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Jellinger KA. The Spectrum of Cognitive Dysfunction in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: An Update. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14647. [PMID: 37834094 PMCID: PMC10572320 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive dysfunction is an important non-motor symptom in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) that has a negative impact on survival and caregiver burden. It shows a wide spectrum ranging from subjective cognitive decline to frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and covers various cognitive domains, mainly executive/attention, language and verbal memory deficits. The frequency of cognitive impairment across the different ALS phenotypes ranges from 30% to 75%, with up to 45% fulfilling the criteria of FTD. Significant genetic, clinical, and pathological heterogeneity reflects deficits in various cognitive domains. Modern neuroimaging studies revealed frontotemporal degeneration and widespread involvement of limbic and white matter systems, with hypometabolism of the relevant areas. Morphological substrates are frontotemporal and hippocampal atrophy with synaptic loss, associated with TDP-43 and other co-pathologies, including tau deposition. Widespread functional disruptions of motor and extramotor networks, as well as of frontoparietal, frontostriatal and other connectivities, are markers for cognitive deficits in ALS. Cognitive reserve may moderate the effect of brain damage but is not protective against cognitive decline. The natural history of cognitive dysfunction in ALS and its relationship to FTD are not fully understood, although there is an overlap between the ALS variants and ALS-related frontotemporal syndromes, suggesting a differential vulnerability of motor and non-motor networks. An assessment of risks or the early detection of brain connectivity signatures before structural changes may be helpful in investigating the pathophysiological mechanisms of cognitive impairment in ALS, which might even serve as novel targets for effective disease-modifying therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kurt A Jellinger
- Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, Alberichgasse 5/13, A-1150 Vienna, Austria
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Martinelli I, Zucchi E, Simonini C, Gianferrari G, Zamboni G, Pinti M, Mandrioli J. The landscape of cognitive impairment in superoxide dismutase 1-amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neural Regen Res 2023; 18:1427-1433. [PMID: 36571338 PMCID: PMC10075107 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.361535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Although mutations in the superoxide dismutase 1 gene account for only a minority of total amyotrophic lateral sclerosis cases, the discovery of this gene has been crucial for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis research. Since the identification of superoxide dismutase 1 in 1993, the field of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis genetics has considerably widened, improving our understanding of the diverse pathogenic basis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. In this review, we focus on cognitive impairment in superoxide dismutase 1-amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients. Literature has mostly reported that cognition remains intact in superoxide dismutase 1-amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients, but recent reports highlight frontal lobe function frailty in patients carrying different superoxide dismutase 1-amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mutations. We thoroughly reviewed all the various mutations reported in the literature to contribute to a comprehensive database of superoxide dismutase 1-amyotrophic lateral sclerosis genotype-phenotype correlation. Such a resource could ultimately improve our mechanistic understanding of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, enabling a more robust assessment of how the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis phenotype responds to different variants across genes, which is important for the therapeutic strategy targeting genetic mutations. Cognition in superoxide dismutase 1-amyotrophic lateral sclerosis deserves further longitudinal research since this peculiar frailty in patients with similar mutations can be conditioned by external factors, including environment and other unidentified agents including modifier genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Martinelli
- Clinical and Experimental Medicine PhD Program, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia; Department of Neurosciences, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Zucchi
- Department of Neurosciences, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Modena; Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Cecilia Simonini
- Department of Neurosciences, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Giulia Gianferrari
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Giovanna Zamboni
- Department of Neurosciences, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Modena; Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Marcello Pinti
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Jessica Mandrioli
- Department of Neurosciences, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Modena; Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
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Dalla Bella E, Bersano E, Bruzzone MG, Gellera C, Pensato V, Lauria G, Consonni M. Behavioral and Cognitive Phenotypes of Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Carrying SOD1 Variants. Neurology 2022; 99:e2052-e2062. [PMID: 35985819 PMCID: PMC9651465 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000201044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES SOD1 variants in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have been associated with peculiar clinical features and disease progression but rarely with cognitive and behavioral impairment. This study aims at describing the features of frontotemporal syndromes in patients with ALS carrying SOD1 variants. METHODS Italian patients with ALS were consecutively enrolled between 2012 and 2020 at our Motor Neuron Disease Center. All underwent clinical assessment, extensive neurophysiologic test battery for the evaluation of cognitive functions and behavior, and targeted next-generation sequencing of SOD1, FUS, TARDBP, VCP, PFN1, TUBA4A, OPTN, SQSTM1, UBQLN2, and C9orf72 genes. Neuropsychological profiles of SOD1+ patients (SOD1+) were compared with those with no gene variants (SOD1-). To this aim, the occurrence of cognitive and behavioral impairment defined according to the current guidelines, the number of pathologic test performances based on Italian normative values, and scores of the Frontal Behavioral Inventory were collected. RESULTS Among 288 patients consecutively examined, we identified 8 known pathogenic SOD1 variants and one variant of uncertain significance (p.Ser26Asn) not previously described in 14 patients with ALS belonging to 11 families. The clinical phenotypes were mainly characterized by predominant lower motor neuron involvement with onset at the lower limbs, and one patient had bulbar onset. SOD1+ patients (n = 14) were compared with SOD1- patients (N = 274). SOD1+ patients were younger than SOD1-, and both groups had similar functional motor disabilities and disease duration. Based on the overall neuropsychological findings, the percentage of SOD1+ and SOD1- patients with altered profiles were approximately 60%. However, behavioral impairment defined by the Strong criteria, and most commonly featuring with irritability and mental rigidity, was more frequent in SOD1+ than SOD1- patients and mainly associated with variants in exon 5. Conversely, cognitive impairment was mainly found in SOD1- patients. DISCUSSION Our findings from a large cohort of deeply phenotyped patients with ALS demonstrated that behavioral involvement is more common than previously thought among patients harboring SOD1 variants and that it is independent from patients' age and disease stage. These findings could be relevant for the assessment of clinical trial outcomes and disease management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Dalla Bella
- From the 3rd Neurology Unit and Motor Neuron Diseases Centre (E.D.B., E.B., G.L., M.C.), Neuroradiology Unit (M.G.B.), Diagnostic and Technology Department, and Unit of Medical Genetics and Neurogenetics (C.G., V.P.), Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico "Carlo Besta"; Milan, and Department of Biomedical and Clinical and Sciences "Luigi Sacco" (E.B., G.L.), University of Milan, Italy
| | - Enrica Bersano
- From the 3rd Neurology Unit and Motor Neuron Diseases Centre (E.D.B., E.B., G.L., M.C.), Neuroradiology Unit (M.G.B.), Diagnostic and Technology Department, and Unit of Medical Genetics and Neurogenetics (C.G., V.P.), Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico "Carlo Besta"; Milan, and Department of Biomedical and Clinical and Sciences "Luigi Sacco" (E.B., G.L.), University of Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Bruzzone
- From the 3rd Neurology Unit and Motor Neuron Diseases Centre (E.D.B., E.B., G.L., M.C.), Neuroradiology Unit (M.G.B.), Diagnostic and Technology Department, and Unit of Medical Genetics and Neurogenetics (C.G., V.P.), Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico "Carlo Besta"; Milan, and Department of Biomedical and Clinical and Sciences "Luigi Sacco" (E.B., G.L.), University of Milan, Italy
| | - Cinzia Gellera
- From the 3rd Neurology Unit and Motor Neuron Diseases Centre (E.D.B., E.B., G.L., M.C.), Neuroradiology Unit (M.G.B.), Diagnostic and Technology Department, and Unit of Medical Genetics and Neurogenetics (C.G., V.P.), Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico "Carlo Besta"; Milan, and Department of Biomedical and Clinical and Sciences "Luigi Sacco" (E.B., G.L.), University of Milan, Italy
| | - Viviana Pensato
- From the 3rd Neurology Unit and Motor Neuron Diseases Centre (E.D.B., E.B., G.L., M.C.), Neuroradiology Unit (M.G.B.), Diagnostic and Technology Department, and Unit of Medical Genetics and Neurogenetics (C.G., V.P.), Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico "Carlo Besta"; Milan, and Department of Biomedical and Clinical and Sciences "Luigi Sacco" (E.B., G.L.), University of Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Lauria
- From the 3rd Neurology Unit and Motor Neuron Diseases Centre (E.D.B., E.B., G.L., M.C.), Neuroradiology Unit (M.G.B.), Diagnostic and Technology Department, and Unit of Medical Genetics and Neurogenetics (C.G., V.P.), Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico "Carlo Besta"; Milan, and Department of Biomedical and Clinical and Sciences "Luigi Sacco" (E.B., G.L.), University of Milan, Italy.
| | - Monica Consonni
- From the 3rd Neurology Unit and Motor Neuron Diseases Centre (E.D.B., E.B., G.L., M.C.), Neuroradiology Unit (M.G.B.), Diagnostic and Technology Department, and Unit of Medical Genetics and Neurogenetics (C.G., V.P.), Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico "Carlo Besta"; Milan, and Department of Biomedical and Clinical and Sciences "Luigi Sacco" (E.B., G.L.), University of Milan, Italy
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Structural Plasticity of the Hippocampus in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23063349. [PMID: 35328770 PMCID: PMC8955928 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23063349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroplasticity is the capacity of neural networks in the brain to alter through development and rearrangement. It can be classified as structural and functional plasticity. The hippocampus is more susceptible to neuroplasticity as compared to other brain regions. Structural modifications in the hippocampus underpin several neurodegenerative diseases that exhibit cognitive and emotional dysregulation. This article reviews the findings of several preclinical and clinical studies about the role of structural plasticity in the hippocampus in neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and multiple sclerosis. In this study, literature was surveyed using Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, to review the mechanisms that underlie the alterations in the structural plasticity of the hippocampus in neurodegenerative diseases. This review summarizes the role of structural plasticity in the hippocampus for the etiopathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases and identifies the current focus and gaps in knowledge about hippocampal dysfunctions. Ultimately, this information will be useful to propel future mechanistic and therapeutic research in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Neuroanatomical associations of the Edinburgh cognitive and Behavioural ALS screen (ECAS). Brain Imaging Behav 2021; 15:1641-1654. [PMID: 33155172 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-020-00359-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive impairment is now recognized in a subset of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The objective of the study was to identify group differences and neuroanatomical correlates of the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen (ECAS) in participants ALS. Fifty-three ALS patients and 43 healthy controls recruited as a part of our multicentre study (CALSNIC) were administered the ECAS and underwent an MRI scan. Voxel-based morphometry and tract based spatial statistics (TBSS) was performed to identify structural changes and associations with impaired ECAS scores. Lower performance in the ECAS verbal fluency and executive domains were noted in ALS patients as compared to controls (p < 0.01). Extensive white matter degeneration was noted in the corticospinal tract in all ALS patients, while ALS patients with impaired verbal fluency or executive domains (ALS-exi, n = 22), displayed additional degeneration in the corpus callosum, cingulum and superior longitudinal fasciculus as compared to controls (p < 0.05, TFCE corrected). Mild grey matter changes and associations with ECAS verbal fluency or executive performance were noted at lenient statistical thresholds (p < 0.001, uncorrected). Executive impairment was detected using the ECAS in our multicentre sample of Canadian ALS patients. White matter degeneration in motor regions was revealed in ALS patients with extensive spread to frontal regions in the ALS-exi sub-group. Mild associations between ECAS verbal fluency, executive function scores and MRI metrics suggest that reduced performance may be associated with widespread structural integrity.
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Guerra S, Chung R, Yerbury J, Karl T. Behavioural effects of cage systems on the G93A Superoxide Dismutase 1 transgenic mouse model for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2021; 20:e12735. [PMID: 33871173 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Environmental factors inherent to animal facilities can impact on the neuro-behavioural phenotype of laboratory mice and genetic mouse models for human diseases. Many facilities have upgraded from traditional 'open filter top' cages (FT) to individually ventilated cage (IVC) systems, which have been shown to modify various behavioural responses of laboratory mice. Importantly, the impact of IVC housing on the G93A superoxide dismutase 1 mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is currently unknown. Male and female wild type-like (WT) and heterozygous SOD1G93A mice were group-housed in FT or IVC systems from PND 30 ± 5 onwards. Body weight and motor function were assessed weekly from 15 weeks onward. Mice were also tested for cognitive abilities (i.e., fear conditioning and social recognition memory) and sensorimotor gating (i.e., prepulse inhibition: PPI). SOD1G93A mice lost body weight, and their motor function degenerated over time compared with control littermates. Motor impairments developed faster when SOD1G93A females were housed in IVCs. Context and cue freezing were increased in SOD1G93A females compared with controls, whereas all SOD1G93A mice exhibited lower acoustic startle and PPI than WT mice. IVC housing led to an increase in cue freezing in males and reduced the severity of PPI deficits in SOD1G93A females. Overall, IVC housing impacted moderately on the SOD1G93A phenotype but central behavioural deficits were still evident across housing conditions. Nonetheless, our findings indicate the importance of assessing the effect of cage system in genetic mouse models as these systems can modulate the magnitude and onset of genotypic differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Guerra
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Roger Chung
- Centre for MND Research, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Justin Yerbury
- Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Tim Karl
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia.,Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
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Lei G, Liu F, Liu P, Jiao T, Yang L, Chu Z, Deng LS, Li Y, Dang YH. Does genetic mouse model of constitutive Hint1 deficiency exhibit schizophrenia-like behaviors? Schizophr Res 2020; 222:304-318. [PMID: 32439293 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2020.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 05/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The histidine triad nucleotide binding protein 1 (HINT1) is closely related to many neuropsychiatric disorders. Clinical studies supported that mutations in the Hint1 gene correlated potentially with schizophrenia. In addition, Hint1 gene knockout (KO) mice exhibited hyperactivity induced by amphetamine and apomorphine. However, it is still unclear whether this animal model exhibits schizophrenia-like behaviors and, if so, their underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Thus, our study sought to evaluate schizophrenia-like behaviors in Hint1-KO mice, and explore the associated changes in neuronal structural plasticity and schizophrenia-related molecules. A series of behavioral tests were used to compare Hint1-KO and their wild-type (WT) littermates, alongside a number of morphological and molecular biological methods. Relative to WT mice, Hint1-KO mice exhibited reduced social interaction behaviors, aggressive behavior, sensorimotor gating deficits, apathetic and self-neglect behaviors, and increased MK-801-induced hyperactivity. Hint1-KO mice also showed partly increased dendritic complexity in the hippocampus (Hip) relative to WT mice. Total glutamate was decreased in the medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens (NAc), and Hip of KO mice. Expression of NR1, NR2A, and D4R was decreased whereas that of D1R was increased in the NAc of KO relative to WT mice. The expression level of NR2B was increased whereas that of D1R was decreased in the Hip of KO mice. Hint1-KO mice exhibited schizophrenia-like behaviors. Partly increased dendritic complexity and dysfunction in both the dopaminergic and glutamatergic systems may be involved in the abnormalities in Hint1-KO mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Lei
- College of Medicine & Forensics, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Fei Liu
- College of Medicine & Forensics, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China; Clinical Research Center of Shaanxi Province for Dental and Maxillofacial Diseases, College of Stomatology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Peng Liu
- College of Medicine & Forensics, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Tong Jiao
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Liu Yang
- College of Medicine & Forensics, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Zheng Chu
- College of Medicine & Forensics, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Li-Sha Deng
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Yan Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Yong-Hui Dang
- College of Medicine & Forensics, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China; Key Laboratory of the Health Ministry for Forensic Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China; Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Province for Forensic Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China; State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China.
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Watt G, Chesworth R, Przybyla M, Ittner A, Garner B, Ittner LM, Karl T. Chronic cannabidiol (CBD) treatment did not exhibit beneficial effects in 4-month-old male TAU58/2 transgenic mice. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2020; 196:172970. [PMID: 32562718 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2020.172970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive cognitive decline, motor impairments, and accumulation of hallmark proteins, amyloid-beta (Aβ) and tau. Traditionally, transgenic mouse models for AD have focused on Aβ pathology, however, recently a number of tauopathy transgenic models have been developed, including the TAU58/2 transgenic model. Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-toxic constituent of the Cannabis sativa plant, has been shown to prevent and reverse cognitive deficits in Aβ transgenic mouse models of AD. Importantly, the therapeutic properties of CBD on the behavioural phenotype of tauopathy mouse models have not been investigated. We assessed the impact of chronic CBD treatment (i.e. 50 mg/kg CBD i.p. administration starting 3 weeks prior to behavioural assessments) on disease-relevant behaviours of 4-month-old TAU58/2 transgenic males in paradigms for anxiety, motor functions, and cognition. TAU58/2 transgenic males demonstrated reduced body weight, anxiety and impaired motor functions. Furthermore, they demonstrated increased freezing in fear conditioning compared to wild type-like animals. Interestingly, both sociability and social recognition memory were intact in AD transgenic mice. Chronic CBD treatment did not affect behavioural changes in transgenic males. In summary, 4-month-old TAU58/2 transgenic males exhibited no deficits in social recognition memory, suggesting that motor deficits and changes in anxiety at this age do not impact on social domains. The moderate increase in fear-associated memory needs further investigation but could be related to differences in fear extinction. Future investigations will need to clarify CBD's therapeutic potential for reversing motor deficits in TAU58/2 transgenic mice by considering alternative CBD treatment designs including changed CBD dosing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Watt
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, Australia
| | - Rose Chesworth
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, Australia
| | - Magdalena Przybyla
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Australia
| | - Arne Ittner
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Australia
| | - Brett Garner
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Australia
| | - Lars M Ittner
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Australia
| | - Tim Karl
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), Randwick, Australia.
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Figueroa‐Romero C, Mikhail KA, Gennings C, Curtin P, Bello GA, Botero TM, Goutman SA, Feldman EL, Arora M, Austin C. Early life metal dysregulation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2020; 7:872-882. [PMID: 32438517 PMCID: PMC7318091 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.51006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Deficiencies and excess of essential elements and toxic metals are implicated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but the age when metal dysregulation appears remains unknown. This study aims to determine whether metal uptake is dysregulated during childhood in individuals eventually diagnosed with ALS. METHODS Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry was used to obtain time series data of metal uptake using biomarkers in teeth from autopsies or dental extractions of ALS (n = 36) and control (n = 31) participants. Covariate data included sex, smoking, occupational exposures, and ALS family history. Case-control differences were identified in temporal profiles of metal uptake for individual metals using distributed lag models. Weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression was used for metals mixture analyses. Similar analyses were performed on an ALS mouse model to further verify the relevance of dysregulation of metals in ALS. RESULTS Metal levels were higher in cases than in controls: 1.49 times for chromium (1.11-1.82; at 15 years), 1.82 times for manganese (1.34-2.46; at birth), 1.65 times for nickel (1.22-2.01; at 8 years), 2.46 times for tin (1.65-3.30; at 2 years), and 2.46 times for zinc (1.49-3.67; at 6 years). Co-exposure to 11 elements indicated that childhood metal dysregulation was associated with ALS. The mixture contribution of metals to disease outcome was likewise apparent in tooth biomarkers of an ALS mouse model, and differences in metal distribution were evident in ALS mouse brains compared to brains from littermate controls. INTERPRETATION Overall, our study reveals direct evidence that altered metal uptake during specific early life time windows is associated with adult-onset ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Chris Gennings
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, and Senator Frank Lautenberg Laboratory for Environmental Health SciencesIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Paul Curtin
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, and Senator Frank Lautenberg Laboratory for Environmental Health SciencesIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Ghalib A. Bello
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, and Senator Frank Lautenberg Laboratory for Environmental Health SciencesIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Tatiana M. Botero
- Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences and EndodonticsSchool of Dentistry University of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
| | | | - Eva L. Feldman
- Department of NeurologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
| | - Manish Arora
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, and Senator Frank Lautenberg Laboratory for Environmental Health SciencesIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Christine Austin
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, and Senator Frank Lautenberg Laboratory for Environmental Health SciencesIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNYUSA
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10
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Fogarty MJ, Mu EWH, Lavidis NA, Noakes PG, Bellingham MC. Size-Dependent Vulnerability of Lumbar Motor Neuron Dendritic Degeneration in SOD1 G93A Mice. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2019; 303:1455-1471. [PMID: 31509351 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2019] [Revised: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 06/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The motor neuron (MN) soma surface area is correlated with motor unit type. Larger MNs innervate fast fatigue-intermediate (FInt) or fast-fatiguable (FF) muscle fibers in type FInt and FF motor units, respectively. Smaller MNs innervate slow-twitch fatigue-resistant (S) or fast fatigue-resistant (FR) muscle fibers in type S and FR motor units, respectively. In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), FInt and FF motor units are more vulnerable, with denervation and MN death occurring for these units before the more resilient S and FR units. Abnormal MN dendritic arbors have been observed in ALS in humans and rodent models. We used a Golgi-Cox impregnation protocol to examine soma size-dependent changes in the dendritic morphology of lumbar MNs in SOD1G93A mice, a model of ALS, at pre-symptomatic, onset and mid-disease stages. In wildtype control mice, the relationship between MN soma surface area and dendritic length or dendritic spine number was highly linear (i.e., increased MN soma size correlated with increased dendritic length and spines). By contrast, in SOD1G93A mice, this linear relationship was lost and dendritic length reduction and spine loss were observed in larger MNs, from pre-symptomatic stages onward. These changes correlated with the neuromotor symptoms of ALS in rodent models. At presymptomatic ages, changes were restricted to the larger MNs, likely to comprise vulnerable FInt and FF motor units. Our results suggest morphological changes of MN dendrites and dendritic spines are likely to contribute ALS pathogenesis, not compensate for it. Anat Rec, 303:1455-1471, 2020. © 2019 American Association for Anatomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Fogarty
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.,Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Erica W H Mu
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Nickolas A Lavidis
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Peter G Noakes
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.,Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mark C Bellingham
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
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Kreilaus F, Guerra S, Masanetz R, Menne V, Yerbury J, Karl T. Novel behavioural characteristics of the superoxide dismutase 1 G93A (SOD1 G93A ) mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis include sex-dependent phenotypes. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2019; 19:e12604. [PMID: 31412164 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2019] [Revised: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) involves the rapid degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons leading to weakening and paralysis of voluntary movements. Mutations in copper-zinc superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) are a known genetic cause of ALS, and the SOD1 G93A mouse has been used extensively to investigate molecular mechanisms in ALS. In recent years, evidence suggests that ALS and frontotemporal dementia form a spectrum disorder ranging from motor to cognitive dysfunctions. Thus, we tested male and female SOD1 G93A mice for the first time before the onset of debilitating motor impairments in behavioural domains relevant to both ALS and frontotemporal dementia. SOD1 G93A males displayed reduced locomotion, exploration and increased anxiety-like behaviours compared with control males. Intermediate-term spatial memory was impaired in SOD1 G93A females, whereas long-term spatial memory deficits as well as lower acoustic startle response, and prepulse inhibition were identified in SOD1 G93A mice of both sexes compared with respective controls. Interestingly, SOD1 G93A males exhibited an increased conditioned cue freezing response. Nosing behaviours were also elevated in both male and female SOD1 G93A when assessed in social paradigms. In conclusion, SOD1 G93A mice exhibit a variety of sex-specific behavioural deficits beyond motor impairments supporting the notion of an ALS-frontotemporal spectrum disorder. Thus, SOD1 G93A mice may represent a useful model to test the efficacy of therapeutic interventions on clinical symptoms in addition to declining motor abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Kreilaus
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Stefan Guerra
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Rebecca Masanetz
- Faculty of Medical and Life Sciences, Hochschule Furtwangen University, Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany
| | - Victoria Menne
- Institute of Psychology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Justin Yerbury
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.,School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Tim Karl
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, New South Wales, Australia.,Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), New South Wales, Australia.,School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, New South Wales, Australia
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12
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Driven to decay: Excitability and synaptic abnormalities in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brain Res Bull 2018; 140:318-333. [PMID: 29870780 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2018.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Revised: 05/26/2018] [Accepted: 05/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common motor neuron (MN) disease and is clinically characterised by the death of corticospinal motor neurons (CSMNs), spinal and brainstem MNs and the degeneration of the corticospinal tract. Degeneration of CSMNs and MNs leads inexorably to muscle wastage and weakness, progressing to eventual death within 3-5 years of diagnosis. The CSMNs, located within layer V of the primary motor cortex, project axons constituting the corticospinal tract, forming synaptic connections with brainstem and spinal cord interneurons and MNs. Clinical ALS may be divided into familial (∼10% of cases) or sporadic (∼90% of cases), based on apparent random incidence. The emergence of transgenic murine models, expressing different ALS-associated mutations has accelerated our understanding of ALS pathogenesis, although precise mechanisms remain elusive. Multiple avenues of investigation suggest that cortical electrical abnormalities have pre-eminence in the pathophysiology of ALS. In addition, glutamate-mediated functional and structural alterations in both CSMNs and MNs are present in both sporadic and familial forms of ALS. This review aims to promulgate debate in the field with regard to the common aetiology of sporadic and familial ALS. A specific focus on a nexus point in ALS pathogenesis, namely, the synaptic and intrinsic hyperexcitability of CSMNs and MNs and alterations to their structure are comprehensively detailed. The association of extramotor dysfunction with neuronal structural/functional alterations will be discussed. Finally, the implications of the latest research on the dying-forward and dying-back controversy are considered.
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13
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Starr A, Sattler R. Synaptic dysfunction and altered excitability in C9ORF72 ALS/FTD. Brain Res 2018; 1693:98-108. [PMID: 29453960 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2018.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Revised: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/10/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by a progressive degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons, resulting in fatal paralysis due to denervation of the muscle. Due to genetic, pathological and symptomatic overlap, ALS is now considered a spectrum disease together with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), the second most common cause of dementia in individuals under the age of 65. Interestingly, in both diseases, there is a large prevalence of RNA binding proteins (RBPs) that are mutated and considered disease-causing, or whose dysfunction contribute to disease pathogenesis. The most common shared genetic mutation in ALS/FTD is a hexanucleuotide repeat expansion within intron 1 of C9ORF72 (C9). Three potentially overlapping, putative toxic mechanisms have been proposed: loss of function due to haploinsufficient expression of the C9ORF72 mRNA, gain of function of the repeat RNA aggregates, or RNA foci, and repeat-associated non-ATG-initiated translation (RAN) of the repeat RNA into toxic dipeptide repeats (DPRs). Regardless of the causative mechanism, disease symptoms are ultimately caused by a failure of neurotransmission in three regions: the brain, the spinal cord, and the neuromuscular junction. Here, we review C9 ALS/FTD-associated synaptic dysfunction and aberrant neuronal excitability in these three key regions, focusing on changes in morphology and synapse formation, excitability, and excitotoxicity in patients, animal models, and in vitro models. We compare these deficits to those seen in other forms of ALS and FTD in search of shared pathways, and discuss the potential targeting of synaptic dysfunctions for therapeutic intervention in ALS and FTD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Starr
- Division of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ 85013, United States
| | - Rita Sattler
- Division of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ 85013, United States.
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14
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Fogarty MJ, Mu EWH, Lavidis NA, Noakes PG, Bellingham MC. Motor Areas Show Altered Dendritic Structure in an Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Mouse Model. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:609. [PMID: 29163013 PMCID: PMC5672020 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 10/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: Motor neurons (MNs) die in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a clinically heterogeneous neurodegenerative disease of unknown etiology. In human or rodent studies, MN loss is preceded by increased excitability. As increased neuronal excitability correlates with structural changes in dendritic arbors and spines, we have examined longitudinal changes in dendritic structure in vulnerable neuron populations in a mouse model of familial ALS. Methods: We used a modified Golgi-Cox staining method to determine the progressive changes in dendritic structure of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons, striatal medium spiny neurons, and resistant (trochlear, IV) or susceptible (hypoglossal, XII; lumbar) MNs from brainstem and spinal cord of mice over-expressing the human SOD1G93A (SOD1) mutation, in comparison to wild-type (WT) mice, at four postnatal (P) ages of 8–15, 28–35, 65–75, and 120 days. Results: In SOD1 mice, dendritic changes occur at pre-symptomatic ages in both XII and spinal cord lumbar MNs. Spine loss without dendritic changes was present in striatal neurons from disease onset. Spine density increases were present at all ages studied in SOD1 XII MNs. Spine density increased in neonatal lumbar MNs, before decreasing to control levels by P28-35 and was decreased by P120. SOD1 XII MNs and lumbar MNs, but not trochlear MNs showed vacuolization from the same time-points. Trochlear MN dendrites were unchanged. Interpretation: Dendritic structure and spine alterations correlate with the neuro-motor phenotype in ALS and with cognitive and extra-motor symptoms seen in patients. Prominent early changes in dendritic arbors and spines occur in susceptible cranial and spinal cord MNs, but are absent in MNs resistant to loss in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Fogarty
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Erica W H Mu
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Nickolas A Lavidis
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Peter G Noakes
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.,Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Mark C Bellingham
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
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15
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Neural plasticity and network remodeling: From concepts to pathology. Neuroscience 2017; 344:326-345. [PMID: 28069532 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.12.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2016] [Revised: 12/24/2016] [Accepted: 12/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Neuroplasticity has been subject to a great deal of research in the last century. Recently, significant emphasis has been placed on the global effect of localized plastic changes throughout the central nervous system, and on how these changes integrate in a pathological context. Specifically, alterations of network functionality have been described in various pathological contexts to which corresponding structural alterations have been proposed. However, considering the amount of literature and the different pathological contexts, an integration of this information is still lacking. In this paper we will review the concepts of neural plasticity as well as their repercussions on network remodeling and provide a possible explanation to how these two concepts relate to each other. We will further examine how alterations in different pathological contexts may relate to each other and will discuss the concept of plasticity diseases, its models and implications.
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16
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Fogarty MJ, Mu EWH, Noakes PG, Lavidis NA, Bellingham MC. Marked changes in dendritic structure and spine density precede significant neuronal death in vulnerable cortical pyramidal neuron populations in the SOD1(G93A) mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2016; 4:77. [PMID: 27488828 PMCID: PMC4973034 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-016-0347-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2016] [Accepted: 07/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterised by the death of upper (corticospinal) and lower motor neurons (MNs) with progressive muscle weakness. This incurable disease is clinically heterogeneous and its aetiology remains unknown. Increased excitability of corticospinal MNs has been observed prior to symptoms in human and rodent studies. Increased excitability has been correlated with structural changes in neuronal dendritic arbors and spines for decades. Here, using a modified Golgi-Cox staining method, we have made the first longitudinal study examining the dendrites of pyramidal neurons from the motor cortex, medial pre-frontal cortex, somatosensory cortex and entorhinal cortex of hSOD1G93A (SOD1) mice compared to wild-type (WT) littermate controls at postnatal (P) days 8–15, 28–35, 65–75 and 120. Progressive decreases in dendritic length and spine density commencing at pre-symptomatic ages (P8-15 or P28-35) were observed in layer V pyramidal neurons within the motor cortex and medial pre-frontal cortex of SOD1 mice compared to WT mice. Spine loss without concurrent dendritic pathology was present in the pyramidal neurons of the somatosensory cortex from disease-onset (P65-75). Our results from the SOD1 model suggest that dendritic and dendritic spine changes foreshadow and underpin the neuromotor phenotypes present in ALS and may contribute to the varied cognitive, executive function and extra-motor symptoms commonly seen in ALS patients. Determining if these phenomena are compensatory or maladaptive may help explain differential susceptibility of neurons to degeneration in ALS.
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17
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Gourley SL, Taylor JR. Going and stopping: Dichotomies in behavioral control by the prefrontal cortex. Nat Neurosci 2016; 19:656-664. [PMID: 29162973 DOI: 10.1038/nn.4275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The rodent dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (PFC), specifically the prelimbic cortex (PL), regulates the expression of conditioned fear and behaviors interpreted as reward-seeking. Meanwhile, the ventral medial PFC, namely the infralimbic cortex (IL), is essential to extinction conditioning in both appetitive and aversive domains. Here we review evidence that supports, or refutes, this "PL-go/IL-stop" dichotomy. We focus on the extinction of conditioned fear and the extinction and reinstatement of cocaine- or heroin-reinforced responding. We then synthesize evidence that the PL is essential for developing goal-directed response strategies, while the IL supports habit behavior. Finally, we propose that some functions of the orbital PFC parallel those of the medial PFC in the regulation of response selection. Integration of these discoveries may provide points of intervention for inhibiting untethered drug seeking in drug use disorders, failures in extinction in Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, or co-morbidities between the two.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon L Gourley
- Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Jane R Taylor
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine; Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT
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18
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Spalloni A, Longone P. Cognitive impairment in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, clues from the SOD1 mouse. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 60:12-25. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2015] [Revised: 11/09/2015] [Accepted: 11/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Abstract
Cortical hubs are highly connected nodes in functional brain networks that play vital roles in the efficient transfer of information across brain regions. Although altered functional connectivity has been found in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the changing pattern in functional network hubs in ALS remains unknown. In this study, we applied a voxel-wise method to investigate the changing pattern of cortical hubs in ALS. Through resting-state fMRI, we constructed whole-brain voxel-wise functional networks by measuring the temporal correlations of each pair of brain voxels and identified hubs using the graph theory method. Specifically, a functional connectivity strength (FCS) map was derived from the data on 20 patients with ALS and 20 healthy controls. The brain regions with high FCS values were regarded as functional network hubs. Functional hubs were found mainly in the bilateral precuneus, parietal cortex, medial prefrontal cortex, and in several visual regions and temporal areas in both groups. Within the hub regions, the ALS patients exhibited higher FCS in the prefrontal cortex compared with the healthy controls. The FCS value in the significantly abnormal hub regions was correlated with clinical variables. Results indicated the presence of altered cortical hubs in the ALS patients and could therefore shed light on the pathophysiology mechanisms underlying ALS.
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20
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Quarta E, Bravi R, Scambi I, Mariotti R, Minciacchi D. Increased anxiety-like behavior and selective learning impairments are concomitant to loss of hippocampal interneurons in the presymptomatic SOD1(G93A) ALS mouse model. J Comp Neurol 2015; 523:1622-38. [DOI: 10.1002/cne.23759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2014] [Revised: 02/09/2015] [Accepted: 02/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eros Quarta
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Physiological Sciences Section; University of Florence; Florence I-50134 Italy
| | - Riccardo Bravi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Physiological Sciences Section; University of Florence; Florence I-50134 Italy
| | - Ilaria Scambi
- Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences; University of Verona; Verona I-37134 Italy
| | - Raffaella Mariotti
- Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences; University of Verona; Verona I-37134 Italy
| | - Diego Minciacchi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Physiological Sciences Section; University of Florence; Florence I-50134 Italy
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21
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Liu M, Guo L, Salt TE, Cordeiro MF. Dendritic changes in rat visual pathway associated with experimental ocular hypertension. Curr Eye Res 2014; 39:953-63. [PMID: 24754236 DOI: 10.3109/02713683.2014.884594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Increasing evidence shows that structural changes in dendrites play an important role in neuronal degenerative processes. The aims of this study were to characterize and delineate morphological changes of dendrites in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and their central target neurons in the superior colliculus (SC) and lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) in experimental rat glaucoma. METHODS Chronic ocular hypertension (OHT) was surgically induced in rats and animals were sacrificed at 1, 4, 8, 16 and 32 weeks following IOP elevation. Animals without IOP elevation served as normal control. Dendritic morphology of neurons was visualized by ex vivo DiI labelling using confocal microscopy and dendritic length and number was quantified using Image J. RESULTS We found significant dendritic shrinkage (p < 0.001) and loss (p < 0.001) in RGCs and neurons in the SC and LGN in OHT animals compared to age-matched controls. Analysis of the temporal morphological profiles among them revealed the RGCs to have the earliest changes compared to the SC and LGN although the most prominent changes occurred in the SC. CONCLUSION Our study has demonstrated that OHT results in dendritic changes of the neurons throughout the visual pathways, from RGCs to SC cells and LGN cells, suggesting that both the retina and the brain should be targeted when considering diagnosis and therapeutic strategies for glaucoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Liu
- Glaucoma and Retinal Neurodegeneration Research Group, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology , London , United Kingdom
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22
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Kuijpers M, Yu KL, Teuling E, Akhmanova A, Jaarsma D, Hoogenraad CC. The ALS8 protein VAPB interacts with the ER-Golgi recycling protein YIF1A and regulates membrane delivery into dendrites. EMBO J 2013; 32:2056-72. [PMID: 23736259 DOI: 10.1038/emboj.2013.131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2012] [Accepted: 05/07/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The vesicle-associated membrane protein (VAMP) associated protein B (VAPB) is an integral membrane protein localized to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The P56S mutation in VAPB has been linked to motor neuron degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis type 8 (ALS8) and forms ER-like inclusions in various model systems. However, the role of wild-type and mutant VAPB in neurons is poorly understood. Here, we identified Yip1-interacting factor homologue A (YIF1A) as a new VAPB binding partner and important component in the early secretory pathway. YIF1A interacts with VAPB via its transmembrane regions, recycles between the ER and Golgi and is mainly localized to the ER-Golgi intermediate compartments (ERGICs) in rat hippocampal neurons. VAPB strongly affects the distribution of YIF1A and is required for intracellular membrane trafficking into dendrites and normal dendritic morphology. When VAPB-P56S is present, YIF1A is recruited to the VAPB-P56S clusters and loses its ERGIC localization. These data suggest that both VAPB and YIF1A are important for ER-to-Golgi transport and that missorting of YIF1A may contribute to VAPB-associated motor neuron disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marijn Kuijpers
- Division of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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23
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Analysis of morphological changes as a key method in studying psychiatric animal models. Cell Tissue Res 2013; 354:41-50. [PMID: 23334194 PMCID: PMC3785701 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-012-1547-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2012] [Accepted: 12/05/2012] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
A major interest in the analysis of animal models of psychiatric diseases is their underlying cellular pathology and to gain information regarding whether pharmacological treatments, genetic differences or an altered environment exert an impact upon the brain morphology or on the morphology or activity of single neurones. In this review, several key methods will be introduced that allow the analysis of morphological changes that are frequently observed in psychiatric animal models. An overview of the techniques that enable dendritic arborisation, alterations in dendritic spines and changes in fibre densities to be analysed are described. Moreover, methods for the analysis of adult neurogenesis and neurodegeneration and for the analysis of neuronal activity in fixed brain tissue are described. An important step during the analysis of morphological changes is the estimation of the number of stained cells. Since conventional cell counting methods have several limitations, two different approaches that permit an estimate of the number of stained cells within three-dimensional tissue are also discussed.
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Inhibitory synaptic regulation of motoneurons: a new target of disease mechanisms in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Mol Neurobiol 2011; 45:30-42. [PMID: 22072396 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-011-8217-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2011] [Accepted: 10/25/2011] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the third most common adult-onset neurodegenerative disease. It causes the degeneration of motoneurons and is fatal due to paralysis, particularly of respiratory muscles. ALS can be inherited, and specific disease-causing genes have been identified, but the mechanisms causing motoneuron death in ALS are not understood. No effective treatments exist for ALS. One well-studied theory of ALS pathogenesis involves faulty RNA editing and abnormal activation of specific glutamate receptors as well as failure of glutamate transport resulting in glutamate excitotoxicity; however, the excitotoxicity theory is challenged by the inability of anti-glutamate drugs to have major disease-modifying effects clinically. Nevertheless, hyperexcitability of upper and lower motoneurons is a feature of human ALS and transgenic (tg) mouse models of ALS. Motoneuron excitability is strongly modulated by synaptic inhibition mediated by presynaptic glycinergic and GABAergic innervations and postsynaptic glycine receptors (GlyR) and GABA(A) receptors; yet, the integrity of inhibitory systems regulating motoneurons has been understudied in experimental models, despite findings in human ALS suggesting that they may be affected. We have found in tg mice expressing a mutant form of human superoxide dismutase-1 (hSOD1) with a Gly93 → Ala substitution (G93A-hSOD1), causing familial ALS, that subsets of spinal interneurons degenerate. Inhibitory glycinergic innervation of spinal motoneurons becomes deficient before motoneuron degeneration is evident in G93A-hSOD1 mice. Motoneurons in these ALS mice also have insufficient synaptic inhibition as reflected by smaller GlyR currents, smaller GlyR clusters on their plasma membrane, and lower expression of GlyR1α mRNA compared to wild-type motoneurons. In contrast, GABAergic innervation of ALS mouse motoneurons and GABA(A) receptor function appear normal. Abnormal synaptic inhibition resulting from dysfunction of interneurons and motoneuron GlyRs is a new direction for unveiling mechanisms of ALS pathogenesis that could be relevant to new therapies for ALS.
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25
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Sensorimotor and cognitive functions in a SOD1G37R transgenic mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Behav Brain Res 2011; 225:215-21. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2011.07.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2011] [Revised: 07/16/2011] [Accepted: 07/18/2011] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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26
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Liu M, Duggan J, Salt TE, Cordeiro MF. Dendritic changes in visual pathways in glaucoma and other neurodegenerative conditions. Exp Eye Res 2011; 92:244-50. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2011.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2010] [Revised: 11/03/2010] [Accepted: 01/31/2011] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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27
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Nietzer SL, Bonn M, Jansen F, Heiming RS, Lewejohann L, Sachser N, Asan ES, Lesch KP, Schmitt AG. Serotonin transporter knockout and repeated social defeat stress: impact on neuronal morphology and plasticity in limbic brain areas. Behav Brain Res 2011; 220:42-54. [PMID: 21238500 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2011.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2010] [Revised: 12/30/2010] [Accepted: 01/07/2011] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Low expression of the human serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene presumably interacts with stressful life events enhancing susceptibility for affective disorders. 5-Htt knockout (KO) mice display an anxious phenotype, and behavioural differences compared to wild-type (WT) mice are exacerbated after repeated loser experience in a resident-intruder stress paradigm. To assess whether genotype-dependent and stress-induced behavioural differences are reflected in alterations of neuronal morphology in limbic areas, we studied dendritic length and complexity of pyramidal neurons in the anterior cingulate and infralimbic cortices (CG, IL), hippocampus CA1 region, and of pyramidal neurons and interneurons in the lateral (La) and basolateral (BL) amygdaloid nuclei in Golgi-Cox-stained brains of male WT and 5-Htt KO control and loser mice. Spine density was analysed for IL apical and amygdaloid apical and basal pyramidal neuron dendrites. While group differences were absent for parameters analysed in CG, CA1 and amygdaloid interneurons, pyramidal neurons in the IL displayed tendencies to shorter and less spinous distal apical dendrites in 5-Htt KO controls, and to extended proximal dendrites in WT losers compared to WT controls. In contrast, spine density of several dendritic compartments of amygdaloid pyramids was significantly higher in 5-Htt KO mice compared to WT controls. While a tendency to increased spine density was observed in the same dendritic compartments in WT after stress, changes were lacking in stressed compared to control 5-Htt KO mice. Our findings indicate that disturbed 5-HT homeostasis results in alterations of limbic neuronal morphology, especially in higher spinogenesis in amygdaloid pyramidal neurons. Social stress leads to similar but less pronounced changes in the WT, and neuroplasticity upon stress is reduced in 5-Htt KO mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- S L Nietzer
- Molecular Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg, Füchsleinstr. 15, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
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28
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Spalloni A, Origlia N, Sgobio C, Trabalza A, Nutini M, Berretta N, Bernardi G, Domenici L, Ammassari-Teule M, Longone P. Postsynaptic alteration of NR2A subunit and defective autophosphorylation of alphaCaMKII at threonine-286 contribute to abnormal plasticity and morphology of upper motor neurons in presymptomatic SOD1G93A mice, a murine model for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010; 21:796-805. [PMID: 20732897 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhq152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Although amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has long been considered as a lower motor neuron (MN) disease, degeneration of upper MNs arising from a combination of mechanisms including insufficient growth factor signaling and enhanced extracellular glutamate levels is now well documented. The observation that these mechanisms are altered in presymptomatic superoxide dismutase (SOD1) mice, an ALS mouse model, suggests that defective primary motor cortex (M1) synaptic activity might precede the onset of motor disturbances. To examine this point, we assessed the composition of AMPAR and NMDAR subunits and of the alphaCa²(+)/calmodulin-dependent kinase autophosphorylation at threonine-286 in the triton insoluble fraction from the M1 in postnatal P80-P85 SOD1(G93A) and wild-type mice. We show that presymptomatic SOD1(G93A) exhibit a selective decrease of NR2A subunit expression and of the alphaCa²(+)/calmodulin-dependent kinase autophosphorylation at threonine-286 in the triton insoluble fraction of upper MNs synapses. These molecular alterations are associated with synaptic plasticity defects, and a reduction in upper MN dendritic outgrowth revealing that abnormal neuronal connectivity in the M1 region precedes the onset of motor symptoms. We suggest that the progressive disruption of M1 corticocortical connections resulting from the SOD1(G93A) mutation might extend to adjacent regions and promote development of cognitive/dementia alterations frequently associated with ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Spalloni
- Department of Experimental Neurology, Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy
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Hanson JE, Madison DV. Imbalanced pattern completion vs. separation in cognitive disease: network simulations of synaptic pathologies predict a personalized therapeutics strategy. BMC Neurosci 2010; 11:96. [PMID: 20704756 PMCID: PMC2931521 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2202-11-96] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2010] [Accepted: 08/13/2010] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Diverse Mouse genetic models of neurodevelopmental, neuropsychiatric, and neurodegenerative causes of impaired cognition exhibit at least four convergent points of synaptic malfunction: 1) Strength of long-term potentiation (LTP), 2) Strength of long-term depression (LTD), 3) Relative inhibition levels (Inhibition), and 4) Excitatory connectivity levels (Connectivity). Results To test the hypothesis that pathological increases or decreases in these synaptic properties could underlie imbalances at the level of basic neural network function, we explored each type of malfunction in a simulation of autoassociative memory. These network simulations revealed that one impact of impairments or excesses in each of these synaptic properties is to shift the trade-off between pattern separation and pattern completion performance during memory storage and recall. Each type of synaptic pathology either pushed the network balance towards intolerable error in pattern separation or intolerable error in pattern completion. Imbalances caused by pathological impairments or excesses in LTP, LTD, inhibition, or connectivity, could all be exacerbated, or rescued, by the simultaneous modulation of any of the other three synaptic properties. Conclusions Because appropriate modulation of any of the synaptic properties could help re-balance network function, regardless of the origins of the imbalance, we propose a new strategy of personalized cognitive therapeutics guided by assay of pattern completion vs. pattern separation function. Simulated examples and testable predictions of this theorized approach to cognitive therapeutics are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse E Hanson
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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