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Zheng X, Dingpeng L, Yan X, Yao X, Wang Y. The role and mechanism of 5-HTDRN-BNST neural circuit in anxiety and fear lesions. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1362899. [PMID: 38784088 PMCID: PMC11111893 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1362899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Central 5-hydroxytryptaminergic dorsal raphe nucleus (5-HTDRN)-bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BNST) neural circuit dysfunction is one of the important neurobiological basis of anxiety and fear disorders. Under stress, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) neurons act on BNST receptors to attenuate anxiety and fear responses or enhance anxiety and fear. In BNST, corticotropin releasing factor neurons play a role in regulating emotions by reversely regulating excitatory or inhibitory 5-HT neurons. The composition of 5-HTDRN-BNST neural circuit, the pathological changes of 5-HTDRN-BNST neural circuit function damage under stress, and the effects of 5-HTDRN-BNST neural circuit on anxiety disorder, panic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder were analyzed and are summarized in this paper. The characteristics of functional changes of the neural circuit and its effects on brain functional activities provide a basis and ideas for the treatment of anxiety and fear disorders through the regulation of 5-HTDRN-BNST neural circuit, and they also provide a new perspective for understanding the pathological mechanism of such diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianli Zheng
- Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- Affiliated Hospital of Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Li Dingpeng
- Gansu Provincial Second People’s Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Xingke Yan
- Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Xiaoqiang Yao
- Affiliated Hospital of Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Yongrui Wang
- Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
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2
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Meloni EG, Carlezon WA, Bolshakov VY. Association between social dominance hierarchy and PACAP expression in the extended amygdala, corticosterone, and behavior in C57BL/6 male mice. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8919. [PMID: 38637645 PMCID: PMC11026503 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59459-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The natural alignment of animals into social dominance hierarchies produces adaptive, and potentially maladaptive, changes in the brain that influence health and behavior. Aggressive and submissive behaviors assumed by animals through dominance interactions engage stress-dependent neural and hormonal systems that have been shown to correspond with social rank. Here, we examined the association between social dominance hierarchy status established within cages of group-housed mice and the expression of the stress peptide PACAP in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA). We also examined the relationship between social dominance rank and blood corticosterone (CORT) levels, body weight, motor coordination (rotorod) and acoustic startle. Male C57BL/6 mice were ranked as either Dominant, Submissive, or Intermediate based on counts of aggressive/submissive encounters assessed at 12 weeks-old following a change in homecage conditions. PACAP expression was significantly higher in the BNST, but not the CeA, of Submissive mice compared to the other groups. CORT levels were lowest in Submissive mice and appeared to reflect a blunted response following events where dominance status is recapitulated. Together, these data reveal changes in specific neural/neuroendocrine systems that are predominant in animals of lowest social dominance rank, and implicate PACAP in brain adaptations that occur through the development of social dominance hierarchies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward G Meloni
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA.
- McLean Hospital, Mailman Research Center, 115 Mill St., Belmont, MA, 02478, USA.
| | - William A Carlezon
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
| | - Vadim Y Bolshakov
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
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3
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Maita I, Bazer A, Chae K, Parida A, Mirza M, Sucher J, Phan M, Liu T, Hu P, Soni R, Roepke TA, Samuels BA. Chemogenetic activation of corticotropin-releasing factor-expressing neurons in the anterior bed nucleus of the stria terminalis reduces effortful motivation behaviors. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024; 49:377-385. [PMID: 37452139 PMCID: PMC10724138 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01646-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in the anterior bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (aBNST) is associated with chronic stress and avoidance behavior. However, CRF + BNST neurons project to reward- and motivation-related brain regions, suggesting a potential role in motivated behavior. We used chemogenetics to selectively activate CRF+ aBNST neurons in male and female CRF-ires-Cre mice during an effort-related choice task and a concurrent choice task. In both tasks, mice were given the option either to exert effort for high value rewards or to choose freely available low value rewards. Acute chemogenetic activation of CRF+ aBNST neurons reduced barrier climbing for a high value reward in the effort-related choice task in both males and females. Furthermore, acute chemogenetic activation of CRF+ aBNST neurons also reduced effortful lever pressing in high-performing males in the concurrent choice task. These data suggest a novel role for CRF+ aBNST neurons in effort-based decision and motivation behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Maita
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Allyson Bazer
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience Graduate Program, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Kiyeon Chae
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Amlaan Parida
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Mikyle Mirza
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Jillian Sucher
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience Graduate Program, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Mimi Phan
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Tonia Liu
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Pu Hu
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Ria Soni
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Troy A Roepke
- Department of Animal Sciences, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Benjamin Adam Samuels
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
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Kelly EA, Love TM, Fudge JL. Corticotropin-releasing factor-dopamine interactions in male and female macaque: Beyond the classic VTA. Synapse 2024; 78:e22284. [PMID: 37996987 PMCID: PMC10842953 DOI: 10.1002/syn.22284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) is involved in stress and stress-related illnesses, including many psychiatric disorders. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) plays a role in stress responses and targets the ventral midbrain DA system, which is composed of DA and non-DA cells, and divided into specific subregions. Although CRF inputs to the midline A10 nuclei ("classic VTA") are known, in monkeys, CRF-containing terminals are also highly enriched in the expanded A10 parabrachial pigmented nucleus (PBP) and in the A8 retrorubral field subregions. We characterized CRF-labeled synaptic terminals on DA (tyrosine hydroxylase, TH+) and non-DA (TH-) cell types in the PBP and A8 regions using immunoreactive electron microscopy (EM) in male and female macaques. CRF labeling was present mostly in axon terminals, which mainly contacted TH-negative dendrites in both subregions. Most CRF-positive terminals had symmetric profiles. In both PBP and A8, CRF symmetric (putative inhibitory) synapses onto TH-negative dendrites were significantly greater than asymmetric (putative excitatory) profiles. This overall pattern was similar in males and females, despite shifts in the size of these effects between regions depending on sex. Because stress and gonadal hormone shifts can influence CRF expression, we also did hormonal assays over a 6-month time period and found little variability in basal cortisol across similarly housed animals at the same age. Together our findings suggest that at baseline, CRF-positive synaptic terminals in the primate PBP and A8 are poised to regulate DA indirectly through synaptic contacts onto non-DA neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- E A Kelly
- Departments of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - T M Love
- Department of Biostatistics, Del Monte Institute of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - J L Fudge
- Departments of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Del Monte Institute of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
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Braine A, Georges F. Emotion in action: When emotions meet motor circuits. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 155:105475. [PMID: 37996047 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
The brain is a remarkably complex organ responsible for a wide range of functions, including the modulation of emotional states and movement. Neuronal circuits are believed to play a crucial role in integrating sensory, cognitive, and emotional information to ultimately guide motor behavior. Over the years, numerous studies employing diverse techniques such as electrophysiology, imaging, and optogenetics have revealed a complex network of neural circuits involved in the regulation of emotional or motor processes. Emotions can exert a substantial influence on motor performance, encompassing both everyday activities and pathological conditions. The aim of this review is to explore how emotional states can shape movements by connecting the neural circuits for emotional processing to motor neural circuits. We first provide a comprehensive overview of the impact of different emotional states on motor control in humans and rodents. In line with behavioral studies, we set out to identify emotion-related structures capable of modulating motor output, behaviorally and anatomically. Neuronal circuits involved in emotional processing are extensively connected to the motor system. These circuits can drive emotional behavior, essential for survival, but can also continuously shape ongoing movement. In summary, the investigation of the intricate relationship between emotion and movement offers valuable insights into human behavior, including opportunities to enhance performance, and holds promise for improving mental and physical health. This review integrates findings from multiple scientific approaches, including anatomical tracing, circuit-based dissection, and behavioral studies, conducted in both animal and human subjects. By incorporating these different methodologies, we aim to present a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of the emotional modulation of movement in both physiological and pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anaelle Braine
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, IMN, UMR 5293, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
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Hu P, Wang Y, Qi XH, Shan QH, Huang ZH, Chen P, Ma X, Yang YP, Swaab DF, Samuels BA, Zhang Z, Zhou JN. SIRT1 in the BNST modulates chronic stress-induced anxiety of male mice via FKBP5 and corticotropin-releasing factor signaling. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:5101-5117. [PMID: 37386058 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02144-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Although clinical reports have highlighted association of the deacetylase sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) gene with anxiety, its exact role in the pathogenesis of anxiety disorders remains unclear. The present study was designed to explore whether and how SIRT1 in the mouse bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), a key limbic hub region, regulates anxiety. In a chronic stress model to induce anxiety in male mice, we used site- and cell-type-specific in vivo and in vitro manipulations, protein analysis, electrophysiological and behavioral analysis, in vivo MiniScope calcium imaging and mass spectroscopy, to characterize possible mechanism underlying a novel anxiolytic role for SIRT1 in the BNST. Specifically, decreased SIRT1 in parallel with increased corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) expression was found in the BNST of anxiety model mice, whereas pharmacological activation or local overexpression of SIRT1 in the BNST reversed chronic stress-induced anxiety-like behaviors, downregulated CRF upregulation, and normalized CRF neuronal hyperactivity. Mechanistically, SIRT1 enhanced glucocorticoid receptor (GR)-mediated CRF transcriptional repression through directly interacting with and deacetylating the GR co-chaperone FKBP5 to induce its dissociation from the GR, ultimately downregulating CRF. Together, this study unravels an important cellular and molecular mechanism highlighting an anxiolytic role for SIRT1 in the mouse BNST, which may open up new therapeutic avenues for treating stress-related anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pu Hu
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Diseases, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, PR China.
| | - Yu Wang
- Institute of Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China
| | - Xiu-Hong Qi
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Diseases, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, PR China
| | - Qing-Hong Shan
- Institute of Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China
| | - Zhao-Huan Huang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Brain-inspired Intelligence Technology and Application, School of Information Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Peng Chen
- Institute of Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China
| | - Xiao Ma
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Diseases, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, PR China
| | - Yu-Peng Yang
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Diseases, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, PR China
| | - Dick F Swaab
- Department of Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Benjamin A Samuels
- Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Zhi Zhang
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Diseases, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, PR China
| | - Jiang-Ning Zhou
- Institute of Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China.
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200072, PR China.
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Vasziné Szabó E, Köves K, Csáki Á. Fluorescent Molecules That Help Reveal Previously Unidentified Neural Connections in Adult, Neonatal and Peripubertal Mammals. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14478. [PMID: 37833924 PMCID: PMC10572731 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
One hundred and twenty-five years ago there was a lively discussion between Hungarian and Spanish neuroscientists on the nature of neural connections. The question was whether the neurofibrils run from one neuron to the next and connect neurons as a continuous network or the fibrils form an internal skeleton in the neurons and do not leave the cell; however, there is close contact between the neurons. About 50 years later, the invention of the electron microscope solved the problem. Close contacts between individual neurons were identified and named as synapses. In the following years, the need arose to explore distant connections between neuronal structures. Tracing techniques entered neuroscience. There are three major groups of tracers: (A) non-transsynaptic tracers used to find direct connections between two neuronal structures; (B) tracers passing gap junctions; (C) transsynaptic tracers passing synapses that are suitable to explore multineuronal circuits. According to the direction of the transport mechanism, the tracer may be ante- or retrograde. In this review, we focus on the ever-increasing number of fluorescent tracers that we have also used in our studies. The advantage of the use of these molecules is that the fluorescence of the tracer can be seen in histological sections without any other processes. Genes encoding fluorescent molecules can be inserted in various neuropeptide or neurotransmitter expressing transcriptomes. This makes it possible to study the anatomy, development or functional relations of these neuronal networks in transgenic animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enikő Vasziné Szabó
- Department of Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Semmelweis University, Szentkirályi u. 47, H-1088 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Katalin Köves
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Tűzoltó u. 58, H-1094 Budapest, Hungary; (K.K.); (Á.C.)
| | - Ágnes Csáki
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Tűzoltó u. 58, H-1094 Budapest, Hungary; (K.K.); (Á.C.)
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van de Poll Y, Cras Y, Ellender TJ. The neurophysiological basis of stress and anxiety - comparing neuronal diversity in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) across species. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1225758. [PMID: 37711509 PMCID: PMC10499361 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1225758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), as part of the extended amygdala, has become a region of increasing interest regarding its role in numerous human stress-related psychiatric diseases, including post-traumatic stress disorder and generalized anxiety disorder amongst others. The BNST is a sexually dimorphic and highly complex structure as already evident by its anatomy consisting of 11 to 18 distinct sub-nuclei in rodents. Located in the ventral forebrain, the BNST is anatomically and functionally connected to many other limbic structures, including the amygdala, hypothalamic nuclei, basal ganglia, and hippocampus. Given this extensive connectivity, the BNST is thought to play a central and critical role in the integration of information on hedonic-valence, mood, arousal states, processing emotional information, and in general shape motivated and stress/anxiety-related behavior. Regarding its role in regulating stress and anxiety behavior the anterolateral group of the BNST (BNSTALG) has been extensively studied and contains a wide variety of neurons that differ in their electrophysiological properties, morphology, spatial organization, neuropeptidergic content and input and output synaptic organization which shape their activity and function. In addition to this great diversity, further species-specific differences are evident on multiple levels. For example, classic studies performed in adult rat brain identified three distinct neuron types (Type I-III) based on their electrophysiological properties and ion channel expression. Whilst similar neurons have been identified in other animal species, such as mice and non-human primates such as macaques, cross-species comparisons have revealed intriguing differences such as their comparative prevalence in the BNSTALG as well as their electrophysiological and morphological properties, amongst other differences. Given this tremendous complexity on multiple levels, the comprehensive elucidation of the BNSTALG circuitry and its role in regulating stress/anxiety-related behavior is a major challenge. In the present Review we bring together and highlight the key differences in BNSTALG structure, functional connectivity, the electrophysiological and morphological properties, and neuropeptidergic profiles of BNSTALG neurons between species with the aim to facilitate future studies of this important nucleus in relation to human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yana van de Poll
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Yasmin Cras
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Tommas J. Ellender
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Li R, Wang Y, Yang Y, Wu Z, Wang L, Tang G, Yang J, Liu J. The α1 and γ2 subunit-containing GABA A receptor-mediated inhibitory transmission in the anteroventral bed nucleus of stria terminalis is involved in the regulation of anxiety in rats with substantia nigra lesions. Neuropharmacology 2023:109645. [PMID: 37392819 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023]
Abstract
The anteroventral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (avBNST) is widely acknowledged as a key brain structure that regulates negative emotional states, such as anxiety. At present, it is still unclear whether GABAA receptor-mediated inhibitory transmission in the avBNST is involved in Parkinson's disease (PD)-related anxiety. In this study, unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) in rats induced anxiety-like behaviors, increased GABA synthesis and release, and upregulated expression of GABAA receptor subunits in the avBNST, as well as decreased level of dopamine (DA) in the basolateral amygdala (BLA). In both sham and 6-OHDA rats, intra-avBNST injection of GABAA receptor agonist muscimol induced the following changes: (i) anxiolytic-like responses, (ii) inhibition of the firing activity of GABAergic neurons in the avBNST, (iii) excitation of dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), and (iv) increase of DA and 5-HT release in the BLA, whereas antagonist bicuculline induced the opposite effects. Collectively, these findings suggest that degeneration of the nigrostriatal pathway enhances GABAA receptor-mediated inhibitory transmission in the avBNST, which is involved in PD-related anxiety. Further, activation and blockade of avBNST GABAA receptors affect the firing activity of VTA dopaminergic and DRN serotonergic neurons, and then change release of BLA DA and 5-HT, thereby regulating anxiety-like behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruotong Li
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Yong Wang
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Yaxin Yang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004, China
| | - Zhongheng Wu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004, China
| | - Ling Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004, China
| | - Guoyi Tang
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Jie Yang
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, 710061, China.
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10
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Flook EA, Feola B, Benningfield MM, Silveri MM, Winder DG, Blackford JU. Alterations in BNST Intrinsic Functional Connectivity in Early Abstinence from Alcohol Use Disorder. Alcohol Alcohol 2023; 58:298-307. [PMID: 36847484 PMCID: PMC10168710 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agad006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS Maintaining abstinence from alcohol use disorder (AUD) is extremely challenging, partially due to increased symptoms of anxiety and stress that trigger relapse. Rodent models of AUD have identified that the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) contributes to symptoms of anxiety-like behavior and drug-seeking during abstinence. In humans, however, the BNST's role in abstinence remains poorly understood. The aims of this study were to assess BNST network intrinsic functional connectivity in individuals during abstinence from AUD compared to healthy controls and examine associations between BNST intrinsic functional connectivity, anxiety and alcohol use severity during abstinence. METHODS The study included resting state fMRI scans from participants aged 21-40 years: 20 participants with AUD in abstinence and 20 healthy controls. Analyses were restricted to five pre-selected brain regions with known BNST structural connections. Linear mixed models were used to test for group differences, with sex as a fixed factor given previously shown sex differences. RESULTS BNST-hypothalamus intrinsic connectivity was lower in the abstinent group relative to the control group. There were also pronounced sex differences in both the group and individual analyses; many of the findings were specific to men. Within the abstinent group, anxiety was positively associated with BNST-amygdala and BNST-hypothalamus connectivity, and men, not women, showed a negative relationship between alcohol use severity and BNST-hypothalamus connectivity. CONCLUSIONS Understanding differences in connectivity during abstinence may help explain the clinically observed anxiety and depression symptoms during abstinence and may inform the development of individualized treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Flook
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, 3535 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 1161 21st Ave S # D3300, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, 2215 Garland Ave, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Brandee Feola
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1601 23rd Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Margaret M Benningfield
- Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 1161 21st Ave S # D3300, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, 2215 Garland Ave, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1601 23rd Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Marisa M Silveri
- Neurodevelopmental Laboratory on Addictions and Mental Health, Brain Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill St, Belmont, MA 02478, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, 401 Park Drive, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Danny G Winder
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, 2215 Garland Ave, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, 2215 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, 465 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37240, USA
| | - Jennifer Urbano Blackford
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, 2215 Garland Ave, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1601 23rd Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
- Munroe-Meyer Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 6902 Pine Street, Omaha, NE 68106, USA
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11
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Meloni EG, Carlezon WA, Bolshakov VY. Impact of social dominance hierarchy on PACAP expression in the extended amygdala, corticosterone, and behavior in C57BL/6 male mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.03.539254. [PMID: 37205328 PMCID: PMC10187259 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.03.539254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The natural alignment of animals into social dominance hierarchies produces adaptive, and potentially maladaptive, changes in the brain that influence health and behavior. Aggressive and submissive behaviors assumed by animals through dominance interactions engage stress-dependent neural and hormonal systems that have been shown to correspond with social rank. Here, we examined the impact of social dominance hierarchies established within cages of group-housed laboratory mice on expression of the stress peptide pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) in areas of the extended amygdala comprising the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA). We also quantified the impact of dominance rank on corticosterone (CORT), body weight, and behavior including rotorod and acoustic startle response. Weight-matched male C57BL/6 mice, group-housed (4/cage) starting at 3 weeks of age, were ranked as either most-dominant (Dominant), least-dominant (Submissive) or in-between rank (Intermediate) based on counts of aggressive and submissive encounters assessed at 12 weeks-old following a change in homecage conditions. We found that PACAP expression was significantly higher in the BNST, but not the CeA, of Submissive mice compared to the other two groups. CORT levels were lowest in Submissive mice and appeared to reflect a blunted response following social dominance interactions. Body weight, motor coordination, and acoustic startle were not significantly different between the groups. Together, these data reveal changes in specific neural/neuroendocrine systems that are predominant in animals of lowest social dominance rank, and implicate PACAP in brain adaptations that occur through the development of social dominance hierarchies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward G. Meloni
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478
| | - William A. Carlezon
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478
| | - Vadim Y. Bolshakov
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478
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12
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Chudoba R, Dabrowska J. Distinct populations of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) neurons mediate divergent yet complementary defensive behaviors in response to a threat. Neuropharmacology 2023; 228:109461. [PMID: 36775096 PMCID: PMC10055972 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Defensive behaviors in response to a threat are shared across the animal kingdom. Active (fleeing, sheltering) or passive (freezing, avoiding) defensive responses are adaptive and facilitate survival. Selecting appropriate defensive strategy depends on intensity, proximity, temporal threat threshold, and past experiences. Hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is a major driver of an acute stress response, whereas extrahypothalamic CRF mediates stress-related affective behaviors. In this review, we shift the focus from a monolithic role of CRF as an anxiogenic peptide to comprehensively dissecting contributions of distinct populations of CRF neurons in mediating defensive behaviors. Direct interrogation of CRF neurons of the central amygdala (CeA) or the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) show they drive unconditioned defensive responses, such as vigilance and avoidance of open spaces. Although both populations also contribute to learned fear responses in familiar, threatening contexts, CeA-CRF neurons are particularly attuned to the ever-changing environment. Depending on threat intensities, they facilitate discrimination of salient stimuli predicting manageable threats, and prevent their generalization. Finally, hypothalamic CRF neurons mediate initial threat assessment and active defense such as escape to shelter. Overall, these three major populations of CRF neurons demonstrate divergent, yet complementary contributions to the versatile defense system: heightened vigilance, discriminating salient threats, and active escape, representing three legs of the defense tripod. Despite the 'CRF exhaustion' in the field of affective neuroscience, understanding contributions of specific CRF neurons during adaptive defensive behaviors is needed in order to understand the implications of their dysregulation in fear- and anxiety-related psychiatric disorders. This article is part of the Special Issue on "Fear, Anxiety and PTSD".
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Chudoba
- Center for the Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States; Discipline of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States; School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Joanna Dabrowska
- Center for the Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States; Discipline of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States; School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States.
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13
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Halladay LR, Herron SM. Lasting impact of postnatal maternal separation on the developing BNST: Lifelong socioemotional consequences. Neuropharmacology 2023; 225:109404. [PMID: 36572178 PMCID: PMC9926961 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Nearly one percent of children in the US experience childhood neglect or abuse, which can incite lifelong emotional and behavioral disorders. Many studies investigating the neural underpinnings of maleffects inflicted by early life stress have largely focused on dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Newer veins of evidence suggest that exposure to early life stressors can interrupt neural development in extrahypothalamic areas as well, including the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). One widely used approach in this area is rodent maternal separation (MS), which typically consists of separating pups from the dam for extended periods of time, over several days during the first weeks of postnatal life - a time when pups are highly dependent on maternal care for survival. MS has been shown to incite myriad lasting effects not limited to increased anxiety-like behavior, hyper-responsiveness to stressors, and social behavior deficits. The behavioral effects of MS are widespread and thus unlikely to be limited to hypothalamic mechanisms. Recent work has highlighted the BNST as a critical arbiter of some of the consequences of MS, especially socioemotional behavioral deficits. The BNST is a well-documented modulator of anxiety, reward, and social behavior by way of its connections with hypothalamic and extra-hypothalamic systems. Moreover, during the postnatal period when MS is typically administered, the BNST undergoes critical neural developmental events. This review highlights evidence that MS interferes with neural development to permanently alter BNST circuitry, which may account for a variety of behavioral deficits seen following early life stress. This article is part of the Special Issue on 'Fear, Anxiety and PTSD'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay R Halladay
- Department of Psychology, Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA, 95053, USA.
| | - Steven M Herron
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
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14
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Mantsch JR. Corticotropin releasing factor and drug seeking in substance use disorders: Preclinical evidence and translational limitations. ADDICTION NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 4:100038. [PMID: 36531188 PMCID: PMC9757758 DOI: 10.1016/j.addicn.2022.100038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The neuropeptide, corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), has been an enigmatic target for the development of medications aimed at treating stress-related disorders. Despite a large body of evidence from preclinical studies in rodents demonstrating that CRF receptor antagonists prevent stressor-induced drug seeking, medications targeting the CRF-R1 have failed in clinical trials. Here, we provide an overview of the abundant findings from preclinical rodent studies suggesting that CRF signaling is involved in stressor-induced relapse. The scientific literature that has defined the receptors, mechanisms and neurocircuits through which CRF contributes to stressor-induced reinstatement of drug seeking following self-administration and conditioned place preference in rodents is reviewed. Evidence that CRF signaling is recruited with repeated drug use in a manner that heightens susceptibility to stressor-induced drug seeking in rodents is presented. Factors that may determine the influence of CRF signaling in substance use disorders, including developmental windows, biological sex, and genetics are examined. Finally, we discuss the translational failure of medications targeting CRF signaling as interventions for substance use disorders and other stress-related conditions. We conclude that new perspectives and research directions are needed to unravel the mysterious role of CRF in substance use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R Mantsch
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 W Watertown Plank Rd, Milwaukee, WI 53226, United States
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15
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Fudge JL, Kelly EA, Hackett TA. Corticotropin Releasing Factor (CRF) Coexpression in GABAergic, Glutamatergic, and GABA/Glutamatergic Subpopulations in the Central Extended Amygdala and Ventral Pallidum of Young Male Primates. J Neurosci 2022; 42:8997-9010. [PMID: 36280261 PMCID: PMC9732834 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1453-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The central extended amygdala (CEA) and ventral pallidum (VP) are involved in diverse motivated behaviors based on rodent models. These structures are conserved, but expanded, in higher primates, including human. Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), a canonical "stress molecule" associated with the CEA and VP circuitry across species, is dynamically regulated by stress and drugs of abuse and misuse. CRF's effects on circuits critically depend on its colocation with primary "fast" transmitters, making this crucial for understanding circuit effects. We surveyed the distribution and colocalization of CRF-, VGluT2- (vesicular glutamate transporter 2), and VGAT- (vesicular GABA transporter) mRNA in specific subregions of the CEA and VP in young male monkeys. Although CRF-containing neurons were clustered in the lateral central bed nucleus (BSTLcn), the majority were broadly dispersed throughout other CEA subregions, and the VP. CRF/VGAT-only neurons were highest in the BSTLcn, lateral central amygdala nucleus (CeLcn), and medial central amygdala nucleus (CeM) (74%, 73%, and 85%, respectively). In contrast, lower percentages of CRF/VGAT only neurons populated the sublenticular extended amygdala (SLEAc), ventrolateral bed nucleus (BSTLP), and VP (53%, 54%, 17%, respectively), which had higher complements of CRF/VGAT/VGluT2-labeled neurons (33%, 29%, 67%, respectively). Thus, the majority of CRF-neurons at the "poles" (BSTLcn and CeLcn/CeM) of the CEA are inhibitory, while the "extended" BSTLP and SLEAc subregions, and neighboring VP, have a more complex profile with admixtures of "multiplexed" excitatory CRF neurons. CRF's colocalization with its various fast transmitters is likely circuit-specific, and relevant for understanding CRF actions on specific target sites.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The central extended amygdala (CEA) and ventral pallidum (VP) regulate multiple motivated behaviors through differential downstream projections. The stress neuropeptide corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) is enriched in the CEA, and is thought to "set the gain" through modulatory effects on coexpressed primary transmitters. Using protein and transcript assays in monkey, we found that CRF neurons are broadly and diffusely distributed in CEA and VP. CRF mRNA+ neurons colocalize with VGAT (GABA) and VGluT2 (glutamate) mRNAs in different proportions depending on subregion. CRF mRNA was also coexpressed in a subpopulation of VGAT/VGluT2 mRNA ("multiplexed") cells, which were most prominent in the VP and "pallidal"-like parts of the CEA. Heterogeneous CRF and fast transmitter coexpression across CEA/VP subregions implies circuit-specific effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie L Fudge
- Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642
| | - Emily A Kelly
- Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642
| | - Troy A Hackett
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232
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16
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Lowes DC, Harris AZ. Stressed and wired: The effects of stress on the VTA circuits underlying motivated behavior. CURRENT OPINION IN ENDOCRINE AND METABOLIC RESEARCH 2022; 26:100388. [PMID: 36406203 PMCID: PMC9674332 DOI: 10.1016/j.coemr.2022.100388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
Stress affects many brain regions, including the ventral tegmental area (VTA), which is critically involved in reward processing. Excessive stress can reduce reward-seeking behaviors but also exacerbate substance use disorders, two seemingly contradictory outcomes. Recent research has revealed that the VTA is a heterogenous structure with diverse populations of efferents and afferents serving different functions. Stress has correspondingly diverse effects on VTA neuron activity, tending to decrease lateral VTA dopamine (DA) neuron activity, while increasing medial VTA DA and GABA neuron activity. Here we review the differential effects of stress on the activity of these distinct VTA neuron populations and how they contribute to decreases in reward-seeking behavior or increases in drug self-administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel C. Lowes
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Alexander Z. Harris
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA,Division of Systems Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA
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17
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Maita I, Roepke TA, Samuels BA. Chronic stress-induced synaptic changes to corticotropin-releasing factor-signaling in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:903782. [PMID: 35983475 PMCID: PMC9378865 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.903782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The sexually dimorphic bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is comprised of several distinct regions, some of which act as a hub for stress-induced changes in neural circuitry and behavior. In rodents, the anterodorsal BNST is especially affected by chronic exposure to stress, which results in alterations to the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-signaling pathway, including CRF receptors and upstream regulators. Stress increases cellular excitability in BNST CRF+ neurons by potentiating miniature excitatory postsynaptic current (mEPSC) amplitude, altering the resting membrane potential, and diminishing M-currents (a voltage-gated K+ current that stabilizes membrane potential). Rodent anterodorsal and anterolateral BNST neurons are also critical regulators of behavior, including avoidance of aversive contexts and fear learning (especially that of sustained threats). These rodent behaviors are historically associated with anxiety. Furthermore, BNST is implicated in stress-related mood disorders, including anxiety and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders in humans, and may be linked to sex differences found in mood disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Maita
- Samuels Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, United States,Neuroscience Graduate Program, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, United States
| | - Troy A. Roepke
- Roepke Laboratory, Department of Animal Sciences, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
| | - Benjamin A. Samuels
- Samuels Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, United States,*Correspondence: Benjamin A. Samuels,
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18
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Soden ME, Yee JX, Cuevas B, Rastani A, Elum J, Zweifel LS. Distinct Encoding of Reward and Aversion by Peptidergic BNST Inputs to the VTA. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:918839. [PMID: 35860212 PMCID: PMC9289195 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.918839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuropeptides play an important role in modulating mesolimbic system function. However, while synaptic inputs to the ventral tegmental area (VTA) have been extensively mapped, the sources of many neuropeptides are not well resolved. Here, we mapped the anatomical locations of three neuropeptide inputs to the VTA: neurotensin (NTS), corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF), and neurokinin B (NkB). Among numerous labeled inputs we identified the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) as a major source of all three peptides, containing similar numbers of NTS, CRF, and NkB VTA projection neurons. Approximately 50% of BNST to VTA inputs co-expressed two or more of the peptides examined. Consistent with this expression pattern, analysis of calcium dynamics in the terminals of these inputs in the VTA revealed both common and distinct patterns of activation during appetitive and aversive conditioning. These data demonstrate additional diversification of the mesolimbic dopamine system through partially overlapping neuropeptidergic inputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta E. Soden
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Joshua X. Yee
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Beatriz Cuevas
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Ariana Rastani
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Jordan Elum
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Larry S. Zweifel
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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19
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Barretto-de-Souza L, Benini R, Reis-Silva LL, Crestani CC. Role of CRF 1 and CRF 2 receptors in the lateral hypothalamus in cardiovascular and anxiogenic responses evoked by restraint stress in rats: Evaluation of acute and chronic exposure. Neuropharmacology 2022; 212:109061. [PMID: 35452627 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the role of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) neurotransmission within the lateral hypothalamus (LH) in cardiovascular and anxiogenic-like responses evoked by acute and repeated restraint stress in rats. For this, animals were subjected to intra-LH microinjection of a selective CRF1 (CP376395) or CRF2 (antisauvagine-30) receptor antagonist before either an acute or the 10th session of restraint stress. Restraint-evoked arterial pressure and heart rate increases, tail skin temperature decrease and anxiogenic-like effect in the elevated plus maze (EPM) were evaluated. We also assessed the effect of 10 daily sessions of restraint on expression of CRF1 and CRF2 receptors within the LH. We identified that antagonism of either CRF1 or CRF2 receptor within the LH decreased the tachycardia during both the acute and 10th session of restraint, but the effect of the CRF1 receptor antagonist was more pronounced during the 10th session. Acute restraint stress also caused anxiogenic-like effect, and this response was inhibited in animals treated with either CP376395 or antisauvagine-30. Anxiety-like behaviors were not changed following the 10th session of restraint, and pharmacological treatments did not affect the behavior in the EPM in chronically stressed animals. Repeated restraint also did not change the level of the CRF receptors within the LH. Taken together, the findings indicate that CRF1 and CRF2 receptors within the LH are involved in tachycardic and anxiogenic-like responses to aversive stimuli. Control of tachycardia by the CRF1 receptor is sensitized by previous stressful experience, and this effect seems to be independent of changes in expression of the receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Barretto-de-Souza
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Benini
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| | - Lilian Liz Reis-Silva
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| | - Carlos C Crestani
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Araraquara, SP, Brazil.
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20
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Weera MM, Agoglia AE, Douglass E, Jiang Z, Rajamanickam S, Shackett RS, Herman MA, Justice NJ, Gilpin NW. Generation of a CRF 1-Cre transgenic rat and the role of central amygdala CRF 1 cells in nociception and anxiety-like behavior. eLife 2022; 11:e67822. [PMID: 35389341 PMCID: PMC9033268 DOI: 10.7554/elife.67822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Corticotropin-releasing factor type-1 (CRF1) receptors are critical to stress responses because they allow neurons to respond to CRF released in response to stress. Our understanding of the role of CRF1-expressing neurons in CRF-mediated behaviors has been largely limited to mouse experiments due to the lack of genetic tools available to selectively visualize and manipulate CRF1+ cells in rats. Here, we describe the generation and validation of a transgenic CRF1-Cre-tdTomato rat. We report that Crhr1 and Cre mRNA expression are highly colocalized in both the central amygdala (CeA), composed of mostly GABAergic neurons, and in the basolateral amygdala (BLA), composed of mostly glutamatergic neurons. In the CeA, membrane properties, inhibitory synaptic transmission, and responses to CRF bath application in tdTomato+ neurons are similar to those previously reported in GFP+ cells in CRFR1-GFP mice. We show that stimulatory DREADD receptors can be targeted to CeA CRF1+ cells via virally delivered Cre-dependent transgenes, that transfected Cre/tdTomato+ cells are activated by clozapine-n-oxide in vitro and in vivo, and that activation of these cells in vivo increases anxiety-like and nocifensive behaviors. Outside the amygdala, we show that Cre-tdTomato is expressed in several brain areas across the brain, and that the expression pattern of Cre-tdTomato cells is similar to the known expression pattern of CRF1 cells. Given the accuracy of expression in the CRF1-Cre rat, modern genetic techniques used to investigate the anatomy, physiology, and behavioral function of CRF1+ neurons can now be performed in assays that require the use of rats as the model organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus M Weera
- Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansUnited States
| | - Abigail E Agoglia
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North CarolinaChapel HillUnited States
| | - Eliza Douglass
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North CarolinaChapel HillUnited States
| | - Zhiying Jiang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Sciences CenterHoustonUnited States
| | - Shivakumar Rajamanickam
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Sciences CenterHoustonUnited States
| | - Rosetta S Shackett
- Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansUnited States
| | - Melissa A Herman
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North CarolinaChapel HillUnited States
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North CarolinaChapel HillUnited States
| | - Nicholas J Justice
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Sciences CenterHoustonUnited States
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, McGovern Medical School at UT HealthHoustonUnited States
| | - Nicholas W Gilpin
- Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansUnited States
- Neuroscience Center of Excellence, Louisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansUnited States
- Alcohol & Drug Abuse Center of Excellence, Louisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansUnited States
- Southeast Louisiana VA Healthcare System (SLVHCS)New OrleansUnited States
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21
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Snyder AE, Silberman Y. Corticotropin releasing factor and norepinephrine related circuitry changes in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis in stress and alcohol and substance use disorders. Neuropharmacology 2021; 201:108814. [PMID: 34624301 PMCID: PMC8578398 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) affects around 14.5 million individuals in the United States, with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) affecting an additional 8.3 million individuals. Relapse is a major barrier to effective long-term treatment of this illness with stress often described as a key trigger for a person with AUD or SUD to relapse during a period of abstinence. Two signaling molecules, norepinephrine (NE) and corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), are released during the stress response, and also play important roles in reward behaviors and the addiction process. Within the addiction literature, one brain region in which there has been increasing research focus in recent years is the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). The BNST is a limbic structure with numerous cytoarchitecturally and functionally different subregions that has been implicated in drug-seeking behaviors and stress responses. This review focuses on drug and stress-related neurocircuitry changes in the BNST, particularly within the CRF and NE systems, with an emphasis on differences and similarities between the major dorsal and ventral BNST subregions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela E Snyder
- Penn State College of Medicine, Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, USA
| | - Yuval Silberman
- Penn State College of Medicine, Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, USA.
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22
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Ritchie JL, Walters JL, Galliou JMC, Christian RJ, Qi S, Savenkova MI, Ibarra CK, Grogan SR, Fuchs RA. Basolateral amygdala corticotropin-releasing factor receptor type 1 regulates context-cocaine memory strength during reconsolidation in a sex-dependent manner. Neuropharmacology 2021; 200:108819. [PMID: 34610289 PMCID: PMC8550898 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The basolateral amygdala (BLA) is a critical brain region for cocaine-memory reconsolidation. Corticotropin-releasing factor receptor type 1 (CRFR1) is densely expressed in the BLA, and CRFR1 stimulation can activate intra-cellular signaling cascades that mediate memory reconsolidation. Hence, we tested the hypothesis that BLA CRFR1 stimulation is necessary and sufficient for cocaine-memory reconsolidation. Using an instrumental model of drug relapse, male and female Sprague-Dawley rats received cocaine self-administration training in a distinct environmental context over 10 days followed by extinction training in a different context over 7 days. Next, rats were re-exposed to the cocaine-paired context for 15 min to initiate cocaine-memory retrieval and destabilization. Immediately or 6 h after this session, the rats received bilateral vehicle, antalarmin (CRFR1 antagonist; 500 ng/hemisphere), or corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF; 0.2, 30 or 500 ng/hemisphere) infusions into the BLA. Resulting changes in drug context-induced cocaine seeking (index of context-cocaine memory strength) were assessed three days later. Female rats self-administered more cocaine infusions and exhibited more extinction responding than males. Intra-BLA antalarmin treatment immediately after memory retrieval (i.e., when cocaine memories were labile), but not 6 h later (i.e., after memory reconsolidation), attenuated drug context-induced cocaine seeking at test independent of sex, relative to vehicle. Conversely, intra-BLA CRF treatment increased this behavior selectively in females, in a U-shaped dose-dependent fashion. In control experiments, a high (behaviorally ineffective) dose of CRF treatment did not reduce BLA CRFR1 cell-surface expression in females. Thus, BLA CRFR1 signaling is necessary and sufficient, in a sex-dependent manner, for regulating cocaine-memory strength.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jobe L Ritchie
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Jennifer L Walters
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Justine M C Galliou
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Robert J Christian
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Shuyi Qi
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Marina I Savenkova
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Christopher K Ibarra
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Shayna R Grogan
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Rita A Fuchs
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Pullman, WA, USA; Washington State University Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research Program, Pullman, WA, USA.
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23
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Baumgartner HM, Schulkin J, Berridge KC. Activating Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Systems in the Nucleus Accumbens, Amygdala, and Bed Nucleus of Stria Terminalis: Incentive Motivation or Aversive Motivation? Biol Psychiatry 2021; 89:1162-1175. [PMID: 33726937 PMCID: PMC8178165 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) neural systems are important stress mechanisms in the central amygdala (CeA), bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BNST), nucleus accumbens (NAc), and related structures. CRF-containing neural systems are traditionally posited to generate aversive distress states that motivate overconsumption of rewards and relapse in addiction. However, CRF-containing systems may alternatively promote incentive motivation to increase reward pursuit and consumption without requiring aversive states. METHODS We optogenetically stimulated CRF-expressing neurons in the CeA, BNST, or NAc using Crh-Cre+ rats (n = 37 female, n = 34 male) to investigate roles in incentive motivation versus aversive motivation. We paired CRF-expressing neuronal stimulations with earning sucrose rewards in two-choice and progressive ratio tasks and investigated recruitment of distributed limbic circuitry. We further assessed valence with CRF-containing neuron laser self-stimulation tasks. RESULTS Channelrhodopsin excitation of CRF-containing neurons in the CeA and NAc amplified and focused incentive motivation and recruited activation of mesocorticolimbic reward circuitry. CRF systems in both the CeA and NAc supported laser self-stimulation, amplified incentive motivation for sucrose in a breakpoint test, and focused "wanting" on laser-paired sucrose over a sucrose alternative in a two-choice test. Conversely, stimulation of CRF-containing neurons in the BNST produced negative valence or aversive effects and recruited distress-related circuitry, as stimulation was avoided and suppressed motivation for sucrose. CONCLUSIONS CRF-containing systems in the NAc and CeA can promote reward consumption by increasing incentive motivation without involving aversion. In contrast, stimulation of CRF-containing systems in the BNST is aversive but suppresses sucrose reward pursuit and consumption rather than increase, as predicted by traditional hedonic self-medication hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jay Schulkin
- Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
| | - Kent C Berridge
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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Yu W, Caira CM, Del R Rivera Sanchez N, Moseley GA, Kash TL. Corticotropin-releasing factor neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis exhibit sex-specific pain encoding in mice. Sci Rep 2021; 11:12500. [PMID: 34127705 PMCID: PMC8203647 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91672-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) plays an emerging role in pain regulation. Pharmacological studies have found that inhibiting corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) signaling in the BNST can selectively mitigate the sensory and affective-motivational components of pain. However, mechanistic insight on the source of CRF that drives BNST responses to these harmful experiences remains unknown. In the present study, we used a series of genetic approaches to show that CRF in the BNST is engaged in the processing and modulation of pain. We conducted cell-type specific in vivo calcium imaging in CRF-Cre mice and found robust and synchronized recruitment of BNSTCRF neurons during acute exposures to noxious heat. Distinct patterns of recruitment were observed by sex, as the magnitude and timing of heat responsive activity in BNSTCRF neurons differed for male and female mice. We then used a viral approach in Floxed-CRF mice to selectively reduce CRF expression in the BNST and found it decreased nociceptive sensitivity for both sexes and increased paw attending for females. Together, these findings reveal that CRF in the BNST influences multiple facets of the pain experience to impact the sex-specific expression of pain-related behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waylin Yu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, CB 7178 Thurston Bowles Building, 104 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Curriculum in Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Christina M Caira
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, CB 7178 Thurston Bowles Building, 104 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Natalia Del R Rivera Sanchez
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, CB 7178 Thurston Bowles Building, 104 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Garrett A Moseley
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, CB 7178 Thurston Bowles Building, 104 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Thomas L Kash
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, CB 7178 Thurston Bowles Building, 104 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
- Curriculum in Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
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Ortiz-Juza MM, Alghorazi RA, Rodriguez-Romaguera J. Cell-type diversity in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis to regulate motivated behaviors. Behav Brain Res 2021; 411:113401. [PMID: 34090941 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2021] [Revised: 05/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Over the past few decades, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) gained popularity as a unique brain region involved in regulating motivated behaviors related to neuropsychiatric disorders. The BNST, a component of the extended amygdala, consists of a variety of subnuclei and neuronal ensembles. Multiple studies have highlighted the BNST as playing a fundamental role in integrating information by interfacing with other brain regions to regulate distinct aspects of motivated behaviors associated with stress, anxiety, depression, and decision-making. However, due to the high molecular heterogeneity found within BNST neurons, the precise mechanisms by which this region regulates distinct motivational states remains largely unclear. Single-cell RNA sequencing data have revealed that the BNST consists of multiple genetically identifiable cell-type clusters. Contemporary tools can therefore be leveraged to target and study such cell-types and elucidate their precise functional role. In this review, we discuss the different subsets of neurons found in the BNST, their anatomical distribution, and what is currently known about BNST cell-types in regulating motivated behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria M Ortiz-Juza
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Neuroscience Curriculum, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Rizk A Alghorazi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Jose Rodriguez-Romaguera
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Carolina Institute for Developmental Disorders, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Carolina Stress Initiative, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.
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26
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Francesconi W, Berton F, Olivera-Pasilio V, Dabrowska J. Oxytocin excites BNST interneurons and inhibits BNST output neurons to the central amygdala. Neuropharmacology 2021; 192:108601. [PMID: 33971215 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The dorsolateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNSTDL) has high expression of oxytocin (OT) receptors (OTR), which were shown to facilitate cued fear. However, the role of OTR in the modulation of BNSTDL activity remains elusive. BNSTDL contains GABA-ergic neurons classified based on intrinsic membrane properties into three types. Using in vitro patch-clamp recordings in male rats, we demonstrate that OT selectively excites and increases spontaneous firing rate of Type I BNSTDL neurons. As a consequence, OT increases the frequency, but not amplitude, of spontaneous inhibitory post-synaptic currents (sIPSCs) selectively in Type II neurons, an effect abolished by OTR antagonist or tetrodotoxin, and reduces spontaneous firing rate in these neurons. These results suggest an indirect effect of OT in Type II neurons, which is mediated via OT-induced increase in firing of Type I interneurons. As Type II BNSTDL neurons were shown projecting to the central amygdala (CeA), we also recorded from retrogradely labeled BNST→CeA neurons and we show that OT increases the frequency of sIPSC in these Type II BNST→CeA output neurons. In contrast, in Type III neurons, OT reduces the amplitude, but not frequency, of both sIPSCs and evoked IPSCs via a postsynaptic mechanism without changing their intrinsic excitability. We present a model of fine-tuned modulation of BNSTDL activity by OT, which selectively excites BNSTDL interneurons and inhibits Type II BNST→CeA output neurons. These results suggest that OTR in the BNST might facilitate cued fear by inhibiting the BNST→CeA neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter Francesconi
- Center for the Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA; Discipline of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA
| | - Fulvia Berton
- Center for the Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA; Discipline of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA
| | - Valentina Olivera-Pasilio
- Center for the Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA; Discipline of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA; School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA
| | - Joanna Dabrowska
- Center for the Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA; Discipline of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA; School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA.
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27
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Flook EA, Feola B, Benningfield MM, Silveri MM, Winder DG, Blackford JU. Alterations in connectivity of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis during early abstinence in individuals with alcohol use disorder. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2021; 45:1028-1038. [PMID: 33830508 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND For individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), long-term recovery is difficult in part due to symptoms of anxiety that occur during early abstinence and can trigger relapse. Research in rodent models of AUD has identified the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), a small, sexually dimorphic, subcortical region, as critical for regulating anxiety-like behaviors during abstinence, particularly in female mice. Furthermore, prolonged alcohol use and subsequent abstinence alter BNST afferent and efferent connections to other brain regions. To our knowledge, however, no studies of early abstinence have investigated BNST structural connectivity in humans during abstinence; this study addresses that gap. METHODS Nineteen participants with AUD currently in early abstinence and 20 healthy controls completed a diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) scan. BNST structural connectivity was evaluated using probabilistic tractography. A linear mixed model was used to test between-groups differences in BNST network connectivity. Exploratory analyses were conducted to test for correlations between BNST connectivity and alcohol use severity and anxiety within the abstinence group. Sex was included as a factor for all analyses. RESULTS The BNST showed stronger structural connectivity with the BNST network in early abstinence women than in control women, which was not seen in men. Women also showed region-specific differences, with stronger BNST-hypothalamus structural connectivity but weaker vmPFC-BNST structural connectivity than men. Exploratory analyses also demonstrated a relationship between alcohol use severity and vmPFC-BNST structural connectivity that was moderated by sex. CONCLUSIONS This study is the first to demonstrate BNST structural connectivity differences in early abstinence and revealed key sex differences. The sex-specific differences in BNST structural connectivity during early abstinence could underlie known sex differences in abstinence symptoms and relapse risk and help to inform potential sex-specific treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Flook
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Brandee Feola
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Margaret M Benningfield
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Marisa M Silveri
- Neurodevelopmental Laboratory on Addictions and Mental Health, Brain Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Danny G Winder
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN, USA.,Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Jennifer Urbano Blackford
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN, USA.,Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
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28
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Giardino WJ, Pomrenze MB. Extended Amygdala Neuropeptide Circuitry of Emotional Arousal: Waking Up on the Wrong Side of the Bed Nuclei of Stria Terminalis. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:613025. [PMID: 33633549 PMCID: PMC7900561 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.613025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Sleep is fundamental to life, and poor sleep quality is linked to the suboptimal function of the neural circuits that process and respond to emotional stimuli. Wakefulness ("arousal") is chiefly regulated by circadian and homeostatic forces, but affective mood states also strongly impact the balance between sleep and wake. Considering the bidirectional relationships between sleep/wake changes and emotional dynamics, we use the term "emotional arousal" as a representative characteristic of the profound overlap between brain pathways that: (1) modulate wakefulness; (2) interpret emotional information; and (3) calibrate motivated behaviors. Interestingly, many emotional arousal circuits communicate using specialized signaling molecules called neuropeptides to broadly modify neural network activities. One major neuropeptide-enriched brain region that is critical for emotional processing and has been recently implicated in sleep regulation is the bed nuclei of stria terminalis (BNST), a core component of the extended amygdala (an anatomical term that also includes the central and medial amygdalae, nucleus accumbens shell, and transition zones betwixt). The BNST encompasses an astonishing diversity of cell types that differ across many features including spatial organization, molecular signature, biological sex and hormonal milieu, synaptic input, axonal output, neurophysiological communication mode, and functional role. Given this tremendous complexity, comprehensive elucidation of the BNST neuropeptide circuit mechanisms underlying emotional arousal presents an ambitious set of challenges. In this review, we describe how rigorous investigation of these unresolved questions may reveal key insights to enhancing psychiatric treatments and global psychological wellbeing.
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29
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Somatostatin Neurons of the Bed Nucleus of Stria Terminalis Enhance Associative Fear Memory Consolidation in Mice. J Neurosci 2021; 41:1982-1995. [PMID: 33468566 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1944-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Excessive fear learning and generalized, extinction-resistant fear memories are core symptoms of anxiety and trauma-related disorders. Despite significant evidence from clinical studies reporting hyperactivity of the bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BNST) under these conditions, the role of BNST in fear learning and expression is still not clarified. Here, we tested how BNST modulates fear learning in male mice using a chemogenetic approach. Activation of GABAergic neurons of BNST during fear conditioning or memory consolidation resulted in enhanced cue-related fear recall. Importantly, BNST activation had no acute impact on fear expression during conditioning or recalls, but it enhanced cue-related fear recall subsequently, potentially via altered activity of downstream regions. Enhanced fear memory consolidation could be replicated by selectively activating somatostatin (SOM), but not corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), neurons of the BNST, which was accompanied by increased fear generalization. Our findings suggest the significant modulation of fear memory strength by specific circuits of the BNST.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BNST) mediates different defensive behaviors, and its connections implicate its integrative modulatory role in fear memory formation; however, the involvement of BNST in fear learning has yet to be elucidated in detail. Our data highlight that BNST stimulation enhances fear memory formation without direct effects on fear expression. Our study identified somatostatin (SOM) cells within the extended amygdala as specific neurons promoting fear memory formation. These data underline the importance of anxiety circuits in maladaptive fear memory formation, indicating elevated BNST activity as a potential vulnerability factor to anxiety and trauma-related disorders.
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30
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Hammack SE, Braas KM, May V. Chemoarchitecture of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis: Neurophenotypic diversity and function. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2021; 179:385-402. [PMID: 34225977 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-819975-6.00025-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is a compact but neurophenotypically complex structure in the ventral forebrain that is structurally and functionally linked to other limbic structures, including the amygdala nuclear complex, hypothalamic nuclei, hippocampus, and related midbrain structures, to participate in a wide range of functions, especially emotion, emotional learning, stress-related responses, and sexual behaviors. From a variety of sensory inputs, the BNST acts as a node for signal integration and coordination for information relay to downstream central neuroendocrine and autonomic centers for appropriate homeostatic physiological and behavioral responses. In contrast to the role of the amygdala in fear, the BNST has gained wide interest from work suggesting that it has main roles in mediating sustained responses to diffuse, unpredictable and/or long-duration threats that are typically associated with anxiety-related responses. Further, some BNST subregions are highly sexually dimorphic which appear contributory to the differential stress and social interactive behaviors, including reproductive responses, between males and females. Notably, maladaptive BNST neuroplasticity and function have been implicated in chronic pain, depression, anxiety-related abnormalities, and other psychopathologies including posttraumatic stress disorders. The BNST circuits are predominantly GABAergic-the glutaminergic neurons represent a minor population-but the complexity of the system results from an overlay of diverse neuropeptide coexpression in these neurons. More than a dozen neuropeptides may be differentially coexpressed in BNST neurons, and from variable G protein-coupled receptor signaling, may inhibit or activate downstream circuit activities. The mechanisms and roles of these peptides in modulating intrinsic BNST neurocircuit signaling and BNST long-distance target cell projections are still not well understood. Nevertheless, an understanding of some of the principal players may allow assembly of the circuit interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayamwong E Hammack
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Karen M Braas
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Victor May
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, United States.
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31
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Lustberg D, Tillage RP, Bai Y, Pruitt M, Liles LC, Weinshenker D. Noradrenergic circuits in the forebrain control affective responses to novelty. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:3337-3355. [PMID: 32821984 PMCID: PMC7572912 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05615-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE In rodents, exposure to novel environments elicits initial anxiety-like behavior (neophobia) followed by intense exploration (neophilia) that gradually subsides as the environment becomes familiar. Thus, innate novelty-induced behaviors are useful indices of anxiety and motivation in animal models of psychiatric disease. Noradrenergic neurons are activated by novelty and implicated in exploratory and anxiety-like responses, but the role of norepinephrine (NE) in neophobia has not been clearly delineated. OBJECTIVE We sought to define the role of central NE transmission in neophilic and neophobic behaviors. METHODS We assessed dopamine β-hydroxylase knockout (Dbh -/-) mice lacking NE and their NE-competent (Dbh +/-) littermate controls in neophilic (novelty-induced locomotion; NIL) and neophobic (novelty-suppressed feeding; NSF) behavioral tests with subsequent quantification of brain-wide c-fos induction. We complimented the gene knockout approach with pharmacological interventions. RESULTS Dbh -/- mice exhibited blunted locomotor responses in the NIL task and completely lacked neophobia in the NSF test. Neophobia was rescued in Dbh -/- mice by acute pharmacological restoration of central NE with the synthetic precursor L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylserine (DOPS), and attenuated in control mice by the inhibitory α2-adrenergic autoreceptor agonist guanfacine. Following either NSF or NIL, Dbh -/- mice demonstrated reduced c-fos in the anterior cingulate cortex, medial septum, ventral hippocampus, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and basolateral amygdala. CONCLUSION These findings indicate that central NE signaling is required for the expression of both neophilic and neophobic behaviors. Further, we describe a putative noradrenergic novelty network as a potential therapeutic target for treating anxiety and substance abuse disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Lustberg
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Rachel P Tillage
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Yu Bai
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Molly Pruitt
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - L Cameron Liles
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - David Weinshenker
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
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Simpson S, Shankar K, Kimbrough A, George O. Role of corticotropin-releasing factor in alcohol and nicotine addiction. Brain Res 2020; 1740:146850. [PMID: 32330519 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2020.146850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2019] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The two most prevalent substance use disorders involve alcohol and nicotine, which are often co-abused. Robust preclinical and translational evidence indicates that individuals initiate drug use for the acute rewarding effects of the substance. The development of negative emotional states is key for the transition from recreational use to substance use disorders as subjects seek the substance to obtain relief from the negative emotional states of acute withdrawal and protracted abstinence. The neuropeptide corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is a major regulator of the brain stress system and key in the development of negative affective states. The present review examines the role of CRF in preclinical models of alcohol and nicotine abuse and explores links between CRF and anxiety-like, dysphoria-like, and other negative affective states. Finally, the present review discusses preclinical models of nicotine and alcohol use with regard to the CRF system, advances in molecular and genetic manipulations of CRF, and the importance of examining both males and females in this field of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sierra Simpson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States; Department of Neuroscience, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, United States
| | - Kokila Shankar
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States; Department of Neuroscience, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, United States
| | - Adam Kimbrough
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
| | - Olivier George
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States.
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33
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Beyeler A, Dabrowska J. Neuronal diversity of the amygdala and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. HANDBOOK OF BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2020; 26:63-100. [PMID: 32792868 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-815134-1.00003-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Beyeler
- Neurocentre Magendie, French National Institutes of Health (INSERM) unit 1215, Neurocampus of Bordeaux University, Bordeaux, France
| | - Joanna Dabrowska
- Center for the Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Discipline of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, The Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
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Donner NC, Mani S, Fitz SD, Kienzle DM, Shekhar A, Lowry CA. Crh receptor priming in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) induces tph2 gene expression in the dorsomedial dorsal raphe nucleus and chronic anxiety. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2020; 96:109730. [PMID: 31415826 PMCID: PMC6815726 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2019.109730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is a nodal structure in neural circuits controlling anxiety-related defensive behavioral responses. It contains neurons expressing the stress- and anxiety-related neuropeptide corticotropin-releasing hormone (Crh) as well as Crh receptors. Repeated daily subthreshold activation of Crh receptors in the BNST is known to induce a chronic anxiety-like state, but how this affects neurotransmitter-relevant gene expression in target regions of the BNST is still unclear. Since the BNST projects heavily to the dorsal raphe nucleus (DR), the main source of brain serotonin, we here tested the hypothesis that such repeated, anxiety-inducing activation of Crh receptors in the BNST alters the expression of serotonergic genes in the DR, including tph2, the gene encoding the rate-limiting enzyme for brain serotonin synthesis, and slc6a4, the gene encoding the serotonin transporter (SERT). For 5 days, adult male Wistar rats received daily, bilateral, intra-BNST microinjections of vehicle (1% bovine serum albumin in 0.9% saline, n = 11) or behaviorally subthreshold doses of urocortin 1 (Ucn1, n = 11), a potent Crh receptor agonist. Priming with Ucn1 increased tph2 mRNA expression selectively within the anxiety-related dorsal part of the DR (DRD) and decreased social interaction (SI) time, a measure of anxiety-related defensive behavioral responses in rodents. Decreased social interaction was strongly correlated with increased tph2 mRNA expression in the DRD. Together with previous studies, our data are consistent with the hypothesis that Crh-mediated control of the BNST/DRD-serotonergic system plays a key role in the development of chronic anxiety states, possibly also contributing to stress-induced relapses in drug abuse and addiction behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina C. Donner
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Sofia Mani
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Stephanie D. Fitz
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Drake M. Kienzle
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Anantha Shekhar
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
| | - Christopher A. Lowry
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA,Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA,Veterans Health Administration, Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Rocky Mountain Regional Veterans Affairs Medical Center (RMRVAMC), Aurora, CO 80045, USA,Military and Veteran Microbiome: Consortium for Research and Education, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
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Kovács LÁ, Berta G, Csernus V, Ujvári B, Füredi N, Gaszner B. Corticotropin-Releasing Factor-Producing Cells in the Paraventricular Nucleus of the Hypothalamus and Extended Amygdala Show Age-Dependent FOS and FOSB/DeltaFOSB Immunoreactivity in Acute and Chronic Stress Models in the Rat. Front Aging Neurosci 2019; 11:274. [PMID: 31649527 PMCID: PMC6794369 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) immunoreactive (ir) neurons of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) play pivotal role in the coordination of stress response. CRF-producing cells in the central nucleus of amygdala (CeA) and oval division of the bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BNSTov) are also involved in stress adaptation and mood control. Immediate early gene products, subunits of the transcription factor activator protein 1 (AP1) are commonly used as acute (FOS) and/or chronic (FOSB/deltaFOSB) markers for the neuronal activity in stress research. It is well known that the course of aging affects stress adaptation, but little is known about the aging-related stress sensitivity of CRF neurons. To the best of our knowledge, the stress-induced neuronal activity of CRF neurons in the course of aging in acute and chronic stress models was not studied systematically yet. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to quantify the acute restraint stress (ARS) and chronic variable mild stress (CVMS) evoked neuronal activity in CRF cells of the PVN, CeA, and BNSTov using triple-label immunofluorescence throughout the whole lifespan in the rat. We hypothesized that the FOS and FOSB content of CRF cells upon ARS or CVMS decreases with age. Our results showed that the FOS and FOSB response to ARS declined with age in the PVN-CRF cells. BNSTov and CeA CRF cells did not show remarkable stress-induced elevation of these markers neither in ARS, nor in CVMS. Exposure to CVMS resulted in an age-independent significant increase of FOSB/delta FOSB immunosignal in PVN-CRF neurons. Unexpectedly, we detected a remarkable stress-independent FOSB/deltaFOSB signal in CeA- and BNSTov-CRF cells that declined with the course of aging. In summary, PVN-CRF cells show decreasing acute stress sensitivity (i.e., FOS and FOSB immunoreactivity) with the course of aging, while their (FOSB/deltaFOSB) responsivity to chronic challenge is maintained till senescence. Stress exposure does not affect the occurrence of the examined Fos gene products in CeA- and BNSTov-CRF cells remarkably suggesting that their contribution to stress adaptation response does not require AP1-controlled transcriptional changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- László Á Kovács
- Department of Anatomy, University of Pécs Medical School, Pécs, Hungary.,Centre for Neuroscience, Pécs University, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Gergely Berta
- Department of Medical Biology and Central Electron Microscope Laboratory, University of Pécs Medical School, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Valér Csernus
- Department of Anatomy, University of Pécs Medical School, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Balázs Ujvári
- Department of Anatomy, University of Pécs Medical School, Pécs, Hungary.,Centre for Neuroscience, Pécs University, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Nóra Füredi
- Department of Anatomy, University of Pécs Medical School, Pécs, Hungary.,Centre for Neuroscience, Pécs University, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Balázs Gaszner
- Department of Anatomy, University of Pécs Medical School, Pécs, Hungary.,Centre for Neuroscience, Pécs University, Pécs, Hungary
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Hupalo S, Bryce CA, Bangasser DA, Berridge CW, Valentino RJ, Floresco SB. Corticotropin-Releasing Factor (CRF) circuit modulation of cognition and motivation. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 103:50-59. [PMID: 31212019 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2018] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The neuropeptide, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), is a key modulator of physiological, endocrine, and behavioral responses during stress. Dysfunction of the CRF system has been observed in stress-related affective disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety. Beyond affective symptoms, these disorders are also characterized by impaired cognition, for which current pharmacological treatments are lacking. Thus, there is a need for pro-cognitive treatments to improve quality of life for individuals suffering from mental illness. In this review, we highlight research demonstrating that CRF elicits potent modulatory effects on higher-order cognition via actions within the prefrontal cortex and subcortical monoaminergic and cholinergic systems. Additionally, we identify questions for future preclinical research on this topic, such as the need to investigate sex differences in the cognitive and microcircuit actions of CRF, and whether CRF may represent a pharmacological target to treat cognitive dysfunction. Addressing these questions will provide new insight into pathophysiology underlying cognitive dysfunction and may lead to improved treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofiya Hupalo
- Integrative Neuroscience Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States.
| | - Courtney A Bryce
- Department of Psychology and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Debra A Bangasser
- Psychology Department and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, United States
| | - Craig W Berridge
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, United States
| | - Rita J Valentino
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
| | - Stan B Floresco
- Department of Psychology and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Chronic stress induces cell type-selective transcriptomic and electrophysiological changes in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Neuropharmacology 2019; 150:80-90. [PMID: 30878403 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Revised: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/09/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Distinct regions and cell types in the anterolateral group of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNSTALG) act to modulate anxiety in opposing ways. A history of chronic stress increases anxiety-like behavior with lasting electrophysiological effects on the BNSTALG. However, the opposing circuits within the BNSTALG suggest that stress may have differential effects on the individual cell types that comprise these circuits to shift the balance to favor anxiogenesis. Yet, the effects of stress are generally examined by treating all neurons within a particular region of the BNST as a homogenoeus population. We used patch-clamp electrophysiology and single-cell quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (scRT-PCR) to determine how chronic shock stress (CSS) affects electrophysiological and neurochemical properties of Type I, Type II, and Type III neurons in the BNSTALG. We report that CSS resulted in changes in the input resistance, time constant, action potential waveform, and firing rate of Type III but not Type I or II neurons. Additionally, only the Type III neurons exhibited an increase in Crf mRNA and a decrease in striatal-enriched protein tyrosine phosphatase (Ptpn5) mRNA after CSS. In contrast, only non-Type III cells showed a reduction in calcium-permeable AMPA receptor (CP-AMPAR) current and changes in mRNA expression of genes encoding AMPA receptor subunits after CSS. Importantly, none of the effects of CSS observed were seen in all cell types. Our results suggest that Type III neurons play a unique role in the BNSTALG circuit and represent a population of CRF neurons particularly sensitive to chronic stress.
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Martinon D, Lis P, Roman AN, Tornesi P, Applebey SV, Buechner G, Olivera V, Dabrowska J. Oxytocin receptors in the dorsolateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) bias fear learning toward temporally predictable cued fear. Transl Psychiatry 2019; 9:140. [PMID: 31000694 PMCID: PMC6472379 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-019-0474-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Revised: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The inability to discriminate between threat and safety is a hallmark of stress-induced psychiatric disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder. Dorsolateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNSTdl) is critically involved in the modulation of fear and anxiety, and has been proposed to regulate discrimination between signaled (cued, predictable) and unsignaled (unpredictable) threats. We recently showed that oxytocin receptors (OTRs) in the BNSTdl facilitate acquisition of cued fear measured in a fear-potentiated startle (FPS). In the current study, using in vivo microdialysis in awake male Sprague-Dawley rats, a double immunofluorescence approach with confocal microscopy, as well as retrograde tracing of hypothalamic BNST-projecting OT neurons, we investigated whether fear conditioning activates OT system and modulates OT release. To determine the role of OTR in fear memory formation, we also infused OTR antagonist or OT into the BNSTdl before fear conditioning and measured rats' ability to discriminate between cued (signaled) and non-cued (unsignaled) fear using FPS. In contrast to acute stress (exposure to forced swim stress or foot shocks alone), cued fear conditioning increases OT content in BNSTdl microdialysates. In addition, fear conditioning induces moderate activation of OT neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and robust activation in the supraoptic and accessory nuclei of the hypothalamus. Application of OT into the BNSTdl facilitates fear learning toward signaled, predictable threats, whereas blocking OTR attenuates this effect. We conclude that OTR neurotransmission in the BNSTdl plays a pivotal role in strengthening fear learning of temporally predictable, signaled threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisy Martinon
- 0000 0004 0388 7807grid.262641.5Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064 USA
| | - Paulina Lis
- 0000 0004 0388 7807grid.262641.5Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064 USA
| | - Alexandra N. Roman
- 0000 0004 0388 7807grid.262641.5Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064 USA
| | - Patricio Tornesi
- 0000 0004 0388 7807grid.262641.5Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064 USA
| | - Sarah V. Applebey
- 0000 0004 0388 7807grid.262641.5Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064 USA
| | - Garrett Buechner
- 0000 0004 0388 7807grid.262641.5Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064 USA
| | - Valentina Olivera
- 0000 0004 0388 7807grid.262641.5Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064 USA ,0000 0004 0388 7807grid.262641.5Center for the Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064 USA ,0000 0004 0388 7807grid.262641.5School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064 USA
| | - Joanna Dabrowska
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA. .,Center for the Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA. .,School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA.
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Smithers HE, Terry JR, Brown JT, Randall AD. Sex-associated differences in excitability within the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis are reflective of cell-type. Neurobiol Stress 2019; 10:100143. [PMID: 30937349 PMCID: PMC6430407 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2018.100143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Revised: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is a sexually dimorphic brain region which plays a key role in stress, anxiety, and anxiety-related disorders. Human females have an increased susceptibility to anxiety-related disorders, however the physiological basis of this is not fully understood. Here we examined the effect of the oestrous cycle and sex on the electrophysiological properties of Type I and Type II cells in the anterolateral area of the BNST (BNSTALG) in unstressed animals. There was no significant effect of oestrous cycle on any of the parameters examined in either cell type. Compared to males, the female cohort had lower capacitance in Type I cells while having a higher capacitance in Type II cells. Type II cells also displayed decreased excitability in the female cohort. In order to confirm the effect of these populations on stress and anxiety, a correlation with behaviour on the elevated zero maze was carried out. We observed that increased excitability in Type II neurons correlated with a decrease in anxiety-like behaviour. These sex-specific differences in excitability may contribute to altered susceptibility to anxiety-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah E. Smithers
- Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, Hatherly Laboratory, Exeter, EX4 4PS, UK
| | - John R. Terry
- College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter, Living Systems Institute, EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Jonathan T. Brown
- Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, Hatherly Laboratory, Exeter, EX4 4PS, UK
| | - Andrew D. Randall
- Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, Hatherly Laboratory, Exeter, EX4 4PS, UK
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40
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Cell-type specific parallel circuits in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and the central nucleus of the amygdala of the mouse. Brain Struct Funct 2019; 224:1067-1095. [PMID: 30610368 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-018-01825-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The central extended amygdala (EAc) is a forebrain macrosystem which has been widely implicated in reward, fear, anxiety, and pain. Its two key structures, the lateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BSTL) and the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA), share similar mesoscale connectivity. However, it is not known whether they also share similar cell-specific neuronal circuits. We addressed this question using tract-tracing and immunofluorescence to reveal the EAc microcircuits involving two neuronal populations expressing either protein kinase C delta (PKCδ) or somatostatin (SOM). PKCδ and SOM are expressed predominantly in the dorsal BSTL (BSTLD) and in the lateral/capsular parts of CeA (CeL/C). We found that, in both BSTLD and CeL/C, PKCδ+ cells are the main recipient of extra-EAc inputs from the lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPB), while SOM+ cells constitute the main source of long-range projections to extra-EAc targets, including LPB and periaqueductal gray. PKCδ+ cells can also integrate inputs from the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala or insular cortex. Within EAc, PKCδ+, but not SOM+ neurons, serve as the major source of inputs to the ventral BSTL and to the medial part of CeA. However, both cell types can be involved in mutual connections between BSTLD and CeL/C. These results unveil the pivotal positions of PKCδ+ and SOM+ neurons in organizing parallel cell-specific neuronal circuits within CeA and BSTL, but also between them, which further reinforce the notion of EAc as a structural and functional macrosystem.
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41
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Schreiber AL, McGinn MA, Edwards S, Gilpin NW. Predator odor stress blunts alcohol conditioned aversion. Neuropharmacology 2019; 144:82-90. [PMID: 30336151 PMCID: PMC6286202 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Revised: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder is highly co-morbid with traumatic stress disorders in humans, and dually diagnosed individuals cite negative affective symptoms as a primary reason for drinking alcohol. Therefore, it is reasonable to hypothesize that traumatic stress history increases the rewarding properties and/or blunts the aversive properties of alcohol. We used a place conditioning procedure to test the rewarding/aversive properties of alcohol in adult male Wistar rats with or without a traumatic stress (i.e., predator odor exposure) history, and with or without an alcohol drinking history. Because extended amygdala regions have documented roles in stress, reward, and stress-induced changes in reward, we also tested the effect of acute alcohol on CREB phosphorylation (pCREB) and striatal-enriched protein tyrosine phosphatase (STEP) expression in central amygdala (CeA) and bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BNST). Our results show that a moderate alcohol dose (1.0 g/kg) produces conditioned place aversion (CPA) that is blunted by stress history but is not affected by alcohol drinking history, and this effect differed in pair-housed versus single-housed rats. Stress history reduced pCREB expression in BNST of rats with and without an alcohol drinking history. Finally, acute alcohol effects on pCREB and STEP expression in CeA were positively associated with preference for the alcohol-paired chamber. These data suggest that stress history reduces the aversive properties of moderate alcohol doses, and that alcohol aversion is associated with acute alcohol effects on pCREB and STEP expression in the extended amygdala.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allyson L Schreiber
- Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, United States
| | - M Adrienne McGinn
- Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, United States
| | - Scott Edwards
- Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, United States; Neuroscience Center of Excellence, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, New Orleans, LA, 70112, United States
| | - Nicholas W Gilpin
- Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, United States; Neuroscience Center of Excellence, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, New Orleans, LA, 70112, United States.
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42
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Ch'ng S, Fu J, Brown RM, McDougall SJ, Lawrence AJ. The intersection of stress and reward: BNST modulation of aversive and appetitive states. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2018; 87:108-125. [PMID: 29330137 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Revised: 12/27/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is widely acknowledged as a brain structure that regulates stress and anxiety states, as well as aversive and appetitive behaviours. The diverse roles of the BNST are afforded by its highly modular organisation, neurochemical heterogeneity, and complex intrinsic and extrinsic circuitry. There has been growing interest in the BNST in relation to psychopathologies such as anxiety and addiction. Although research on the human BNST is still in its infancy, there have been extensive preclinical studies examining the molecular signature and hodology of the BNST and their involvement in stress and reward seeking behaviour. This review examines the neurochemical phenotype and connectivity of the BNST, as well as electrophysiological correlates of plasticity in the BNST mediated by stress and/or drugs of abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Ch'ng
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Jingjing Fu
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Robyn M Brown
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Stuart J McDougall
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Andrew J Lawrence
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.
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Females are less sensitive than males to the motivational- and dopamine-suppressing effects of kappa opioid receptor activation. Neuropharmacology 2018; 146:231-241. [PMID: 30528327 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Revised: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The neuropeptide dynorphin (DYN) activates kappa opioid receptors (KORs) in the brain to produce depressive-like states and decrease motivation. KOR-mediated suppression of dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) is considered one underlying mechanism. We previously showed that, regardless of estrous cycle stage, female rats are less sensitive than males to KOR agonist-mediated decreases in motivation to respond for brain stimulation reward, measured with intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS). However, the explicit roles of KORs, circulating gonadal hormones, and their interaction with dopamine signaling in motivated behavior are not known. As such, we measured the effects of the KOR agonist U50,488 on ICSS stimulation thresholds before and after gonadectomy (or sham surgery). We found that ovariectomized females remained less sensitive than sham or castrated males to KOR-mediated decreases in brain stimulation reward, indicating that circulating gonadal hormones do not play a role. We used qRT-PCR to examine whether sex differences in gene expression in limbic brain regions are associated with behavioral sex differences. We found no sex differences in Pdyn or Oprk1 mRNA in the NAc and ventral tegmental area (VTA), but tyrosine hydroxylase (Th) mRNA was significantly higher in female compared to male VTA. To further explore sex-differences in KOR-mediated suppression of dopamine, we used fast scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) and demonstrated that U50,488 was less effective in suppressing evoked NAc dopamine release in females compared to males. These data raise the possibility that females are protected from KOR-mediated decreases in motivation by an increased capacity to produce and release dopamine.
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Stanton CH, Holmes AJ, Chang SWC, Joormann J. From Stress to Anhedonia: Molecular Processes through Functional Circuits. Trends Neurosci 2018; 42:23-42. [PMID: 30327143 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2018.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2018] [Revised: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Converging evidence across species highlights the contribution of environmental stress to anhedonia (loss of pleasure and/or motivation). However, despite a clear link between stress and the emergence of anhedonic-like behavior in both human and animal models, the underlying biological pathways remain elusive. Here, we synthesize recent findings across multiple levels, from molecular signaling pathways through whole-brain networks, to discuss mechanisms through which stress may influence anhedonia. Recent work suggests the involvement of diverse systems that converge on the mesolimbic reward pathway, including medial-prefrontal cortical circuitry, neuroendocrine stress responses, homeostatic energy regulation systems, and inflammation. We conclude by emphasizing the need to disentangle the influences of key dimensions of stress on specific aspects of reward processing, taking into account individual differences that could moderate this relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin H Stanton
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
| | - Avram J Holmes
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Steve W C Chang
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Jutta Joormann
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
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45
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Janeček M, Dabrowska J. Oxytocin facilitates adaptive fear and attenuates anxiety responses in animal models and human studies-potential interaction with the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) system in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). Cell Tissue Res 2018; 375:143-172. [PMID: 30054732 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-018-2889-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Despite its relatively well-understood role as a reproductive and pro-social peptide, oxytocin (OT) tells a more convoluted story in terms of its modulation of fear and anxiety. This nuanced story has been obscured by a great deal of research into the therapeutic applications of exogenous OT, driving more than 400 ongoing clinical trials. Drawing from animal models and human studies, we review the complex evidence concerning OT's role in fear learning and anxiety, clarifying the existing confusion about modulation of fear versus anxiety. We discuss animal models and human studies demonstrating the prevailing role of OT in strengthening fear memory to a discrete signal or cue, which allows accurate and rapid threat detection that facilitates survival. We also review ostensibly contrasting behavioral studies that nonetheless provide compelling evidence of OT attenuating sustained contextual fear and anxiety-like behavior, arguing that these OT effects on the modulation of fear vs. anxiety are not mutually exclusive. To disambiguate how endogenous OT modulates fear and anxiety, an understudied area compared to exogenous OT, we survey behavioral studies utilizing OT receptor (OTR) antagonists. Based on emerging evidence about the role of OTR in rat dorsolateral bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BNST) and elsewhere, we postulate that OT plays a critical role in facilitating accurate discrimination between stimuli representing threat and safety. Supported by human studies, we demonstrate that OT uniquely facilitates adaptive fear but reduces maladaptive anxiety. Last, we explore the limited literature on endogenous OT and its interaction with corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) with a special emphasis on the dorsolateral BNST, which may hold the key to the neurobiology of phasic fear and sustained anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Janeček
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA
| | - Joanna Dabrowska
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA. .,Department of Neuroscience, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA.
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Kelly EA, Fudge JL. The neuroanatomic complexity of the CRF and DA systems and their interface: What we still don't know. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 90:247-259. [PMID: 29704516 PMCID: PMC5993645 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Revised: 04/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is a neuropeptide that mediates the stress response. Long known to contribute to regulation of the adrenal stress response initiated in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis (HPA), a complex pattern of extrahypothalamic CRF expression is also described in rodents and primates. Cross-talk between the CRF and midbrain dopamine (DA) systems links the stress response to DA regulation. Classically CRF + cells in the extended amygdala and paraventricular nucleus (PVN) are considered the main source of this input, principally targeting the ventral tegmental area (VTA). However, the anatomic complexity of both the DA and CRF system has been increasingly elaborated in the last decade. The DA neurons are now recognized as having diverse molecular, connectional and physiologic properties, predicted by their anatomic location. At the same time, the broad distribution of CRF cells in the brain has been increasingly delineated using different species and techniques. Here, we review updated information on both CRF localization and newer conceptualizations of the DA system to reconsider the CRF-DA interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- E A Kelly
- University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, The Ernest J Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - J L Fudge
- University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, The Ernest J Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, Rochester, NY, United States; University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, The Ernest J Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Rochester, NY, United States.
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Martinon D, Dabrowska J. Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Receptors Modulate Oxytocin Release in the Dorsolateral Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis (BNST) in Male Rats. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:183. [PMID: 29618970 PMCID: PMC5871712 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) plays an important role in the regulation of social and anxiety-like behavior. Our previous studies have shown that OT neurons send projections from the hypothalamus to the dorsolateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNSTdl), a forebrain region critically involved in the modulation of anxiety-like behavior. Importantly, these OT terminals in the BNSTdl express presynaptic corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) receptor type 2 (CRFR2). This suggests that CRFR2 might be involved in the modulation of OT release. To test this hypothesis, we measured OT content in microdialysates collected from the BNSTdl of freely-moving male Sprague-Dawley rats following the administration of a selective CRFR2 agonist (Urocortin 3) or antagonist (Astressin 2B, As2B). To determine if type 1 CRF receptors (CRFR1) are also involved, we used selective CRFR1 antagonist (NBI35965) as well as CRF, a putative ligand of both CRFR1 and CRFR2. All compounds were delivered directly into the BNSTdl via reverse dialysis. OT content in the microdialysates was measured with highly sensitive and selective radioimmunoassay. Blocking CRFR2 with As2B caused an increase in OT content in BNSTdl microdialysates, whereas CRFR2 activation by Urocortin 3 did not have an effect. The As2B-induced increase in OT release was blocked by application of the CRFR1 antagonist demonstrating that the effect was dependent on CRFR1 transmission. Interestingly, CRF alone caused a delayed increase in OT content in BNSTdl microdialysates, which was dependent on CRF2 but not CRF1 receptors. Our results suggest that members of the CRF peptide family modulate OT release in the BNSTdl via a fine-tuned mechanism that involves both CRFR1 and CRFR2. Further exploration of mechanisms by which endogenous OT system is modulated by CRF peptide family is needed to better understand the role of these neuropeptides in the regulation of anxiety and the stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisy Martinon
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Joanna Dabrowska
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
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Corticotropin-Releasing Factor (CRF) Neurocircuitry and Neuropharmacology in Alcohol Drinking. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2018; 248:435-471. [PMID: 29374836 DOI: 10.1007/164_2017_86] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use is pervasive in the United States. In the transition from nonhazardous drinking to hazardous drinking and alcohol use disorder, neuroadaptations occur within brain reward and brain stress systems. One brain signaling system that has received much attention in animal models of excessive alcohol drinking and alcohol dependence is corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF). The CRF system is composed of CRF, the urocortins, CRF-binding protein, and two receptors - CRF type 1 and CRF type 2. This review summarizes how acute, binge, and chronic alcohol dysregulates CRF signaling in hypothalamic and extra-hypothalamic brain regions and how this dysregulation may contribute to changes in alcohol reinforcement, excessive alcohol consumption, symptoms of negative affect during withdrawal, and alcohol relapse. In addition, it summarizes clinical work examining CRF type 1 receptor antagonists in humans and discusses why the brain CRF system is still relevant in alcohol research.
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Goode TD, Maren S. Role of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis in aversive learning and memory. Learn Mem 2017; 24:480-491. [PMID: 28814474 PMCID: PMC5580527 DOI: 10.1101/lm.044206.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Surviving threats in the environment requires brain circuits for detecting (or anticipating) danger and for coordinating appropriate defensive responses (e.g., increased cardiac output, stress hormone release, and freezing behavior). The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is a critical interface between the "affective forebrain"-including the amygdala, ventral hippocampus, and medial prefrontal cortex-and the hypothalamic and brainstem areas that have been implicated in neuroendocrine, autonomic, and behavioral responses to actual or anticipated threats. However, the precise contribution of the BNST to defensive behavior is unclear, both in terms of the antecedent stimuli that mobilize BNST activity and the consequent defensive reactions. For example, it is well known that the BNST is essential for contextual fear conditioning, but dispensable for fear conditioning to discrete conditioned stimuli (CSs), at least as indexed by freezing behavior. However, recent evidence suggests that there are circumstances in which contextual freezing may persist independent of the BNST. Furthermore, the BNST is involved in the reinstatement (or relapse) of conditioned freezing to extinguished discrete CSs. As such, there are critical gaps in understanding how the BNST contributes to fundamental processes involved in Pavlovian fear conditioning. Here, we attempt to provide an integrative account of BNST function in fear conditioning. We discuss distinctions between unconditioned stress and conditioned fear and the role of BNST circuits in organizing behaviors associated with these states. We propose that the BNST mediates conditioned defensive responses-not based on the modality or duration of the antecedent threat or the duration of the behavioral response to the threat-but rather as consequence the ability of an antecedent stimulus to predict when an aversive outcome will occur (i.e., its temporal predictability). We argue that the BNST is not uniquely mobilized by sustained threats or uniquely involved in organizing sustained fear responses. In contrast, we argue that the BNST is involved in organizing fear responses to stimuli that poorly predict when danger will occur, no matter the duration, modality, or complexity of those stimuli. The concepts discussed in this review are critical to understanding the contribution of the human BNST to fear and anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Travis D Goode
- Institute for Neuroscience and the Department of Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-3474, USA
| | - Stephen Maren
- Institute for Neuroscience and the Department of Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-3474, USA
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Moaddab M, Dabrowska J. Oxytocin receptor neurotransmission in the dorsolateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis facilitates the acquisition of cued fear in the fear-potentiated startle paradigm in rats. Neuropharmacology 2017; 121:130-139. [PMID: 28456687 PMCID: PMC5553312 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.04.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Revised: 04/04/2017] [Accepted: 04/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) is a hypothalamic neuropeptide that modulates fear and anxiety-like behaviors. Dorsolateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNSTdl) plays a critical role in the regulation of fear and anxiety, and expresses high levels of OT receptor (OTR). However, the role of OTR neurotransmission within the BNSTdl in mediating these behaviors is unknown. Here, we used adult male Sprague-Dawley rats to investigate the role of OTR neurotransmission in the BNSTdl in the modulation of the acoustic startle response, as well as in the acquisition and consolidation of conditioned fear using fear potentiated startle (FPS) paradigm. Bilateral intra-BNSTdl administration of OT (100 ng) did not affect the acquisition of conditioned fear response. However, intra-BNSTdl administration of specific OTR antagonist (OTA), (d(CH2)51, Tyr(Me)2, Thr4, Orn8, des-Gly-NH29)-vasotocin, (200 ng), prior to the fear conditioning session, impaired the acquisition of cued fear, without affecting a non-cued fear component of FPS. Neither OTA, nor OT affected baseline startle or shock reactivity during fear conditioning. Therefore, the observed impairment of cued fear after OTA infusion resulted from the specific effect on the formation of cued fear. In contrast to the acquisition, neither OTA nor OT affected the consolidation of FPS, when administered after the completion of fear conditioning session. Taken together, these results reveal the important role of OTR neurotransmission in the BNSTdl in the formation of conditioned fear to a discrete cue. This study also highlights the role of the BNSTdl in learning to discriminate between threatening and safe stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahsa Moaddab
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA
| | - Joanna Dabrowska
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA.
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