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Bernstein BJ, Kendricks DR, Fry S, Wilson L, Koopmans B, Loos M, Stevanovic KD, Cushman JD. Sex differences in spontaneous behavior and cognition in mice using an automated behavior monitoring system. Physiol Behav 2024; 283:114595. [PMID: 38810714 PMCID: PMC11246821 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2024.114595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Isolation of sex differences as a key characteristic underlying neurobehavioral differentiation is an essential component of studies in neuroscience. The current study sought to address this concern by observing behavioral differences using an automated home cage system for neurobehavioral assessment, a method rapidly increasing in use due to advances in technology and advantages such as reduced handling stress and cross-lab variability. Sex differences in C57BL/6 mice arose for motor activity and circadian-linked behavior, with females being more active compared to males, and males having a stronger anticipatory increase in activity leading up to the onset of the light phase compared to females. These activity differences were observed not only across the lifespan, but also in different genetic background mouse strains across different testing sites showing the generalizability and robustness of these observed effects. Activity differences were also observed in performance on a spatial learning and reversal task with females making more responses and receiving a corresponding elevation in reward pellets. Notably, there were no sex differences in learning nor achieved accuracy, suggesting these observed effects were predominantly in activity. The outcomes of this study align with previous reports showcasing differences in activity between males and females. The comparison across strains and testing sites showed robust and reproducible differences in behavior between female and male mice that are relevant to consider when designing behavioral studies. Furthermore, the observed sex differences in performance on the learning and reversal procedure raise concern for interpretation of behavior differences between sexes due to the attribution of these differences to motor activity rather than cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Briana J Bernstein
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Dalisa R Kendricks
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Science (NIEHS), National Institute of Health, NC, USA
| | - Sydney Fry
- University of Colorado School of Medicine, University of Colorado, CO, USA
| | - Leslie Wilson
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Science (NIEHS), National Institute of Health, NC, USA
| | - Bastijn Koopmans
- Sylics (Synaptologics B.V.), Bilthoven, the Netherlands; InnoSer Nederland B.V., Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Maarten Loos
- Sylics (Synaptologics B.V.), Bilthoven, the Netherlands; InnoSer Nederland B.V., Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Korey D Stevanovic
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Science (NIEHS), National Institute of Health, NC, USA
| | - Jesse D Cushman
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Science (NIEHS), National Institute of Health, NC, USA.
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2
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Marrero K, Aruljothi K, Delgadillo C, Kabbara S, Swatch L, Zagha E. Goal-directed learning is multidimensional and accompanied by diverse and widespread changes in neocortical signaling. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae328. [PMID: 39110412 PMCID: PMC11304966 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae328] [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: 05/08/2024] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
New tasks are often learned in stages with each stage reflecting a different learning challenge. Accordingly, each learning stage is likely mediated by distinct neuronal processes. And yet, most rodent studies of the neuronal correlates of goal-directed learning focus on individual outcome measures and individual brain regions. Here, we longitudinally studied mice from naïve to expert performance in a head-fixed, operant conditioning whisker discrimination task. In addition to tracking the primary behavioral outcome of stimulus discrimination, we tracked and compared an array of object-based and temporal-based behavioral measures. These behavioral analyses identify multiple, partially overlapping learning stages in this task, consistent with initial response implementation, early stimulus-response generalization, and late response inhibition. To begin to understand the neuronal foundations of these learning processes, we performed widefield Ca2+ imaging of dorsal neocortex throughout learning and correlated behavioral measures with neuronal activity. We found distinct and widespread correlations between neocortical activation patterns and various behavioral measures. For example, improvements in sensory discrimination correlated with target stimulus evoked activations of response-related cortices along with distractor stimulus evoked global cortical suppression. Our study reveals multidimensional learning for a simple goal-directed learning task and generates hypotheses for the neuronal modulations underlying these various learning processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krista Marrero
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Krithiga Aruljothi
- Department of Psychology, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Christian Delgadillo
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Sarah Kabbara
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Lovleen Swatch
- College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Edward Zagha
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
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3
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Zuckerman A, Siedhoff HR, Balderrama A, Li R, Sun GY, Cifu DX, Cernak I, Cui J, Gu Z. Individualized high-resolution analysis to categorize diverse learning and memory deficits in tau rTg4510 mice exposed to low-intensity blast. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1397046. [PMID: 38948027 PMCID: PMC11212475 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1397046] [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: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) resulting from low-intensity blast (LIB) exposure in military and civilian individuals is linked to enduring behavioral and cognitive abnormalities. These injuries can serve as confounding risk factors for the development of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease-related dementias (ADRD). Recent animal studies have demonstrated LIB-induced brain damage at the molecular and nanoscale levels. Nevertheless, the mechanisms linking these damages to cognitive abnormalities are unresolved. Challenges preventing the translation of preclinical studies into meaningful findings in "real-world clinics" encompass the heterogeneity observed between different species and strains, variable time durations of the tests, quantification of dosing effects and differing approaches to data analysis. Moreover, while behavioral tests in most pre-clinical studies are conducted at the group level, clinical tests are predominantly assessed on an individual basis. In this investigation, we advanced a high-resolution and sensitive method utilizing the CognitionWall test system and applying reversal learning data to the Boltzmann fitting curves. A flow chart was developed that enable categorizing individual mouse to different levels of learning deficits and patterns. In this study, rTg4510 mice, which represent a neuropathology model due to elevated levels of tau P301L, together with the non-carrier genotype were exposed to LIB. Results revealed distinct and intricate patterns of learning deficits and patterns within each group and in relation to blast exposure. With the current findings, it is possible to establish connections between mice with specific cognitive deficits to molecular changes. This approach can enhance the translational value of preclinical findings and also allow for future development of a precision clinical treatment plan for ameliorating neurologic damage of individuals with mTBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amitai Zuckerman
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO, United States
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital Research Service, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Heather R. Siedhoff
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO, United States
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital Research Service, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Ashley Balderrama
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO, United States
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital Research Service, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Runting Li
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO, United States
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital Research Service, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Grace Y. Sun
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO, United States
- Biochemistry Department, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - David X. Cifu
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Ibolja Cernak
- Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine, Belmont University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Jiankun Cui
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO, United States
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital Research Service, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Zezong Gu
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO, United States
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital Research Service, Columbia, MO, United States
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4
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Verhaeg M, Adamzek K, van de Vijver D, Putker K, Engelbeen S, Wijnbergen D, Overzier M, Suidgeest E, van der Weerd L, Aartsma‐Rus A, van Putten M. Learning, memory and blood-brain barrier pathology in Duchenne muscular dystrophy mice lacking Dp427, or Dp427 and Dp140. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2024; 23:e12895. [PMID: 38837620 PMCID: PMC11151035 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a severe neuromuscular disorder that is caused by mutations in the DMD gene, resulting in a disruption of dystrophin production. Next to dystrophin expression in the muscle, different isoforms of the protein are also expressed in the brain and lack of these isoforms leads to cognitive and behavioral deficits in patients. It remains unclear how the loss of the shorter dystrophin isoform Dp140 affects these processes. Using a variety of behavioral tests, we found that mdx and mdx4cv mice (which lack Dp427 or Dp427 + Dp140, respectively) exhibit similar deficits in working memory, movement patterns and blood-brain barrier integrity. Neither model showed deficits in spatial learning and memory, learning flexibility, anxiety or spontaneous behavior, nor did we observe differences in aquaporin 4 and glial fibrillary acidic protein. These results indicate that in contrast to Dp427, Dp140 does not play a crucial role in processes of learning, memory and spontaneous behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minou Verhaeg
- Department of Human GeneticsLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - Kevin Adamzek
- Department of Human GeneticsLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - Davy van de Vijver
- Department of Human GeneticsLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - Kayleigh Putker
- Department of Human GeneticsLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - Sarah Engelbeen
- Department of Human GeneticsLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - Daphne Wijnbergen
- Department of Human GeneticsLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - Maurice Overzier
- Department of Human GeneticsLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - Ernst Suidgeest
- C.J. Gorter MRI Center, Department of RadiologyLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - Louise van der Weerd
- Department of Human GeneticsLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
- C.J. Gorter MRI Center, Department of RadiologyLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
| | | | - Maaike van Putten
- Department of Human GeneticsLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
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5
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Marrero K, Aruljothi K, Delgadillo C, Kabbara S, Swatch L, Zagha E. Goal-Directed Learning is Multidimensional and Accompanied by Diverse and Widespread Changes in Neocortical Signaling. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.02.13.528412. [PMID: 36824924 PMCID: PMC9948952 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.13.528412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
New tasks are often learned in stages with each stage reflecting a different learning challenge. Accordingly, each learning stage is likely mediated by distinct neuronal processes. And yet, most rodent studies of the neuronal correlates of goal-directed learning focus on individual outcome measures and individual brain regions. Here, we longitudinally studied mice from naïve to expert performance in a head-fixed, operant conditioning whisker discrimination task. In addition to tracking the primary behavioral outcome of stimulus discrimination, we tracked and compared an array of object-based and temporal-based behavioral measures. These behavioral analyses identify multiple, partially overlapping learning stages in this task, consistent with initial response implementation, early stimulus-response generalization, and late response inhibition. To begin to understand the neuronal foundations of these learning processes, we performed widefield Ca2+ imaging of dorsal neocortex throughout learning and correlated behavioral measures with neuronal activity. We found distinct and widespread correlations between neocortical activation patterns and various behavioral measures. For example, improvements in sensory discrimination correlated with target stimulus evoked activations of licking-related cortices along with distractor stimulus evoked global cortical suppression. Our study reveals multidimensional learning for a simple goal-directed learning task and generates hypotheses for the neuronal modulations underlying these various learning processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krista Marrero
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside 900 University Avenue, Riverside CA 92521 USA
| | - Krithiga Aruljothi
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside 900 University Avenue, Riverside CA 92521 USA
| | - Christian Delgadillo
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California, Riverside 900 University Avenue, Riverside CA 92521 USA
| | - Sarah Kabbara
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside 900 University Avenue, Riverside CA 92521 USA
| | - Lovleen Swatch
- College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences, University of California, Riverside 900 University Avenue, Riverside CA 92521 USA
| | - Edward Zagha
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside 900 University Avenue, Riverside CA 92521 USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside 900 University Avenue, Riverside CA 92521 USA
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6
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Lang B, Kahnau P, Hohlbaum K, Mieske P, Andresen NP, Boon MN, Thöne-Reineke C, Lewejohann L, Diederich K. Challenges and advanced concepts for the assessment of learning and memory function in mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1230082. [PMID: 37809039 PMCID: PMC10551171 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1230082] [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: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms underlying the formation and retrieval of memories are still an active area of research and discussion. Manifold models have been proposed and refined over the years, with most assuming a dichotomy between memory processes involving non-conscious and conscious mechanisms. Despite our incomplete understanding of the underlying mechanisms, tests of memory and learning count among the most performed behavioral experiments. Here, we will discuss available protocols for testing learning and memory using the example of the most prevalent animal species in research, the laboratory mouse. A wide range of protocols has been developed in mice to test, e.g., object recognition, spatial learning, procedural memory, sequential problem solving, operant- and fear conditioning, and social recognition. Those assays are carried out with individual subjects in apparatuses such as arenas and mazes, which allow for a high degree of standardization across laboratories and straightforward data interpretation but are not without caveats and limitations. In animal research, there is growing concern about the translatability of study results and animal welfare, leading to novel approaches beyond established protocols. Here, we present some of the more recent developments and more advanced concepts in learning and memory testing, such as multi-step sequential lockboxes, assays involving groups of animals, as well as home cage-based assays supported by automated tracking solutions; and weight their potential and limitations against those of established paradigms. Shifting the focus of learning tests from the classical experimental chamber to settings which are more natural for rodents comes with a new set of challenges for behavioral researchers, but also offers the opportunity to understand memory formation and retrieval in a more conclusive way than has been attainable with conventional test protocols. We predict and embrace an increase in studies relying on methods involving a higher degree of automatization, more naturalistic- and home cage-based experimental setting as well as more integrated learning tasks in the future. We are confident these trends are suited to alleviate the burden on animal subjects and improve study designs in memory research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Lang
- Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute for Animal Welfare, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Science of Intelligence, Research Cluster of Excellence, Berlin, Germany
| | - Pia Kahnau
- Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Katharina Hohlbaum
- Science of Intelligence, Research Cluster of Excellence, Berlin, Germany
- Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Paul Mieske
- Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute for Animal Welfare, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Science of Intelligence, Research Cluster of Excellence, Berlin, Germany
- Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Niek P. Andresen
- Science of Intelligence, Research Cluster of Excellence, Berlin, Germany
- Computer Vision and Remote Sensing, Technical University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marcus N. Boon
- Science of Intelligence, Research Cluster of Excellence, Berlin, Germany
- Modeling of Cognitive Processes, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christa Thöne-Reineke
- Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute for Animal Welfare, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Science of Intelligence, Research Cluster of Excellence, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lars Lewejohann
- Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute for Animal Welfare, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Science of Intelligence, Research Cluster of Excellence, Berlin, Germany
- Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Kai Diederich
- Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
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van den Heuvel K, Quinn JL, Kotrschal A, van Oers K. Artificial selection for reversal learning reveals limited repeatability and no heritability of cognitive flexibility in great tits ( Parus major). Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231067. [PMID: 37464752 PMCID: PMC10354490 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive flexibility controls how animals respond to changing environmental conditions. Individuals within species vary considerably in cognitive flexibility but the micro-evolutionary potential in animal populations remains enigmatic. One prerequisite for cognitive flexibility to be able to evolve is consistent and heritable among-individual variation. Here we determine the repeatability and heritability of cognitive flexibility among great tits (Parus major) by performing an artificial selection experiment on reversal learning performance using a spatial learning paradigm over three generations. We found low, yet significant, repeatability (R = 0.15) of reversal learning performance. Our artificial selection experiment showed no evidence for narrow-sense heritability of associative or reversal learning, while we confirmed the heritability of exploratory behaviour. We observed a phenotypic, but no genetic, correlation between associative and reversal learning, showing the importance of prior information on reversal learning. We found no correlation between cognitive and personality traits. Our findings emphasize that cognitive flexibility is a multi-faceted trait that is affected by memory and prior experience, making it challenging to retrieve reliable values of temporal consistency and assess the contribution of additive genetic variation. Future studies need to identify what cognitive components underlie variation in reversal learning and study their between-individual and additive genetic components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krista van den Heuvel
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands, The Netherlands
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 WD, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - John L. Quinn
- School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, T23 N73K4, Ireland
- Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Cork, T23 XE10, Ireland
| | - Alexander Kotrschal
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 WD, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Kees van Oers
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands, The Netherlands
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 WD, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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8
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Brosens N, Samouil D, Stolker S, Katsika EV, Weggen S, Lucassen PJ, Krugers HJ. Early Life Stress Enhances Cognitive Decline and Alters Synapse Function and Interneuron Numbers in Young Male APP/PS1 Mice. J Alzheimers Dis 2023; 96:1097-1113. [PMID: 37980670 PMCID: PMC10741326 DOI: 10.3233/jad-230727] [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] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to stress early in life increases the susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology in aged AD mouse models. So far, the underlying mechanisms have remained elusive. OBJECTIVE To investigate 1) effects of early life stress (ELS) on early functional signs that precede the advanced neuropathological changes, and 2) correlate synaptosomal protein content with cognition to identify neural correlates of AD. METHODS APPswe/PS1dE9 mice and littermates were subjected to ELS by housing dams and pups with limited bedding and nesting material from postnatal days 2-9. At 3 months of age, an age where no cognitive loss or amyloid-β (Aβ) pathology is typically reported in this model, we assessed hippocampal Aβ pathology, synaptic strength and synapse composition and interneuron populations. Moreover, cognitive flexibility was assessed and correlated with synaptosomal protein content. RESULTS While ELS did not affect Aβ pathology, it increased synaptic strength and decreased the number of calretinin+ interneurons in the hippocampal dentate gyrus. Both genotype and condition further affected the level of postsynaptic glutamatergic protein content. Finally, APP/PS1 mice were significantly impaired in cognitive flexibility at 3 months of age, and ELS exacerbated this impairment, but only at relatively high learning criteria. CONCLUSIONS ELS reduced cognitive flexibility in young APP/PS1 mice and altered markers for synapse and network function. These findings at an early disease stage provide novel insights in AD etiology and in how ELS could increase AD susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niek Brosens
- Brain Plasticity Group, SILS-CNS, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dimitris Samouil
- Brain Plasticity Group, SILS-CNS, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sabine Stolker
- Brain Plasticity Group, SILS-CNS, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Sascha Weggen
- Department of Neuropathology, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Paul J. Lucassen
- Brain Plasticity Group, SILS-CNS, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Harm J. Krugers
- Brain Plasticity Group, SILS-CNS, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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9
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Goral RO, Harper KM, Bernstein BJ, Fry SA, Lamb PW, Moy SS, Cushman JD, Yakel JL. Loss of GABA co-transmission from cholinergic neurons impairs behaviors related to hippocampal, striatal, and medial prefrontal cortex functions. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:1067409. [PMID: 36505727 PMCID: PMC9730538 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.1067409] [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: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Altered signaling or function of acetylcholine (ACh) has been reported in various neurological diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Tourette syndrome, epilepsy among others. Many neurons that release ACh also co-transmit the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyrate (GABA) at synapses in the hippocampus, striatum, substantia nigra, and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Although ACh transmission is crucial for higher brain functions such as learning and memory, the role of co-transmitted GABA from ACh neurons in brain function remains unknown. Thus, the overarching goal of this study was to investigate how a systemic loss of GABA co-transmission from ACh neurons affected the behavioral performance of mice. Methods: To do this, we used a conditional knock-out mouse of the vesicular GABA transporter (vGAT) crossed with the ChAT-Cre driver line to selectively ablate GABA co-transmission at ACh synapses. In a comprehensive series of standardized behavioral assays, we compared Cre-negative control mice with Cre-positive vGAT knock-out mice of both sexes. Results: Loss of GABA co-transmission from ACh neurons did not disrupt the animal's sociability, motor skills or sensation. However, in the absence of GABA co-transmission, we found significant alterations in social, spatial and fear memory as well as a reduced reliance on striatum-dependent response strategies in a T-maze. In addition, male conditional knockout (CKO) mice showed increased locomotion. Discussion: Taken together, the loss of GABA co-transmission leads to deficits in higher brain functions and behaviors. Therefore, we propose that ACh/GABA co-transmission modulates neural circuitry involved in the affected behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. Oliver Goral
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States,Center on Compulsive Behaviors, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Kathryn M. Harper
- Department of Psychiatry and Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Briana J. Bernstein
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States,Department of Health and Human Services, Neurobehavioral Core, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Sydney A. Fry
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States,Department of Health and Human Services, Neurobehavioral Core, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Patricia W. Lamb
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Sheryl S. Moy
- Department of Psychiatry and Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Jesse D. Cushman
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States,Department of Health and Human Services, Neurobehavioral Core, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Jerrel L. Yakel
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States,*Correspondence: Jerrel L. Yakel
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10
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Chen S, Siedhoff HR, Zhang H, Liu P, Balderrama A, Li R, Johnson C, Greenlief CM, Koopmans B, Hoffman T, DePalma RG, Li DP, Cui J, Gu Z. Low-intensity blast induces acute glutamatergic hyperexcitability in mouse hippocampus leading to long-term learning deficits and altered expression of proteins involved in synaptic plasticity and serine protease inhibitors. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 165:105634. [PMID: 35077822 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105634] [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: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurocognitive consequences of blast-induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI) pose significant concerns for military service members and veterans with the majority of "invisible injury." However, the underlying mechanism of such mild bTBI by low-intensity blast (LIB) exposure for long-term cognitive and mental deficits remains elusive. Our previous studies have shown that mice exposed to LIB result in nanoscale ultrastructural abnormalities in the absence of gross or apparent cellular damage in the brain. Here we tested the hypothesis that glutamatergic hyperexcitability may contribute to long-term learning deficits. Using brain slice electrophysiological recordings, we found an increase in averaged frequencies with a burst pattern of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) in hippocampal CA3 neurons in LIB-exposed mice at 1- and 7-days post injury, which was blocked by a specific NMDA receptor antagonist AP5. In addition, cognitive function assessed at 3-months post LIB exposure by automated home-cage monitoring showed deficits in dynamic patterns of discrimination learning and cognitive flexibility in LIB-exposed mice. Collected hippocampal tissue was further processed for quantitative global-proteomic analysis. Advanced data-independent acquisition for quantitative tandem mass spectrometry analysis identified altered expression of proteins involved in synaptic plasticity and serine protease inhibitors in LIB-exposed mice. Some were correlated with the ability of discrimination learning and cognitive flexibility. These findings show that acute glutamatergic hyperexcitability in the hippocampus induced by LIB may contribute to long-term cognitive dysfunction and protein alterations. Studies using this military-relevant mouse model of mild bTBI provide valuable insights into developing a potential therapeutic strategy to ameliorate hyperexcitability-modulated LIB injuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanyan Chen
- Truman VA Hospital Research Service, Columbia, MO 65201, USA; Department of Pathology & Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | - Heather R Siedhoff
- Truman VA Hospital Research Service, Columbia, MO 65201, USA; Department of Pathology & Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | - Hua Zhang
- Department of Medicine, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | - Pei Liu
- Charles W. Gehrke Proteomics Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Ashley Balderrama
- Truman VA Hospital Research Service, Columbia, MO 65201, USA; Department of Pathology & Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | - Runting Li
- Truman VA Hospital Research Service, Columbia, MO 65201, USA; Department of Pathology & Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | - Catherine Johnson
- Department of Mining and Nuclear Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO 65409, USA
| | - C Michael Greenlief
- Charles W. Gehrke Proteomics Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | | | - Timothy Hoffman
- Truman VA Hospital Research Service, Columbia, MO 65201, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | - Ralph G DePalma
- Office of Research and Development, Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington DC 20420, USA; Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - De-Pei Li
- Department of Medicine, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | - Jiankun Cui
- Truman VA Hospital Research Service, Columbia, MO 65201, USA; Department of Pathology & Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65212, USA.
| | - Zezong Gu
- Truman VA Hospital Research Service, Columbia, MO 65201, USA; Department of Pathology & Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65212, USA.
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11
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Caglayan A, Stumpenhorst K, Winter Y. The Stop Signal Task for Measuring Behavioral Inhibition in Mice With Increased Sensitivity and High-Throughput Operation. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:777767. [PMID: 34955779 PMCID: PMC8696275 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.777767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Ceasing an ongoing motor response requires action cancelation. This is impaired in many pathologies such as attention deficit disorder and schizophrenia. Action cancelation is measured by the stop signal task that estimates how quickly a motor response can be stopped when it is already being executed. Apart from human studies, the stop signal task has been used to investigate neurobiological mechanisms of action cancelation overwhelmingly in rats and only rarely in mice, despite the need for a genetic model approach. Contributing factors to the limited number of mice studies may be the long and laborious training that is necessary and the requirement for a very loud (100 dB) stop signal. We overcame these limitations by employing a fully automated home-cage-based setup. We connected a home-cage to the operant box via a gating mechanism, that allowed individual ID chipped mice to start sessions voluntarily. Furthermore, we added a negative reinforcement consisting of a mild air puff with escape option to the protocol. This specifically improved baseline inhibition to 94% (from 84% with the conventional approach). To measure baseline inhibition the stop is signaled immediately with trial onset thus measuring action restraint rather than action cancelation ability. A high baseline allowed us to measure action cancelation ability with higher sensitivity. Furthermore, our setup allowed us to reduce the intensity of the acoustic stop signal from 100 to 70 dB. We constructed inhibition curves from stop trials with daily adjusted delays to estimate stop signal reaction times (SSRTs). SSRTs (median 88 ms) were lower than reported previously, which we attribute to the observed high baseline inhibition. Our automated training protocol reduced training time by 17% while also promoting minimal experimenter involvement. This sensitive and labor efficient stop signal task procedure should therefore facilitate the investigation of action cancelation pathologies in genetic mouse models.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - York Winter
- Institute for Biology, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany.,Excellenzcluster NeuroCure, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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12
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Complement-associated loss of CA2 inhibitory synapses in the demyelinated hippocampus impairs memory. Acta Neuropathol 2021; 142:643-667. [PMID: 34170374 PMCID: PMC8423657 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-021-02338-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The complement system is implicated in synapse loss in the MS hippocampus, but the functional consequences of synapse loss remain poorly understood. Here, in post-mortem MS hippocampi with demyelination we find that deposits of the complement component C1q are enriched in the CA2 subfield, are linked to loss of inhibitory synapses and are significantly higher in MS patients with cognitive impairments compared to those with preserved cognitive functions. Using the cuprizone mouse model of demyelination, we corroborated that C1q deposits are highest within the demyelinated dorsal hippocampal CA2 pyramidal layer and co-localized with inhibitory synapses engulfed by microglia/macrophages. In agreement with the loss of inhibitory perisomatic synapses, we found that Schaffer collateral feedforward inhibition but not excitation was impaired in CA2 pyramidal neurons and accompanied by intrinsic changes and a reduced spike output. Finally, consistent with excitability deficits, we show that cuprizone-treated mice exhibit impaired encoding of social memories. Together, our findings identify CA2 as a critical circuit in demyelinated intrahippocampal lesions and memory dysfunctions in MS.
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13
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Grieco F, Bernstein BJ, Biemans B, Bikovski L, Burnett CJ, Cushman JD, van Dam EA, Fry SA, Richmond-Hacham B, Homberg JR, Kas MJH, Kessels HW, Koopmans B, Krashes MJ, Krishnan V, Logan S, Loos M, McCann KE, Parduzi Q, Pick CG, Prevot TD, Riedel G, Robinson L, Sadighi M, Smit AB, Sonntag W, Roelofs RF, Tegelenbosch RAJ, Noldus LPJJ. Measuring Behavior in the Home Cage: Study Design, Applications, Challenges, and Perspectives. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:735387. [PMID: 34630052 PMCID: PMC8498589 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.735387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The reproducibility crisis (or replication crisis) in biomedical research is a particularly existential and under-addressed issue in the field of behavioral neuroscience, where, in spite of efforts to standardize testing and assay protocols, several known and unknown sources of confounding environmental factors add to variance. Human interference is a major contributor to variability both within and across laboratories, as well as novelty-induced anxiety. Attempts to reduce human interference and to measure more "natural" behaviors in subjects has led to the development of automated home-cage monitoring systems. These systems enable prolonged and longitudinal recordings, and provide large continuous measures of spontaneous behavior that can be analyzed across multiple time scales. In this review, a diverse team of neuroscientists and product developers share their experiences using such an automated monitoring system that combines Noldus PhenoTyper® home-cages and the video-based tracking software, EthoVision® XT, to extract digital biomarkers of motor, emotional, social and cognitive behavior. After presenting our working definition of a "home-cage", we compare home-cage testing with more conventional out-of-cage tests (e.g., the open field) and outline the various advantages of the former, including opportunities for within-subject analyses and assessments of circadian and ultradian activity. Next, we address technical issues pertaining to the acquisition of behavioral data, such as the fine-tuning of the tracking software and the potential for integration with biotelemetry and optogenetics. Finally, we provide guidance on which behavioral measures to emphasize, how to filter, segment, and analyze behavior, and how to use analysis scripts. We summarize how the PhenoTyper has applications to study neuropharmacology as well as animal models of neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric illness. Looking forward, we examine current challenges and the impact of new developments. Examples include the automated recognition of specific behaviors, unambiguous tracking of individuals in a social context, the development of more animal-centered measures of behavior and ways of dealing with large datasets. Together, we advocate that by embracing standardized home-cage monitoring platforms like the PhenoTyper, we are poised to directly assess issues pertaining to reproducibility, and more importantly, measure features of rodent behavior under more ethologically relevant scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Briana J Bernstein
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | | | - Lior Bikovski
- Myers Neuro-Behavioral Core Facility, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- School of Behavioral Sciences, Netanya Academic College, Netanya, Israel
| | - C Joseph Burnett
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Jesse D Cushman
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | | | - Sydney A Fry
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - Bar Richmond-Hacham
- Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Judith R Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Martien J H Kas
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Helmut W Kessels
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Michael J Krashes
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Vaishnav Krishnan
- Laboratory of Epilepsy and Emotional Behavior, Baylor Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Sreemathi Logan
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Allied Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Maarten Loos
- Sylics (Synaptologics BV), Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Katharine E McCann
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | | | - Chaim G Pick
- Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- The Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Chair and Center for the Biology of Addictive Diseases, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Thomas D Prevot
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Gernot Riedel
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Lianne Robinson
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Mina Sadighi
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - August B Smit
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - William Sonntag
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Center for Geroscience, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | | | | | - Lucas P J J Noldus
- Noldus Information Technology BV, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Department of Biophysics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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14
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Ciampoli M, Scheggia D, Papaleo F. Automatic Intra-/Extra-Dimensional Attentional Set-Shifting Task in Adolescent Mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:704684. [PMID: 34349628 PMCID: PMC8326460 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.704684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Adolescence is a developmental period crucial for the maturation of higher-order cognitive functions. Indeed, adolescence deficits in executive functions are strong predictors of increased vulnerability to several mental disabilities later in life. Here, we tested adolescent mice in a fully-automated attentional set-shifting task equivalent to the humans' Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery Intra-/Extra-Dimensional set-shift task (ID/ED). Compared to an adult, adolescent mice required more time to complete the task (≈16 days), and a higher percentage failed to finish the entire task. Nevertheless, adolescent mice completing this demanding task showed an increased effort in solving the extradimensional shift stage (EDS) compared to previous stages. Moreover, we found that this paradigm can be used to detect early cognitive dysfunctions in adolescent genetically modified mice. Thus, this automatic paradigm provides a further tool to assess attentional control in adolescent mice, and the development of dysfunctional executive functions from adolescence to adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariasole Ciampoli
- Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Neuroscience Area, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
| | - Diego Scheggia
- Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Neuroscience Area, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy.,Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Papaleo
- Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Neuroscience Area, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy.,Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
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15
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van der Spek SJF, Gonzalez-Lozano MA, Koopmans F, Miedema SSM, Paliukhovich I, Smit AB, Li KW. Age-Dependent Hippocampal Proteomics in the APP/PS1 Alzheimer Mouse Model: A Comparative Analysis with Classical SWATH/DIA and directDIA Approaches. Cells 2021; 10:cells10071588. [PMID: 34202490 PMCID: PMC8304546 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder in the human population, for which there is currently no cure. The cause of AD is unknown; however, the toxic effects of amyloid-β (Aβ) are believed to play a role in its onset. To investigate this, we examined changes in global protein levels in a hippocampal synaptosome fraction of the Amyloid Precursor Protein swe/Presenelin 1 dE9 (APP/PS1) mouse model of AD at 6 and 12 months of age (moa). Data independent acquisition (DIA), or Sequential Window Acquisition of all THeoretical fragment-ion (SWATH), was used for a quantitative label-free proteomics analysis. We first assessed the usefulness of a recently improved directDIA workflow as an alternative to conventional DIA data analysis using a project-specific spectral library. Subsequently, we applied directDIA to the 6- and 12-moa APP/PS1 datasets and applied the Mass Spectrometry Downstream Analysis Pipeline (MS-DAP) for differential expression analysis and candidate discovery. We observed most regulation at 12-moa, in particular of proteins involved in Aβ homeostasis and microglial-dependent processes, like synaptic pruning and the immune response, such as APOE, CLU and C1QA-C. All proteomics data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD025777.
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16
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Caglayan A, Stumpenhorst K, Winter Y. Learning Set Formation and Reversal Learning in Mice During High-Throughput Home-Cage-Based Olfactory Discrimination. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:684936. [PMID: 34177482 PMCID: PMC8219855 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.684936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Rodent behavioral tasks are crucial to understanding the nature and underlying biology of cognition and cognitive deficits observed in psychiatric and neurological pathologies. Olfaction, as the primary sensory modality in rodents, is widely used to investigate cognition in rodents. In recent years, automation of olfactory tasks has made it possible to conduct olfactory experiments in a time- and labor-efficient manner while also minimizing experimenter-induced variability. In this study, we bring automation to the next level in two ways: First, by incorporating a radio frequency identification-based sorter that automatically isolates individuals for the experimental session. Thus, we can not only test animals during defined experimental sessions throughout the day but also prevent cagemate interference during task performance. Second, by implementing software that advances individuals to the next test stage as soon as performance criteria are reached. Thus, we can prevent overtraining, a known confounder especially in cognitive flexibility tasks. With this system in hand, we trained mice on a series of four odor pair discrimination tasks as well as their respective reversals. Due to performance-based advancement, mice normally advanced to the next stage in less than a day. Over the series of subsequent odor pair discriminations, the number of errors to criterion decreased significantly, thus indicating the formation of a learning set. As expected, errors to criterion were higher during reversals. Our results confirm that the system allows investigating higher-order cognitive functions such as learning set formation (which is understudied in mice) and reversal learning (which is a measure of cognitive flexibility and impaired in many clinical populations). Therefore, our system will facilitate investigations into the nature of cognition and cognitive deficits in pathological conditions by providing a high-throughput and labor-efficient experimental approach without the risks of overtraining or cagemate interference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alican Caglayan
- Institute for Biology, Humboldt Universität, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - York Winter
- Institute for Biology, Humboldt Universität, Berlin, Germany.,Neurocure, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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17
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Van den Broeck L, Sierksma A, Hansquine P, Thonnard D, Callaerts-Vegh Z, D'Hooge R. Comparison between touchscreen operant chambers and water maze to detect early prefrontal dysfunction in mice. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2020; 20:e12695. [PMID: 32812350 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The relative lack of sensitive and clinically valid tests of rodent behavior might be one of the reasons for the limited success of the clinical translation of preclinical Alzheimer's disease (AD) research findings. There is a general interest in innovative behavioral methodology, and protocols have been proposed for touchscreen operant chambers that might be superior to existing cognitive assessment methods. We assessed and analyzed touchscreen performance in several novel ways to examine the possible occurrence of early signs of prefrontal (PFC) functional decline in the APP/PS1 mouse model of AD. Touchscreen learning performance was compared between APP/PS1-21 mice and wildtype littermates on a C57BL/6J background at 3, 6 and 12 months of age in parallel to the assessment of spatial learning, memory and cognitive flexibility in the Morris water maze (MWM). We found that older mice generally needed more training sessions to complete the touchscreen protocol than younger ones. Older mice also displayed defects in MWM working memory performance, but touchscreen protocols detected functional changes beginning at 3 months of age. Histological changes in PFC of APP/PS1 mice indeed occurred as early as 3 months. Our results suggest that touchscreen operant protocols are more sensitive to PFC dysfunction, which is of relevance to the use of these tasks and devices in preclinical AD research and experimental pharmacology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lore Van den Broeck
- Laboratory of Biological Psychology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Annerieke Sierksma
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pierre Hansquine
- Laboratory of Biological Psychology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
| | - David Thonnard
- Laboratory of Biological Psychology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Rudi D'Hooge
- Laboratory of Biological Psychology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
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18
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Heimer-McGinn VR, Wise TB, Hemmer BM, Dayaw JNT, Templer VL. Social housing enhances acquisition of task set independently of environmental enrichment: A longitudinal study in the Barnes maze. Learn Behav 2020; 48:322-334. [PMID: 32040697 PMCID: PMC7415481 DOI: 10.3758/s13420-020-00418-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Human studies suggest that healthy social relationships benefit cognition, yet little is known about the underlying neural mechanisms of this protective effect. In rodents, studies on acute isolation and environmental enrichment (EE) confirm the importance of social exposure. Despite the widely recognized importance of sociality, however, rodent models have yet to explore the independent contributions of social housing divorced of other forms of enrichment. This study dissociates the effects of social and physical enrichment on spatial learning and memory from adulthood to old age. Rats were placed in either single or group housing, provided with ample enrichment, and tested at three time points on several phases/versions of the Barnes maze (BM) (standard, retention probes, variable location, and reversal). We found that sustained social housing enhanced cognitive flexibility, as evidenced by superior acquisition of task set (standard BM), adaptability to a new task set (variable BM), and improved reversal learning (reversal BM). Long-term retention (BM retention probes) of spatial memory was unaffected by housing conditions. Recent studies from our lab, including this report, are the first to show that social housing confers cognitive benefits beyond those of physical enrichment. Importantly, our experimental design is ideal for exploring the neural underpinnings of this socially induced cognitive protection. Understanding how sociality influences cognition will be invaluable to translational models of aging, neuropsychiatric disease, and neurological injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria R Heimer-McGinn
- Department of Psychology, Providence College, 1 Cunningham Square, Providence, RI, 02918, USA
- Department of Psychology, Roger Williams University, 1 Old Ferry Road, Bristol, RI, 02809, USA
| | - Taylor B Wise
- Department of Psychology, Providence College, 1 Cunningham Square, Providence, RI, 02918, USA
| | - Brittany M Hemmer
- Department of Psychology, Providence College, 1 Cunningham Square, Providence, RI, 02918, USA
| | - Judith N T Dayaw
- Department of Psychology, Providence College, 1 Cunningham Square, Providence, RI, 02918, USA
| | - Victoria L Templer
- Department of Psychology, Providence College, 1 Cunningham Square, Providence, RI, 02918, USA.
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19
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Wolff BS, Raheem SA, Alshawi SA, Regan JM, Feng LR, Saligan LN. Induction of fatigue-like behavior by pelvic irradiation of male mice alters cognitive behaviors and BDNF expression. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0235566. [PMID: 32614931 PMCID: PMC7332074 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Fatigue and cognitive deficits are often co-occurring symptoms reported by patients after radiation therapy for prostate cancer. In this study, we induced fatigue-like behavior in mice using targeted pelvic irradiation to mimic the clinical treatment regimen and assess cognitive behavioral changes. We observed that pelvic irradiation produced a robust fatigue phenotype, a reduced rate of spontaneous alternation in a Y-maze test, and no behavioral change in an open field test. We found that reversal learning for fatigued mice was slower with respect to time, but not with respect to effort put into the test, suggesting that fatigue may impact the ability or motivation to work at a cognitive task without impairing cognitive capabilities. In addition, we found that mice undergoing pelvic irradiation show lower whole-brain levels of mature BDNF, and that whole-brain proBDNF levels also correlate with spontaneous alternation in a Y-maze test. These results suggest that changes in BDNF levels could be both a cause and an effect of fatigue-related changes in behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian S. Wolff
- National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Sumiyya A. Raheem
- National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Sarah A. Alshawi
- National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jeniece M. Regan
- National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Li Rebekah Feng
- National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Leorey N. Saligan
- National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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20
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Sodium oligomannate therapeutically remodels gut microbiota and suppresses gut bacterial amino acids-shaped neuroinflammation to inhibit Alzheimer's disease progression. Cell Res 2019; 29:787-803. [PMID: 31488882 PMCID: PMC6796854 DOI: 10.1038/s41422-019-0216-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 642] [Impact Index Per Article: 128.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently, increasing evidence has suggested the association between gut dysbiosis and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) progression, yet the role of gut microbiota in AD pathogenesis remains obscure. Herein, we provide a potential mechanistic link between gut microbiota dysbiosis and neuroinflammation in AD progression. Using AD mouse models, we discovered that, during AD progression, the alteration of gut microbiota composition leads to the peripheral accumulation of phenylalanine and isoleucine, which stimulates the differentiation and proliferation of pro-inflammatory T helper 1 (Th1) cells. The brain-infiltrated peripheral Th1 immune cells are associated with the M1 microglia activation, contributing to AD-associated neuroinflammation. Importantly, the elevation of phenylalanine and isoleucine concentrations and the increase of Th1 cell frequency in the blood were also observed in two small independent cohorts of patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to AD. Furthermore, GV-971, a sodium oligomannate that has demonstrated solid and consistent cognition improvement in a phase 3 clinical trial in China, suppresses gut dysbiosis and the associated phenylalanine/isoleucine accumulation, harnesses neuroinflammation and reverses the cognition impairment. Together, our findings highlight the role of gut dysbiosis-promoted neuroinflammation in AD progression and suggest a novel strategy for AD therapy by remodelling the gut microbiota.
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21
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Sorato E, Zidar J, Garnham L, Wilson A, Løvlie H. Heritabilities and co-variation among cognitive traits in red junglefowl. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 373:rstb.2017.0285. [PMID: 30104430 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural selection can act on between-individual variation in cognitive abilities, yet evolutionary responses depend on the presence of underlying genetic variation. It is, therefore, crucial to determine the relative extent of genetic versus environmental control of these among-individual differences in cognitive traits to understand their causes and evolutionary potential. We investigated heritability of associative learning performance and of a cognitive judgement bias (optimism), as well as their covariation, in a captive pedigree-bred population of red junglefowl (Gallus gallus, n > 300 chicks over 5 years). We analysed performance in discriminative and reversal learning (two facets of associative learning), and cognitive judgement bias, by conducting animal models to disentangle genetic from environmental contributions. We demonstrate moderate heritability for reversal learning, and weak to no heritability for optimism and discriminative learning, respectively. The two facets of associative learning were weakly negatively correlated, consistent with hypothesized trade-offs underpinning individual cognitive styles. Reversal, but not discriminative learning performance, was associated with judgement bias; less optimistic individuals reversed a previously learnt association faster. Together these results indicate that genetic and environmental contributions differ among traits. While modular models of cognitive abilities predict a lack of common genetic control for different cognitive traits, further investigation is required to fully ascertain the degree of covariation between a broader range of cognitive traits and the extent of any shared genetic control.This article is part of the theme issue 'Causes and consequences of individual differences in cognitive abilities'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Sorato
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, IFM Biology, Linköping University, Linköping 581 83, Sweden
| | - Josefina Zidar
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, IFM Biology, Linköping University, Linköping 581 83, Sweden
| | - Laura Garnham
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, IFM Biology, Linköping University, Linköping 581 83, Sweden
| | - Alastair Wilson
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Hanne Løvlie
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, IFM Biology, Linköping University, Linköping 581 83, Sweden
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22
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Kovačević J, Maroteaux G, Schut D, Loos M, Dubey M, Pitsch J, Remmelink E, Koopmans B, Crowley J, Cornelisse LN, Sullivan PF, Schoch S, Toonen RF, Stiedl O, Verhage M. Protein instability, haploinsufficiency, and cortical hyper-excitability underlie STXBP1 encephalopathy. Brain 2018; 141:1350-1374. [PMID: 29538625 PMCID: PMC5917748 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awy046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2017] [Revised: 12/15/2017] [Accepted: 01/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
De novo heterozygous mutations in STXBP1/Munc18-1 cause early infantile epileptic encephalopathies (EIEE4, OMIM #612164) characterized by infantile epilepsy, developmental delay, intellectual disability, and can include autistic features. We characterized the cellular deficits for an allelic series of seven STXBP1 mutations and developed four mouse models that recapitulate the abnormal EEG activity and cognitive aspects of human STXBP1-encephalopathy. Disease-causing STXBP1 variants supported synaptic transmission to a variable extent on a null background, but had no effect when overexpressed on a heterozygous background. All disease variants had severely decreased protein levels. Together, these cellular studies suggest that impaired protein stability and STXBP1 haploinsufficiency explain STXBP1-encephalopathy and that, therefore, Stxbp1+/- mice provide a valid mouse model. Simultaneous video and EEG recordings revealed that Stxbp1+/- mice with different genomic backgrounds recapitulate the seizure/spasm phenotype observed in humans, characterized by myoclonic jerks and spike-wave discharges that were suppressed by the antiepileptic drug levetiracetam. Mice heterozygous for Stxbp1 in GABAergic neurons only, showed impaired viability, 50% died within 2-3 weeks, and the rest showed stronger epileptic activity. c-Fos staining implicated neocortical areas, but not other brain regions, as the seizure foci. Stxbp1+/- mice showed impaired cognitive performance, hyperactivity and anxiety-like behaviour, without altered social behaviour. Taken together, these data demonstrate the construct, face and predictive validity of Stxbp1+/- mice and point to protein instability, haploinsufficiency and imbalanced excitation in neocortex, as the underlying mechanism of STXBP1-encephalopathy. The mouse models reported here are valid models for development of therapeutic interventions targeting STXBP1-encephalopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jovana Kovačević
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, de Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Sylics (Synaptologics BV), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gregoire Maroteaux
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, de Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Desiree Schut
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, de Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maarten Loos
- Sylics (Synaptologics BV), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mohit Dubey
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, de Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Julika Pitsch
- Section for Translational Epilepsy Research, Department of Neuropathology, University of Bonn Medical Center, 53105 Bonn, Germany
| | | | | | - James Crowley
- UNC Center for Psychiatric Genomics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 101 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7160, USA
| | - L Niels Cornelisse
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, de Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Patrick F Sullivan
- UNC Center for Psychiatric Genomics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 101 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7160, USA
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Department of (Clinical) Genetics, Nobels väg 12A, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Susanne Schoch
- Section for Translational Epilepsy Research, Department of Neuropathology, University of Bonn Medical Center, 53105 Bonn, Germany
| | - Ruud F Toonen
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, de Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Oliver Stiedl
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, de Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Matthijs Verhage
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, de Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, de Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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23
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Marwari S, Dawe GS. (R)-fluoxetine enhances cognitive flexibility and hippocampal cell proliferation in mice. J Psychopharmacol 2018; 32:441-457. [PMID: 29458297 DOI: 10.1177/0269881118754733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Fluoxetine is a clinically successful antidepressant. It is a racemic mixture of (R) and (S) stereoisomers. In preclinical studies, chronic treatment with fluoxetine (10 mg/kg) had antidepressant effects correlated with increased hippocampal cell proliferation in adult rodents. However, the contribution of the enantiomers of fluoxetine is largely unknown. We investigated the effects of treatment with (R)- and (S)-fluoxetine on cognitive behavioral paradigms and examined cell proliferation in the hippocampus of C57BL/6J female mice. In a behavioral sequencing task using the IntelliCage system in which discriminated spatial patterns of rewarded and never-rewarded corners were reversed serially, (R)-fluoxetine-treated mice showed rapid acquisition of behavioral sequencing (compared with S-fluoxetine) and cognitive flexibility in subsequent reversal stages in intra- and inter-session analysis. (R)-fluoxetine also increased cell proliferation in the hippocampus, in particular in the suprapyramidal blade of the dentate gyrus. (R)-fluoxetine had superior effects to (S)-fluoxetine in elevated plus maze, forced-swim and tail-suspension tests. These results suggest that (R)-fluoxetine, which has been reported to have a shorter half-life than (S)-fluoxetine, has superior antidepressant effects and more consistently improves spatial learning and memory. This profile offers advantages in depression treatment and may also aid management of the neurocognitive impairments associated with depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhi Marwari
- 1 Department of Pharmacology, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Gavin S Dawe
- 1 Department of Pharmacology, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,2 Neurobiology and Ageing Programme, Life Sciences Institute, University of Singapore, Singapore
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Manning EE, Ahmari SE. How can preclinical mouse models be used to gain insight into prefrontal cortex dysfunction in obsessive-compulsive disorder? Brain Neurosci Adv 2018; 2:2398212818783896. [PMID: 32166143 PMCID: PMC7058260 DOI: 10.1177/2398212818783896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a debilitating psychiatric disorder that is characterised by perseverative thoughts and behaviours. Cognitive and affective disturbances play a central role in this illness, and it is therefore not surprising that clinical neuroimaging studies have demonstrated widespread alterations in prefrontal cortex functioning in patients. Preclinical mouse experimental systems provide the opportunity to gain mechanistic insight into the neurobiological changes underlying prefrontal cortex dysfunction through new technologies that allow measurement and manipulation of activity in discrete neural populations in awake, behaving mice. However, recent preclinical research has focused on striatal dysfunction, and has therefore provided relatively little insight regarding the role of the prefrontal cortex in obsessive-compulsive disorder-relevant behaviours. Here, we will discuss a number of translational prefrontal cortex-dependent paradigms, including obsessive-compulsive disorder-relevant tasks that produce compulsive responding, and how they can be leveraged in this context. Drawing on recent examples that have led to mechanistic insight about specific genes, cell types and circuits that mediate prefrontal cortex contributions to distinct aspects of cognition, we will provide a framework for applying similar strategies to identify neural mechanisms underlying obsessive-compulsive disorder-relevant behavioural domains. We propose that research using clinically relevant paradigms will accelerate translation of findings from preclinical mouse models, thus supporting the development of novel therapeutics targeted to specific pathophysiological mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Susanne E. Ahmari
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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25
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Remmelink E, Chau U, Smit AB, Verhage M, Loos M. A one-week 5-choice serial reaction time task to measure impulsivity and attention in adult and adolescent mice. Sci Rep 2017; 7:42519. [PMID: 28198416 PMCID: PMC5309744 DOI: 10.1038/srep42519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2016] [Accepted: 01/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Many psychiatric disorders emerge during adolescence. The study of executive functions in animal models of these disorders critically requires short-duration tasks measuring these functions before the animal ages. Here, a novel 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) protocol is presented, to measure attention and impulsivity within one week, without scheduled food deprivation and with little animal handling. Mice were allowed 24-h/day task access from their home-cage, during which they could self-pace task progression and earn unlimited food rewards depending on task performance. Manipulation of task parameters in this self-paced 5-CSRTT protocol (SP-5C) affected attentional performance and impulsivity to a similar extent as previously observed in the 5-CSRTT. Task activity followed intrinsic circadian rhythm, distinctive for the SP-5C protocol, with task performance stable over the day. The sensitivity of the SP-5C protocol to detect strain differences between C57BL/6J, DBA/2 J, BXD16 and BXD62 mice was demonstrated as well as its suitability for testing adolescent mice. Acute administration of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist scopolamine impaired attentional performance, providing initial pharmacological validation of the task. The SP-5C substantially shortens the assessment of impulsivity and attention, increases test efficiency and enables the assessment of adolescent mouse models of psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Remmelink
- Sylics (Synaptologics B.V.), 1008 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Uyen Chau
- Sylics (Synaptologics B.V.), 1008 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - August B. Smit
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Matthijs Verhage
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maarten Loos
- Sylics (Synaptologics B.V.), 1008 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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26
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Rivalan M, Munawar H, Fuchs A, Winter Y. An Automated, Experimenter-Free Method for the Standardised, Operant Cognitive Testing of Rats. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0169476. [PMID: 28060883 PMCID: PMC5218494 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0169476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2016] [Accepted: 12/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal models of human pathology are essential for biomedical research. However, a recurring issue in the use of animal models is the poor reproducibility of behavioural and physiological findings within and between laboratories. The most critical factor influencing this issue remains the experimenter themselves. One solution is the use of procedures devoid of human intervention. We present a novel approach to experimenter-free testing cognitive abilities in rats, by combining undisturbed group housing with automated, standardized and individual operant testing. This experimenter-free system consisted of an automated-operant system (Bussey-Saksida rat touch screen) connected to a home cage containing group living rats via an automated animal sorter (PhenoSys). The automated animal sorter, which is based on radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology, functioned as a mechanical replacement of the experimenter. Rats learnt to regularly and individually enter the operant chamber and remained there for the duration of the experimental session only. Self-motivated rats acquired the complex touch screen task of trial-unique non-matching to location (TUNL) in half the time reported for animals that were manually placed into the operant chamber. Rat performance was similar between the two groups within our laboratory, and comparable to previously published results obtained elsewhere. This reproducibility, both within and between laboratories, confirms the validity of this approach. In addition, automation reduced daily experimental time by 80%, eliminated animal handling, and reduced equipment cost. This automated, experimenter-free setup is a promising tool of great potential for testing a large variety of functions with full automation in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion Rivalan
- Department of Biology, Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- * E-mail: (MR); (YW)
| | - Humaira Munawar
- Department of Biology, Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anna Fuchs
- Department of Biology, Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - York Winter
- Department of Biology, Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- * E-mail: (MR); (YW)
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