0807 5670grid.5600.3Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ UK ,0000 0001 0807 5670grid.5600.3School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX UK
| | - Jeremy Hall
- 0000 0001 0807 5670grid.5600.3Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ UK ,0000 0001 0807 5670grid.5600.3MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ UK
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41
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Stanley B, Perez-Rodriguez MM, Labouliere C, Roose S. A Neuroscience-Oriented Research Approach to Borderline Personality Disorder. J Pers Disord 2018; 32:784-822. [PMID: 29469663 DOI: 10.1521/pedi_2017_31_326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Traditionally, the study of personality disorders had been based on psychoanalytic or behavioral models. Over the past two decades, there has been an emerging neuroscience model of borderline personality disorder (BPD) grounded in the concept of BPD as a condition in which dysfunctional neural circuits underlie its pathological dimensions, some of which include emotion dysregulation (broadly encompassing affective instability, negative affectivity, and hyperarousal), abnormal interpersonal functioning, and impulsive aggression. This article, initiated at a joint Columbia University- Cornell University Think Tank on BPD with representation from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, suggests how to advance research in BPD by studying the dimensions that underlie BPD in addition to studying the disorder as a unitary diagnostic entity. We suggest that linking the underlying neurobiological abnormalities to behavioral symptoms of the disorder can inform a research agenda to better understand BPD with its multiple presentations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Stanley
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York City
| | | | | | - Steven Roose
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York City.,New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York City
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Chaaya N, Battle AR, Johnson LR. An update on contextual fear memory mechanisms: Transition between Amygdala and Hippocampus. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 92:43-54. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Revised: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Ciliz M, Sartor J, Lindig T, Pilotto A, Schäffer E, Weiss M, Scheltens P, Becker S, Hobert MA, Berg D, Liepelt-Scarfone I, Maetzler W. Brain-Area Specific White Matter Hyperintensities: Associations to Falls in Parkinson’s Disease. JOURNAL OF PARKINSONS DISEASE 2018; 8:455-462. [DOI: 10.3233/jpd-181351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Meltem Ciliz
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Center for Neurology and Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- DZNE, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Jennifer Sartor
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Center for Neurology and Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- DZNE, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Tobias Lindig
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Andrea Pilotto
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Center for Neurology and Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- DZNE, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Eva Schäffer
- Department of Neurology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Michael Weiss
- Department of Neurology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Philip Scheltens
- Alzheimer Center and Department of Neurology, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sara Becker
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Center for Neurology and Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- DZNE, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Markus A. Hobert
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Center for Neurology and Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- DZNE, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Tuebingen, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Daniela Berg
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Center for Neurology and Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- DZNE, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Tuebingen, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Inga Liepelt-Scarfone
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Center for Neurology and Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- DZNE, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Walter Maetzler
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Center for Neurology and Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- DZNE, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Tuebingen, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
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Davis P, Reijmers LG. The dynamic nature of fear engrams in the basolateral amygdala. Brain Res Bull 2018; 141:44-49. [PMID: 29269319 PMCID: PMC6005719 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2017.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Revised: 11/15/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Great progress has been made in our understanding of how so-called memory engrams in the brain enable the storage and retrieval of memories. This has led to the realization that across the lifetime of an animal, the spatial and temporal properties of a memory engram are not fixed, but instead are subjected to dynamic modifications that can be both dependent and independent on additional experiences. The dynamic nature of engrams is especially relevant in the case of fear memories, whose contributions to an animal's evolutionary fitness depend on a delicate balance of stability and flexibility. Though fear memories have the potential to last a lifetime, their expression also needs to be properly tuned to prevent maladaptive behavior, such as seen in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder. To achieve this balance, fear engrams are subjected to complex spatiotemporal dynamics, making them informative examples of the "dynamic engram". In this review, we discuss the current understanding of the dynamic nature of fear engrams in the basolateral amygdala, a brain region that plays a central role in fear memory encoding and expression. We propose that this understanding can be further advanced by studying how fast dynamics, such as oscillatory circuit activity, support the storage and retrieval of fear engrams that can be stable over long time intervals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Davis
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States; Medical Scientist Training Program and Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Leon G Reijmers
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States.
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Central amygdala lesions inhibit pontine nuclei acoustic reactivity and retard delay eyeblink conditioning acquisition in adult rats. Learn Behav 2018; 44:191-201. [PMID: 26486933 DOI: 10.3758/s13420-015-0199-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
In delay eyeblink conditioning (EBC) a neutral conditioned stimulus (CS; tone) is repeatedly paired with a mildly aversive unconditioned stimulus (US; periorbital electrical shock). Over training, subjects learn to produce an anticipatory eyeblink conditioned response (CR) during the CS, prior to US onset. While cerebellar synaptic plasticity is necessary for successful EBC, the amygdala is proposed to enhance eyeblink CR acquisition. In the current study, adult Long-Evans rats received bilateral sham or neurotoxic lesions of the central nucleus of the amygdala (CEA) followed by 1 or 4 EBC sessions. Fear-evoked freezing behavior, CS-mediated enhancement of the unconditioned response (UR), and eyeblink CR acquisition were all impaired in the CEA lesion rats relative to sham controls. There were also significantly fewer c-Fos immunoreactive cells in the pontine nuclei (PN)-major relays of acoustic information to the cerebellum-following the first and fourth EBC session in lesion rats. In sham rats, freezing behavior decreased from session 1 to 4, commensurate with nucleus-specific reductions in amygdala Fos+ cell counts. Results suggest delay EBC proceeds through three stages: in stage one the amygdala rapidly excites diffuse fear responses and PN acoustic reactivity, facilitating cerebellar synaptic plasticity and the development of eyeblink CRs in stage two, leading, in stage three, to a diminution or stabilization of conditioned fear responding.
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Kochli DE, Campbell TL, Hollingsworth EW, Lab RS, Postle AF, Perry MM, Mordzinski VM, Quinn JJ. Combined administration of MK-801 and cycloheximide produces a delayed potentiation of fear discrimination memory extinction. Behav Neurosci 2018; 132:99-105. [PMID: 29672107 DOI: 10.1037/bne0000232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Mixed evidence exists regarding the role of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in memory reconsolidation. We provide no evidence that NMDA receptors are involved with memory reconsolidation, but instead demonstrate that prereactivation systemic MK-801 injection, combined with postreactivation intrabasolateral amygdala (BLA) cycloheximide infusion, produces a delayed potentiation of extinction learning. These data suggest that an interaction between NMDA antagonism and protein synthesis inhibition may enhance extinction by exerting effects outside of the intended reconsolidation manipulation window. The present work demonstrates a novel pharmacological enhancement of extinction, and underscores the importance of employing proper control procedures in reconsolidation research. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E Kochli
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience & Behavior, Miami University
| | - Tiffany L Campbell
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience & Behavior, Miami University
| | | | - Rain S Lab
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience & Behavior, Miami University
| | - Abagail F Postle
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience & Behavior, Miami University
| | - Megan M Perry
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience & Behavior, Miami University
| | | | - Jennifer J Quinn
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience & Behavior, Miami University
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47
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Myhrer T, Mariussen E, Aas P. Development of neuropathology following soman poisoning and medical countermeasures. Neurotoxicology 2018; 65:144-165. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2018.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Revised: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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48
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Taghipour M, Ghaffarpasand F. Selective Amygdalohippocampectomy for Mesial Temporal Sclerosis: Special Considerations in Geniuses. World Neurosurg 2018; 111:429-430. [DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2017.11.135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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49
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Saha R, Kriebel M, Volkmer H, Richter-Levin G, Albrecht A. Neurofascin Knock Down in the Basolateral Amygdala Mediates Resilience of Memory and Plasticity in the Dorsal Dentate Gyrus Under Stress. Mol Neurobiol 2018; 55:7317-7326. [DOI: 10.1007/s12035-018-0930-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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50
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Serine Racemase and D-serine in the Amygdala Are Dynamically Involved in Fear Learning. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 83:273-283. [PMID: 29025687 PMCID: PMC5806199 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2017] [Revised: 08/15/2017] [Accepted: 08/16/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The amygdala is a central component of the neural circuitry that underlies fear learning. N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-dependent plasticity in the amygdala is required for pavlovian fear conditioning and extinction. N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor activation requires the binding of a coagonist, D-serine, which is synthesized from L-serine by the neuronal enzyme serine racemase (SR). However, little is known about SR and D-serine function in the amygdala. METHODS We used immunohistochemical methods to characterize the cellular localization of SR and D-serine in the mouse and human amygdala. Using biochemical and molecular techniques, we determined whether trace fear conditioning and extinction engages the SR/D-serine system in the brain. D-serine was administered systemically to mice to evaluate its effect on fear extinction. Finally, we investigated whether the functional single nucleotide polymorphism rs4523957, which is an expression quantitative trait locus of the human serine racemase (SRR) gene, was associated with fear-related phenotypes in a highly traumatized human cohort. RESULTS We demonstrate that approximately half of the neurons in the amygdala express SR, including both excitatory and inhibitory neurons. We find that the acquisition and extinction of fear memory engages the SR/D-serine system in the mouse amygdala and that D-serine administration facilitates fear extinction. We also demonstrate that the SRR single nucleotide polymorphism, rs4523957, is associated with posttraumatic stress disorder in humans, consistent with the facilitatory effect of D-serine on fear extinction. CONCLUSIONS These new findings have important implications for understanding D-serine-mediated N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor plasticity in the amygdala and how this system could contribute to disorders with maladaptive fear circuitry.
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