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Bailey CS, Craig AJ, Jagielo-Miller JE, Leibold CT, Keller PS, Beckmann JS, Prendergast MA. Late-term moderate prenatal alcohol exposure impairs tactile, but not spatial, discrimination in a T-maze continuous performance task in juvenile rats. Behav Brain Res 2024; 474:115208. [PMID: 39154755 PMCID: PMC11418090 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.115208] [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: 06/18/2024] [Revised: 08/01/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024]
Abstract
Existing maze apparatuses used in rodents often exclusively assess spatial discriminability as a means to evaluate learning impairments. Spatial learning in such paradigms is reportedly spared by moderate prenatal alcohol exposure in rats, suggesting that spatial reinforcement alone is insufficient to delineate executive dysfunction, which consistently manifests in humans prenatally-exposed to alcohol. To address this, we designed a single-session continuous performance task in the T-maze apparatus that requires rats to discriminate within and between simultaneously-presented spatial (left or right) and tactile (sandpaper or smooth) stimuli for food reinforcement across four sequential discrimination stages: simple discrimination, intradimensional reversal 1, extradimensional shift, and intradimensional reversal 2. This design incorporates elements of working memory, attention, and goal-seeking behavior which collectively contribute to the executive function construct. Here, we found that rats prenatally-exposed to alcohol performed worse in both the tactile intradimensional reversal and extradimensional shift; alternatively, rats prenatally-exposed to alcohol acquired the extradimensional shift faster when shifting from the tactile to spatial dimension. In line with previous work, moderate prenatal alcohol exposure spared specifically spatial discrimination in this paradigm. However, when tactile stimuli were mapped into the spatial dimension, rats prenatally-exposed to alcohol required more trials to discriminate between the dimensions. We demonstrate that tactile stimuli can be operantly employed in a continuous performance T-maze task to detect discriminatory learning impairments in rats exposed to moderate prenatal alcohol. The current paradigm may be useful for assessing features of executive dysfunction in rodent models of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caleb S Bailey
- Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, United States; Department of Neuroscience, University of Kentucky, United States.
| | - Ashley J Craig
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Kentucky, United States
| | | | | | - Peggy S Keller
- Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, United States
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2
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Wilson DA, Sullivan RM, Smiley JF, Saito M, Raineki C. Developmental alcohol exposure is exhausting: Sleep and the enduring consequences of alcohol exposure during development. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 158:105567. [PMID: 38309498 PMCID: PMC10923002 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure is the leading nongenetic cause of human intellectual impairment. The long-term impacts of prenatal alcohol exposure on health and well-being are diverse, including neuropathology leading to behavioral, cognitive, and emotional impairments. Additionally negative effects also occur on the physiological level, such as the endocrine, cardiovascular, and immune systems. Among these diverse impacts is sleep disruption. In this review, we describe how prenatal alcohol exposure affects sleep, and potential mechanisms of those effects. Furthermore, we outline the evidence that sleep disruption across the lifespan may be a mediator of some cognitive and behavioral impacts of developmental alcohol exposure, and thus may represent a promising target for treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald A Wilson
- Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Regina M Sullivan
- Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - John F Smiley
- Division of Neurochemistry, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mariko Saito
- Division of Neurochemistry, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Charlis Raineki
- Department of Psychology, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada; Centre for Neuroscience, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada
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3
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Licheri V, Jacquez BJ, Castillo VK, Sainz DB, Valenzuela CF, Brigman JL. Long-term effects of low prenatal alcohol exposure on GABAergic interneurons of the murine posterior parietal cortex. ALCOHOL, CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 47:2248-2261. [PMID: 38151788 PMCID: PMC10760801 DOI: 10.1111/acer.15210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are characterized by a wide range of physical, cognitive, and behavioral impairments that occur throughout the lifespan. Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can lead to adult impairments in cognitive control behaviors mediated by the posterior parietal cortex (PPC). The PPC plays a fundamental role in the performance of response tasks in both primates and rodents, specifically when choices between similar target and nontarget stimuli are required. Furthermore, the PPC is reciprocally connected with other cortical areas. Despite the extensive literature investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying PAE impairments in cognitive functions mediated by cortical areas, little is known regarding the long-term effects of PAE on PPC development and function. Here, we examined changes in the cellular organization of GABAergic interneurons and their function in PPC using behaviorally naïve control and PAE mice. METHODS We used a limited access model of PAE in which C57BL/6J females were exposed to a solution of 10% (w/v) ethanol and 0.066% (w/V) saccharin for 4 h/day throughout gestation. Using high-throughput fluorescent microscopy, we quantified the levels of GABAergic interneurons in the PPC of adult PAE and control offspring. In a separate cohort, we recorded spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) using whole-cell patch clamp recordings from PPC layer 5 pyramidal neurons. RESULTS PAE led to a significant overall reduction of parvalbumin-expressing GABAergic interneurons in PAE mice regardless of sex. Somatostatin- and calretinin-expressing GABAergic interneurons were not affected. Interestingly, PAE did not modulate sIPSC amplitude or frequency. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that impairments in cognitive control observed in FASD may be due to the significant reduction of parvalbumin-expressing GABAergic interneurons in the PPC. PAE animals may show compensatory changes in GABAergic function following developmental reduction of these interneurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Licheri
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine Albuquerque NM, USA
- New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque NM, USA
| | - Belkis J. Jacquez
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine Albuquerque NM, USA
| | - Victoria K. Castillo
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine Albuquerque NM, USA
| | - Dylan B. Sainz
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine Albuquerque NM, USA
| | - C. Fernando Valenzuela
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine Albuquerque NM, USA
- New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque NM, USA
| | - Jonathan L. Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine Albuquerque NM, USA
- New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque NM, USA
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4
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Petrenko CLM, Hamre KM, Brigman JL, Parnell S. Proceedings of the 2022 annual meeting of the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders study group. Alcohol 2023; 113:11-20. [PMID: 37572729 PMCID: PMC10836604 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2023.08.002] [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: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
The 2022 Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Study Group (FASDSG) meeting was held in coordination with the 45th annual Research Society on Alcoholism conference on June 25th, 2022. The theme of the meeting was "Enhancing the Relevance of Research for the Community." The program began with a moderated panel discussion on the value of community-engaged research, which included two self-advocates and a clinical and pre-clinical researcher. Invited plenary speakers included Jill Locke, Ph.D., who provided an engaging introduction to implementation science, and Jared Young, Ph.D., who discussed cross-species domain task specificity. The meeting also included updates from three government agencies, short presentations by junior and senior investigators showcasing late-breaking FASD research, trainee award winners, and a presentation on the Toward Health Outcomes intervention roadmap by Jacqueline Pei, Ph.D.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kristin M Hamre
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Scott Parnell
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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5
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Olguin SL, Cavanagh JF, Young JW, Brigman JL. Impaired cognitive control after moderate prenatal alcohol exposure corresponds to altered EEG power during a rodent touchscreen continuous performance task. Neuropharmacology 2023; 236:109599. [PMID: 37217074 PMCID: PMC10330662 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Although it is well established that alcohol consumption during pregnancy can lead to lifelong difficulties in offspring, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) remain a common neurodevelopmental syndrome. Translational behavioral tools that target similar brain circuits across species can facilitate understanding of these cognitive consequences. Touchscreen behavioral tasks for rodents enable easy integration of dura recordings of electroencephalographic (EEG) activity in awake behaving animals, with clear translational generalizability. Recently, we showed that Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (PAE) impairs cognitive control on the touchscreen 5-Choice Continuous Performance Task (5C-CPT) which requires animals to touch on target trials (hit) and withhold responding on non-target trials (correct rejection). Here, we extended these findings to determine whether dura EEG recordings would detect task-relevant differences in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and posterior parietal cortex (PPC) corresponding with behavioral alterations in PAE animals. Replicating previous findings, PAE mice made more false alarm responses versus controls and had a significantly lower sensitivity index. All mice, regardless of sex or treatment, demonstrated increased frontal theta-band power during correct trials that followed an error (similar to post-error monitoring commonly seen in human participants). All mice showed a significant decrease in parietal beta-band power when performing a correct rejection versus a hit. PAE mice of both sexes showed a significantly larger decrease in parietal beta-band power when successfully rejecting non-target stimuli. These findings suggest that moderate exposure to alcohol during development can have long lasting effects on cognitive control, and task-relevant neural signals may provide a biomarker of impaired function across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Olguin
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA; New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - James F Cavanagh
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Jared W Young
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA; New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
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6
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Davies S, Nelson DE, Shrestha S, Savage DD. Impact of two different rodent diets on maternal ethanol consumption, serum ethanol concentration and pregnancy outcome measures. Alcohol 2023; 111:39-49. [PMID: 37225109 PMCID: PMC10527634 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2023.05.002] [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: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies report varying levels of ethanol consumption by rodents maintained on different commercially available laboratory diets. As varied ethanol consumption by dams may impact offspring outcome measures in prenatal ethanol exposure paradigms, we compared ethanol consumption by rats maintained on the Envigo 2920 diet, used in our vivarium, with an isocalorically equivalent PicoLab 5L0D diet used in some alcohol consumption studies. Compared to 5L0D diet, female rats maintained on 2920 diet consumed 14% less ethanol during daily 4-h drinking sessions prior to pregnancy and 28% less ethanol during gestation. Rat dams consuming 5L0D diet gained significantly less weight during pregnancy. However, their pup birth weights were significantly higher. A subsequent study revealed that hourly ethanol consumption was not different between diets during the first 2 h, but was significantly lower on 2920 diet at the end of the third and fourth hours. The mean serum ethanol concentration in 5L0D dams after the first 2 h of drinking was 46 mg/dL compared to 25 mg/dL in 2920 dams. Further, ethanol consumption at the 2-h blood sampling time point was more variable in 2920 dams compared to 5L0D dams. An in vitro analysis mixing each powdered diet with 5% ethanol in acidified saline revealed that a 2920 diet suspension adsorbed more aqueous medium than the 5L0D diet suspension. The total ethanol remaining in aqueous supernatant of 5L0D mixtures was nearly twice the amount of ethanol in supernatants of the 2920 mixtures. These results suggest that the 2920 diet expands to a greater extent in aqueous medium than the 5L0D diet. We speculate that increasing adsorption of water and ethanol by the 2920 diet may reduce or delay the amount of ethanol absorbed and may decrease serum ethanol concentration to a greater extent than would be predicted from the amount of ethanol consumed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzy Davies
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, United States
| | - Danika E Nelson
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, United States
| | - Sumi Shrestha
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, United States
| | - Daniel D Savage
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, United States.
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Chaudoin TR, Bonasera SJ, Dunaevsky A, Padmashri R. Exploring behavioral phenotypes in a mouse model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Dev Neurobiol 2023; 83:184-204. [PMID: 37433012 PMCID: PMC10546278 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are one of the leading causes of developmental abnormalities worldwide. Maternal consumption of alcohol during pregnancy leads to a diverse range of cognitive and neurobehavioral deficits. Although moderate-to-heavy levels of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) have been associated with adverse offspring outcomes, there is limited data on the consequences of chronic low-level PAE. Here, we use a model of maternal voluntary alcohol consumption throughout gestation in a mouse model to investigate the effects of PAE on behavioral phenotypes during late adolescence and early adulthood in male and female offspring. Body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Baseline behaviors, including feeding, drinking, and movement, were examined by performing home cage monitoring studies. The impact of PAE on motor function, motor skill learning, hyperactivity, acoustic reactivity, and sensorimotor gating was investigated by performing a battery of behavioral tests. PAE was found to be associated with altered body composition. No differences in overall movement, food, or water consumption were observed between control and PAE mice. Although PAE offspring of both sexes exhibited deficits in motor skill learning, no differences were observed in basic motor skills such as grip strength and motor coordination. PAE females exhibited a hyperactive phenotype in a novel environment. PAE mice exhibited increased reactivity to acoustic stimuli, and PAE females showed disrupted short-term habituation. Sensorimotor gating was not altered in PAE mice. Collectively, our data show that chronic low-level exposure to alcohol in utero results in behavioral impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tammy R Chaudoin
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Stephen J Bonasera
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Anna Dunaevsky
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Ragunathan Padmashri
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
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8
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Memar S, Jiang E, Prado VF, Saksida LM, Bussey TJ, Prado MAM. Open science and data sharing in cognitive neuroscience with MouseBytes and MouseBytes. Sci Data 2023; 10:210. [PMID: 37059739 PMCID: PMC10104860 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-023-02106-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Open access to rodent cognitive data has lagged behind the rapid generation of large open-access datasets in other areas of neuroscience, such as neuroimaging and genomics. One contributing factor has been the absence of uniform standardization in experiments and data output, an issue that has particularly plagued studies in animal models. Touchscreen-automated cognitive testing of animal models allows standardized outputs that are compatible with open-access sharing. Touchscreen datasets can be combined with different neuro-technologies such as fiber photometry, miniscopes, optogenetics, and MRI to evaluate the relationship between neural activity and behavior. Here we describe a platform that allows deposition of these data into an open-access repository. This platform, called MouseBytes, is a web-based repository that enables researchers to store, share, visualize, and analyze cognitive data. Here we present the architecture, structure, and the essential infrastructure behind MouseBytes. In addition, we describe MouseBytes+, a database that allows data from complementary neuro-technologies such as imaging and photometry to be easily integrated with behavioral data in MouseBytes to support multi-modal behavioral analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Memar
- BrainsCAN, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada.
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada.
| | - Eric Jiang
- BrainsCAN, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Vania F Prado
- BrainsCAN, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Lisa M Saksida
- BrainsCAN, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- BrainsCAN, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada.
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada.
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada.
| | - Marco A M Prado
- BrainsCAN, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada.
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada.
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada.
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada.
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9
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Siegel AE, Bianchi DW, Guedj F. Visual discrimination and inhibitory control deficits in mouse models of Down syndrome: A pilot study using rodent touchscreen technology. J Neurosci Res 2023; 101:492-507. [PMID: 36602162 PMCID: PMC10068543 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Several non-verbal cognitive and behavioral tests have been developed to assess learning deficits in humans with Down syndrome (DS). Here we used rodent touchscreen paradigms in adult male mice to investigate visual discrimination (VD) learning and inhibitory control in the Dp(16)1/Yey (C57BL/6J genetic background), Ts65Dn (mixed B6 X C3H genetic background) and Ts1Cje (C57BL/6J genetic background) mouse models of DS. Dp(16)1/Yey and Ts1Cje models did not exhibit motivation or learning deficits during early pre-training, however, Ts1Cje mice showed a significant learning delay after the introduction of the incorrect stimulus (late pre-training), suggesting prefrontal cortex defects in this model. Dp(16)1/Yey and Ts1Cje mice display learning deficits in VD but these deficits were more pronounced in the Dp(16)1/Yey model. Both models also exhibited compulsive behavior and abnormal cortical inhibitory control during Extinction compared to WT littermates. Finally, Ts65Dn mice outperformed WT littermates in pre-training stages by initiating a significantly higher number of trials due to their hyperactive behavior. Both Ts65Dn and WT littermates showed poor performance during late pre-training and were not tested in VD. These studies demonstrate significant learning deficits and compulsive behavior in the Ts1Cje and Dp(16)1/Yey mouse models of DS. They also demonstrate that the mouse genetic background (C57BL/6J vs. mixed B6 X C3H) and the absence of hyperactive behavior are key determinants of successful learning in touchscreen behavioral testing. These data will be used to select the mouse model that best mimics cognitive deficits in humans with DS and evaluate the effects of future therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Emily Siegel
- Prenatal Genomics and Therapy (PGT) Section, Center for Precision Health Research (CPHR), National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Mother Infant Research Institute (MIRI), Tufts Medical Center (TMC), Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Diana W. Bianchi
- Prenatal Genomics and Therapy (PGT) Section, Center for Precision Health Research (CPHR), National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Mother Infant Research Institute (MIRI), Tufts Medical Center (TMC), Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Faycal Guedj
- Prenatal Genomics and Therapy (PGT) Section, Center for Precision Health Research (CPHR), National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Mother Infant Research Institute (MIRI), Tufts Medical Center (TMC), Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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10
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Sambo D, Gohel C, Yuan Q, Sukumar G, Alba C, Dalgard CL, Goldman D. Cell type-specific changes in Wnt signaling and neuronal differentiation in the developing mouse cortex after prenatal alcohol exposure during neurogenesis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1011974. [PMID: 36544903 PMCID: PMC9761331 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1011974] [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: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) encompasses an array of effects of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), including physical abnormalities and cognitive and behavioral deficits. Disruptions of cortical development have been implicated in multiple PAE studies, with deficits including decreased progenitor proliferation, disrupted neuronal differentiation, aberrant radial migration of pyramidal neurons, and decreased cortical thickness. While several mechanisms of alcohol teratogenicity have been explored, how specific cell types in the brain at different developmental time points may be differentially affected by PAE is still poorly understood. In this study, we used single nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNAseq) to investigate whether moderate PAE from neurulation through peak cortical neurogenesis induces cell type-specific transcriptomic changes in the developing murine brain. Cluster analysis identified 25 neuronal cell types, including subtypes of radial glial cells (RGCs), intermediate progenitor cells (IPCs), projection neurons, and interneurons. Only Wnt-expressing cortical hem RGCs showed a significant decrease in the percentage of cells after PAE, with no cell types showing PAE-induced apoptosis as measured by caspase expression. Cell cycle analysis revealed only a subtype of RGCs expressing the downstream Wnt signaling transcription factor Tcf7l2 had a decreased percentage of cells in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle, suggesting decreased proliferation in this RGC subtype and further implicating disrupted Wnt signaling after PAE at this early developmental timepoint. An increased pseudotime score in IPC and projection neuron cell types indicated that PAE led to increased or premature differentiation of these cells. Biological processes affected by PAE included the upregulation of pathways related to synaptic activity and neuronal differentiation and downregulation of pathways related to chromosome structure and the cell cycle. Several cell types showed a decrease in Wnt signaling pathways, with several genes related to Wnt signaling altered by PAE in multiple cell types. As Wnt has been shown to promote proliferation and inhibit differentiation at earlier stages in development, the downregulation of Wnt signaling may have resulted in premature neuronal maturation of projection neurons and their intermediate progenitors. Overall, these findings provide further insight into the cell type-specific effects of PAE during early corticogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Sambo
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, United States
| | - Chiraag Gohel
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, United States
| | - Qiaoping Yuan
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, United States
| | - Gauthaman Sukumar
- The American Genome Center, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Camille Alba
- The American Genome Center, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Clifton L. Dalgard
- The American Genome Center, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - David Goldman
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, United States,*Correspondence: David Goldman,
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11
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Sex-Related Differences in Voluntary Alcohol Intake and mRNA Coding for Synucleins in the Brain of Adult Rats Prenatally Exposed to Alcohol. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10092163. [PMID: 36140264 PMCID: PMC9496239 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10092163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal alcohol consumption is one of the strong predictive factors of alcohol use and consequent abuse; however, investigations of sex differences in response to prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) are limited. Here we compared the effects of PAE throughout gestation on alcohol preference, state anxiety and mRNA expression of presynaptic proteins α-, β- and γ-synucleins in the brain of adult (PND60) male and female Wistar rats. Total RNA was isolated from the hippocampus, midbrain and hypothalamus and mRNA levels were assessed with quantitative RT-PCR. Compared with naïve males, naïve female rats consumed more alcohol in “free choice” paradigm (10% ethanol vs. water). At the same time, PAE produced significant increase in alcohol consumption and preference in males but not in females compared to male and female naïve groups, correspondingly. We found significantly lower α-synuclein mRNA levels in the hippocampus and midbrain of females compared to males and significant decrease in α-synuclein mRNA in these brain areas in PAE males, but not in females compared to the same sex controls. These findings indicate that the impact of PAE on transcriptional regulation of synucleins may be sex-dependent, and in males’ disruption in α-synuclein mRNA expression may contribute to increased vulnerability to alcohol-associated behavior.
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Burke MW, Slimani H, Ptito M, Ervin FR, Palmour RM. Dose-Related Reduction in Hippocampal Neuronal Populations in Fetal Alcohol Exposed Vervet Monkeys. Brain Sci 2022; 12:1117. [PMID: 36138853 PMCID: PMC9496786 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12091117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 08/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a chronic debilitating condition resulting in behavioral and intellectual impairments and is considered the most prevalent form of preventable mental retardation in the industrialized world. We previously reported that 2-year-old offspring of vervet monkey (Chlorocebus sabeus) dams drinking, on average, 2.3 ± 0.49 g ethanol per Kg maternal body weight 4 days per week during the last third of pregnancy had significantly lower numbers of CA1 (-51.6%), CA2 (-51.2%) and CA3 (-42.8%) hippocampal neurons, as compared to age-matched sucrose controls. Fetal alcohol-exposed (FAE) offspring also showed significantly lower volumes for these structures at 2 years of age. In the present study, we examined these same parameters in 12 FAE offspring with a similar average but a larger range of ethanol exposures (1.01-2.98 g/Kg/day; total ethanol exposure 24-158 g/Kg). Design-based stereology was performed on cresyl violet-stained and doublecortin (DCX)-immunostained sections of the hippocampus. We report here significant neuronal deficits in the hippocampus with a significant negative correlation between daily dose and neuronal population in CA1 (r2 = 0.486), CA2 (r2 = 0.492), and CA3 (r2 = 0.469). There were also significant correlations between DCX population in the dentate gyrus and daily dose (r2 = 0.560). Both correlations were consistent with linear dose-response models. This study illustrates that neuroanatomical sequelae of fetal ethanol exposure are dose-responsive and suggests that there may be a threshold for this effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark W. Burke
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USA
| | - Hocine Slimani
- School of Optometry and Department of Physiology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Maurice Ptito
- School of Optometry and Department of Physiology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Frank R. Ervin
- Behavioural Science Foundation, St. Kitts, Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 1A1, Canada
| | - Roberta M. Palmour
- Behavioural Science Foundation, St. Kitts, Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Departments of Human Genetics and Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 1A1, Canada
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Kenton JA, Young JW. Preclinical Evaluation of Attention and Impulsivity Relevant to Determining ADHD Mechanisms and Treatments. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2022; 57:291-320. [PMID: 35606639 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2022_340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
People with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) exhibit inattention, hyperactivity, and/or impulsivity. Symptoms of ADHD emerge in childhood and can continue throughout adulthood. Clinical assessments to diagnose ADHD can include administration of continuous performance tests (CPTs). CPTs provide an objective measure of inattention, requiring individuals to respond to targets (attention), and inhibit response to non-targets (impulsivity). When investigating the mechanisms of, and novel treatments for, ADHD it is important to measure such behavioral domains (attention and impulsivity). Some well-established preclinical tasks purport to assess attention in rodents but, unlike CPTs, do not require non-target inhibition, limiting their ADHD-relevance.Recently developed tasks recreate CPTs for rodents. The 5-Choice CPT (5C-CPT) contains non-target stimuli, enabling use of signal detection theory to evaluate performance, consistent with CPTs. The 5C-CPT has been adapted for use in humans, enabling direct cross-species comparisons of performance. A newer task, the rodent CPT (rCPT), is a touchscreen-based analog of CPTs, utilizing symbols instead of a simple stimulus array. Currently, the rCPT may be more akin to a go/no-go task, equally presenting targets/non-targets, although numerous variants exist - a strength. The 5C-CPT and rCPT emulate human CPTs and provide the most up-to-date information on ADHD-relevant studies for understanding attention/impulsivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johnny A Kenton
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jared W Young
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA.
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Lopez-Cruz L, Bussey TJ, Saksida LM, Heath CJ. Using touchscreen-delivered cognitive assessments to address the principles of the 3Rs in behavioral sciences. Lab Anim (NY) 2021; 50:174-184. [PMID: 34140683 DOI: 10.1038/s41684-021-00791-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Despite considerable advances in both in silico and in vitro approaches, in vivo studies that involve animal model systems remain necessary in many research disciplines. Neuroscience is one such area, with studies often requiring access to a complete nervous system capable of dynamically selecting between and then executing a full range of cognitive and behavioral outputs in response to a given stimulus or other manipulation. The involvement of animals in research studies is an issue of active public debate and concern and is therefore carefully regulated. Such regulations are based on the principles of the 3Rs of Replacement, Reduction and Refinement. In the sub-specialty of behavioral neuroscience, Full/Absolute Replacement remains a major challenge, as the complete ex vivo recapitulation of a system as complex and dynamic as the nervous system has yet to be achieved. However, a number of very positive developments have occurred in this area with respect to Relative Replacement and to both Refinement and Reduction. In this review, we discuss the Refinement- and Reduction-related benefits yielded by the introduction of touchscreen-based behavioral assessment apparatus. We also discuss how data generated by a specific panel of behavioral tasks developed for this platform might substantially enhance monitoring of laboratory animal welfare and provide robust, quantitative comparisons of husbandry techniques to define and ensure maintenance of best practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Lopez-Cruz
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. .,School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Robarts Research Institute & Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lisa M Saksida
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Robarts Research Institute & Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christopher J Heath
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
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Izquierdo A. Touchscreen response technology and the power of stimulus-based approaches in freely behaving animals. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2020; 20:e12720. [PMID: 33295087 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Izquierdo
- Department of Psychology, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.,The Brain Research Institute, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Integrative Center for Learning and Memory, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Integrative Center for Addictions, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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Kenton JA, Castillo VK, Kehrer PE, Brigman JL. Moderate Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Impairs Visual-Spatial Discrimination in a Sex-Specific Manner: Effects of Testing Order and Difficulty on Learning Performance. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 44:2008-2018. [PMID: 32772384 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to high levels of alcohol during development leads to alterations in neurogenesis and deficits in hippocampal-dependent learning. Evidence suggests that even more moderate alcohol consumption during pregnancy can have negative impacts on the cognitive function of offspring. Methods for assessing impairments differ greatly across species, complicating translation of preclinical findings into potential therapeutics. We have demonstrated the utility of a touchscreen operant measure for assessing hippocampal function in mice. METHODS Here, we integrated a well-established "drinking-in-the-dark" exposure model that produces reliable, but more moderate, levels of maternal intoxication with a trial-unique, delayed nonmatching-to-location (TUNL) task to examine the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) on hippocampal-sensitive behavior directly analogous to those used in clinical assessment. PAE and SAC offspring mice were trained to touch a single visual stimulus ("sample phase") in one of 10 possible spatial locations (2 × 5 grid) in a touchscreen operant system. After a delay, animals were simultaneously presented with the original stimulus and a rewarded stimulus in a novel location ("choice phase"). PAE and saccharin (SAC) control mice were trained on a series of problems that systematically increased the difficulty by decreasing the separation between the sample and choice stimuli. Next, a separate cohort of PAE and SAC animals were given a brief training and then tested on a challenging variant where both the separation and delay varied with each trial. RESULTS We found that PAE mice were generally able to perform at levels similar to SAC control mice at progressively more difficult separations. When tested on the most difficult unpredictable variant immediately, PAE showed a sex-specific deficit with PAE females performing worse during long delays. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these data demonstrate the utility of the TUNL task for examining PAE related alterations in hippocampal function and underline the need to examine sex-by-treatment interactions in these models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johnny A Kenton
- From the Department of Neurosciences, (JAK, VC, PK, JLB), University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Victoria K Castillo
- From the Department of Neurosciences, (JAK, VC, PK, JLB), University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Penelope E Kehrer
- From the Department of Neurosciences, (JAK, VC, PK, JLB), University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- From the Department of Neurosciences, (JAK, VC, PK, JLB), University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico.,New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, (JLB), UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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