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Gou L, Li Y, Liu S, Sang H, Lan J, Chen J, Wang L, Li C, Lian B, Zhang X, Sun H, Sun L. (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine improves PTSD-associated behaviors and structural plasticity via modulating BDNF-mTOR signaling in the nucleus accumbens. J Affect Disord 2023; 335:129-140. [PMID: 37137411 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.04.101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental illness caused by either experiencing or observing a traumatic event that is perceived to pose a serious risk to one's life. (2R,6R)-HNK has an alleviating effect on negative emotions, nevertheless, the mechanism of (2R,6R)-HNK action is unclear. METHODS In this study, the single prolonged stress and electric foot shock (SPS&S) method was used to establish a rat model of PTSD. After determining the validity of the model, (2R,6R)-HNK was administered to the NAc by microinjection using a concentration gradient of 10, 50, and 100 μM, and the effects of the drug in the SPS&S rat model were evaluated. Moreover, our study measured changes in related proteins in the NAc (BDNF, p-mTOR/mTOR, and PSD95) and synaptic ultrastructure. RESULTS In the SPS&S group, the protein expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and PSD95 was reduced and synaptic morphology was damaged in the NAc. In contrast, after the administration of 50 μM (2R,6R)-HNK, SPS&S-treated rats improved their exploration and depression-linked behavior, while protein levels and synaptic ultrastructure were also restored in the NAc. With the administration of 100 μM (2R,6R)-HNK, locomotor behavior, and social interaction improved in the PTSD model. LIMITATIONS The mechanism of BDNF-mTOR signaling after (2R,6R)-HNK administration was not explored. CONCLUSION (2R,6R)-HNK may ameliorate negative mood and social avoidance symptoms in PTSD rats by regulating BDNF/mTOR-mediated synaptic structural plasticity in the NAc, providing new targets for the development of anti-PTSD drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luping Gou
- School of Psychology, Weifang Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong 261053, China
| | - Yu Li
- School of Psychology, Weifang Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong 261053, China
| | - Shiqi Liu
- School of Psychology, Weifang Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong 261053, China
| | - Haohan Sang
- School of Psychology, Weifang Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong 261053, China
| | - Jiajun Lan
- School of Clinical Medical, Weifang Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong 261053, China
| | - Jinhong Chen
- College of Extended Education, Weifang Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong 261053, China
| | - Ling Wang
- Clinical Competency Training Center, Medical Experiment and Training Center, Weifang Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong, 261053, China
| | - Changjiang Li
- School of Psychology, Weifang Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong 261053, China
| | - Bo Lian
- Department of Bioscience and Technology, Weifang Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong 261053, China
| | - Xianqiang Zhang
- School of Psychology, Weifang Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong 261053, China; National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Peking University Sixth Hospital/Institute of Mental Health and the Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing, China
| | - Hongwei Sun
- School of Psychology, Weifang Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong 261053, China.
| | - Lin Sun
- School of Psychology, Weifang Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong 261053, China.
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Stamos JP, Ma S, Pawlak AP, Engelhard N, Horvitz JC, West MO. Reward vs. motoric activations in Nucleus Accumbens Core of rats during pavlovian conditioning. Eur J Neurosci 2022; 56:3570-3590. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua P. Stamos
- NeuroBehavioral Research Laboratory, VA New Jersey Health Care System, Research and Development (Mailstop 15) East Orange NJ USA
| | - Sisi Ma
- Institute for Health Informatics University of Minnesota Academic Health Center Minneapolis MN USA
| | - Anthony P. Pawlak
- Center of Alcohol and Substance Use Studies Rutgers University New Brunswick NJ USA
| | - Nofar Engelhard
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience Rutgers University Piscataway NJ USA
| | - Jon C. Horvitz
- Program in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience City University of New York New York NY USA
- Department of Psychology, CCNY New York NY USA
| | - Mark O. West
- Department of Psychology Rutgers University Piscataway NJ USA
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Gmaz JM, van der Meer MAA. Context coding in the mouse nucleus accumbens modulates motivationally relevant information. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001338. [PMID: 35486662 PMCID: PMC9094556 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural activity in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) is thought to track fundamentally value-centric quantities linked to reward and effort. However, the NAc also contributes to flexible behavior in ways that are difficult to explain based on value signals alone, raising the question of if and how nonvalue signals are encoded in NAc. We recorded NAc neural ensembles while head-fixed mice performed an odor-based biconditional discrimination task where an initial discrete cue modulated the behavioral significance of a subsequently presented reward-predictive cue. We extracted single-unit and population-level correlates related to the cues and found value-independent coding for the initial, context-setting cue. This context signal occupied a population-level coding space orthogonal to outcome-related representations and was predictive of subsequent behaviorally relevant responses to the reward-predictive cues. Together, these findings support a gating model for how the NAc contributes to behavioral flexibility and provide a novel population-level perspective from which to view NAc computations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimmie M. Gmaz
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, United States of America
| | - Matthijs A. A. van der Meer
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Yates JR, Horchar MJ, Ellis AL, Kappesser JL, Mbambu P, Sutphin TG, Dehner DS, Igwe HO, Wright MR. Differential effects of glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists on risky choice as assessed in the risky decision task. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2021; 238:133-148. [PMID: 32936321 PMCID: PMC7796939 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05664-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Risky choice can be measured using the risky decision task (RDT). In the RDT, animals choose between a large, risky option that is paired with probabilistic foot shock and a small, safe option that is never paired with shock. To date, studies examining the neurochemical basis of decision-making in the RDT have focused primarily on the dopaminergic system but have not focused on the glutamatergic system, which has been implicated in risky decision-making. OBJECTIVES Because glutamate is known to play a critical role in decision-making, we wanted to determine the contribution of the glutamatergic system to performance in the RDT. METHODS In the experiment, 32 rats (16 male; 16 female) were tested in the RDT. The probability of receiving a foot shock increased across the session (ascending schedule) for half of the rats but decreased across the session (descending schedule) for half of the rats. Following training, rats received injections of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor competitive antagonist CGS 19755 (0, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0 mg/kg; s.c.) and the GluN2B-selective antagonist Ro 63-1908 (0, 0.1, 0.3, 1.0 mg/kg; s.c.). RESULTS CGS 19755 (2.5 and 5.0 mg/kg) increased risky choice in males and females trained on the ascending schedule. Ro 63-1908 (1.0 mg/kg) decreased risky choice, but only in male rats trained on the ascending schedule. CONCLUSIONS Although NMDA receptor antagonists differentially alter risky choice in the RDT, the current results show that NMDA receptors are an important mediator of decision-making involving probabilistic delivery of positive punishment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin R Yates
- Department of Psychological Science, Northern Kentucky University, 1 Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY, 41099, USA.
| | - Matthew J Horchar
- Department of Psychological Science, Northern Kentucky University, 1 Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY, 41099, USA
| | - Alexis L Ellis
- Department of Psychological Science, Northern Kentucky University, 1 Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY, 41099, USA
| | - Joy L Kappesser
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Kentucky University, 1 Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY, 41099, USA
| | - Prodiges Mbambu
- Department of Psychological Science, Northern Kentucky University, 1 Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY, 41099, USA
| | - Tanner G Sutphin
- Department of Psychological Science, Northern Kentucky University, 1 Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY, 41099, USA
| | - Destiny S Dehner
- Department of Psychological Science, Northern Kentucky University, 1 Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY, 41099, USA
| | - Hephzibah O Igwe
- Department of Psychological Science, Northern Kentucky University, 1 Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY, 41099, USA
| | - Makayla R Wright
- Department of Psychological Science, Northern Kentucky University, 1 Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY, 41099, USA
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Vega-Villar M, Horvitz JC, Nicola SM. NMDA receptor-dependent plasticity in the nucleus accumbens connects reward-predictive cues to approach responses. Nat Commun 2019; 10:4429. [PMID: 31562332 PMCID: PMC6764993 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12387-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Learning associations between environmental cues and rewards is a fundamental adaptive function. Via such learning, reward-predictive cues come to activate approach to locations where reward is available. The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is essential for cued approach behavior in trained subjects, and cue-evoked excitations in NAc neurons are critical for the expression of this behavior. Excitatory synapses within the NAc undergo synaptic plasticity that presumably contributes to cued approach acquisition, but a direct link between synaptic plasticity within the NAc and the development of cue-evoked neural activity during learning has not been established. Here we show that, with repeated cue-reward pairings, cue-evoked excitations in the NAc emerge and grow in the trials prior to the detectable expression of cued approach behavior. We demonstrate that the growth of these signals requires NMDA receptor-dependent plasticity within the NAc, revealing a neural mechanism by which the NAc participates in learning of conditioned reward-seeking behaviors. Conditioned stimuli elicit phasic changes in nucleus accumbens (NAc) firing that invigorate approach responses to predicted rewards. Here the authors show that NAc neurons acquire cue-evoked responses during learning as a result of excitatory plasticity within the NAc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercedes Vega-Villar
- Department of Psychology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, 6th Floor, New York, NY, 10016, USA.,Department of Psychology, City College of New York, City University of New York, 160 Convent Avenue, NAC 7/120, New York, NY, 10031, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Jack and Pearl Resnick Campus, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Forchheimer Building, Room-111, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Jon C Horvitz
- Department of Psychology, City College of New York, City University of New York, 160 Convent Avenue, NAC 7/120, New York, NY, 10031, USA
| | - Saleem M Nicola
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Jack and Pearl Resnick Campus, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Forchheimer Building, Room-111, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA. .,Department of Psychiatry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
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