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Ables JL, Park K, Ibañez-Tallon I. Understanding the habenula: A major node in circuits regulating emotion and motivation. Pharmacol Res 2023; 190:106734. [PMID: 36933754 PMCID: PMC11081310 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Over the last decade, the understanding of the habenula has rapidly advanced from being an understudied brain area with the Latin name 'habena" meaning "little rein", to being considered a "major rein" in the control of key monoaminergic brain centers. This ancient brain structure is a strategic node in the information flow from fronto-limbic brain areas to brainstem nuclei. As such, it plays a crucial role in regulating emotional, motivational, and cognitive behaviors and has been implicated in several neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression and addiction. This review will summarize recent findings on the medial (MHb) and lateral (LHb) habenula, their topographical projections, cell types, and functions. Additionally, we will discuss contemporary efforts that have uncovered novel molecular pathways and synaptic mechanisms with a focus on MHb-Interpeduncular nucleus (IPN) synapses. Finally, we will explore the potential interplay between the habenula's cholinergic and non-cholinergic components in coordinating related emotional and motivational behaviors, raising the possibility that these two pathways work together to provide balanced roles in reward prediction and aversion, rather than functioning independently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Ables
- Psychiatry Department, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kwanghoon Park
- The Laboratory of Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Inés Ibañez-Tallon
- The Laboratory of Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
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2
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Lamanna-Rama N, MacDowell KS, López G, Leza JC, Desco M, Ambrosio E, Soto-Montenegro ML. Neuroimaging revealed long-lasting glucose metabolism changes to morphine withdrawal in rats pretreated with the cannabinoid agonist CP-55,940 during periadolescence. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2023; 69:60-76. [PMID: 36780817 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2023.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
Abstract
This study evaluates the long-term effects of a six and 14-week morphine withdrawal in rats pretreated with a cannabinoid agonist (CP-55,940, CP) during periadolescence. Wistar rats (33 males; 32 females) were treated with CP or its vehicle (VH) from postnatal day (PND) 28-38. At PND100, rats performed morphine self-administration (MSA, 15d/12 h/session). Eight groups were defined according to pretreatment (CP), treatment (morphine), and sex. Three [18F]FDG-PET brain images were acquired: after MSA, and after six and 14 weeks of withdrawal. PET data were analyzed with SPM12. Endocannabinoid (EC) markers were evaluated in frozen brain tissue at endpoint. Females showed a higher mean number of self-injections than males. A main Sex effect on global brain metabolism was found. FDG uptake in males was discrete, whereas females showed greater brain metabolism changes mainly in areas of the limbic system after morphine treatment. Moreover, the morphine-induced metabolic pattern in females was exacerbated when CP was previously present. In addition, the CP-Saline male group showed reduced CB1R, MAGL expression, and NAPE/FAAH ratio compared to the control group, and morphine was able to reverse CB1R and MAGL expression almost to control levels. In conclusion, females showed greater and longer-lasting metabolic changes after morphine withdrawal than males, indicating a higher vulnerability and a different sensitivity to morphine in subjects pre-exposed to CP. In contrast, males primarily showed changes in EC markers. Together, our results suggest that CP pre-exposure contributes to the modulation of brain metabolism and EC systems in a sex-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Lamanna-Rama
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Bioingeniería e Ingeniería Aeroespacial, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Leganés, Spain
| | - K S MacDowell
- CIBER de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Farmacología & Toxicología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Imas12, IUIN, Spain
| | - G López
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Psicobiología, Facultad de Psicología, National University for Distance Learning (UNED), Madrid, Spain; Faculty of Health Science, Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR), Spain
| | - J C Leza
- CIBER de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Farmacología & Toxicología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Imas12, IUIN, Spain
| | - M Desco
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Bioingeniería e Ingeniería Aeroespacial, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Leganés, Spain; CIBER de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain; Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain.
| | - E Ambrosio
- Departamento de Psicobiología, Facultad de Psicología, National University for Distance Learning (UNED), Madrid, Spain.
| | - M L Soto-Montenegro
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain; CIBER de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain; Grupo de Fisiopatología y Farmacología del Sistema Digestivo de la Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (NEUGUT), Madrid, España.
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3
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Wilkinson A, Swann A, Graham D, Patriquin M, Salas R, Nielsen D, Kosten T. Emotional self-regulation, impulsivity, 5-HTTLPR and tobacco use behavior among psychiatric inpatients. J Affect Disord 2022; 311:631-636. [PMID: 35623482 PMCID: PMC9842073 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.05.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While the serotonin transporter (SLC6A4) gene, 5-HTTLPR, interacts with the social environment to influence both emotional self-regulation and smoking behavior, less is known about interactions between emotional self-regulation and 5-HTTLPR or their joint influence on tobacco use. Here, we examined such interactions among psychiatric inpatients, the population with the highest rates of smoking. METHODS Participants (506 adults) were psychiatric inpatients at The Menninger Clinic in Houston TX between 2012 and 16. Most were white (89%), male (55%), with a mean age of 32.3 years. Participants completed the Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale (DERS) at admission. We examined interactions with smoking among three DERS subscales and 5-HTTLPR, controlling for sex, race and age. RESULTS Smoking rates were higher among those with the 5-HTTPLR L'L' genotype compared to peers carrying an S' allele (47.9% vs. 37.4%, respectively). Among S' allele carrying participants, impulse control difficulties (OR = 1.09; 95%CI: 1.03-1.14) and lack of emotion clarity (OR = 1.06; 95%CI: 1.00-1.11) increased risk for ever using tobacco, while accessing more ways to regulate emotion (OR = 0.95; 95%CI: 0.92-0.99) offered a protective effect against ever using tobacco. Neither demographic nor DERS covariates were associated with using tobacco among the L'L' group. LIMITATIONS This ethnically homogenous sample limits generalizability and using a binary outcome can over-estimate a gene environment interaction effect. CONCLUSIONS Emotional self-regulation exerts a stronger influence on using tobacco among carriers of an S' allele of 5-HTTLPR than peers with the L'L' genotype. Promoting emotional self-regulatory skills may have benefits for preventing tobacco use.
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Affiliation(s)
- A.V. Wilkinson
- UTHealth School of Public Health in Austin, Austin, TX, United States of America,Corresponding author. (A.V. Wilkinson)
| | - A.C. Swann
- Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, United States of America,Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - D.P. Graham
- Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, United States of America,Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - M.A. Patriquin
- Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, United States of America,Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America,The Menninger Clinic, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - R. Salas
- Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, United States of America,Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America,The Menninger Clinic, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - D.A. Nielsen
- Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - T.R. Kosten
- Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, United States of America,Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
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Brynildsen JK, Yang K, Lemchi C, Dani JA, De Biasi M, Blendy JA. A common SNP in Chrna5 enhances morphine reward in female mice. Neuropharmacology 2022; 218:109218. [PMID: 35973602 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109218] [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: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) D398N (rs16969968) in CHRNA5, the gene encoding the α5 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR), has been associated with both nicotine and opiate dependence in human populations. Expression of this SNP on presynaptic VTA dopaminergic (DA) neurons is known to cause a reduction in calcium signaling, leading to alterations in transmitter signaling and altered responses to drugs of abuse. To examine the impact of the Chrna5 SNP on opiate reward and underlying dopaminergic mechanisms, mice harboring two copies of the risk-associated allele (Chrna5 A/A) at a location equivalent to human rs16969968 were generated via CRISPR/cas9 genome editing. We sought to determine whether Chrna5 A/A mice show differences in sensitivity to rewarding properties of morphine using the conditioned place preference paradigm. When mice were tested two weeks after conditioning, female Chrna5 A/A mice showed significantly enhanced preference for the morphine-paired chamber relative to WT females, suggesting that this genotype may enhance opioid reward specifically in females. In contrast, Chrna5 genotype had no effect on locomotor sensitization in male or female mice. Relative to WT females, peak amplitude of ACh-gated currents recorded from VTA DA neurons in Chrna5 A/A females was potentiated 1 day after conditioning with morphine. Increased FOS expression was also observed in Chrna5 A/A mice relative to WT mice following exposure to the morphine CPP chamber. We propose that impaired α5 nAChR subunit function alters DA neuron response following repeated morphine exposures, and that this early cellular response could contribute to enhanced opiate reward two weeks after conditioning.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Crystal Lemchi
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, USA
| | | | - Mariella De Biasi
- Department of Neuroscience, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, USA.
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5
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Custodio L, Malone S, Bardo MT, Turner JR. Nicotine and opioid co-dependence: Findings from bench research to clinical trials. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 134:104507. [PMID: 34968525 PMCID: PMC10986295 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.12.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Concomitant use of tobacco and opioids represents a growing public health concern. In fact, the mortality rate due to smoking-related illness approaches 50% among SUD patients. Cumulative evidence demonstrates that the vulnerability to drugs of abuse is influenced by behavioral, environmental, and genetic factors. This review explores the contribution of genetics and neural mechanisms influencing nicotine and opioid reward, respiration, and antinociception, emphasizing the interaction of cholinergic and opioid receptor systems. Despite the substantial evidence demonstrating nicotine-opioid interactions within the brain and on behavior, the currently available pharmacotherapies targeting these systems have shown limited efficacy for smoking cessation on opioid-maintained smokers. Thus, further studies designed to identify novel targets modulating both nicotinic and opioid receptor systems may lead to more efficacious approaches for co-morbid nicotine dependence and opioid use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilian Custodio
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Samantha Malone
- Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Michael T Bardo
- Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Jill R Turner
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
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Brynildsen JK, Blendy JA. Linking the CHRNA5 SNP to drug abuse liability: From circuitry to cellular mechanisms. Neuropharmacology 2021; 186:108480. [PMID: 33539855 PMCID: PMC7958463 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Genetics are known to be a significant risk factor for drug abuse. In human populations, the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) D398N in the gene CHRNA5 has been associated with addiction to nicotine, opioids, cocaine, and alcohol. In this paper, we review findings from studies in humans, rodent models, and cell lines and provide evidence that collectively suggests that the Chrna5 SNP broadly influences the response to drugs of abuse in a manner that is not substance-specific. This finding has important implications for our understanding of the role of the cholinergic system in reward and addiction vulnerability. This article is part of the special issue on 'Vulnerabilities to Substance Abuse.'
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia K Brynildsen
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
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7
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Arfuso M, Salas R, Castellanos FX, Krain Roy A. Evidence of Altered Habenular Intrinsic Functional Connectivity in Pediatric ADHD. J Atten Disord 2021; 25:749-757. [PMID: 31014160 PMCID: PMC9295305 DOI: 10.1177/1087054719843177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Objective: The habenula is a small region in the epithalamus that contributes to the regulation of midbrain dopaminergic circuits implicated in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This investigation aims to evaluate the intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC) of the habenula in children with ADHD. Method: A total of 112 children (5-9 years; 75 ADHD, 37 healthy comparisons) completed anatomical and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Habenula regions of interest (ROIs) were identified individually on normalized T1-weighted anatomical images. Seed-based iFC analyses and group comparisons were conducted for habenula ROIs, as well as thalamic ROIs to test the specificity of habenula findings. Results: Children with ADHD exhibited reduced habenula-putamen iFC compared with healthy comparisons. Group differences in thalamic iFC showed no overlap with habenular findings. Conclusion: These preliminary findings suggest that habenula-putamen iFC may be disrupted in children with ADHD. Further work is needed to confirm and elucidate the role of this circuit in ADHD pathophysiology.
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8
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Rivas-Grajales AM, Salas R, Robinson ME, Qi K, Murrough JW, Mathew SJ. Habenula Connectivity and Intravenous Ketamine in Treatment-Resistant Depression. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2020; 24:383-391. [PMID: 33249434 PMCID: PMC8130203 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyaa089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ketamine's potent and rapid antidepressant properties have shown great promise to treat severe forms of major depressive disorder (MDD). A recently hypothesized antidepressant mechanism of action of ketamine is the inhibition of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-dependent bursting activity of the habenula (Hb), a small brain structure that modulates reward and affective states. METHODS Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was conducted in 35 patients with MDD at baseline and 24 hours following treatment with i.v. ketamine. A seed-to-voxel functional connectivity (FC) analysis was performed with the Hb as a seed-of-interest. Pre-post changes in FC and the associations between changes in FC of the Hb and depressive symptom severity were examined. RESULTS A reduction in Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale scores from baseline to 24 hours after ketamine infusion was associated with increased FC between the right Hb and a cluster in the right frontal pole (t = 4.65, P = .03, false discovery rate [FDR]-corrected). A reduction in Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self Report score following ketamine was associated with increased FC between the right Hb and clusters in the right occipital pole (t = 5.18, P < .0001, FDR-corrected), right temporal pole (t = 4.97, P < .0001, FDR-corrected), right parahippocampal gyrus (t = 5.80, P = .001, FDR-corrected), and left lateral occipital cortex (t = 4.73, P = .03, FDR-corrected). Given the small size of the Hb, it is possible that peri-habenular regions contributed to the results. CONCLUSIONS These preliminary results suggest that the Hb might be involved in ketamine's antidepressant action in patients with MDD, although these findings are limited by the lack of a control group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Maria Rivas-Grajales
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Ramiro Salas
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Mental Health Care Line, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, Texas, USA
- The Menninger Clinic, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Meghan E Robinson
- Core for Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Karen Qi
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - James W Murrough
- Depression and Anxiety Center for Discovery and Treatment, Department of Psychiatry; Department of Neuroscience; and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New Yorks, USA
| | - Sanjay J Mathew
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Mental Health Care Line, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, Texas, USA
- Correspondence: Sanjay J. Mathew, MD, Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza MS: BCM350, Houston, TX 77030, USA ()
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9
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Altered habenula to locus coeruleus functional connectivity in past anorexia nervosa suggests correlation with suicidality: a pilot study. Eat Weight Disord 2020; 25:1475-1480. [PMID: 31376112 PMCID: PMC6995421 DOI: 10.1007/s40519-019-00746-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Despite anorexia nervosa having the highest mortality rate of mental illnesses, little is known regarding the brain mechanisms involved. Given that lack of interest for food in anorexic patients is related to alterations in the reward system, we tested the hypothesis that patients with past anorexia nervosa (pAN) have altered resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) between the habenula (a major component of the reward system) and its targets. METHODS RSFC between the habenula and major targets (locus coeruleus, median and dorsal raphe nuclei, substantia nigra, and ventral tegmental area) was studied in 14 psychiatric inpatients with pAN and 14 psychiatric inpatient controls (PC, never-anorexic patients in same clinic, matched for comorbidities). Next, we tested possible correlations between RSFC and suicidal ideation, depression, and anxiety as determined by self-report questionnaires. RESULTS Left habenula/locus coeruleus RSFC was lower in pAN patients compared to PC. The left habenula/locus coeruleus RSFC was positively correlated with suicidal ideation (past 2 months) in pAN patients, but not in controls. CONCLUSIONS pAN patients showed long lasting alterations in habenular connectivity. This may have clinical implications, possibly including future evaluation of the habenula as a therapeutic target and the need to carefully monitor suicidality in pAN patients. NO LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Basic science.
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10
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Subcortical brain morphometry of avoidant personality disorder. J Affect Disord 2020; 274:1057-1061. [PMID: 32663932 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.05.127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Avoidant personality disorder (AvPD) is a condition typified by social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, and hypersensitivity to negative evaluation. AvPD has a high comorbidity rate with other personality disorders and other psychological diagnostic categories. There is very little research investigating subcortical volumetry in AvPD. We studied subcortical brain morphometry in AvPD as compared to both healthy controls and comorbidity-matched psychiatric controls (patients in the same clinic matched for age, sex and all psychiatric diagnoses except for AvPD). METHODS We compared volumetric measures of 9 bilateral subcortical brain regions between AvPD patients, healthy controls, and psychiatric controls (n = 100 each group). The Bonferroni correction was used to control for multiple comparisons across regions (p < 0.0028). RESULTS Compared to healthy controls, AvPD patients had lower volume of the left accumbens and left thalamus. However, no significant results were found when comparing AvPD patients and psychiatric controls. An exploratory study of cortical regions showed similar results: statistically significant differences between HC and AvPD (left lateral occipital, left and right pericalcarine smaller in AvPD) but no differences between AvPD and PC. LIMITATIONS MRI and neuroimaging provides correlational information, and no causal claims can be made. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest there may be no overt subcortical volumetric differences specific to AvPD, and provide strong cautionary advice when comparing patients to healthy controls, a common practice in psychiatry biomarker research.
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11
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Oh H, Lee J, Gosnell SN, Patriquin M, Kosten T, Salas R. Orbitofrontal, dorsal striatum, and habenula functional connectivity in psychiatric patients with substance use problems. Addict Behav 2020; 108:106457. [PMID: 32371303 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Substance abuse is commonly defined as the persistence of drug use despite negative consequences. Recent preclinical work has shown that higher input from the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) to the dorsal striatum was associated with compulsive reward-seeking behavior despite negative effects. It remains unknown whether drug use is associated with the connectivity between the OFC and dorsal striatum in humans. We studied the resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) between the OFC, dorsal striatum, and habenula (and the whole brain in a separate analysis) in psychiatric inpatients with high (PU, problem users) and low (LU, low users) substance use. We matched PU and LU for psychiatric comorbidities. We found that PU showed higher RSFC between the left OFC and the left dorsal striatum than LU. RSFC between the habenula and both OFC and dorsal striatum was also higher in PU, which suggests the habenula may be a part of the same circuit. Finally, higher RSFC between the OFC and insula was also observed in PU. Our data shows that OFC, habenula, dorsal striatum, and insula may play an important role in PU. Furthermore, we postulate that the habenula may link the mesolimbic and cortico-striatal systems, which are altered in PU.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyuntaek Oh
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; The Menninger Clinic, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jaehoon Lee
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership, College of Education, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Savannah N Gosnell
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Michelle Patriquin
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; The Menninger Clinic, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Thomas Kosten
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ramiro Salas
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; The Menninger Clinic, Houston, TX, USA; Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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12
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Icick R, Forget B, Cloëz-Tayarani I, Pons S, Maskos U, Besson M. Genetic susceptibility to nicotine addiction: Advances and shortcomings in our understanding of the CHRNA5/A3/B4 gene cluster contribution. Neuropharmacology 2020; 177:108234. [PMID: 32738310 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 06/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Over the last decade, robust human genetic findings have been instrumental in elucidating the heritable basis of nicotine addiction (NA). They highlight coding and synonymous polymorphisms in a cluster on chromosome 15, encompassing the CHRNA5, CHRNA3 and CHRNB4 genes, coding for three subunits of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). They have inspired an important number of preclinical studies, and will hopefully lead to the definition of novel drug targets for treating NA. Here, we review these candidate gene and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and their direct implication in human brain function and NA-related phenotypes. We continue with a description of preclinical work in transgenic rodents that has led to a mechanistic understanding of several of the genetic hits. We also highlight important issues with regards to CHRNA3 and CHRNB4 where we are still lacking a dissection of their role in NA, including even in preclinical models. We further emphasize the use of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived models for the analysis of synonymous and intronic variants on a human genomic background. Finally, we indicate potential avenues to further our understanding of the role of this human genetic variation. This article is part of the special issue on 'Contemporary Advances in Nicotine Neuropharmacology'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Icick
- Neurobiologie Intégrative des Systèmes Cholinergiques, CNRS UMR3571, Institut Pasteur, 25 Rue du Dr Roux, 75724, Paris Cedex 15, France; Département de Psychiatrie et de Médecine Addictologique, Groupe Hospitalier Saint-Louis, Lariboisière, Fernand Widal, Assistance-Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, F-75010, France; INSERM UMR-S1144, Paris, F-75006, France; FHU "NOR-SUD", Assistance-Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, F-75001, France
| | - Benoît Forget
- Neurobiologie Intégrative des Systèmes Cholinergiques, CNRS UMR3571, Institut Pasteur, 25 Rue du Dr Roux, 75724, Paris Cedex 15, France; Génétique Humaine et Fonctions Cognitives, CNRS UMR3571, Institut Pasteur, 25 Rue du Dr Roux, 75724, Paris Cedex 15, France
| | - Isabelle Cloëz-Tayarani
- Neurobiologie Intégrative des Systèmes Cholinergiques, CNRS UMR3571, Institut Pasteur, 25 Rue du Dr Roux, 75724, Paris Cedex 15, France; FHU "NOR-SUD", Assistance-Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, F-75001, France
| | - Stéphanie Pons
- Neurobiologie Intégrative des Systèmes Cholinergiques, CNRS UMR3571, Institut Pasteur, 25 Rue du Dr Roux, 75724, Paris Cedex 15, France; FHU "NOR-SUD", Assistance-Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, F-75001, France
| | - Uwe Maskos
- Neurobiologie Intégrative des Systèmes Cholinergiques, CNRS UMR3571, Institut Pasteur, 25 Rue du Dr Roux, 75724, Paris Cedex 15, France; FHU "NOR-SUD", Assistance-Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, F-75001, France
| | - Morgane Besson
- Neurobiologie Intégrative des Systèmes Cholinergiques, CNRS UMR3571, Institut Pasteur, 25 Rue du Dr Roux, 75724, Paris Cedex 15, France; FHU "NOR-SUD", Assistance-Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, F-75001, France.
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13
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Poblete GF, Gosnell SN, Meyer M, Fang M, Nguyen T, Patriquin MA, Nielsen D, Kosten T, Salas R. Process genes list: An approach to link genetics and human brain imaging. J Neurosci Methods 2020; 339:108695. [PMID: 32201351 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2020.108695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Linking human genetics and brain imaging data is extremely challenging, among other reasons because both fields suffer from multiple comparison problems. NEW METHOD ProcessGeneLists (PGL) links genetics and human brain imaging by using genes associated with a disease and calculating a normalized mRNA expression average of those genes in each brain region. Brain regions in which those genes are most co-expressed become regions of interest (ROIs) to perform brain imaging in participants with and without the disease, decreasing multiple comparisons. Once a region is identified as "imaging-relevant", the genes most responsible for that ROI being highlighted can be genotyped in the imaged sample. This allows to re-analyze imaging data under the light of likely relevant genetics, to study possible brain imaging/gene variant interactions. RESULTS As proof-of-concept, we created two lists of genes expressed in the habenula and the striatum, to verified that PGL would highlight those regions. Next, we used a list of genes likely important in alcohol abuse from the literature, which identified several brain regions previously associated with alcohol abuse such as the striatum, habenula, and hippocampus. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS To our knowledge there is no current method to obtain brain regions of interest from genetics data. CONCLUSIONS Genetics typically asks "which genes are associated with a disease?" while human brain imaging typically asks "which brain regions are associated with a disease?" PGL asks "which genes, via modulation within specific brain regions, are found to be associated with a disease?".
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo F Poblete
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Buenos Aires, Argentina; The Menninger Clinic, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Savannah N Gosnell
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Mary Fang
- Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | | | - Michelle A Patriquin
- The Menninger Clinic, Houston, TX, USA; Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - David Nielsen
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Thomas Kosten
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ramiro Salas
- The Menninger Clinic, Houston, TX, USA; Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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14
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Roman E, Weininger J, Lim B, Roman M, Barry D, Tierney P, O'Hanlon E, Levins K, O'Keane V, Roddy D. Untangling the dorsal diencephalic conduction system: a review of structure and function of the stria medullaris, habenula and fasciculus retroflexus. Brain Struct Funct 2020; 225:1437-1458. [PMID: 32367265 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02069-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The often-overlooked dorsal diencephalic conduction system (DDCS) is a highly conserved pathway linking the basal forebrain and the monoaminergic brainstem. It consists of three key structures; the stria medullaris, the habenula and the fasciculus retroflexus. The first component of the DDCS, the stria medullaris, is a discrete bilateral tract composed of fibers from the basal forebrain that terminate in the triangular eminence of the stalk of the pineal gland, known as the habenula. The habenula acts as a relay hub where incoming signals from the stria medullaris are processed and subsequently relayed to the midbrain and hindbrain monoaminergic nuclei through the fasciculus retroflexus. As a result of its wide-ranging connections, the DDCS has recently been implicated in a wide range of behaviors related to reward processing, aversion and motivation. As such, an understanding of the structure and connections of the DDCS may help illuminate the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression, addiction and pain. This is the first review of all three components of the DDCS, the stria medullaris, the habenula and the fasciculus retroflexus, with particular focus on their anatomy, function and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Roman
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.,Department of Psychiatry, Education and Research Centre , Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, Ireland
| | - Joshua Weininger
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Basil Lim
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.,Department of Game Design, Technological University Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Marin Roman
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Denis Barry
- Anatomy Department, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Paul Tierney
- Anatomy Department, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Erik O'Hanlon
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.,Department of Psychiatry, Education and Research Centre , Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, Ireland
| | - Kirk Levins
- Department of Anaesthetics, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Veronica O'Keane
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Darren Roddy
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.
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15
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Maskos U. The nicotinic receptor alpha5 coding polymorphism rs16969968 as a major target in disease: Functional dissection and remaining challenges. J Neurochem 2020; 154:241-250. [PMID: 32078158 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.14989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are major signalling molecules in the central and peripheral nervous system. Over the last decade, they have been linked to a number of major human psychiatric and neurological conditions, like smoking, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease and many others. Human Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) have robustly identified genetic alterations at a locus of chromosome 15q to several of these diseases. In this review, we discuss a major coding polymorphism in the alpha5 subunit, referred to as α5SNP, and its functional dissection in vitro and in vivo. Its presence at high frequency in many human populations lends itself to pharmaceutical intervention in the context of 'positive allosteric modulators' (PAMs). We will present the prospects of this novel treatment, and the remaining challenges to identify suitable molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uwe Maskos
- Department of Neuroscience, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
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16
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Gosnell SN, Meyer MJ, Jennings C, Ramirez D, Schmidt J, Oldham J, Salas R. Hippocampal Volume in Psychiatric Diagnoses: Should Psychiatry Biomarker Research Account for Comorbidities? CHRONIC STRESS 2020; 4:2470547020906799. [PMID: 32440605 PMCID: PMC7219869 DOI: 10.1177/2470547020906799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Background Many research papers claim that patients with specific psychiatric disorders
(major depressive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, borderline
personality disorder, alcohol use disorder, and others) have smaller
hippocampi, but most of those reports compared patients to healthy controls.
We hypothesized that if psychiatrically matched controls (psychiatric
control, matched for demographics and psychiatric comorbidities) were used,
much of the biomarker literature in psychiatric research would not
replicate. We used hippocampus and amygdala volume only as examples, as
these are very commonly replicated results in psychiatry biomarker research.
We propose that psychiatry biomarker research could benefit from using
psychiatric controls, as the use of healthy controls results in data that
are not disorder-specific. Method Hippocampus/amygdala volumes were compared between major depressive disorder,
sex-/age-/race-matched healthy control, and psychiatric control
(N = 126/group). Similar comparisons were performed for posttraumatic stress
disorder (N = 67), borderline personality disorder (N = 111), and alcohol
use disorder (N = 136). Results Major depressive disorder patients had smaller left
(p = 8.79 × 10−3) and right (p = 3.13 × 10−3)
hippocampal volumes than healthy control. Posttraumatic stress disorder had
smaller left (p = 0.018) and right (p = 8.64 × 10−4) hippocampi
than healthy control. Borderline personality disorder had smaller right
hippocampus (p = 7.90 × 10−3) and amygdala
(p = 1.49 × 10−3) than healthy control. Alcohol use disorder
had smaller right hippocampus (p = 0.034) and amygdala (p = .024) than
healthy control. No differences were found between any of the four
diagnostic groups and psychiatric control. Conclusion When psychiatric controls were used, there was no difference in hippocampal
or amygdalar volume between any of the diagnoses studied and controls. This
strategy (keeping all possible relevant variables matched between
experimental groups) has been used to advance science for hundreds of years,
and we propose should also be used in biomarker psychiatry research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Savannah N Gosnell
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Matthew J Meyer
- School of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Danna Ramirez
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
| | | | - John Oldham
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,The Menninger Clinic, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ramiro Salas
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,The Menninger Clinic, Houston, TX, USA.,Center for Translational Research on Inflammatory Diseases, Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA
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17
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Abstract
This paper is the fortieth consecutive installment of the annual anthological review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system, summarizing articles published during 2017 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides and receptors as well as effects of opioid/opiate agonists and antagonists. The review is subdivided into the following specific topics: molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors (1), the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia in animals (2) and humans (3), opioid-sensitive and opioid-insensitive effects of nonopioid analgesics (4), opioid peptide and receptor involvement in tolerance and dependence (5), stress and social status (6), learning and memory (7), eating and drinking (8), drug abuse and alcohol (9), sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology (10), mental illness and mood (11), seizures and neurologic disorders (12), electrical-related activity and neurophysiology (13), general activity and locomotion (14), gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions (15), cardiovascular responses (16), respiration and thermoregulation (17), and immunological responses (18).
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bodnar
- Department of Psychology and Neuropsychology Doctoral Sub-Program, Queens College, City University of New York, CUNY, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, NY, 11367, United States.
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18
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Jennings C, Gosnell S, Curtis KN, Kosten T, Salas R. Altered habenula resting state functional connectivity in deprived veteran tobacco smokers: A pilot study. Bull Menninger Clin 2020; 84:21-34. [PMID: 31939683 DOI: 10.1521/bumc_2020_84_02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to examine habenular resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) abnormalities in tobacco-smoking veterans. The authors explored RSFC in sated smokers (n = 3D 18), overnight deprived smokers (n = 3D 13), and nonsmoker controls (n = 3D 26). Seed-to-voxel analysis was used to explore RSFC in the habenula. Compared to sated smokers, deprived smokers demonstrated higher RSFC between the right habenula and two clusters of voxels: one in the right fusiform gyrus, and one in the left lingual gyrus. To study nicotine withdrawal, the authors used the Shiffman-Jarvik Withdrawal Questionnaire (SJWQ) score as a regressor and found higher RSFC between the right habenula and the left frontal pole in deprived compared to sated smokers. Right habenula RSFC distinguished between sated and deprived smokers and differentiated between sated and deprived smokers when using SJWQ as a regressor, suggesting a habenular role in tobacco withdrawal.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Savannah Gosnell
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, and the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, Texas.,Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Kaylah N Curtis
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, and the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Thomas Kosten
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, and the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, Texas.,Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Ramiro Salas
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, and the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, Texas.,Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
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19
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Koob GF. Neurobiology of Opioid Addiction: Opponent Process, Hyperkatifeia, and Negative Reinforcement. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 87:44-53. [PMID: 31400808 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 237] [Impact Index Per Article: 59.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Opioids are powerful drugs that usurp and overpower the reward function of endogenous opioids and engage dramatic tolerance and withdrawal via molecular and neurocircuitry neuroadaptations within the same reward system. However, they also engage the brain systems for stress and pain (somatic and emotional) while producing hyperalgesia and hyperkatifeia, which drive pronounced drug-seeking behavior via processes of negative reinforcement. Hyperkatifeia (derived from the Greek "katifeia" for dejection or negative emotional state) is defined as an increase in intensity of the constellation of negative emotional or motivational signs and symptoms of withdrawal from drugs of abuse. In animal models, repeated extended access to drugs or opioids results in negative emotion-like states, reflected by the elevation of reward thresholds, lower pain thresholds, anxiety-like behavior, and dysphoric-like responses. Such negative emotional states that drive negative reinforcement are hypothesized to derive from the within-system dysregulation of key neurochemical circuits that mediate incentive-salience and/or reward systems (dopamine, opioid peptides) in the ventral striatum and from the between-system recruitment of brain stress systems (corticotropin-releasing factor, dynorphin, norepinephrine, hypocretin, vasopressin, glucocorticoids, and neuroimmune factors) in the extended amygdala. Hyperkatifeia can extend into protracted abstinence and interact with learning processes in the form of conditioned withdrawal to facilitate relapse to compulsive-like drug seeking. Compelling evidence indicates that plasticity in the brain pain emotional systems is triggered by acute excessive drug intake and becomes sensitized during the development of compulsive drug taking with repeated withdrawal. It then persists into protracted abstinence and contributes to the development and persistence of compulsive opioid-seeking behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- George F Koob
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
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20
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Boulos LJ, Ben Hamida S, Bailly J, Maitra M, Ehrlich AT, Gavériaux-Ruff C, Darcq E, Kieffer BL. Mu opioid receptors in the medial habenula contribute to naloxone aversion. Neuropsychopharmacology 2020; 45:247-255. [PMID: 31005059 PMCID: PMC6901535 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-019-0395-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Revised: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The medial habenula (MHb) is considered a brain center regulating aversive states. The mu opioid receptor (MOR) has been traditionally studied at the level of nociceptive and mesolimbic circuits, for key roles in pain relief and reward processing. MOR is also densely expressed in MHb, however, MOR function at this brain site is virtually unknown. Here we tested the hypothesis that MOR in the MHb (MHb-MOR) also regulates aversion processing. We used chnrb4-Cre driver mice to delete the Oprm1 gene in chnrb4-neurons, predominantly expressed in the MHb. Conditional mutant (B4MOR) mice showed habenula-specific reduction of MOR expression, restricted to chnrb4-neurons (50% MHb-MORs). We tested B4MOR mice in behavioral assays to evaluate effects of MOR activation by morphine, and MOR blockade by naloxone. Locomotor, analgesic, rewarding, and motivational effects of morphine were preserved in conditional mutants. In contrast, conditioned place aversion (CPA) elicited by naloxone was reduced in both naïve (high dose) and morphine-dependent (low dose) B4MOR mice. Further, physical signs of withdrawal precipitated by either MOR (naloxone) or nicotinic receptor (mecamylamine) blockade were attenuated. These data suggest that MORs expressed in MHb B4-neurons contribute to aversive effects of naloxone, including negative effect and aversive effects of opioid withdrawal. MORs are inhibitory receptors, therefore we propose that endogenous MOR signaling normally inhibits chnrb4-neurons of the MHb and moderates their known aversive activity, which is unmasked upon receptor blockade. Thus, in addition to facilitating reward at several brain sites, tonic MOR activity may also limit aversion within the MHb circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. J. Boulos
- McGill University, Faculty of Medicine, Douglas Research Centre, Montreal, Canada ,0000 0004 0638 2716grid.420255.4Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, Strasbourg, France ,0000 0001 2157 9291grid.11843.3fUniversité de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France ,0000 0001 2112 9282grid.4444.0Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104 Illkirch, France ,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U 1258 Illkirch, France
| | - S. Ben Hamida
- McGill University, Faculty of Medicine, Douglas Research Centre, Montreal, Canada ,0000 0004 0638 2716grid.420255.4Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, Strasbourg, France ,0000 0001 2157 9291grid.11843.3fUniversité de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France ,0000 0001 2112 9282grid.4444.0Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104 Illkirch, France ,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U 1258 Illkirch, France
| | - J. Bailly
- McGill University, Faculty of Medicine, Douglas Research Centre, Montreal, Canada
| | - M. Maitra
- McGill University, Faculty of Medicine, Douglas Research Centre, Montreal, Canada
| | - A. T. Ehrlich
- McGill University, Faculty of Medicine, Douglas Research Centre, Montreal, Canada ,0000 0004 0638 2716grid.420255.4Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, Strasbourg, France ,0000 0001 2157 9291grid.11843.3fUniversité de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France ,0000 0001 2112 9282grid.4444.0Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104 Illkirch, France ,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U 1258 Illkirch, France
| | - C. Gavériaux-Ruff
- 0000 0004 0638 2716grid.420255.4Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, Strasbourg, France ,0000 0001 2157 9291grid.11843.3fUniversité de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France ,0000 0001 2112 9282grid.4444.0Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104 Illkirch, France ,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U 1258 Illkirch, France
| | - E. Darcq
- McGill University, Faculty of Medicine, Douglas Research Centre, Montreal, Canada
| | - B. L. Kieffer
- McGill University, Faculty of Medicine, Douglas Research Centre, Montreal, Canada ,0000 0004 0638 2716grid.420255.4Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, Strasbourg, France ,0000 0001 2157 9291grid.11843.3fUniversité de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France ,0000 0001 2112 9282grid.4444.0Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104 Illkirch, France ,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U 1258 Illkirch, France
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21
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Gosnell SN, Fowler JC, Salas R. Classifying suicidal behavior with resting-state functional connectivity and structural neuroimaging. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2019; 140:20-29. [PMID: 30929253 DOI: 10.1111/acps.13029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE About 80% of patients who commit suicide do not report suicidal ideation the last time they speak to their mental health provider, highlighting the need to identify biomarkers of suicidal behavior. Our goal is to identify suicidal behavior neural biomarkers to classify suicidal psychiatric inpatients. METHODS Eighty percent of our sample [suicidal (n = 63) and non-suicidal psychiatric inpatients (n = 65)] was used to determine significant differences in structural and resting-state functional connectivity measures throughout the brain. These measures were used in a random forest classification model on 80% of the sample for training the model. RESULTS The model built on 80% of the patients had sensitivity = 79.4% and specificity = 72.3%. This model was tested on an independent sample (20%; n = 32) with sensitivity = 81.3% and specificity = 75.0% for confirming the generalizability of the model. Altered resting-state functional connectivity features from frontal and middle temporal regions, as well as the amygdala, parahippocampus, putamen, and vermis were found to generalize best. CONCLUSION This work demonstrates neuroimaging (an unbiased biomarker) can be used to classify suicidal behavior in psychiatric inpatients without observing any clinical features.
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Affiliation(s)
- S N Gosnell
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Michael E DeBakey VA Medical, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - J C Fowler
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - R Salas
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Michael E DeBakey VA Medical, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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22
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Curtis K, Stewart CJ, Robinson M, Molfese DL, Gosnell SN, Kosten TR, Petrosino JF, De La Garza R, Salas R. Insular resting state functional connectivity is associated with gut microbiota diversity. Eur J Neurosci 2019; 50:2446-2452. [PMID: 30554441 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Revised: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The gut microbiota has recently gained attention as a possible modulator of brain activity. A number of reports suggest that the microbiota may be associated with neuropsychiatric conditions such as major depressive disorder, autism and anxiety. The gut microbiota is thought to influence the brain via vagus nerve signalling, among other possible mechanisms. The insula processes and integrates these vagal signals. To determine if microbiota diversity and structure modulate brain activity, we collected faecal samples and examined insular function using resting state functional connectivity (RSFC). Thirty healthy participants (non-smokers, tobacco smokers and electronic cigarette users, n = 10 each) were studied. We found that the RSFC between the insula and several regions (frontal pole left, lateral occipital cortex right, lingual gyrus right and cerebellum 4, 5 and vermis 9) were associated with bacterial microbiota diversity and structure. In addition, two specific bacteria genera, Prevotella and Bacteroides, were specifically different in tobacco smokers and also associated with insular connectivity. In conclusion, we show that insular connectivity is associated with microbiome diversity, structure and at least two specific bateria genera. Furthemore, this association is potentially modulated by tobacco smoking, although the sample sizes for the different smoking groups were small and this result needs validation in a larger cohort. While replication is necessary, the microbiota is a readily accessible therapeutic target for modulating insular connectivity, which has previously been shown to be abnormal in anxiety and tobacco use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaylah Curtis
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, A277, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Christopher J Stewart
- Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research, Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Meghan Robinson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - David L Molfese
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, A277, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Savannah N Gosnell
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, A277, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Thomas R Kosten
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, A277, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Joseph F Petrosino
- Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research, Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Richard De La Garza
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, A277, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ramiro Salas
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, A277, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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23
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Kaski SW, Brooks S, Wen S, Haut MW, Siderovski DP, Berry JH, Lander LR, Setola V. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms in genes involved in neuronal signaling are associated with Opioid Use Disorder in West Virginia. J Opioid Manag 2019; 15:103-109. [PMID: 31057342 DOI: 10.5055/jom.2019.0491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Objective Pilot study to assess utility in opioid use disorder (OUD) of a panel of single nucleotide polymorphisms in genes previously related to substance use disorder (SUD) and/or phenotypes that predispose individuals to OUD/SUD. Design Genetic association study. Setting West Virginia University's Chestnut Ridge Center Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Treatment (COAT) clinic for individuals diagnosed with OUD. Patients Sixty patients 18 years of age or older with OUD undergoing medication (buprenorphine/naloxone)-assisted treatment (MAT); all sixty patients recruited contributed samples for genetic analysis. Outcome Measures Minor allele frequencies for single nucleotide polymorphisms. Results Four of the fourteen single nucleotide polymorphisms examined were present at frequencies that are statistically significantly different than in a demographically-matched general population. Conclusions For the purposes of testing WV individuals via genetic means for predisposition to OUD, at least four single nucleotide polymorphisms in three genes are likely to have utility in predicting susceptibility. Additional studies with larger populations will need to be conducted to confirm these results before use in a clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shane W Kaski
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV
| | | | - Sijin Wen
- Department of Biostatistics, West Virginia University School of Public Health, Morgantown, WV
| | - Marc W Haut
- Department of Behavioral Medicine & Psychiatry, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV
| | - David P Siderovski
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV
| | - James H Berry
- Chestnut Ridge Center and Inpatient Acute Dual Diagnosis Program, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV
| | - Laura R Lander
- West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV
| | - Vincent Setola
- Departments of Behavioral Medicine & Psychiatry, Neuroscience, and Physiology & Pharmacology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV
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24
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Habenular connectivity may predict treatment response in depressed psychiatric inpatients. J Affect Disord 2019; 242:211-219. [PMID: 30195174 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.08.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Revised: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The habenula (Hb) is a small midbrain structure that signals negative events and may play a major role in the etiology of psychiatric disorders including depression. The lateral Hb has three major efferent connections: serotonergic raphe nuclei, noradrenergic locus coeruleus, and dopaminergic ventral tegmental area/substantia nigra compacta. We wanted to test whether Hb connectivity may be important to predict treatment outcomes in depression patients. METHODS We studied whether habenular connectivity at admission into a psychiatric clinic can predict treatment response. We used an inpatient sample (N = 175) to assess habenular connectivity (diffusion tensor imaging and resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) between the Hb and its targets) close to admission. In addition, we obtained the Patient Health Questionnaire-depression module (PHQ-9) close to admission and at discharge. Inpatients in the study entered the clinic with at least moderately severe depression (score 15 and up). Inpatients considered treatment resistant had scores of 9 or more at discharge. RESULTS Compared to responders, treatment non-responders had lower fractional anisotropy in the right Hb afferent fibers and lower RSFC between right Hb and median raphe, but higher RSFC between left Hb and locus coeruleus. A logistic regression model was significantly different from chance, and explained 27.7% of the variance in treatment resistance (sensitivity = 75%; specificity = 71.9%). DISCUSSION The anatomical and functional connectivity of the Hb may be a predictor of treatment success in psychiatric populations. Limitations include the Hb small size and the limited time (5 min) of resting state data obtained.
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