1
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Servin-Barthet C, Martínez-García M, Pretus C, Paternina-Die M, Soler A, Khymenets O, Pozo ÓJ, Leuner B, Vilarroya O, Carmona S. The transition to motherhood: linking hormones, brain and behaviour. Nat Rev Neurosci 2023; 24:605-619. [PMID: 37612425 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-023-00733-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
We are witnessing a stark increase in scientific interest in the neurobiological processes associated with pregnancy and maternity. Convergent evidence suggests that around the time of labour, first-time mothers experience a specific pattern of neuroanatomical changes that are associated with maternal behaviour. Here we provide an overview of the human neurobiological adaptations of motherhood, focusing on the interplay between pregnancy-related steroid and peptide hormones, and neuroplasticity in the brain. We discuss which brain plasticity mechanisms might underlie the structural changes detected by MRI, which hormonal systems are likely to contribute to such neuroanatomical changes and how these brain mechanisms may be linked to maternal behaviour. This Review offers an overarching framework that can serve as a roadmap for future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Servin-Barthet
- Unitat de Recerca en Neurociència Cognitiva, Departament de Psiquiatria i Medicina Legal, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Magdalena Martínez-García
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañon, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Clara Pretus
- Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Psicobiologia i de Metodologia de els Ciències de la Salut, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Paternina-Die
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañon, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Anna Soler
- Unitat de Recerca en Neurociència Cognitiva, Departament de Psiquiatria i Medicina Legal, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Óscar J Pozo
- Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Benedetta Leuner
- Psychology Department, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Oscar Vilarroya
- Unitat de Recerca en Neurociència Cognitiva, Departament de Psiquiatria i Medicina Legal, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
- Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Susana Carmona
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañon, Madrid, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
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2
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Aleknaviciute J, Evans TE, Aribas E, de Vries MW, Steegers EAP, Ikram MA, Tiemeier H, Kavousi M, Vernooij MW, Kushner SA. Long-term association of pregnancy and maternal brain structure: the Rotterdam Study. Eur J Epidemiol 2022; 37:271-281. [PMID: 34989970 PMCID: PMC9110529 DOI: 10.1007/s10654-021-00818-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The peripartum period is the highest risk interval for the onset or exacerbation of psychiatric illness in women’s lives. Notably, pregnancy and childbirth have been associated with short-term structural and functional changes in the maternal human brain. Yet the long-term effects of pregnancy on maternal brain structure remain unknown. We investigated a large population-based cohort to examine the association between parity and brain structure. In total, 2,835 women (mean age 65.2 years; all free from dementia, stroke, and cortical brain infarcts) from the Rotterdam Study underwent magnetic resonance imaging (1.5 T) between 2005 and 2015. Associations of parity with global and lobar brain tissue volumes, white matter microstructure, and markers of vascular brain disease were examined using regression models. We found that parity was associated with a larger global gray matter volume (β = 0.14, 95% CI = 0.09–0.19), a finding that persisted following adjustment for sociodemographic factors. A non-significant dose-dependent relationship was observed between a higher number of childbirths and larger gray matter volume. The gray matter volume association with parity was globally proportional across lobes. No associations were found regarding white matter volume or integrity, nor with markers of cerebral small vessel disease. The current findings suggest that pregnancy and childbirth are associated with robust long-term changes in brain structure involving a larger global gray matter volume that persists for decades. Future studies are warranted to further investigate the mechanism and physiological relevance of these differences in brain morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jurate Aleknaviciute
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 's Gravendijkwal 230, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tavia E Evans
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Wytemaweg 90, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Radiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Wytemaweg 80, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Elif Aribas
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Wytemaweg 90, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Merel W de Vries
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 's Gravendijkwal 230, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eric A P Steegers
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Wytemaweg 80, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mohammad Arfan Ikram
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Wytemaweg 90, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Henning Tiemeier
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Child Psychiatry, Sophia Children's Hospital, Erasmus University Medical Center, Wytemaweg 80, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maryam Kavousi
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Wytemaweg 90, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Meike W Vernooij
- Department of Radiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Wytemaweg 80, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. .,Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Wytemaweg 90, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Steven A Kushner
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 's Gravendijkwal 230, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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3
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Rurak GM, Woodside B, Aguilar-Valles A, Salmaso N. Astroglial cells as neuroendocrine targets in forebrain development: Implications for sex differences in psychiatric disease. Front Neuroendocrinol 2021; 60:100897. [PMID: 33359797 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2020.100897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Astroglial cells are the most abundant cell type in the mammalian brain. They are implicated in almost every aspect of brain physiology, including maintaining homeostasis, building and maintaining the blood brain barrier, and the development and maturation of neuronal networks. Critically, astroglia also express receptors for gonadal sex hormones, respond rapidly to gonadal hormones, and are able to synthesize hormones. Thus, they are positioned to guide and mediate sexual differentiation of the brain, particularly neuronal networks in typical and pathological conditions. In this review, we describe astroglial involvement in the organization and development of the brain, and consider known sex differences in astroglial responses to understand how astroglial cell-mediated organization may play a role in forebrain sexual dimorphisms in human populations. Finally, we consider how sexually dimorphic astroglial responses and functions in development may lead to sex differences in vulnerability for neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gareth M Rurak
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Barbara Woodside
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Natalina Salmaso
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
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4
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Carmona S, Martínez-García M, Paternina-Die M, Barba-Müller E, Wierenga LM, Alemán-Gómez Y, Pretus C, Marcos-Vidal L, Beumala L, Cortizo R, Pozzobon C, Picado M, Lucco F, García-García D, Soliva JC, Tobeña A, Peper JS, Crone EA, Ballesteros A, Vilarroya O, Desco M, Hoekzema E. Pregnancy and adolescence entail similar neuroanatomical adaptations: A comparative analysis of cerebral morphometric changes. Hum Brain Mapp 2019; 40:2143-2152. [PMID: 30663172 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Revised: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mapping the impact of pregnancy on the human brain is essential for understanding the neurobiology of maternal caregiving. Recently, we found that pregnancy leads to a long-lasting reduction in cerebral gray matter volume. However, the morphometric features behind the volumetric reductions remain unexplored. Furthermore, the similarity between these reductions and those occurring during adolescence, another hormonally similar transitional period of life, still needs to be investigated. Here, we used surface-based methods to analyze the longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging data of a group of 25 first-time mothers (before and after pregnancy) and compare them to those of a group of 25 female adolescents (during 2 years of pubertal development). For both first-time mothers and adolescent girls, a monthly rate of volumetric reductions of 0.09 mm3 was observed. In both cases, these reductions were accompanied by decreases in cortical thickness, surface area, local gyrification index, sulcal depth, and sulcal length, as well as increases in sulcal width. In fact, the changes associated with pregnancy did not differ from those that characterize the transition during adolescence in any of these measures. Our findings are consistent with the notion that the brain morphometric changes associated with pregnancy and adolescence reflect similar hormonally primed biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanna Carmona
- Sección de Neuroimagen, Laboratorio de Imagen Médica, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, Madrid, Spain.,Sección de Neuroimagen, Laboratorio de Imagen Médica, Unidad de Medicina y Cirugía Experimental, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.,Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Magdalena Martínez-García
- Sección de Neuroimagen, Laboratorio de Imagen Médica, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, Madrid, Spain.,Sección de Neuroimagen, Laboratorio de Imagen Médica, Unidad de Medicina y Cirugía Experimental, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Paternina-Die
- Sección de Neuroimagen, Laboratorio de Imagen Médica, Unidad de Medicina y Cirugía Experimental, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Bioingeniería e Ingeniería Aeroespacial, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Leganés, Spain
| | - Erika Barba-Müller
- Institute of Mental Health Vidal i Barraquer, Ramon Llull University, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lara M Wierenga
- Brain and Development Laboratory, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Yasser Alemán-Gómez
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Radiology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Clara Pretus
- Neuroimaging of mental disorders group, Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain.,Unitat de Recerca en Neurociència Cognitiva, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Luis Marcos-Vidal
- Sección de Neuroimagen, Laboratorio de Imagen Médica, Unidad de Medicina y Cirugía Experimental, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Bioingeniería e Ingeniería Aeroespacial, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Leganés, Spain
| | - Laura Beumala
- Unitat de Recerca en Neurociència Cognitiva, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Romina Cortizo
- Unitat de Recerca en Neurociència Cognitiva, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Pozzobon
- Assisted Medicine Reproduction, IVI Clinic Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marisol Picado
- Neuroimaging of mental disorders group, Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain.,Unitat de Recerca en Neurociència Cognitiva, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Florencio Lucco
- Assisted Medicine Reproduction, IVI Clinic Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - David García-García
- Sección de Neuroimagen, Laboratorio de Imagen Médica, Unidad de Medicina y Cirugía Experimental, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Carlos Soliva
- Unitat de Recerca en Neurociència Cognitiva, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adolf Tobeña
- Unitat de Recerca en Neurociència Cognitiva, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jiska S Peper
- Brain and Development Laboratory, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Eveline A Crone
- Brain and Development Laboratory, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Oscar Vilarroya
- Neuroimaging of mental disorders group, Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain.,Unitat de Recerca en Neurociència Cognitiva, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Manuel Desco
- Sección de Neuroimagen, Laboratorio de Imagen Médica, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, Madrid, Spain.,Sección de Neuroimagen, Laboratorio de Imagen Médica, Unidad de Medicina y Cirugía Experimental, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Bioingeniería e Ingeniería Aeroespacial, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Leganés, Spain.,Unidad de Imagen Avanzada, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (F.S.P), Madrid, Spain
| | - Elseline Hoekzema
- Brain and Development Laboratory, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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5
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Barba-Müller E, Craddock S, Carmona S, Hoekzema E. Brain plasticity in pregnancy and the postpartum period: links to maternal caregiving and mental health. Arch Womens Ment Health 2019; 22:289-299. [PMID: 30008085 PMCID: PMC6440938 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-018-0889-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 07/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Pregnancy and the postpartum period involve numerous physiological adaptations that enable the development and survival of the offspring. A distinct neural plasticity characterizes the female brain during this period, and dynamic structural and functional changes take place that accompany fundamental behavioral adaptations, stimulating the female to progress from an individual with self-directed needs to being responsible for the care of another life. While many animal studies detail these modifications, an emerging body of research reveals the existence of reproduction-related brain plasticity in human mothers too. Additionally, associations with aspects of maternal caregiving point to adaptive changes that benefit a woman's transition to motherhood. However, the dynamic changes that affect a woman's brain are not merely adaptive, and they likely confer a vulnerability for the development of mental disorders. Here, we review the changes in brain structure and function that a woman undergoes during the peripartum period, outlining associations between these neural alterations and different aspects of maternal care. We additionally discuss peripartum mood disorders and postpartum psychosis, and review the neuroimaging studies that investigate the neural bases of these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Barba-Müller
- Brain and Development Research Center, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands ,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, the Netherlands ,University Institute of Mental Health Vidal i Barraquer, Ramon Llull University, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sinéad Craddock
- Brain and Development Research Center, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands ,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Susanna Carmona
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain ,Unidad de Medicina y Cirugía Experimental, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain ,Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elseline Hoekzema
- Brain and Development Research Center, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands. .,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, the Netherlands.
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6
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The psychoneuroimmunology of pregnancy. Front Neuroendocrinol 2018; 51:25-35. [PMID: 29110974 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2017.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Pregnancy is associated with a number of significant changes in maternal physiology. Perhaps one of the more notable changes is the significant alteration in immune function that occurs during pregnancy. This change in immune function is necessary to support a successful pregnancy, but also creates a unique period of life during which a female is susceptible to disease and, as we'll speculate here, may also contribute to mental health disorders associated with pregnancy and the postpartum period. Here, we review the known changes in peripheral immune function that occur during pregnancy and the postpartum period, while highlighting the impact of hormones during these times on immune function, brain or neural function, as well as behavior. We also discuss the known and possible impact of pregnancy-induced immune changes on neural function during this time and briefly discuss how these changes might be a risk factor for perinatal anxiety or mood disorders.
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7
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Medina J, Workman JL. Maternal experience and adult neurogenesis in mammals: Implications for maternal care, cognition, and mental health. J Neurosci Res 2018; 98:1293-1308. [DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2018] [Revised: 07/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Medina
- Department of Psychology and the Center for Neuroscience Research University at Albany, State University of New York New York
| | - Joanna L. Workman
- Department of Psychology and the Center for Neuroscience Research University at Albany, State University of New York New York
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8
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Driessen TM, Zhao C, Saenz M, Stevenson SA, Owada Y, Gammie SC. Down-regulation of fatty acid binding protein 7 (Fabp7) is a hallmark of the postpartum brain. J Chem Neuroanat 2018; 92:92-101. [PMID: 30076883 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2018.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Revised: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Fatty acid binding protein 7 (Fabp7) is a versatile protein that is linked to glial differentiation and proliferation, neurogenesis, and multiple mental health disorders. Recent microarray studies identified a robust decrease in Fabp7 expression in key brain regions of the postpartum rodents. Given its diverse functions, Fabp7 could play a critical role in sculpting the maternal brain and promoting the maternal phenotype. The present study aimed at investigating the expression profile of Fabp7 across the postpartum CNS. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) analysis showed that Fabp7 mRNA was consistently down-regulated across the postpartum brain. Of the 9 maternal care-related regions tested, seven exhibited significant decreases in Fabp7 in postpartum (relative to virgin) females, including medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), nucleus accumbens (NA), lateral septum (LS), bed nucleus of stria terminalis dorsal (BnSTd), paraventricular nucleus (PVN), lateral hypothalamus (LH), and basolateral and central amygdala (BLA/CeA). For both ventral tegmental area (VTA) and medial preoptic area (MPOA) levels of Fabp7 were lower in mothers, but levels of changes did not reach significance. Confocal microscopy revealed that protein expression of Fabp7 in the LS paralleled mRNA findings. Specifically, the caudal LS exhibited a significant reduction in Fabp7 immunoreactivity, while decreases in medial LS were just above significance. Double fluorescent immunolabeling confirmed the astrocytic phenotype of Fabp7-expressing cells. Collectively, this research demonstrates a broad and marked reduction in Fabp7 expression in the postpartum brain, suggesting that down-regulation of Fabp7 may serve as a hallmark of the postpartum brain and contribute to the maternal phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terri M Driessen
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Changjiu Zhao
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
| | - Marissa Saenz
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, USA
| | - Sharon A Stevenson
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Yuji Owada
- Department of Organ Anatomy, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Stephen C Gammie
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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9
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Simard S, Coppola G, Rudyk CA, Hayley S, McQuaid RJ, Salmaso N. Profiling changes in cortical astroglial cells following chronic stress. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:1961-1971. [PMID: 29907879 PMCID: PMC6046043 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0105-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Revised: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have suggested that cortical astroglia play an important role in depressive-like behaviors. Potential astroglial contributions have been proposed based on their known neuroplastic functions, such as glutamate recycling and synaptic plasticity. However, the specific mechanisms by which astroglial cells may contribute or protect against a depressive phenotype remain unknown. To delineate astroglial changes that accompany depressive-like behavior, we used astroglial-specific bacTRAP mice exposed to chronic variable stress (CVS) and profiled the astroglial translatome using translating ribosome affinity purification (TRAP) in conjunction with RNAseq. As expected, CVS significantly increased anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors and corticosterone levels and decreased GFAP expression in astroglia, although this did not reflect a change in the total number of astroglial cells. TRAPseq results showed that CVS decreased genes associated with astroglial plasticity: RhoGTPases, growth factor signaling, and transcription regulation, and increased genes associated with the formation of extracellular matrices such as perineuronal nets (PNNs). PNNs inhibit neuroplasticity and astroglia contribute to the formation, organization, and maintenance of PNNs. To validate our TRAPseq findings, we showed an increase in PNNs following CVS. Degradation of PNNs in the prefrontal cortex of mice exposed to CVS reversed the CVS-induced behavioral phenotype in the forced swim test. These data lend further support to the neuroplasticity hypothesis of depressive behaviors and, in particular, extend this hypothesis beyond neuronal plasticity to include an overall decrease in genes associated with cortical astroglial plasticity following CVS. Further studies will be needed to assess the antidepressant potential of directly targeting astroglial cell function in models of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Simard
- 0000 0004 1936 893Xgrid.34428.39Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON Canada
| | - Gianfilippo Coppola
- 0000000419368710grid.47100.32Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Christopher A. Rudyk
- 0000 0004 1936 893Xgrid.34428.39Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON Canada
| | - Shawn Hayley
- 0000 0004 1936 893Xgrid.34428.39Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON Canada
| | - Robyn J. McQuaid
- 0000 0001 1503 7525grid.414622.7The Royal Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON Canada
| | - Natalina Salmaso
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada. .,Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
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10
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Sherer ML, Posillico CK, Schwarz JM. An examination of changes in maternal neuroimmune function during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Brain Behav Immun 2017; 66:201-209. [PMID: 28669797 PMCID: PMC6348474 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2017.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Revised: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 06/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
There is strong evidence that the immune system changes dramatically during pregnancy in order to prevent the developing fetus from being "attacked" by the maternal immune system. Due to these alterations in peripheral immune function, many women that suffer from autoimmune disorders actually find significant relief from their symptoms throughout pregnancy; however, these changes can also leave the mother more susceptible to infections that would otherwise be mitigated by the inflammatory response (Robinson and Klein, 2012). Only one other study has looked at changes in microglial number and morphology during pregnancy and the postpartum period (Haim et al., 2016), but no one has yet examined the neuroimmune response following an immune challenge during this time. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the impact of an immune challenge during various time-points throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period on the expression of immune molecules in the brain of the mother and fetus. Our results indicate that similar to the peripheral immune suppression measured during pregnancy, we also see significant suppression of the immune response in the maternal brain, particularly during late gestation. In contrast to the peripheral immune system, immune modulation in the maternal brain extends moderately into the postpartum period. Additionally, we found that the fetal immune response in the brain and placenta is also suppressed just before parturition, suggesting that cytokine production in the fetus and placenta are mirroring the peripheral cytokine response of the mother.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan L Sherer
- University of Delaware, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, 108 Wolf Hall, Newark, DE 19716, United States.
| | - Caitlin K Posillico
- University of Delaware, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, 108 Wolf Hall, Newark, DE 19716, United States
| | - Jaclyn M Schwarz
- University of Delaware, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, 108 Wolf Hall, Newark, DE 19716, United States
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11
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Cabrera-Pedraza VR, de Jesús Gómez-Villalobos M, de la Cruz F, Aguilar-Alonso P, Zamudio S, Flores G. Pregnancy improves cognitive deficit and neuronal morphology atrophy in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of aging spontaneously hypertensive rats. Synapse 2017; 71:e21991. [DOI: 10.1002/syn.21991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Revised: 05/24/2017] [Accepted: 07/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Verónica R. Cabrera-Pedraza
- Instituto de Fisiología; Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla; Puebla Pue México
- Depto. de Fisiología; Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional; Cdmx México
| | | | - Fidel de la Cruz
- Depto. de Fisiología; Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional; Cdmx México
| | | | - Sergio Zamudio
- Depto. de Fisiología; Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional; Cdmx México
| | - Gonzalo Flores
- Instituto de Fisiología; Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla; Puebla Pue México
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12
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Pereira M. Structural and Functional Plasticity in the Maternal Brain Circuitry. New Dir Child Adolesc Dev 2017; 2016:23-46. [PMID: 27589496 DOI: 10.1002/cad.20163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Parenting recruits a distributed network of brain structures (and neuromodulators) that coordinates caregiving responses attuned to the young's affect, needs, and developmental stage. Many of these structures and connections undergo significant structural and functional plasticity, mediated by the interplay between maternal hormones and social experience while the reciprocal relationship between the mother and her infant forms and develops. These alterations account for the remarkable behavioral plasticity of mothers. This review will examine the molecular and neurobiological modulation and plasticity through which parenting develops and adjusts in new mothers, primarily discussing recent findings in nonhuman animals. A better understanding of how parenting impacts the brain at the molecular, cellular, systems/network, and behavioral levels is likely to significantly contribute to novel strategies for treating postpartum neuropsychiatric disorders in new mothers, and critical for both the mother's physiological and mental health and the development and well-being of her young.
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13
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González-Mariscal G, Melo AI. Bidirectional Effects of Mother-Young Contact on the Maternal and Neonatal Brains. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2017; 1015:97-116. [PMID: 29080023 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-62817-2_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Adaptive plasticity occurs intensely during the early postnatal period through processes like proliferation, migration, differentiation, synaptogenesis, myelination and apoptosis. Exposure to particular stimuli during this critical period has long-lasting effects on cognition, stress reactivity and behavior. Maternal care is the main source of social, sensory and chemical stimulation to the young and is, therefore, critical to "fine-tune" the offspring's neural development. Mothers providing a low quantity or quality of stimulation produce offspring that will exhibit reduced cognitive performance, impaired social affiliation and increased agonistic behaviors. Transgenerational transmission of such traits occurs epigenetically, i.e., through mechanisms like DNA methylation and post-translational modification of nucleosomal histones, processes that silence or increase gene expression without affecting the DNA sequence. Reciprocally, providing maternal care profoundly affects the behavior, learning, memory and fine neuroanatomy of the adult female. Such effects are in many cases permanent and sometimes they involve the hormones of pregnancy and lactation. The above evidence supports the idea that the mother-young dyad exerts profound and permanent effects on the brains of both adult and developing organisms, respectively. Effects on the latter can be explained by the neural developmental processes taking place during the early postnatal period. In contrast, little is known about the mechanisms mediating the plasticity of the adult maternal brain. The bidirectional effects that mother and young exert on each other's brains exemplify a remarkable plasticity of this organ for organizing itself and provide an immense source of variability for adaptation and evolution in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela González-Mariscal
- Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, CINVESTAV-Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Apdo Postal 62, Tlaxcala, Tlax, 90000, Mexico.
| | - Angel I Melo
- Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, CINVESTAV-Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Apdo Postal 62, Tlaxcala, Tlax, 90000, Mexico
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14
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Pereira M, Ferreira A. Neuroanatomical and neurochemical basis of parenting: Dynamic coordination of motivational, affective and cognitive processes. Horm Behav 2016; 77:72-85. [PMID: 26296592 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2015] [Revised: 08/13/2015] [Accepted: 08/13/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "Parental Care". Becoming a parent is arguably the most profound transforming experience in life. It is also inherently very emotionally and physically demanding, such that the reciprocal interaction with the young changes the brain and behavior of the parents. In this review, we examine the neurobiological mechanisms of parenting primarily discussing recent research findings in rodents and primates, especially humans. We argue that it is essential to consider parenting within a conceptual framework that recognizes the dynamics of the reciprocal mother-young relationship, including both the complexity and neuroplasticity of its underlying mechanisms. Converging research suggests that the concerted activity of a distributed network of subcortical and cortical brain structures regulates different key aspects of parenting, including the sensory analysis of infant stimuli as well as motivational, affective and cognitive processes. The interplay among these processes depends on the action of various neurotransmitters and hormones that modulate the timely and coordinated execution of caregiving responses of the maternal circuitry exquisitely attuned to the young's affect, needs and developmental stage. We conclude with a summary and a set of questions that may guide future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Pereira
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA.
| | - Annabel Ferreira
- Sección Fisiología y Nutrición, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Uruguay
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15
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Monasterio N, Vergara E, Morales T. Hormonal influences on neuroimmune responses in the CNS of females. Front Integr Neurosci 2014; 7:110. [PMID: 24478642 PMCID: PMC3894525 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2013.00110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2013] [Accepted: 12/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Particular reproductive stages such as lactation impose demands on the female. To cope with these demands, her physiology goes through numerous adaptations, for example, attenuation of immune and stress responses. Hormonal fluctuation during lactation exerts a strong influence, inducing neuroplasticity in the hypothalamus and extrahypothalamic regions, and diminishing the stress and inflammatory responses. Thus, hormones confer decreased vulnerability to the female brain. This mini-review focuses on the adaptations of the immune and stress response during maternity, and on the neuroprotective actions of progesterone and prolactin and their effects on inflammation. The importance of pregnancy and lactation as experimental models to study immune responses and disease is also highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nela Monasterio
- Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Santiago de Querétaro, México
| | - Edgar Vergara
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Ciudad de México, México
| | - Teresa Morales
- Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Santiago de Querétaro, México
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16
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Cabrera V, Ramos E, González-Arenas A, Cerbón M, Camacho-Arroyo I, Morales T. Lactation reduces glial activation induced by excitotoxicity in the rat hippocampus. J Neuroendocrinol 2013; 25:519-27. [PMID: 23356710 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2012] [Revised: 01/16/2013] [Accepted: 01/21/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Motherhood induces a series of adaptations in the physiology of the female, including an increase of maternal brain plasticity and a reduction of cell damage in the hippocampus caused by kainic acid (KA) excitotoxicity. We analysed the role of lactation in glial activation in the hippocampal fields of virgin and lactating rats after i.c.v. application of 100 ng of KA. Immunohistochemical analysis for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and ionised calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba-1), which are markers for astrocytes and microglial cell-surface proteins, respectively, revealed differential cellular responses to KA in lactating and virgin rats. A significant astrocyte and microglial response in hippocampal areas of virgin rats was observed 24 h and 72 h after KA. By contrast, no increase in either GFAP- or Iba-1-positive cells was observed in response to KA in the hippocampus of lactating rats. Western blot analysis of GFAP showed an initial decrease at 24 h after KA treatment, with an increase at 72 h in the whole hippocampus of virgin but not of lactating rats. The number of GFAP-positive cells was increased by lactation in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus but not in CA1 and CA3 areas. The present results indicate that lactating rats exhibit diminished responses of astrocyte and microglial cells in the hippocampus to damage induced by KA, supporting the notion that the maternal hippocampus is resistant to excitotoxic insults.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Cabrera
- Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, México
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17
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Olazábal DE, Pereira M, Agrati D, Ferreira A, Fleming AS, González-Mariscal G, Lévy F, Lucion AB, Morrell JI, Numan M, Uriarte N. Flexibility and adaptation of the neural substrate that supports maternal behavior in mammals. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2013; 37:1875-92. [PMID: 23608126 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2013.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2013] [Accepted: 04/08/2013] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Maternal behavior is species-specific and expressed under different physiological conditions, and contexts. It is the result of neural processes that support different forms (e.g. postpartum, cycling sensitized and spontaneous maternal behavior) and modalities of mother-offspring interaction (e.g. maternal interaction with altricial/precocious young; selective/non-selective bond). To understand how the brain adapts to and regulates maternal behavior in different species, and physiological and social conditions we propose new neural models to explain different forms of maternal expression (e.g. sensitized and spontaneous maternal behavior) and the behavioral changes that occur across the postpartum period. We emphasize the changing role of the medial preoptic area in the neural circuitry that supports maternal behavior and the cortical regulation and adjustment of ongoing behavioral performance. Finally, we discuss how our accumulated knowledge about the psychobiology of mothering in animal models supports the validity of animal studies to guide our understanding of human mothering and to improve human welfare and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E Olazábal
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Avda. Gral. Flores 2125, CP 11800, Montevideo, Uruguay.
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18
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Ballesteros-Yáñez I, Castillo CA, Amo-Salas M, Albasanz JL, Martín M. Differential Effect of Caffeine Consumption on Diverse Brain Areas of Pregnant Rats. JOURNAL OF CAFFEINE RESEARCH 2012; 2:90-98. [PMID: 24761269 DOI: 10.1089/jcr.2012.0011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND It has previously been shown that during gestation, the mother's brain has an increase in glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-immunoreactivity (-ir) and a decrease in the mRNA level of A1 adenosine receptor. Little is known about the A2A adenosine receptor in the maternal brain, and whether caffeine consumption throughout gestational period modifies GFAP and adenosine receptor density in specific brain areas. This study was undertaken to investigate the protein density of GFAP and adenosine receptors (A1 and A2A subtypes) in different regions of pregnant rat brain and the possible effect of caffeine on these proteins. METHODS For this purpose, we examined the GFAP-, A1- and A2A-ir in the cingulate cortex (Cg2), dentate gyrus (DG), medial preoptic area (mPOA), secondary somatosensory cortex (S2), and striatum (Str) of pregnant Wistar rats (drug-free tap water or water with 1g/L diluted caffeine). RESULTS We show a consistent and highly significant reduction of GFAP-ir in caffeine-treated pregnant rats in most of the areas analyzed. Our data demonstrate that caffeine consumption induces a significant increase of A2A-ir in Str. Concerning A1 receptor, the observed changes are dependent on the region analyzed; this receptor density is increased in Cg2, DG, and mPOA and decreased in the somatosensory cortex and Str. The results were confirmed by Western blotting. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that chronic caffeine exposure could modify the physiolological situation of gestation by a reorganization of the neural circuits and the adenosine neuromodulator system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inmaculada Ballesteros-Yáñez
- Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Regional Center of Biomedical Research, University of Castilla-La Mancha , Ciudad Real, Spain . ; Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Chemistry Faculty, Regional Center of Biomedical Research, University of Castilla-La Mancha , Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Carlos Alberto Castillo
- Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Chemistry Faculty, Regional Center of Biomedical Research, University of Castilla-La Mancha , Ciudad Real, Spain . ; Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Occupational and Speech Therapies, University of Castilla-La Mancha , Talavera de la Reina, Spain
| | - Mariano Amo-Salas
- Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Castilla-La Mancha , Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - José Luis Albasanz
- Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Regional Center of Biomedical Research, University of Castilla-La Mancha , Ciudad Real, Spain . ; Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Chemistry Faculty, Regional Center of Biomedical Research, University of Castilla-La Mancha , Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Mairena Martín
- Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Regional Center of Biomedical Research, University of Castilla-La Mancha , Ciudad Real, Spain . ; Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Chemistry Faculty, Regional Center of Biomedical Research, University of Castilla-La Mancha , Ciudad Real, Spain
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19
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Salmaso N, Cossette MP, Woodside B. Pregnancy and maternal behavior induce changes in glia, glutamate and its metabolism within the cingulate cortex. PLoS One 2011; 6:e23529. [PMID: 21909402 PMCID: PMC3167812 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0023529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2011] [Accepted: 07/20/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
An upregulation of the astrocytic proteins GFAP and bFGF within area 2 of the cingulate cortex (Cg2) occurs within 3 hours of parturition in rats. These changes are the result of an interaction between hormonal state and maternal experience and are associated with increased dendritic spine density in this area. Here, we examined whether this upregulation of astrocytic proteins generalized to other glial markers and, in particular those associated with glutamate metabolism. We chose glial markers commonly used to reflect different aspects of glial function: vimentin, like GFAP, is a marker of intermediate filaments; glutamine synthetase (GS), and S-100beta, are used as markers for mature astrocytes and GS has also been used as a specific marker for glutamatergic enzymatic activity. In addition, we examined levels of proteins associated with glutamine synthetase, glutamate, glutamine and two excitatory amino acid transporters found in astrocytes, glt-1 and glast. S100beta immunoreactivity did not vary with reproductive state in either Cg2 or MPOA suggesting no change in the number of mature astrocytes across these conditions. Vimentin-ir did not differ across groups in Cg2, but expression of this protein decreased from Day 1 postpartum onwards in the MPOA. By contrast, GS-ir was increased within 24 h postpartum in Cg2 but not MPOA and similarly to GFAP and bFGF this upregulation of GS resulted from an interaction between hormonal state and maternal experience. Within Cg2, upregulation of GS was not accompanied by changes in the astrocytic glutamatergic transporters, glt-1 and glast, however, an increase in both glutamate and glutamine proteins were observed within the Cg2 of postpartum animals. Together, these changes suggest postpartum upregulation of glutamatergic activity and metabolism within Cg2 that is stimulated by pregnancy hormones and maternal experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalina Salmaso
- Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America.
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20
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Salmaso N, Quinlan MG, Brake WG, Woodside B. Changes in dendritic spine density on layer 2/3 pyramidal cells within the cingulate cortex of late pregnant and postpartum rats. Horm Behav 2011; 60:65-71. [PMID: 21397603 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2011.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2010] [Revised: 02/28/2011] [Accepted: 03/03/2011] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
A rapid upregulation of astrocytic protein expression within area 2 of the cingulate cortex (Cg2) of the maternal rat occurs within 3h postpartum and persists throughout lactation. Previous studies have shown that similar changes in astrocytic proteins can signal changes in local synapses and dendritic spines. Thus, here we used the Golgi-Cox impregnation technique to compare spine density in layer 2 and 3 pyramidal cells of Cg2, the CA1 region of the hippocampus and the parietal cortex (ParCx) among metestrus, late pregnant (LP), 3-hour postpartum (3H PP) and 16-day postpartum rats (D16 PP). Rats in the 3H PP group had higher numbers of dendritic spines/10 μm on the apical dendrites of pyramidal neurons in both Cg2 and CA1 than the other groups, which did not differ. A similar pattern was observed in basilar dendrites but this failed to reach significance. In Cg2, Sholl analysis revealed that rats in the D16 PP group had a significantly greater extent of dendritic arborization in the basilar region than any other group. These data suggest that the changes in astrocytic proteins that occur in Cg2 in the postpartum period are associated with neuronal plasticity in pyramidal layers 2 and 3.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Salmaso
- CSBN/GRNC, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke St. W., Montreal, Quebec, Canada H4B 1R6
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21
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Parenting and plasticity. Trends Neurosci 2011; 33:465-73. [PMID: 20832872 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2010.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2010] [Revised: 07/27/2010] [Accepted: 07/27/2010] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
As any new parent knows, having a baby provides opportunities for enrichment, learning and stress - experiences known to change the adult brain. Yet surprisingly little is known about the effects of maternal experience, and even less about the effects of paternal experience, on neural circuitry not directly involved in parenting. Here we discuss how caregiving and the accompanying experiential and hormonal changes influence the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, brain regions involved in cognition and mood regulation. A better understanding of how parenting impacts the brain is likely to help in devising strategies for treating parental depression, a condition that can have serious cognitive and mental health consequences for children.
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Effects of parturition on immediate early gene protein expression within the brains of female rats. Neuroscience 2010; 169:637-44. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2010.05.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2009] [Revised: 05/21/2010] [Accepted: 05/21/2010] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Iwata M, Shirayama Y, Ishida H, Hazama GI, Nakagome K. Hippocampal astrocytes are necessary for antidepressant treatment of learned helplessness rats. Hippocampus 2010; 21:877-84. [PMID: 20572198 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.20803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/04/2010] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The astrocyte is a major component of the neural network and plays a role in brain function. Previous studies demonstrated changes in the number of astrocytes in depression. In this study, we examined alterations in the number of astrocytes in the learned helplessness (LH) rat, an animal model of depression. The numbers of activated and nonactivated astrocytes in the dentate gyrus (molecular layer, subgranular zone, and hilus), and CA1 and CA3 regions of the hippocampus were significantly increased 2 and 8 days after attainment of LH. Subchronic treatment with imipramine showed a tendency (although not statistically significant) to decrease the LH-induced increment of activated astrocytes in the CA3 region and dentate gyrus. Furthermore, subchronic treatment of naïve rats with imipramine did not alter the numbers of activated and nonactivated astrocytes. However, the antidepressant-like effects of imipramine in the LH paradigm were blocked when fluorocitrate (a reversible inhibitor of astrocyte function) was injected into the dentate gyrus or CA3 region. Injection of fluorocitrate into naive rats failed to induce behavioral deficits in the conditioned avoidance test. These results indicate that astrocytes are responsive to the antidepressant-like effect of imipramine in the dentate gyrus and CA3 region of the hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaaki Iwata
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Japan
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24
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Pregnancy, prolactin and white matter regeneration. J Neurol Sci 2009; 285:22-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2009.06.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2009] [Revised: 06/02/2009] [Accepted: 06/22/2009] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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