1
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Ghasemahmad Z, Mrvelj A, Panditi R, Sharma B, Perumal KD, Wenstrup JJ. Emotional vocalizations alter behaviors and neurochemical release into the amygdala. eLife 2024; 12:RP88838. [PMID: 39008352 PMCID: PMC11249735 DOI: 10.7554/elife.88838] [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] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The basolateral amygdala (BLA), a brain center of emotional expression, contributes to acoustic communication by first interpreting the meaning of social sounds in the context of the listener's internal state, then organizing the appropriate behavioral responses. We propose that modulatory neurochemicals such as acetylcholine (ACh) and dopamine (DA) provide internal-state signals to the BLA while an animal listens to social vocalizations. We tested this in a vocal playback experiment utilizing highly affective vocal sequences associated with either mating or restraint, then sampled and analyzed fluids within the BLA for a broad range of neurochemicals and observed behavioral responses of adult male and female mice. In male mice, playback of restraint vocalizations increased ACh release and usually decreased DA release, while playback of mating sequences evoked the opposite neurochemical release patterns. In non-estrus female mice, patterns of ACh and DA release with mating playback were similar to males. Estrus females, however, showed increased ACh, associated with vigilance, as well as increased DA, associated with reward-seeking. Experimental groups that showed increased ACh release also showed the largest increases in an aversive behavior. These neurochemical release patterns and several behavioral responses depended on a single prior experience with the mating and restraint behaviors. Our results support a model in which ACh and DA provide contextual information to sound analyzing BLA neurons that modulate their output to downstream brain regions controlling behavioral responses to social vocalizations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Ghasemahmad
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology and Hearing Research Group, Northeast Ohio Medical UniversityRootstownUnited States
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State UniversityKentUnited States
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State UniversityKentUnited States
| | - Aaron Mrvelj
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology and Hearing Research Group, Northeast Ohio Medical UniversityRootstownUnited States
| | - Rishitha Panditi
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology and Hearing Research Group, Northeast Ohio Medical UniversityRootstownUnited States
| | - Bhavya Sharma
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology and Hearing Research Group, Northeast Ohio Medical UniversityRootstownUnited States
| | - Karthic Drishna Perumal
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology and Hearing Research Group, Northeast Ohio Medical UniversityRootstownUnited States
| | - Jeffrey J Wenstrup
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology and Hearing Research Group, Northeast Ohio Medical UniversityRootstownUnited States
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State UniversityKentUnited States
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State UniversityKentUnited States
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2
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Pastor V, Medina JH. α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in memory processing. Eur J Neurosci 2024; 59:2138-2154. [PMID: 36634032 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Information storage in the brain involves different memory types and stages that are processed by several brain regions. Cholinergic pathways through acetylcholine receptors actively participate on memory modulation, and their disfunction is associated with cognitive decline in several neurological disorders. During the last decade, the role of α7 subtype of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in different memory stages has been studied. However, the information about their role in memory processing is still scarce. In this review, we attempt to identify brain areas where α7 nicotinic receptors have an essential role in different memory types and stages. In addition, we discuss recent work implicating-or not-α7 nicotinic receptors as promising pharmacological targets for memory impairment associated with neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Pastor
- Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia "Prof. Eduardo De Robertis" (IBCN), CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Ciencias Fisiológicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jorge H Medina
- Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia "Prof. Eduardo De Robertis" (IBCN), CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires (ITBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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3
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McDonald AJ. Functional neuroanatomy of basal forebrain projections to the basolateral amygdala: Transmitters, receptors, and neuronal subpopulations. J Neurosci Res 2024; 102:e25318. [PMID: 38491847 PMCID: PMC10948038 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25318] [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: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
The projections of the basal forebrain (BF) to the hippocampus and neocortex have been extensively studied and shown to be important for higher cognitive functions, including attention, learning, and memory. Much less is known about the BF projections to the basolateral nuclear complex of the amygdala (BNC), although the cholinergic innervation of this region by the BF is actually far more robust than that of cortical areas. This review will focus on light and electron microscopic tract-tracing and immunohistochemical (IHC) studies, many of which were published in the last decade, that have analyzed the relationship of BF inputs and their receptors to specific neuronal subtypes in the BNC in order to better understand the anatomical substrates of BF-BNC circuitry. The results indicate that BF inputs to the BNC mainly target the basolateral nucleus of the BNC (BL) and arise from cholinergic, GABAergic, and perhaps glutamatergic BF neurons. Cholinergic inputs mainly target dendrites and spines of pyramidal neurons (PNs) that express muscarinic receptors (MRs). MRs are also expressed by cholinergic axons, as well as cortical and thalamic axons that synapse with PN dendrites and spines. BF GABAergic axons to the BL also express MRs and mainly target BL interneurons that contain parvalbumin. It is suggested that BF-BL circuitry could be very important for generating rhythmic oscillations known to be critical for emotional learning. BF cholinergic inputs to the BNC might also contribute to memory formation by activating M1 receptors located on PN dendritic shafts and spines that also express NMDA receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Joseph McDonald
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
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4
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Ortiz-Guzman J, Swanson JL, Tantry EK, Kochukov M, Ung K, Addison AP, Srivastava S, Belfort BD, Ji E, Dooling SW, Chen SA, Tong Q, Arenkiel BR. Cholinergic Basal Forebrain Connectivity to the Basolateral Amygdala Modulates Food Intake. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0369-23.2024. [PMID: 38383587 PMCID: PMC10915460 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0369-23.2024] [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: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Obesity results from excessive caloric input associated with overeating and presents a major public health challenge. The hypothalamus has received significant attention for its role in governing feeding behavior and body weight homeostasis. However, extrahypothalamic brain circuits also regulate appetite and consumption by altering sensory perception, motivation, and reward. We recently discovered a population of basal forebrain cholinergic (BFc) neurons that regulate appetite suppression. Through viral tracing methods in the mouse model, we found that BFc neurons densely innervate the basolateral amygdala (BLA), a limbic structure involved in motivated behaviors. Using channelrhodopsin-assisted circuit mapping, we identified cholinergic responses in BLA neurons following BFc circuit manipulations. Furthermore, in vivo acetylcholine sensor and genetically encoded calcium indicator imaging within the BLA (using GACh3 and GCaMP, respectively) revealed selective response patterns of activity during feeding. Finally, through optogenetic manipulations in vivo, we found that increased cholinergic signaling from the BFc to the BLA suppresses appetite and food intake. Together, these data support a model in which cholinergic signaling from the BFc to the BLA directly influences appetite and feeding behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Ortiz-Guzman
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Jessica L Swanson
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Evelyne K Tantry
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Mikhail Kochukov
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Kevin Ung
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Angela P Addison
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Snigdha Srivastava
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Benjamin D Belfort
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Emily Ji
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Sean W Dooling
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Sarah A Chen
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Qingchun Tong
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy of McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas 77030
- Brown Foundation of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases of McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Benjamin R Arenkiel
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
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5
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Kimchi EY, Burgos-Robles A, Matthews GA, Chakoma T, Patarino M, Weddington JC, Siciliano C, Yang W, Foutch S, Simons R, Fong MF, Jing M, Li Y, Polley DB, Tye KM. Reward contingency gates selective cholinergic suppression of amygdala neurons. eLife 2024; 12:RP89093. [PMID: 38376907 PMCID: PMC10942609 DOI: 10.7554/elife.89093] [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] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Basal forebrain cholinergic neurons modulate how organisms process and respond to environmental stimuli through impacts on arousal, attention, and memory. It is unknown, however, whether basal forebrain cholinergic neurons are directly involved in conditioned behavior, independent of secondary roles in the processing of external stimuli. Using fluorescent imaging, we found that cholinergic neurons are active during behavioral responding for a reward - even prior to reward delivery and in the absence of discrete stimuli. Photostimulation of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons, or their terminals in the basolateral amygdala (BLA), selectively promoted conditioned responding (licking), but not unconditioned behavior nor innate motor outputs. In vivo electrophysiological recordings during cholinergic photostimulation revealed reward-contingency-dependent suppression of BLA neural activity, but not prefrontal cortex. Finally, ex vivo experiments demonstrated that photostimulation of cholinergic terminals suppressed BLA projection neuron activity via monosynaptic muscarinic receptor signaling, while also facilitating firing in BLA GABAergic interneurons. Taken together, we show that the neural and behavioral effects of basal forebrain cholinergic activation are modulated by reward contingency in a target-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eyal Y Kimchi
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
- Department of Neurology, Northwestern UniversityChicagoUnited States
| | - Anthony Burgos-Robles
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
- The Department of Neuroscience, Developmental, and Regenerative Biology, Neuroscience Institute & Brain Health Consortium, University of Texas at San AntonioSan AntonioUnited States
| | - Gillian A Matthews
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Tatenda Chakoma
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Makenzie Patarino
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Javier C Weddington
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Cody Siciliano
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt UniversityNashvilleUnited States
| | - Wannan Yang
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Shaun Foutch
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Renee Simons
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Ming-fai Fong
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
- Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech & Emory UniversityAtlantaUnited States
| | - Miao Jing
- Chinese Institute for Brain ResearchBeijingChina
| | - Yulong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences; PKUIDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Daniel B Polley
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and EarBostonUnited States
- Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Kay M Tye
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
- HHMI Investigator, Member of the Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, and Wylie Vale Professor at the Salk Institute for Biological StudiesLa JollaUnited States
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6
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Vallés AS, Barrantes FJ. Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Dysfunction in Addiction and in Some Neurodegenerative and Neuropsychiatric Diseases. Cells 2023; 12:2051. [PMID: 37626860 PMCID: PMC10453526 DOI: 10.3390/cells12162051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The cholinergic system plays an essential role in brain development, physiology, and pathophysiology. Herein, we review how specific alterations in this system, through genetic mutations or abnormal receptor function, can lead to aberrant neural circuitry that triggers disease. The review focuses on the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) and its role in addiction and in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases and epilepsy. Cholinergic dysfunction is associated with inflammatory processes mainly through the involvement of α7 nAChRs expressed in brain and in peripheral immune cells. Evidence suggests that these neuroinflammatory processes trigger and aggravate pathological states. We discuss the preclinical evidence demonstrating the therapeutic potential of nAChR ligands in Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, and in autosomal dominant sleep-related hypermotor epilepsy. PubMed and Google Scholar bibliographic databases were searched with the keywords indicated below.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Sofía Vallés
- Bahía Blanca Institute of Biochemical Research (UNS-CONICET), Bahía Blanca 8000, Argentina;
| | - Francisco J. Barrantes
- Biomedical Research Institute (BIOMED), Faculty of Medical Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina—National Scientific and Technical Research Council, Av. Alicia Moreau de Justo 1600, Buenos Aires C1107AFF, Argentina
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7
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Kouhnavardi S, Cabatic M, Mañas-Padilla MC, Malabanan MA, Smani T, Cicvaric A, Muñoz Aranzalez EA, Koenig X, Urban E, Lubec G, Castilla-Ortega E, Monje FJ. miRNA-132/212 Deficiency Disrupts Selective Corticosterone Modulation of Dorsal vs. Ventral Hippocampal Metaplasticity. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:9565. [PMID: 37298523 PMCID: PMC10253409 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119565] [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: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Cortisol is a potent human steroid hormone that plays key roles in the central nervous system, influencing processes such as brain neuronal synaptic plasticity and regulating the expression of emotional and behavioral responses. The relevance of cortisol stands out in the disease, as its dysregulation is associated with debilitating conditions such as Alzheimer's Disease, chronic stress, anxiety and depression. Among other brain regions, cortisol importantly influences the function of the hippocampus, a structure central for memory and emotional information processing. The mechanisms fine-tuning the different synaptic responses of the hippocampus to steroid hormone signaling remain, however, poorly understood. Using ex vivo electrophysiology and wild type (WT) and miR-132/miR-212 microRNAs knockout (miRNA-132/212-/-) mice, we examined the effects of corticosterone (the rodent's equivalent to cortisol in humans) on the synaptic properties of the dorsal and ventral hippocampus. In WT mice, corticosterone predominantly inhibited metaplasticity in the dorsal WT hippocampi, whereas it significantly dysregulated both synaptic transmission and metaplasticity at dorsal and ventral regions of miR-132/212-/- hippocampi. Western blotting further revealed significantly augmented levels of endogenous CREB and a significant CREB reduction in response to corticosterone only in miR-132/212-/- hippocampi. Sirt1 levels were also endogenously enhanced in the miR-132/212-/- hippocampi but unaltered by corticosterone, whereas the levels of phospo-MSK1 were only reduced by corticosterone in WT, not in miR-132/212-/- hippocampi. In behavioral studies using the elevated plus maze, miRNA-132/212-/- mice further showed reduced anxiety-like behavior. These observations propose miRNA-132/212 as potential region-selective regulators of the effects of steroid hormones on hippocampal functions, thus likely fine-tuning hippocampus-dependent memory and emotional processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shima Kouhnavardi
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Maureen Cabatic
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Marife-Astrid Malabanan
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Tarik Smani
- Department of Medical Physiology and Biophysics, University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Ana Cicvaric
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - Edison Alejandro Muñoz Aranzalez
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Xaver Koenig
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ernst Urban
- Department for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 2D 303, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Gert Lubec
- Programme for Proteomics, Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | | | - Francisco J. Monje
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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8
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Mineur YS, Soares AR, Etherington IM, Abdulla ZI, Picciotto MR. Pathophysiology of nAChRs: limbic circuits and related disorders. Pharmacol Res 2023; 191:106745. [PMID: 37011774 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Human epidemiological studies have identified links between nicotine intake and stress disorders, including anxiety, depression and PTSD. Here we review the clinical evidence for activation and desensitization of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) relevant to affective disorders. We go on to describe clinical and preclinical pharmacological studies suggesting that nAChR function may be involved in the etiology of anxiety and depressive disorders, may be relevant targets for medication development, and may contribute to the antidepressant efficacy of non-nicotinic therapeutics. We then review what is known about nAChR function in a subset of limbic system areas (amygdala, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex), and how this contributes to stress-relevant behaviors in preclinical models that may be relevant to human affective disorders. Taken together, the preclinical and clinical literature point to a clear role for ACh signaling through nAChRs in regulation of behavioral responses to stress. Disruption of nAChR homeostasis is likely to contribute to the psychopathology observed in anxiety and depressive disorders. Targeting specific nAChRs may therefore be a strategy for medication development to treat these disorders or to augment the efficacy of current therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexa R Soares
- Department of Psychiatry, USA; Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT 06508, USA
| | - Ian M Etherington
- Department of Psychiatry, USA; Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT 06508, USA
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9
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Kalinowski D, Bogus-Nowakowska K, Kozłowska A, Równiak M. Dopaminergic and cholinergic modulation of the amygdala is altered in female mice with oestrogen receptor β deprivation. Sci Rep 2023; 13:897. [PMID: 36650256 PMCID: PMC9845293 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28069-2] [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: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The amygdala is modulated by dopaminergic and cholinergic neurotransmission, and this modulation is altered in mood disorders. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the presence/absence of quantitative alterations in the expression of main dopaminergic and cholinergic markers in the amygdala of mice with oestrogen receptor β (ERβ) knock-out which exhibit increased anxiety, using immunohistochemistry and quantitative methods. Such alterations could either contribute to increased anxiety or be a compensatory mechanism for reducing anxiety. The results show that among dopaminergic markers, the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopamine transporter (DAT) and dopamine D2-like receptor (DA2) is significantly elevated in the amygdala of mice with ERβ deprivation when compared to matched controls, whereas the content of dopamine D1-like receptor (DA1) is not altered by ERβ knock-out. In the case of cholinergic markers, muscarinic acetylcholine type 1 receptor (AChRM1) and alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChRα7) display overexpression while the content of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) remains unchanged. In conclusion, in the amygdala of ERβ knock-out female the dopaminergic and cholinergic signalling is altered, however, to determine the exact role of ERβ in the anxiety-related behaviour further studies are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Kalinowski
- Department of Animal Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, pl. Łódzki 3, 10-727, Olsztyn, Poland.
| | - Krystyna Bogus-Nowakowska
- Department of Animal Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, pl. Łódzki 3, 10-727, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Anna Kozłowska
- Department of Human Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Warszawska 30, 10-082, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Maciej Równiak
- Department of Animal Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, pl. Łódzki 3, 10-727, Olsztyn, Poland
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10
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Schümann F, Schmitt O, Wree A, Hawlitschka A. Distribution of Cleaved SNAP-25 in the Rat Brain, following Unilateral Injection of Botulinum Neurotoxin-A into the Striatum. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:1685. [PMID: 36675200 PMCID: PMC9865012 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
In Parkinson's disease, hypercholinism in the striatum occurs, with the consequence of disturbed motor functions. Direct application of Botulinum neurotoxin-A in the striatum of hemi-Parkinsonian rats might be a promising anticholinergic therapeutic option. Here, we aimed to determine the spread of intrastriatally injected BoNT-A in the brain as well as the duration of its action based on the distribution of cleaved SNAP-25. Rats were injected with 1 ng of BoNT-A into the right striatum and the brains were examined at different times up to one year after treatment. In brain sections immunohistochemically stained for BoNT-A, cleaved SNAP-25 area-specific densitometric analyses were performed. Increased immunoreactivity for cleaved SNAP-25 was found in brain regions other than the unilaterally injected striatum. Most cleaved SNAP-25-ir was found in widespread areas ipsilateral to the BoNT-A injection, in some regions, however, immunoreactivity was also measured in the contralateral hemisphere. There was a linear relationship between the distance of a special area from the injected striatum and the time until its maximum averaged immunoreactivity was reached. Moreover, we observed a positive relationship for the area-specific distance from the injected striatum and its maximum immunoreactivity as well as for the connection density with the striatum and its maximum immunoreactivity. The results speak for a bidirectional axonal transport of BoNT-A after its application into the striatum to its widespread connected parts of the brain. Even one year after BoNT-A injection, cleaved SNAP-25 could still be detected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friederike Schümann
- Institute of Anatomy, Rostock University Medical Center, Gertrudenstraße 9, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Oliver Schmitt
- Institute of Anatomy, Rostock University Medical Center, Gertrudenstraße 9, 18057 Rostock, Germany
- Medical School Hamburg, Am Kaiserkai 1, 20457 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Wree
- Institute of Anatomy, Rostock University Medical Center, Gertrudenstraße 9, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Alexander Hawlitschka
- Institute of Anatomy, Rostock University Medical Center, Gertrudenstraße 9, 18057 Rostock, Germany
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11
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Mineur YS, Mose TN, Maibom KL, Pittenger ST, Soares AR, Wu H, Taylor SR, Huang Y, Picciotto MR. ACh signaling modulates activity of the GABAergic signaling network in the basolateral amygdala and behavior in stress-relevant paradigms. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:4918-4927. [PMID: 36050437 PMCID: PMC10718266 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01749-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The balance between excitatory and inhibitory (E/I) signaling is important for maintaining homeostatic function in the brain. Indeed, dysregulation of inhibitory GABA interneurons in the amygdala has been implicated in human mood disorders. We hypothesized that acetylcholine (ACh) signaling in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) might alter E/I balance resulting in changes in stress-sensitive behaviors. We therefore measured ACh release as well as activity of calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CAMKII)-, parvalbumin (PV)-, somatostatin (SOM)- and vasoactive intestinal protein (VIP)-expressing neurons in the BLA of awake, behaving male mice. ACh levels and activity of both excitatory and inhibitory BLA neurons increased when animals were actively coping, and decreased during passive coping, in the light-dark box, tail suspension and social defeat. Changes in neuronal activity preceded behavioral state transitions, suggesting that BLA activity may drive the shift in coping strategy. In contrast to exposure to escapable stressors, prolonging ACh signaling with a cholinesterase antagonist changed the balance of activity among BLA cell types, significantly increasing activity of VIP neurons and decreasing activity of SOM cells, with little effect on CaMKII or PV neurons. Knockdown of α7 or β2-containing nAChR subtypes in PV and SOM, but not CaMKII or VIP, BLA neurons altered behavioral responses to stressors, suggesting that ACh signaling through nAChRs on GABA neuron subtypes contributes to stress-induced changes in behavior. These studies show that ACh modulates the GABAergic signaling network in the BLA, shifting the balance between SOM, PV, VIP and CaMKII neurons, which are normally activated coordinately during active coping in response to stress. Thus, prolonging ACh signaling, as occurs in response to chronic stress, may contribute to maladaptive behaviors by shifting the balance of inhibitory signaling in the BLA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yann S Mineur
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA
| | - Tenna N Mose
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA
| | - Kathrine Lefoli Maibom
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA
| | - Steven T Pittenger
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA
| | - Alexa R Soares
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA
| | - Hao Wu
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA
| | - Seth R Taylor
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Yaqing Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA
- Experimental Pathology Graduate Program, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA
| | - Marina R Picciotto
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA.
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA.
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12
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Sizer SE, Price ME, Parrish BC, Barth SH, Heaney CF, Raab-Graham KF, McCool BA. Chronic Intermittent Ethanol Exposure Dysregulates Nucleus Basalis Magnocellularis Afferents in the Basolateral Amygdala. eNeuro 2022; 9:ENEURO.0164-22.2022. [PMID: 36280288 PMCID: PMC9668348 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0164-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM) cholinergic projections to the basolateral amygdala (BLA) regulate the acquisition and consolidation of fear-like and anxiety-like behaviors. However, it is unclear whether the alterations in the NBM-BLA circuit promote negative affect during ethanol withdrawal (WD). Therefore, we performed ex vivo whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology in both the NBM and the BLA of male Sprague Dawley rats following 10 d of chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) exposure and 24 h of WD. We found that CIE exposure and withdrawal enhanced the neuronal excitability of NBM putative "cholinergic" neurons. We subsequently used optogenetics to directly manipulate NBM terminal activity within the BLA and measure cholinergic modulation of glutamatergic afferents and BLA pyramidal neurons. Our findings indicate that CIE and withdrawal upregulate NBM cholinergic facilitation of glutamate release via activation of presynaptic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs). Ethanol withdrawal-induced increases in NBM terminal activity also enhance BLA pyramidal neuron firing. Collectively, our results provide a novel characterization of the NBM-BLA circuit and suggest that CIE-dependent modifications to NBM afferents enhance BLA pyramidal neuron activity during ethanol withdrawal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Sizer
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Piedmont Triad Community Research Center (PTCRC), Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
| | - Michaela E Price
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Piedmont Triad Community Research Center (PTCRC), Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
| | - Brian C Parrish
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Piedmont Triad Community Research Center (PTCRC), Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
| | - Samuel H Barth
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Piedmont Triad Community Research Center (PTCRC), Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
| | - Chelcie F Heaney
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Piedmont Triad Community Research Center (PTCRC), Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
| | - Kimberly F Raab-Graham
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Piedmont Triad Community Research Center (PTCRC), Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
| | - Brian A McCool
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Piedmont Triad Community Research Center (PTCRC), Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
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13
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Vallés AS, Barrantes FJ. Interactions between the Nicotinic and Endocannabinoid Receptors at the Plasma Membrane. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:812. [PMID: 36005727 PMCID: PMC9414690 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12080812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Compartmentalization, together with transbilayer and lateral asymmetries, provide the structural foundation for functional specializations at the cell surface, including the active role of the lipid microenvironment in the modulation of membrane-bound proteins. The chemical synapse, the site where neurotransmitter-coded signals are decoded by neurotransmitter receptors, adds another layer of complexity to the plasma membrane architectural intricacy, mainly due to the need to accommodate a sizeable number of molecules in a minute subcellular compartment with dimensions barely reaching the micrometer. In this review, we discuss how nature has developed suitable adjustments to accommodate different types of membrane-bound receptors and scaffolding proteins via membrane microdomains, and how this "effort-sharing" mechanism has evolved to optimize crosstalk, separation, or coupling, where/when appropriate. We focus on a fast ligand-gated neurotransmitter receptor, the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, and a second-messenger G-protein coupled receptor, the cannabinoid receptor, as a paradigmatic example.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Sofía Vallés
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (UNS-CONICET), Bahía Blanca 8000, Argentina
| | - Francisco J. Barrantes
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Biomedical Research (BIOMED), UCA-CONICET, Av. Alicia Moreau de Justo 1600, Buenos Aires C1107AFF, Argentina
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14
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Cardoso-Vera JD, Gómez-Oliván LM, Islas-Flores H, García-Medina S, Elizalde-Velázquez GA, Orozco-Hernández JM, Heredia-García G, Rosales-Pérez KE, Galar-Martínez M. Multi-biomarker approach to evaluate the neurotoxic effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of phenytoin on adult zebrafish Danio rerio. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 834:155359. [PMID: 35460791 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Several studies have reported the presence of phenytoin (PHE) in wastewater treatment plant effluents, hospital effluents, surface water, and even drinking water. However, published studies on the toxic effects of PHE at environmentally relevant concentrations in aquatic organisms are scarce. The present study aimed to determine the effect of three environmentally relevant concentrations of PHE (25, 282, and 1500 ng L-1) on behavioral parameters using the novel tank test. Moreover, we also aimed to determine whether or not these concentrations of PHE may impair acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and oxidative status in the brain of Danio rerio adults. Behavioral responses suggested an anxiolytic effect in PHE-exposed organisms, mainly observed in organisms exposed to 1500 ng L-1, with a significant decrease in fish mobility and a significant increase in activity at the top of the tank. Besides the behavioral impairment, PHE-exposed fish also showed a significant increase in the levels of lipid peroxidation, hydroperoxides, and protein carbonyl content compared to the control group. Moreover, a significant increase in brain AChE levels was observed in fish exposed to 282 and 1500 ng L-1. The results obtained in the present study show that PHE triggers a harmful response in the brain of fish, which in turn generates fish have an anxiety-like behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Daniel Cardoso-Vera
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Leobardo Manuel Gómez-Oliván
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico.
| | - Hariz Islas-Flores
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Sandra García-Medina
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Acuática, Departamento de Farmacia, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Adolfo López Mateos, Av. Wilfrido Massieu s/n y cerrada Manuel Stampa, Col. Industrial Vallejo, Ciudad de México CP 07700, Mexico
| | - Gustavo Axel Elizalde-Velázquez
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - José Manuel Orozco-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Gerardo Heredia-García
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Karina Elisa Rosales-Pérez
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Marcela Galar-Martínez
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Acuática, Departamento de Farmacia, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Adolfo López Mateos, Av. Wilfrido Massieu s/n y cerrada Manuel Stampa, Col. Industrial Vallejo, Ciudad de México CP 07700, Mexico
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15
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Braga MFM, Juranek J, Eiden LE, Li Z, Figueiredo TH, de Araujo Furtado M, Marini AM. GABAergic circuits of the basolateral amygdala and generation of anxiety after traumatic brain injury. Amino Acids 2022; 54:1229-1249. [PMID: 35798984 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-022-03184-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has reached epidemic proportions around the world and is a major public health concern in the United States. Approximately 2.8 million individuals sustain a traumatic brain injury and are treated in an Emergency Department yearly in the U.S., and about 50,000 of them die. Persistent symptoms develop in 10-15% of the cases including neuropsychiatric disorders. Anxiety is the second most common neuropsychiatric disorder that develops in those with persistent neuropsychiatric symptoms after TBI. Abnormalities or atrophy in the temporal lobe has been shown in the overwhelming number of TBI cases. The basolateral amygdala (BLA), a temporal lobe structure that consolidates, stores and generates fear and anxiety-based behavioral outputs, is a critical brain region in the anxiety circuitry. In this review, we sought to capture studies that characterized the relationship between human post-traumatic anxiety and structural/functional alterations in the amygdala. We compared the human findings with results obtained with a reproducible mild TBI animal model that demonstrated a direct relationship between the alterations in the BLA and an anxiety-like phenotype. From this analysis, both preliminary insights, and gaps in knowledge, have emerged which may open new directions for the development of rational and more efficacious treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria F M Braga
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics and Program in Neuroscience, Uniformed Services University of the Health Science School of Medicine, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Jenifer Juranek
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Lee E Eiden
- Section On Molecular Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Zheng Li
- Section On Synapse Development and Plasticity, National Institute of Mental Health, Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Taiza H Figueiredo
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics and Program in Neuroscience, Uniformed Services University of the Health Science School of Medicine, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Marcio de Araujo Furtado
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics and Program in Neuroscience, Uniformed Services University of the Health Science School of Medicine, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Ann M Marini
- Department of Neurology and Program in Neuroscience, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA.
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16
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Vallés AS, Barrantes FJ. Dysregulation of Neuronal Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor-Cholesterol Crosstalk in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:744597. [PMID: 34803605 PMCID: PMC8604044 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.744597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a set of complex neurodevelopmental diseases that include impaired social interaction, delayed and disordered language, repetitive or stereotypic behavior, restricted range of interests, and altered sensory processing. The underlying causes of the core symptoms remain unclear, as are the factors that trigger their onset. Given the complexity and heterogeneity of the clinical phenotypes, a constellation of genetic, epigenetic, environmental, and immunological factors may be involved. The lack of appropriate biomarkers for the evaluation of neurodevelopmental disorders makes it difficult to assess the contribution of early alterations in neurochemical processes and neuroanatomical and neurodevelopmental factors to ASD. Abnormalities in the cholinergic system in various regions of the brain and cerebellum are observed in ASD, and recently altered cholesterol metabolism has been implicated at the initial stages of the disease. Given the multiple effects of the neutral lipid cholesterol on the paradigm rapid ligand-gated ion channel, the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, we explore in this review the possibility that the dysregulation of nicotinic receptor-cholesterol crosstalk plays a role in some of the neurological alterations observed in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Sofía Vallés
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (UNS-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Francisco J Barrantes
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (BIOMED), UCA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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17
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Targowska-Duda KM, Budzynska B, Michalak A, Wnorowski A, Loland CJ, Maj M, Manetti D, Romanelli MN, Jozwiak K, Biala G, Arias HR. Type I and type II positive allosteric modulators of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors induce antidepressant-like activity in mice by a mechanism involving receptor potentiation but not neurotransmitter reuptake inhibition. Correlation with mTOR intracellular pathway activation. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2021; 52:31-47. [PMID: 34237657 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2021.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study is to determine whether type I and type II positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) induce antidepressant-like activity in mice after acute, subchronic, and chronic treatments, and to assess whether α7-PAMs inhibit neurotransmitter transporters and activate mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) and/or ERK (extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases) signaling. The forced swim (FST) and tail suspension (TST) test results indicated that NS-1738 (type I PAM), PNU-120596 and PAM-2 (type II PAMs) induce antidepressant-like activity after subchronic treatment, whereas PAM-2 was also active after chronic treatment. Methyllycaconitine (α7-antagonist) inhibited the observed effects, highlighting the involvement of α7 nAChRs in this process. Drug interaction studies showed synergism between PAM-2 and bupropion (antidepressant), but not between PAM-2 and DMXBA (α7-agonist). The studied PAMs showed no high affinity (< 1 µM) for the human dopamine, serotonin, and noradrenaline transporters, suggesting that transporter inhibition is not the underlying mechanism for the observed activity. To assess whether mTOR and ERK signaling pathways are involved in the activity of α7-PAMs, the phosphorylation status of key signaling nodes was determined in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus from mice chronically treated with PAM-2. In conclusion, the antidepressant-like activity of type I and type II PAMs is mediated by a mechanism involving α7 potentiation but not α7 desensitization or neurotransmitter transporter blockade, and is correlated with activation of both mTOR and ERK signaling pathways. These results support the view that α7-PAMs might be clinically used to ameliorate depression disorders .
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Barbara Budzynska
- Independent Laboratory of Behavioral Studies, Medical University of Lublin, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Michalak
- Independent Laboratory of Behavioral Studies, Medical University of Lublin, Poland
| | - Artur Wnorowski
- Department of Biopharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, Poland
| | - Claus J Loland
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Maciej Maj
- Department of Biopharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, Poland
| | - Dina Manetti
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health Section of Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Sciences, University of Florence, Italy
| | - Maria Novella Romanelli
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health Section of Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Sciences, University of Florence, Italy
| | | | - Grazyna Biala
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics, Medical University of Lublin, Poland
| | - Hugo R Arias
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Tahlequah, Oklahoma, USA.
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18
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Sizer SE, Parrish BC, McCool BA. Chronic Ethanol Exposure Potentiates Cholinergic Neurotransmission in the Basolateral Amygdala. Neuroscience 2020; 455:165-176. [PMID: 33385490 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) exposure dysregulates glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission, facilitating basolateral amygdala (BLA) pyramidal neuron hyperexcitability and the expression of anxiety during withdrawal. It is unknown whether ethanol-induced alterations in nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM) cholinergic projections to the BLA mediate anxiety-related behaviors through direct modulation of GABA and glutamate afferents. Following 10 days of CIE exposure and 24 h of withdrawal, we recorded GABAergic and glutamatergic synaptic responses in BLA pyramidal neurons with electrophysiology, assessed total protein expression of cholinergic markers, and quantified acetylcholine and choline concentrations using a colorimetric assay. We measured α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) dependent modulation of presynaptic function at distinct inputs in AIR- and CIE-exposed BLA coronal slices as a functional read-out of cholinergic neurotransmission. CIE/withdrawal upregulates the endogenous activity of α7 nAChRs, facilitating release at both GABAergic' local' interneuron and glutamatergic synaptic responses to stria terminalis (ST) stimulation, with no effect at GABAergic lateral paracapsular cells (LPCs). CIE caused a three-fold increase in BLA acetylcholine concentration, with no changes in α7 nAChR or cholinergic marker expression. These data illustrate that α7 nAChR-dependent changes in presynaptic function serve as a proxy for CIE-dependent alterations in synaptic acetylcholine levels. Thus, cholinergic projections appear to mediate CIE-induced alterations at GABA/glutamate inputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Sizer
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Piedmont Triad Community Research Center (PTCRC), Wake Forest School of Medicine, 115 S Chestnut Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA.
| | - Brian C Parrish
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Piedmont Triad Community Research Center (PTCRC), Wake Forest School of Medicine, 115 S Chestnut Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA.
| | - Brian A McCool
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Piedmont Triad Community Research Center (PTCRC), Wake Forest School of Medicine, 115 S Chestnut Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA.
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19
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Kellis DM, Kaigler KF, Witherspoon E, Fadel JR, Wilson MA. Cholinergic neurotransmission in the basolateral amygdala during cued fear extinction. Neurobiol Stress 2020; 13:100279. [PMID: 33344731 PMCID: PMC7739185 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2020.100279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cholinergic neuromodulation plays an important role in numerous cognitive functions including regulating arousal and attention, as well as associative learning and extinction processes. Further, studies demonstrate that cholinergic inputs from the basal forebrain cholinergic system influence physiological responses in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) as well as fear extinction processes. Since rodent models display individual differences in conditioned fear and extinction responses, this study investigated if cholinergic transmission in the BLA during fear extinction could contribute to differences between extinction resistant and extinction competent phenotypes in outbred Long-Evans male rats. Experiment 1 used in vivo microdialysis to test the hypothesis that acetylcholine (ACH) efflux in the BLA would increase with presentation of an auditory conditioned stimulus (CS+) during extinction learning. Acetylcholine efflux was compared in rats exposed to the CS+, a CS- (the tone never paired with a footshock), or to a context shift alone (without CS+ tone presentation). Consistent with acetylcholine's role in attention and arousal, ACH efflux in the BLA was increased in all three groups (CS+, CS-, Shift Alone) by the initial context shift into the extinction learning chamber, but returned more rapidly to baseline levels in the Shift Alone group (no CS+). In contrast, in the group exposed to the CS+, ACH efflux in the BLA remained elevated during continued presentation of conditioned cues and returned to baseline more slowly, leading to an overall increase in ACH efflux compared with the Shift Alone group. Based on the very dense staining in the BLA for acetylcholinesterase (ACHE), Experiment 2 examined if individual differences in fear extinction were associated with differences in cholinesterase enzyme activity (CHE) in the BLA and/or plasma with a separate cohort of animals. Cholinesterase activity (post-testing) in both the BLA and plasma was higher in extinction competent rats versus rats resistant to extinction learning. There was also a significant negative correlation between BLA CHE activity and freezing during extinction learning. Taken together, our results support a role for ACH efflux in the BLA during cued fear extinction that may be modulated by individual differences in ACHE activity, and are associated with behavioral responses during fear extinction. These findings implicate individual differences in cholinergic regulation in the susceptibility to disorders with dysregulation of extinction learning, such post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devin M. Kellis
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, 29208, United States
| | - Kris Ford Kaigler
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, 29208, United States
| | - Eric Witherspoon
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, 29208, United States
| | - Jim R. Fadel
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, 29208, United States
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20
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Chang KW, Zong HF, Wang M, Rizvi MY, Neha SI, Yang WN, Ji SF, Ma YB, Qian YH. PNU282987 alleviates Aβ-induced anxiety and depressive-like behaviors through upregulation of α7nAChR by ERK-serotonin receptors pathway. Neurosci Lett 2020; 731:135118. [PMID: 32502508 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2020.135118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Revised: 05/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Patients with Alzheimer's disease often undergo anxiety and depression. Our previous studies have shown that α7nAChR protects against Aβ-induced neurotoxicity via downregulation of p38 and JNK MAPKs, but the role of α7nAChR on Aβ-induced anxiety and depressive-like behaviors and the effect of α7nAChR on the regulation of MAPKs pathways remain unknown. To examine the effects of α7nAChR and MAPKs pathways on Aβ-induced anxiety and depression-like behaviors and to explore their relationships between them, elevated plus maze, open field and forced swim tests were performed. Protein levels of 5-HT1A receptor, 5-HT2C receptor, α7nAChR, t-ERK1/2 and p-ERK1/2 in the amygdala were analyzed by western blotting and immunostaining. Our study found out that Aβ oligomers induced anxiety and depression-like behaviors in C56BL/6 mice with open field, elevated plus maze and forced swim tests. However, activation of α7nAChR or inhibition of ERK pathways showed significant antidepressant and anxiolytic-like effects on Aβ-injected mice. Moreover, Aβ significantly decreased the level of 5-HT1A receptor but increased the level of 5-HT2C receptor in the basolateral amygdala. Treatment with α7nAChR agonist PNU282987 or ERK inhibitor U0126 reversed Aβ-induced 5-HT1A and 5-HT2C receptor changes. Moreover, activation of α7nAChR inhibited ERK pathway in the amygdala of Aβ1-42-injected mice. Our study provides a new insight into the mechanism of α7nAChR in Aβ-induced depression and anxiety-related symptoms through the regulation of ERK1/2 pathway and the potential association with serotonin receptors. Together, our data suggests that α7nAChR is protective against Aβ-induced anxiety and depression-like behaviors in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke-Wei Chang
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Hang-Fan Zong
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Meng Wang
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Mohammad Yasir Rizvi
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Saema Iffat Neha
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Wei-Na Yang
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases (Xi'an Jiaotong University), Ministry of Education of China, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Sheng-Feng Ji
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases (Xi'an Jiaotong University), Ministry of Education of China, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Yan-Bing Ma
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases (Xi'an Jiaotong University), Ministry of Education of China, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Yi-Hua Qian
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases (Xi'an Jiaotong University), Ministry of Education of China, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.
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Jaworski T. Control of neuronal excitability by GSK-3beta: Epilepsy and beyond. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2020; 1867:118745. [PMID: 32450268 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2020.118745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK-3β) is an enzyme with a variety of cellular functions in addition to the regulation of glycogen metabolism. In the central nervous system, different intracellular signaling pathways converge on GSK-3β through a cascade of phosphorylation events that ultimately control a broad range of neuronal functions in the development and adulthood. In mice, genetically removing or increasing GSK-3β cause distinct functional and structural neuronal phenotypes and consequently affect cognition. Precise control of GSK-3β activity is important for such processes as neuronal migration, development of neuronal morphology, synaptic plasticity, excitability, and gene expression. Altered GSK-3β activity contributes to aberrant plasticity within neuronal circuits leading to neurological, psychiatric disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases. Therapeutically targeting GSK-3β can restore the aberrant plasticity of neuronal networks at least in animal models of these diseases. Although the complete repertoire of GSK-3β neuronal substrates has not been defined, emerging evidence shows that different ion channels and their accessory proteins controlling excitability, neurotransmitter release, and synaptic transmission are regulated by GSK-3β, thereby supporting mechanisms of synaptic plasticity in cognition. Dysregulation of ion channel function by defective GSK-3β activity sustains abnormal excitability in the development of epilepsy and other GSK-3β-linked human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz Jaworski
- Laboratory of Animal Models, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Warsaw, Poland.
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22
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Wise T, Patrick F, Meyer N, Mazibuko N, Oates AE, van der Bijl AH, Danjou P, O’Connor SM, Doolin E, Wooldridge C, Rathjen D, Macare C, Williams SC, Perkins A, Young AH. Cholinergic Modulation of Disorder-Relevant Neural Circuits in Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 87:908-915. [PMID: 32107005 PMCID: PMC7198974 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Generalized anxiety disorder is associated with hyperactivity in the amygdala-prefrontal networks, and normalization of this aberrant function is thought to be critical for successful treatment. Preclinical evidence implicates cholinergic neurotransmission in the function of these systems and suggests that cholinergic modulation may have anxiolytic effects. However, the effects of cholinergic modulators on the function of anxiety-related networks in humans have not been investigated. METHODS We administered a novel α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor-negative allosteric modulator, BNC210, to 24 individuals (3 male subjects) with generalized anxiety disorder and assessed its effects on neural responses to fearful face stimuli. RESULTS BNC210 reduced amygdala reactivity to fearful faces relative to placebo and similarly to lorazepam and also reduced connectivity between the amygdala and the anterior cingulate cortex, a network involved in regulating anxious responses to aversive stimuli. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate for the first time that the function of disorder-relevant neural circuits in generalized anxiety disorder can be beneficially altered through modulation of cholinergic neurotransmission and suggest potential for this system as a novel target for anxiolytic pharmacotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toby Wise
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, University College London, London, UK; Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, London, UK; Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California.
| | - Fiona Patrick
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK,Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Nicholas Meyer
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Ndaba Mazibuko
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Caroline Wooldridge
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | | | - Christine Macare
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Steven C.R. Williams
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK,National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, South London, London, UK
| | - Adam Perkins
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK,National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, South London, London, UK
| | - Allan H. Young
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK,National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, South London, London, UK
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Modulation of cholinergic activity through lynx prototoxins: Implications for cognition and anxiety regulation. Neuropharmacology 2020; 174:108071. [PMID: 32298703 PMCID: PMC7785133 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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Sharma NK, Kaur S, Goel RK. Exploring the ameliorative role of α7 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor modulation in epilepsy and associated comorbidities in post-PTZ-kindled mice. Epilepsy Behav 2020; 103:106862. [PMID: 31917144 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2019.106862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
AIM The present study aimed to explore the ameliorative role of alpha7 (α7) neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) modulation in epilepsy and associated comorbidities in postpentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-kindled mice. MATERIAL AND METHODS The subconvulsive dose of PTZ (35 mg/kg, i.p.) was used to induce kindling-associated epileptogenesis in mice. After successful kindling, animals were treated intraperitoneally with saline, phenytoin (35 mg/kg), valproate (300 mg/kg), choline chloride (α7 agonist; 400 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg), and methyllycaconitine citrate (α7 antagonist; 3.5 mg/kg and 7.0 mg/kg) for 10 days. All the groups except naive were exposed to PTZ injections on day 3, 6, and 9 of treatment to assess seizure severity score. Epilepsy-associated comorbid depression was evaluated by tail suspension test, sucrose preference test, and plasma corticosterone levels, whereas epilepsy-associated memory deficit condition was assessed by step-through paradigm, Morris water maze, and nitrite levels. Neurochemical perturbations related to epilepsy and associated depression and memory deficit were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). RESULTS Post-PTZ-kindled mice displayed significant depressive behavior and memory impairment as compared with naive mice as evidenced by corresponding behavioral and biochemical observations. Methyllycaconitine citrate treatment was unable to produce any ameliorative effect in diseased condition. Choline administration dose dependently ameliorated depression, memory impairment, and seizure severity in post-PTZ-kindled mice. The behavioral findings of the study were concurred with neurochemical and biochemical findings. CONCLUSION In conclusion, the present study demonstrated the amelioration of epilepsy, comorbid depression, and memory deficit by α7 nAChR agonist choline chloride in PTZ-kindled mice model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neeraj Kumar Sharma
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Research, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab 147002, India
| | - Sukhdeep Kaur
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Research, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab 147002, India
| | - Rajesh Kumar Goel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Research, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab 147002, India.
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25
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α7 nicotinic receptor full agonist reverse basolateral amygdala hyperactivity and attenuation of dopaminergic neuron activity in rats exposed to chronic mild stress. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2019; 29:1343-1353. [PMID: 31615702 PMCID: PMC6934081 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2019.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Revised: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Neuroimaging and preclinical studies showing that nicotinic receptors (nAChR) may play a role in mood control has increased interest in targeting the cholinergic system for treatment of major depressive disorder. Indeed, modulation of nAChRs in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) are sufficient to produce an anti-immobility effect in the mouse tail suspension test. However, how α7 nAChR modulation impacts BLA neuronal activity in vivo as well as the downstream mechanisms involved in its mood-related effects are not understood. In this work, we used the unpredictable chronic mild stress (CMS) model to investigate the mechanisms underlying the antidepressant-like effect of an α7 nAChR full agonist on BLA-induced changes in dopaminergic neurotransmission. Male adult Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to four weeks of CMS. Behavioral and electrophysiological experiments were performed within one week following stress. CMS exposure increased rats' immobility time in the forced swimming test, decreased the number of spontaneously active dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area and increased the firing rate of putative projection neurons in the BLA. Stress-induced behavioral and electrophysiological changes were reversed by a single systemic administration of PNU282987. In summary, our findings corroborate previous descriptions of a potential rapid antidepressant effect for the α7 nAChR full agonist. This effect appears to involve a mechanism distinct from those of classic antidepressants: normalization of BLA hyperactivity and, consequently, of DA hypofunction. These observations corroborate the role of α7 nAChR as a potential target for novel antidepressant drug development.
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26
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Wessler LB, Farias HR, Ronsani JF, Candiotto G, Santos PC, Oliveira J, Rico EP, Streck EL. Acute exposure to leucine modifies behavioral parameters and cholinergic activity in zebrafish. Int J Dev Neurosci 2019; 78:222-226. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2019.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Revised: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Leticia B. Wessler
- Laboratório de Neurologia Experimental, Programa de Pós‐graduação em Ciências da SaúdeUniversidade do Extremo Sul CatarinenseCriciúmaSC88806‐000Brazil
| | - Hemelin R. Farias
- Laboratório de Neurologia Experimental, Programa de Pós‐graduação em Ciências da SaúdeUniversidade do Extremo Sul CatarinenseCriciúmaSC88806‐000Brazil
| | - Julia F. Ronsani
- Laboratório de Neurologia Experimental, Programa de Pós‐graduação em Ciências da SaúdeUniversidade do Extremo Sul CatarinenseCriciúmaSC88806‐000Brazil
| | - Gabriela Candiotto
- Laboratório de Neurologia Experimental, Programa de Pós‐graduação em Ciências da SaúdeUniversidade do Extremo Sul CatarinenseCriciúmaSC88806‐000Brazil
| | - Paulo C.L. Santos
- Laboratório de Neurologia Experimental, Programa de Pós‐graduação em Ciências da SaúdeUniversidade do Extremo Sul CatarinenseCriciúmaSC88806‐000Brazil
| | - Jade Oliveira
- Laboratório de Neurologia Experimental, Programa de Pós‐graduação em Ciências da SaúdeUniversidade do Extremo Sul CatarinenseCriciúmaSC88806‐000Brazil
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: BioquímicaDepartamento de BioquímicaInstituto de Ciências Básicas da SaúdeUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande do SulPorto AlegreRS90035‐000Brazil
| | - Eduardo P. Rico
- Laboratório de Neurologia Experimental, Programa de Pós‐graduação em Ciências da SaúdeUniversidade do Extremo Sul CatarinenseCriciúmaSC88806‐000Brazil
| | - Emilio L. Streck
- Laboratório de Neurologia Experimental, Programa de Pós‐graduação em Ciências da SaúdeUniversidade do Extremo Sul CatarinenseCriciúmaSC88806‐000Brazil
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Neuromodulation in circuits of aversive emotional learning. Nat Neurosci 2019; 22:1586-1597. [PMID: 31551602 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-019-0503-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Emotional learning and memory are functionally and dysfunctionally regulated by the neuromodulatory state of the brain. While the role of excitatory and inhibitory neural circuits mediating emotional learning and its control have been the focus of much research, we are only now beginning to understand the more diffuse role of neuromodulation in these processes. Recent experimental studies of the acetylcholine, noradrenaline and dopamine systems in fear learning and extinction of fear responding provide surprising answers to key questions in neuromodulation. One area of research has revealed how modular organization, coupled with context-dependent coding modes, allows for flexible brain-wide or targeted neuromodulation. Other work has shown how these neuromodulators act in downstream targets to enhance signal-to-noise ratios and gain, as well as to bind distributed circuits through neuronal oscillations. These studies elucidate how different neuromodulatory systems regulate aversive emotional processing and reveal fundamental principles of neuromodulatory function.
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Lee S, Kim JH. Basal Forebrain Cholinergic-induced Activation of Cholecystokinin Inhibitory Neurons in the Basolateral Amygdala. Exp Neurobiol 2019; 28:320-328. [PMID: 31308792 PMCID: PMC6614066 DOI: 10.5607/en.2019.28.3.320] [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: 04/22/2019] [Revised: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The basolateral amygdala (BLA) receives dense projections from cholinergic neurons of the basal forebrain. Acetylcholine can contributes to amygdala-dependent behaviors: formation and extinction of fear memory and appetitive instrumental learning. However, the cholinergic mechanism at the circuit level has not been defined yet. We demonstrated that cholinergic-induced di-synaptic inhibition of BLA pyramidal neurons exhibits a retrograde form of short-term synaptic inhibition, depolarization-induced suppression of inhibition (DSI). Activation of nicotinic receptors was sufficient to evoke action potentials in cholecystokinin (CCK)-positive inhibitory neurons, which strongly inhibit pyramidal neurons through their perisomatic synapses. Our cell type-specific monosynaptic retrograde tracing also revealed that CCK neurons are innervated by basal forebrain cholinergic neurons. Therefore, our data indicated that CCK inhibitory neurons mediate the cholinergic-induced di-synaptic inhibition of BLA pyramidal neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seungho Lee
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 37673, Korea
| | - Joung-Hun Kim
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 37673, Korea
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29
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Alpha-Linolenic Acid Treatment Reduces the Contusion and Prevents the Development of Anxiety-Like Behavior Induced by a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats. Mol Neurobiol 2019; 55:187-200. [PMID: 28844093 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-017-0732-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Approximately, 1.7 million Americans suffer a TBI annually and TBI is a major cause of death and disability. The majority of the TBI cases are of the mild type and while most patients recover completely from mild TBI (mTBI) about 10% result in persistent symptoms and some result in lifelong disability. Anxiety disorders are the second most common diagnosis post-TBI. Of note, TBI-induced anxiety disorders are difficult to treat and remain a chronic condition suggesting that new therapies are needed. Previous work from our laboratory demonstrated that a mild TBI induced an anxiety-like phenotype, a key feature of the human condition, associated with loss of GABAergic interneurons and hyperexcitability in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) in rodents 7 and 30 days after a controlled cortical impact (CCI) injury. We now confirm that animals display significantly increased anxiety-like behavior 30 days after CCI. The anxiety-like behavior was associated with a significant loss of GABAergic interneurons and significant reductions in the frequency and amplitude of spontaneous and miniature GABAA-receptor-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) in the BLA. Significantly, subchronic treatment with alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) after CCI prevents the development of anxiety-like behavior, the loss of GABAergic interneurons, hyperexcitability in the BLA and reduces the impact injury. Taken together, administration of ALA after CCI is a potent therapy against the neuropathology and pathophysiological effects of mTBI in the BLA.
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30
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Targowska-Duda KM, Budzynska B, Michalak A, Jozwiak K, Biala G, Arias HR. 3-Furan-2-yl-N-p-tolyl-acrylamide, a highly selective positive allosteric modulator of α7 nicotinic receptors, produces anxiolytic-like activity in mice. J Psychopharmacol 2019; 33:558-567. [PMID: 30644335 DOI: 10.1177/0269881118821100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Several lines of investigations support the idea that nicotinic acetylcholine receptors modulate neuronal pathways involved in anxiety and depression. AIMS The purpose of this study was to determine whether 3-furan-2-yl-N-p-tolyl-acrylamide, a highly selective positive allosteric modulator of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, influences anxiety-like behaviour in mice, and to determine the modulatory activity of 3-furan-2-yl-N-p-tolyl-acrylamide on mice pretreated with either nicotine or selective α7-agonists (i.e. PNU-282987 or (2.4)-dimethoxybenzylidene anabaseine dihydrochloride). METHODS The elevated plus maze and novelty suppressed feeding tests were selected to evaluate 3-furan-2-yl-N-p-tolyl-acrylamide and other nicotinic ligands on anxiety-like behaviour in mice. RESULTS The results indicated that: (a) 3-furan-2-yl-N-p-tolyl-acrylamide induces anxiolytic-like activity at 0.5 (elevated plus maze) and 1.0 (novelty suppressed feeding) mg/kg, respectively, after acute treatment, whereas its efficacy is increased after chronic treatments (i.e. active at 0.1 mg/kg; elevated plus maze). This is the first time showing anxiolytic-like activity elicited by 3-furan-2-yl-N-p-tolyl-acrylamide, contrary to the lack of activity for PNU-120596 (0.1 mg/kg); (b) the anxiolytic-like activity of 0.5 mg/kg 3-furan-2-yl-N-p-tolyl-acrylamide is inhibited by methyllycaconitine, a selective α7-antagonist, suggesting that α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are involved in this process; (c) 0.5 mg/kg 3-furan-2-yl-N-p-tolyl-acrylamide reverses the anxiogenic effects induced by 0.1 mg/kg nicotine but not by 10.0 mg/kg PNU-282987; and (d) inactive doses of both 3-furan-2-yl-N-p-tolyl-acrylamide (0.1 mg/kg) and (2.4)-dimethoxybenzylidene anabaseine dihydrochloride (1.0 mg/kg) produce anxiolytic-like effects, suggesting drug interactions, probably synergistic. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicated that anxiolytic-like activity is mediated by α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, supporting the concept that these receptors modulate anxiety processes. The results indicating that the chronic treatment with 3-furan-2-yl-N-p-tolyl-acrylamide is more efficient than the acute treatment in eliciting anxiolytic-like activity, and that 3-furan-2-yl-N-p-tolyl-acrylamide reverses the anxiogenic effects induced by nicotine, might be of therapeutic importance during smoking cessation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Barbara Budzynska
- 2 Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Michalak
- 2 Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Jozwiak
- 1 Department of Biopharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Grazyna Biala
- 2 Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Hugo R Arias
- 3 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, American University of Health Sciences, Signal Hill, CA, USA
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Malikowska-Racia N, Salat K. Recent advances in the neurobiology of posttraumatic stress disorder: A review of possible mechanisms underlying an effective pharmacotherapy. Pharmacol Res 2019; 142:30-49. [PMID: 30742899 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2019.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Revised: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Recent progress in the field of neurobiology supported by clinical evidence gradually reveals the mystery of human brain functioning. So far, many psychiatric disorders have been described in great detail, although there are still plenty of cases that are misunderstood. These include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is a unique disease that combines a wide range of neurobiological changes, which involve disturbances of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal gland axis, hyperactivation of the amygdala complex, and attenuation of some hippocampal and cortical functions. Such multiplicity results in differential symptomatology, including elevated anxiety, nightmares, fear retrieval episodes that may trigger delusions and hallucinations, sleep disturbances, and many others that strongly interfere with the quality of the patient's life. Because of widespread neurological changes and the disease manifestation, the pharmacotherapy of PTSD remains unclear and requires a multidimensional approach and involvement of polypharmacotherapy. Hopefully, more and more neuroscientists and clinicians will study PTSD, which will provide us with new information that would possibly accelerate establishment of well-tolerated and effective pharmacotherapy. In this review, we have focused on neurobiological changes regarding PTSD, addressing the most disturbed brain structures and neurotransmissions, as well as discussing in detail the recently taken and novel therapeutic paths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Malikowska-Racia
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, Chair of Pharmacodynamics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 9 Medyczna St., 30-688 Krakow, Poland.
| | - Kinga Salat
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, Chair of Pharmacodynamics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 9 Medyczna St., 30-688 Krakow, Poland
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32
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Sharp BM. Basolateral amygdala, nicotinic cholinergic receptors, and nicotine: Pharmacological effects and addiction in animal models and humans. Eur J Neurosci 2018; 50:2247-2254. [PMID: 29802666 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The amygdala is involved in processing incoming information about rewarding stimuli and emotions that denote danger such as anxiety and fear. Bi-directional neural connections between basolateral amygdala (BLA) and brain regions such as nucleus accumbens, prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and hindbrain regions regulate motivation, cognition, and responses to stress. Altered local regulation of BLA excitability is pivotal to the behavioral disturbances characteristic of posttraumatic stress disorder, and relapse to drug use induced by stress. Herein, we review the physiological regulation of BLA by cholinergic inputs, emphasizing the role of BLA nicotinic receptors. We review BLA-dependent effects of nicotine on cognition, motivated behaviors, and emotional states, including memory, taking and seeking drugs, and anxiety and fear in humans and animal models. The alterations in BLA activity observed in animal studies inform human behavioral and brain imaging research by enabling a more exact understanding of altered BLA function. Converging evidence indicates that cholinergic signaling from basal forebrain projections to local nicotinic receptors is an important physiological regulator of BLA and that nicotine alters BLA function. In essence, BLA is necessary for behavioral responses to stimuli that evoke anxiety and fear; reinstatement of cue-induced drug seeking; responding to second-order cues conditioned to abused drugs; reacquisition of amplified nicotine self-administration due to chronic stress during abstinence; and to promote responding for natural reward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Burt M Sharp
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee
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α7 Nicotinic receptor-modulating agents reverse the hyperdopaminergic tone in the MAM model of schizophrenia. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:1712-1720. [PMID: 29695783 PMCID: PMC6006162 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0066-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 04/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Recent evidence has emerged supporting a role for the cholinergic system in schizophrenia, including the potential of α7 modulators as a treatment strategy. However, preclinical studies to date have relied on studies in normal systems rather than on a validated developmental model of schizophrenia. Furthermore, there have been only few studies on whether orthosteric and allosteric modulators have differential impacts in such models. Thus, we investigated the effects of α7 agonists and positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) on dopamine (DA) neuron activity in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) in the methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) developmental disruption model of schizophrenia. Four different drugs were evaluated: PNU282987 (full agonist), SSR180711 (partial agonist) NS1738 (PAM type I) and PNU120596 (PAM type II). PNU120596 increased the number of spontaneously active VTA DA neurons in normal rats. In contrast, PNU282987 and SSR180711 reduced the hyperdopaminergic tone in MAM rats. This appeared to be due to effects on DA afferent regulation, in that PNU282987 or SSR180711 infusion into the ventral hippocampus of MAM rats replicated the decrease in the number of spontaneously active VTA DA neurons. In contrast, infusion of the same drugs into the basolateral amygdala increased the number of spontaneously active VTA DA neurons in normal rats without impacting MAM rats. These data suggest that α7 receptors may represent a promising target in the development of new pharmacological therapies for schizophrenia.
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Li J, Rao D, Gibbs RB. Effects of Cholinergic Lesions and Cholinesterase Inhibitors on Aromatase and Estrogen Receptor Expression in Different Regions of the Rat Brain. Neuroscience 2018; 384:203-213. [PMID: 29852246 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.05.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Revised: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 05/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Cholinergic projections have been shown to interact with estrogens in ways that influence synaptic plasticity and cognitive performance. The mechanisms are not well understood. The goal of this study was to investigate whether cholinergic projections influence brain estrogen production by affecting aromatase (ARO), or influence estrogen signaling by affecting estrogen receptor expression. In the first experiment, ovariectomized rats received intraseptal injection of the selective immunotoxin 192IgG-saporin to destroy cholinergic inputs to the hippocampus. In the second experiment ovariectomized rats received daily intraperitoneal injections of the cholinesterase inhibitors donepezil or galantamine for 1 week. ARO activity and relative levels of ARO, ERα, ERß, and GPR30 mRNAs were quantified in the hippocampus, frontal cortex, amygdala and preoptic area. Results show that the cholinergic lesions effectively removed cholinergic inputs to the hippocampus, but had no significant effect on ARO or on relative levels of ER mRNAs. Likewise, injections of the cholinesterase inhibitors had no effect on ARO or ER expression in most regions of the brain. This suggests that effects of cholinergic inputs on synaptic plasticity and neuronal function are not mediated by effects on local estrogen production or ER expression. One exception was the amygdala where treating with galantamine was associated with a significant increase in ARO activity. The amygdala is a key structure involved in registering fear and anxiety. Hence this finding may be clinically relevant to elderly patients who are treated for memory impairment and who also struggle with fear and anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyi Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Di Rao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Robert B Gibbs
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
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Meis S, Endres T, Munsch T, Lessmann V. Presynaptic Regulation of Tonic Inhibition by Neuromodulatory Transmitters in the Basal Amygdala. Mol Neurobiol 2018; 55:8509-8521. [PMID: 29560580 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-018-0984-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 02/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Tonic inhibition mediated by ambient levels of GABA that activate extrasynaptic GABAA receptors emerges as an essential factor that tunes neuronal network excitability in vitro and shapes behavioral responses in vivo. To address the role of neuromodulatory transmitter systems on this type of inhibition, we employed patch clamp recordings in mouse amygdala slice preparations. Our results show that the current amplitude of tonic inhibition (Itonic) in projection neurons of the basal amygdala (BA) is increased by preincubation with the neurosteroid THDOC, while the benzodiazepine diazepam is ineffective. This suggests involvement of THDOC sensitive δ subunit containing GABAA receptors in mediating tonic inhibition. Moreover, we provide evidence that the neuromodulatory transmitters NE, 5HT, and ACh strongly enhance spontaneous IPSCs as well as Itonic in the BA. As the increase in frequency, amplitude, and charge of sIPSCs by these neuromodulatory transmitters strongly correlated with the amplitude of Itonic, we conclude that spill-over of synaptic GABA leads to activation of Itonic and thereby to dampening of amygdala excitability. Since local injection of THDOC, as a positive modulator of tonic inhibition, into the BA interfered with the expression of contextual fear memory, our results point to a prominent role of Itonic in fear learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Meis
- Institut für Physiologie, Otto-von-Guericke-Universität, Leipziger Str. 44, D-39120, Magdeburg, Germany. .,Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany.
| | - T Endres
- Institut für Physiologie, Otto-von-Guericke-Universität, Leipziger Str. 44, D-39120, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - T Munsch
- Institut für Physiologie, Otto-von-Guericke-Universität, Leipziger Str. 44, D-39120, Magdeburg, Germany.,Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - V Lessmann
- Institut für Physiologie, Otto-von-Guericke-Universität, Leipziger Str. 44, D-39120, Magdeburg, Germany. .,Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany.
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Kabbani N, Nichols RA. Beyond the Channel: Metabotropic Signaling by Nicotinic Receptors. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2018; 39:354-366. [PMID: 29428175 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2018.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2017] [Revised: 01/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) is a ligand-gated ion channel (LGIC) that plays an important role in cellular calcium signaling and contributes to several neurological diseases. Agonist binding to the α7 nAChR induces fast channel activation followed by inactivation and prolonged desensitization while triggering long-lasting calcium signaling. These activities foster neurotransmitter release, synaptic plasticity, and somatodendritic regulation in the brain. We discuss here the ability of α7 nAChRs to operate in ionotropic (α7i) and metabotropic (α7m) modes, leading to calcium-induced calcium release (CICR) and G protein-associated inositol trisphosphate (IP3)-induced calcium release (IICR), respectively. Metabotropic activity extends the spatial and temporal aspects of calcium signaling by the α7 channel beyond its ionotropic limits, persisting into the desensitized state. Delineation of the ionotropic and metabotropic properties of the α7 nAChR will provide definitive indicators of moment-to-moment receptor functional status that will, in turn, spearhead new drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Kabbani
- School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Manassas, VA 20110, USA.
| | - Robert A Nichols
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
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Parvalbumin, but not calretinin, neurons express high levels of α1-containing GABA A receptors, α7-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and D2-dopamine receptors in the basolateral amygdala of the rat. J Chem Neuroanat 2017; 86:41-51. [PMID: 28834708 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2017.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2017] [Revised: 08/15/2017] [Accepted: 08/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The generation of emotional responses by the basolateral amygdala is largely determined by the balance of excitatory and inhibitory inputs to its principal neurons - the pyramidal cells. The activity of these neurons is tightly controlled by g-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic interneurons, especially by those expressing parvalbumin (PV) and calretinin (CR). Although it is known that GABAergic, cholinergic and dopaminergic fibres make synapses on PV and CR cells, knowledge of the various receptors which are used by these cells is still incomplete. Thus, the present study investigates whether neurons expressing PV or CR co-express specific GABA, acetylcholine and/or dopamine receptors in the basolateral amygdala of the rat. The results show that almost two-thirds of PV neurons co-express high concentrations of α1 subunit of GABAA receptor, and more than half of them co-express high levels of α7 subunit of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and/or D2-subtype of dopamine receptor. In contrast, a smaller percentage of CR neurons had detectable amounts of these receptors and at lower levels of abundance in most cases. In conclusion, the present results indicate that not only principal neurons but also GABAergic interneurons have specific receptors, which allow these cells to respond to the GABAergic, cholinergic and dopaminergic inputs coming to the basolateral amygdala of the rat. Since these cells receive intrinsic GABAergic inputs, they are strongly interconnected. Since they also receive extrinsic cholinergic and dopaminergic inputs, such stimulation may result in stimulus-driven feed-forward control of the principal neurons. The effects of such control may be either feed-forward inhibition of the principal neurons via α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors or disinhibition of these cells via D2-dopamine receptors.
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Sharp BM. Basolateral amygdala and stress-induced hyperexcitability affect motivated behaviors and addiction. Transl Psychiatry 2017; 7:e1194. [PMID: 28786979 PMCID: PMC5611728 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2017.161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 158] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2017] [Revised: 05/16/2017] [Accepted: 06/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The amygdala integrates and processes incoming information pertinent to reward and to emotions such as fear and anxiety that promote survival by warning of potential danger. Basolateral amygdala (BLA) communicates bi-directionally with brain regions affecting cognition, motivation and stress responses including prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, nucleus accumbens and hindbrain regions that trigger norepinephrine-mediated stress responses. Disruption of intrinsic amygdala and BLA regulatory neurocircuits is often caused by dysfunctional neuroplasticity frequently due to molecular alterations in local GABAergic circuits and principal glutamatergic output neurons. Changes in local regulation of BLA excitability underlie behavioral disturbances characteristic of disorders including post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD), autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and stress-induced relapse to drug use. In this Review, we discuss molecular mechanisms and neural circuits that regulate physiological and stress-induced dysfunction of BLA/amygdala and its principal output neurons. We consider effects of stress on motivated behaviors that depend on BLA; these include drug taking and drug seeking, with emphasis on nicotine-dependent behaviors. Throughout, we take a translational approach by integrating decades of addiction research on animal models and human trials. We show that changes in BLA function identified in animal addiction models illuminate human brain imaging and behavioral studies by more precisely delineating BLA mechanisms. In summary, BLA is required to promote responding for natural reward and respond to second-order drug-conditioned cues; reinstate cue-dependent drug seeking; express stress-enhanced reacquisition of nicotine intake; and drive anxiety and fear. Converging evidence indicates that chronic stress causes BLA principal output neurons to become hyperexcitable.
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Affiliation(s)
- B M Sharp
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
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Canzian J, Fontana BD, Quadros VA, Rosemberg DB. Conspecific alarm substance differently alters group behavior of zebrafish populations: Putative involvement of cholinergic and purinergic signaling in anxiety- and fear-like responses. Behav Brain Res 2017; 320:255-263. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Revised: 12/11/2016] [Accepted: 12/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Nazarinia E, Rezayof A, Sardari M, Yazdanbakhsh N. Contribution of the basolateral amygdala NMDA and muscarinic receptors in rat's memory retrieval. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2017; 139:28-36. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2016.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2016] [Revised: 12/06/2016] [Accepted: 12/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Iha HA, Kunisawa N, Shimizu S, Tokudome K, Mukai T, Kinboshi M, Ikeda A, Ito H, Serikawa T, Ohno Y. Nicotine Elicits Convulsive Seizures by Activating Amygdalar Neurons. Front Pharmacol 2017; 8:57. [PMID: 28232801 PMCID: PMC5298991 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2017.00057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2016] [Accepted: 01/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Nicotinic acetylcholine (nACh) receptors are implicated in the pathogenesis of epileptic disorders; however, the mechanisms of nACh receptors in seizure generation remain unknown. Here, we performed behavioral and immunohistochemical studies in mice and rats to clarify the mechanisms underlying nicotine-induced seizures. Treatment of animals with nicotine (1–4 mg/kg, i.p.) produced motor excitement in a dose-dependent manner and elicited convulsive seizures at 3 and 4 mg/kg. The nicotine-induced seizures were abolished by a subtype non-selective nACh antagonist, mecamylamine (MEC). An α7 nACh antagonist, methyllycaconitine, also significantly inhibited nicotine-induced seizures whereas an α4β2 nACh antagonist, dihydro-β-erythroidine, affected only weakly. Topographical analysis of Fos protein expression, a biological marker of neural excitation, revealed that a convulsive dose (4 mg/kg) of nicotine region-specifically activated neurons in the piriform cortex, amygdala, medial habenula, paratenial thalamus, anterior hypothalamus and solitary nucleus among 48 brain regions examined, and this was also suppressed by MEC. In addition, electric lesioning of the amygdala, but not the piriform cortex, medial habenula and thalamus, specifically inhibited nicotine-induced seizures. Furthermore, microinjection of nicotine (100 and 300 μg/side) into the amygdala elicited convulsive seizures in a dose-related manner. The present results suggest that nicotine elicits convulsive seizures by activating amygdalar neurons mainly via α7 nACh receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Higor A Iha
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences Osaka, Japan
| | - Naofumi Kunisawa
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences Osaka, Japan
| | - Saki Shimizu
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences Osaka, Japan
| | - Kentaro Tokudome
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences Osaka, Japan
| | - Takahiro Mukai
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences Osaka, Japan
| | - Masato Kinboshi
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical SciencesOsaka, Japan; Department of Epilepsy, Movement Disorders and Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto UniversityKyoto, Japan; Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Wakayama Medical UniversityWakayama, Japan
| | - Akio Ikeda
- Department of Epilepsy, Movement Disorders and Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hidefumi Ito
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Wakayama Medical University Wakayama, Japan
| | - Tadao Serikawa
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences Osaka, Japan
| | - Yukihiro Ohno
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences Osaka, Japan
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Fernandes CEM, Serafim KR, Gianlorenço ACL, Mattioli R. Cholinergic agonist reverses H1-induced memory deficit in mice. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2017; 72:16-22. [PMID: 27528108 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2016.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Revised: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 08/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the effects of bilateral intraamygdalar microinjections of PNU-282987, a nicotinic cholinergic agonist, on anxiety and the reversal of amnesia induced by chlorpheniramine (CPA), an H1 histaminergic antagonist, in mice subjected to the elevated plusmaze (EPM). Two experiments were performed with seventy-nine adult male Swiss mice. The isolated microinjections of PNU-282987 did not produce effects on emotional memory; however, the combined microinjections of PNU-282987 and CPA were able to reverse the deficit in memory induced by CPA (ANOVA, p<0.05). Taken together, these results suggest that intraamygdalar injections of PNU-282987 did not induce effects on anxiety and emotional memory per se; however, concurrent microinjections of PNU-282987 and CPA-reverse amnesia induced-CPA which is suggestive of an interaction between the histaminergic and cholinergic systems in the modulation of emotion memory acquisition in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- C E M Fernandes
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Physiotherapy Department, Center of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Sao Carlos, Rod. Washington Luis, Km 235, 13565-905 Sao Carlos, Brazil.
| | - K R Serafim
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Physiotherapy Department, Center of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Sao Carlos, Rod. Washington Luis, Km 235, 13565-905 Sao Carlos, Brazil.
| | - A C L Gianlorenço
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Physiotherapy Department, Center of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Sao Carlos, Rod. Washington Luis, Km 235, 13565-905 Sao Carlos, Brazil.
| | - R Mattioli
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Physiotherapy Department, Center of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Sao Carlos, Rod. Washington Luis, Km 235, 13565-905 Sao Carlos, Brazil.
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43
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Kunisawa N, Iha HA, Shimizu S, Tokudome K, Mukai T, Kinboshi M, Serikawa T, Ohno Y. Nicotine evokes kinetic tremor by activating the inferior olive via α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Behav Brain Res 2016; 314:173-80. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2016] [Revised: 08/02/2016] [Accepted: 08/06/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Correia SS, Goosens KA. Input-specific contributions to valence processing in the amygdala. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 23:534-43. [PMID: 27634144 PMCID: PMC5026206 DOI: 10.1101/lm.037887.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2015] [Accepted: 04/26/2016] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Reward and punishment are often thought of as opposing processes: rewards and the environmental cues that predict them elicit approach and consummatory behaviors, while punishments drive aversion and avoidance behaviors. This framework suggests that there may be segregated brain circuits for these valenced behaviors. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) is one brain region that contributes to both types of motivated behavior. Individual neurons in the BLA can favor positive over negative valence, or vice versa, but these neurons are intermingled, showing no anatomical segregation. The amygdala receives inputs from many brain areas and current theories posit that encoding of positive versus negative valence by BLA neurons is determined by the wiring of each neuron. Specifically, many projections from other brain areas that respond to positive and negative valence stimuli and predictive cues project strongly to the BLA and likely contribute to valence processing within the BLA. Here we review three of these areas, the basal forebrain, the dorsal raphe nucleus and the ventral tegmental area, and discuss how these may promote encoding of positive and negative valence within the BLA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana S Correia
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Ki A Goosens
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
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Repeated Isoflurane Exposures Impair Long-Term Potentiation and Increase Basal GABAergic Activity in the Basolateral Amygdala. Neural Plast 2016; 2016:8524560. [PMID: 27313904 PMCID: PMC4893574 DOI: 10.1155/2016/8524560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Revised: 04/15/2016] [Accepted: 04/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
After surgery requiring general anesthesia, patients often experience emotional disturbances, but it is unclear if this is due to anesthetic exposure. In the present study, we examined whether isoflurane anesthesia produces long-term pathophysiological alterations in the basolateral amygdala (BLA), a brain region that plays a central role in emotional behavior. Ten-week-old, male rats were administered either a single, 1 h long isoflurane (1.5%) anesthesia or three, 1 h long isoflurane exposures, separated by 48 h. Long-term potentiation (LTP) and spontaneous GABAergic activity in the BLA were studied 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month later. Single isoflurane anesthesia had no significant effect on the magnitude of LTP. In contrast, after repeated isoflurane exposures, LTP was dramatically impaired at both 1 day and 1 week after the last exposure but was restored by 1 month after the exposures. Spontaneous GABAA receptor-mediated IPSCs were increased at 1 day and 1 week after repeated exposures but had returned to control levels by 1 month after exposure. Thus, repeated exposures to isoflurane cause a long-lasting—but not permanent—impairment of synaptic plasticity in the BLA, which could be due to increased basal GABAergic activity. These pathophysiological alterations may produce emotional disturbances and impaired fear-related learning.
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Jiang L, Kundu S, Lederman JD, López-Hernández GY, Ballinger EC, Wang S, Talmage DA, Role LW. Cholinergic Signaling Controls Conditioned Fear Behaviors and Enhances Plasticity of Cortical-Amygdala Circuits. Neuron 2016; 90:1057-70. [PMID: 27161525 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2016.04.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2015] [Revised: 08/19/2015] [Accepted: 03/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
We examined the contribution of endogenous cholinergic signaling to the acquisition and extinction of fear- related memory by optogenetic regulation of cholinergic input to the basal lateral amygdala (BLA). Stimulation of cholinergic terminal fields within the BLA in awake-behaving mice during training in a cued fear-conditioning paradigm slowed the extinction of learned fear as assayed by multi-day retention of extinction learning. Inhibition of cholinergic activity during training reduced the acquisition of learned fear behaviors. Circuit mechanisms underlying the behavioral effects of cholinergic signaling in the BLA were assessed by in vivo and ex vivo electrophysiological recording. Photostimulation of endogenous cholinergic input (1) enhances firing of putative BLA principal neurons through activation of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs), (2) enhances glutamatergic synaptic transmission in the BLA, and (3) induces LTP of cortical-amygdala circuits. These studies support an essential role of cholinergic modulation of BLA circuits in the inscription and retention of fear memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Jiang
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; CNS Disorders Center and the Neurosciences Institute, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
| | - Srikanya Kundu
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; CNS Disorders Center and the Neurosciences Institute, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - James D Lederman
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; CNS Disorders Center and the Neurosciences Institute, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Gretchen Y López-Hernández
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; CNS Disorders Center and the Neurosciences Institute, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Elizabeth C Ballinger
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; CNS Disorders Center and the Neurosciences Institute, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; MSTP, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Shaohua Wang
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; CNS Disorders Center and the Neurosciences Institute, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - David A Talmage
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; CNS Disorders Center and the Neurosciences Institute, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Lorna W Role
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; CNS Disorders Center and the Neurosciences Institute, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
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Multiple Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Subtypes in the Mouse Amygdala Regulate Affective Behaviors and Response to Social Stress. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:1579-87. [PMID: 26471256 PMCID: PMC4832019 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2015.316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2015] [Revised: 09/08/2015] [Accepted: 09/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Electrophysiological and neurochemical studies implicate cholinergic signaling in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) in behaviors related to stress. Both animal studies and human clinical trials suggest that drugs that alter nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) activity can affect behaviors related to mood and anxiety. Clinical studies also suggest that abnormalities in cholinergic signaling are associated with major depressive disorder, whereas pre-clinical studies have implicated both β2 subunit-containing (β2*) and α7 nAChRs in the effects of nicotine in models of anxiety- and depression-like behaviors. We therefore investigated whether nAChR signaling in the amygdala contributes to stress-mediated behaviors in mice. Local infusion of the non-competitive non-selective nAChR antagonist mecamylamine or viral-mediated downregulation of the β2 or α7 nAChR subunit in the amygdala all induced robust anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects in several mouse behavioral models. Further, whereas α7 nAChR subunit knockdown was somewhat more effective at decreasing anxiety-like behavior, only β2 subunit knockdown decreased resilience to social defeat stress and c-fos immunoreactivity in the BLA. In contrast, α7, but not β2, subunit knockdown effectively reversed the effect of increased ACh signaling in a mouse model of depression. These results suggest that signaling through β2* nAChRs is essential for baseline excitability of the BLA, and a decrease in signaling through β2 nAChRs alters anxiety- and depression-like behaviors even in unstressed animals. In contrast, stimulation of α7 nAChRs by acetylcholine may mediate the increased depression-like behaviors observed during the hypercholinergic state observed in depressed individuals.
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Zhang Y, Cao SX, Sun P, He HY, Yang CH, Chen XJ, Shen CJ, Wang XD, Chen Z, Berg DK, Duan S, Li XM. Loss of MeCP2 in cholinergic neurons causes part of RTT-like phenotypes via α7 receptor in hippocampus. Cell Res 2016; 26:728-42. [PMID: 27103432 DOI: 10.1038/cr.2016.48] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2015] [Revised: 02/03/2016] [Accepted: 02/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the X-linked MECP2 gene cause Rett syndrome (RTT), an autism spectrum disorder characterized by impaired social interactions, motor abnormalities, cognitive defects and a high risk of epilepsy. Here, we showed that conditional deletion of Mecp2 in cholinergic neurons caused part of RTT-like phenotypes, which could be rescued by re-expressing Mecp2 in the basal forebrain (BF) cholinergic neurons rather than in the caudate putamen of conditional knockout (Chat-Mecp2(-/y)) mice. We found that choline acetyltransferase expression was decreased in the BF and that α7 nicotine acetylcholine receptor signaling was strongly impaired in the hippocampus of Chat-Mecp2(-/y) mice, which is sufficient to produce neuronal hyperexcitation and increase seizure susceptibility. Application of PNU282987 or nicotine in the hippocampus rescued these phenotypes in Chat-Mecp2(-/y) mice. Taken together, our findings suggest that MeCP2 is critical for normal function of cholinergic neurons and dysfunction of cholinergic neurons can contribute to numerous neuropsychiatric phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhang
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Shu-Xia Cao
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Peng Sun
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Hai-Yang He
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Ci-Hang Yang
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Xiao-Juan Chen
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Chen-Jie Shen
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Xiao-Dong Wang
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Zhong Chen
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Darwin K Berg
- Neurobiology Section, Division of Biological Sciences and Center for Neural Circuits and Behavior, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0357, USA
| | - Shumin Duan
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China.,Soft Matter Research Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiao-Ming Li
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China.,Soft Matter Research Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Aroniadou-Anderjaska V, Figueiredo TH, Apland JP, Prager EM, Pidoplichko VI, Miller SL, Braga MFM. Long-term neuropathological and behavioral impairments after exposure to nerve agents. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2016; 1374:17-28. [PMID: 27002925 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2015] [Revised: 01/15/2016] [Accepted: 01/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
One of the deleterious effects of acute nerve agent exposure is the induction of status epilepticus (SE). If SE is not controlled effectively, it causes extensive brain damage. Here, we review the neuropathology observed after nerve agent-induced SE, as well as the ensuing pathophysiological, neurological, and behavioral alterations, with an emphasis on their time course and longevity. Limbic structures are particularly vulnerable to damage by nerve agent exposure. The basolateral amygdala (BLA), which appears to be a key site for seizure initiation upon exposure, suffers severe neuronal loss; however, GABAergic BLA interneurons display a delayed death, perhaps providing a window of opportunity for rescuing intervention. The end result is a long-term reduction of GABAergic activity in the BLA, with a concomitant increase in spontaneous excitatory activity; such pathophysiological alterations are not observed in the CA1 hippocampal area, despite the extensive neuronal loss. Hyperexcitability in the BLA may be at least in part responsible for the development of recurrent seizures and increased anxiety, while hippocampal damage may underlie the long-term memory impairments. Effective control of SE after nerve agent exposure, such that brain damage is also minimized, is paramount for preventing lasting neurological and behavioral deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vassiliki Aroniadou-Anderjaska
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland.,Department of Psychiatry, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Taiza H Figueiredo
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - James P Apland
- Neurotoxicology Branch, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland
| | - Eric M Prager
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Volodymyr I Pidoplichko
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Steven L Miller
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Maria F M Braga
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland.,Department of Psychiatry, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
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50
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Wilmot B, Fry R, Smeester L, Musser ED, Mill J, Nigg JT. Methylomic analysis of salivary DNA in childhood ADHD identifies altered DNA methylation in VIPR2. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2016; 57:152-60. [PMID: 26304033 PMCID: PMC4724325 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Peripheral epigenetic marks hold promise for understanding psychiatric illness and may represent fingerprints of gene-environment interactions. We conducted an initial examination of CpG methylation variation in children with or without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHODS Children age 7-12 were recruited, screened, evaluated and assigned to ADHD or non-ADHD groups by defined research criteria. Two independent age-matched samples were examined, a discovery set (n = 92, all boys, half control, half ADHD) and a confirmation set (n = 20, half ADHD, all boys). 5-methylcytosine levels were quantified in salivary DNA using the Illumina 450 K HumanMethylation array. Genes for which multiple probes were nominally significant and had a beta difference of at least 2% were evaluated for biological relevance and prioritized for confirmation and sequence validation. Gene pathways were explored and described. RESULTS Two genes met the criteria for confirmation testing, VIPR2 and MYT1L; both had multiple probes meeting cutoffs and strong biological relevance. Probes on VIPR2 passed FDR correction in the confirmation set and were confirmed through bisulfite sequencing. Enrichment analysis suggested involvement of gene sets or pathways related to inflammatory processes and modulation of monoamine and cholinergic neurotransmission. CONCLUSIONS Although it is unknown to what extent CpG methylation seen in peripheral tissue reflect transcriptomic changes in the brain, these initial results indicate that peripheral DNA methylation markers in ADHD may be promising and suggest targeted hypotheses for future study in larger samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beth Wilmot
- Division of Psychology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
| | - Rebecca Fry
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Lisa Smeester
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Erica D. Musser
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Jonathan Mill
- University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter University, Exeter,Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Joel T. Nigg
- Division of Psychology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
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