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Han M, Zeng D, Tan W, Chen X, Bai S, Wu Q, Chen Y, Wei Z, Mei Y, Zeng Y. Brain region-specific roles of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in social stress-induced depressive-like behavior. Neural Regen Res 2025; 20:159-173. [PMID: 38767484 DOI: 10.4103/nrr.nrr-d-23-01419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor is a key factor in stress adaptation and avoidance of a social stress behavioral response. Recent studies have shown that brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression in stressed mice is brain region-specific, particularly involving the corticolimbic system, including the ventral tegmental area, nucleus accumbens, prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus. Determining how brain-derived neurotrophic factor participates in stress processing in different brain regions will deepen our understanding of social stress psychopathology. In this review, we discuss the expression and regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in stress-sensitive brain regions closely related to the pathophysiology of depression. We focused on associated molecular pathways and neural circuits, with special attention to the brain-derived neurotrophic factor-tropomyosin receptor kinase B signaling pathway and the ventral tegmental area-nucleus accumbens dopamine circuit. We determined that stress-induced alterations in brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels are likely related to the nature, severity, and duration of stress, especially in the above-mentioned brain regions of the corticolimbic system. Therefore, BDNF might be a biological indicator regulating stress-related processes in various brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Han
- Brain Science and Advanced Technology Institute, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
- Geriatric Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
- School of Public Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Deyang Zeng
- Brain Science and Advanced Technology Institute, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
- Geriatric Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
- School of Public Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Wei Tan
- Geriatric Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Xingxing Chen
- Brain Science and Advanced Technology Institute, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
- Geriatric Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
- School of Public Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Shuyuan Bai
- Brain Science and Advanced Technology Institute, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
- Geriatric Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
- School of Public Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Qiong Wu
- Brain Science and Advanced Technology Institute, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
- Geriatric Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
- School of Public Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Yushan Chen
- Brain Science and Advanced Technology Institute, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
- Geriatric Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
- School of Public Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Zhen Wei
- Brain Science and Advanced Technology Institute, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
- Geriatric Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
- School of Public Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Yufei Mei
- Brain Science and Advanced Technology Institute, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
- Geriatric Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
- School of Public Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Yan Zeng
- Brain Science and Advanced Technology Institute, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
- Geriatric Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
- School of Public Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
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2
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Shin HS, Lee SH, Moon HJ, So YH, Jang HJ, Lee KH, Ahn C, Jung EM. Prolonged stress response induced by chronic stress and corticosterone exposure causes adult neurogenesis inhibition and astrocyte loss in mouse hippocampus. Brain Res Bull 2024; 208:110903. [PMID: 38367676 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2024.110903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
Chronic stress is a pervasive and complex issue that contributes significantly to various mental and physical health disorders. Using the previously established chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) model, which simulates human stress situations, it has been shown that chronic stress induces major depressive disorder (MDD) and memory deficiency. However, this established model is associated with several drawbacks, such as limited research reproducibility and the inability to sustain stress response. To resolve these issues, we developed a new CUS model (CUS+C) that included exogenous corticosterone exposure to induce continuous stress response. Thereafter, we evaluated the effect of this new model on brain health. Thus, we observed that the use of the CUS+C model decreased body and brain weight gain and induced an uncontrolled coat state as well as depressive-like behavior in adult mice. It also impaired learning memory function and cognitive abilities, reduced adult hippocampal neurogenesis as well as the number of hippocampal astrocytes, and downregulated glial fibrillary acidic protein expression in the brains of adult mice. These findings can promote the utilization and validity of the animal stress model and provide new information for the treatment of chronic stress-induced depressive and memory disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun Seung Shin
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea; Institute for Future Earth, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Hyun Lee
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea; Institute for Future Earth, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Ha Jung Moon
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea; Institute for Future Earth, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun Hee So
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeon Jung Jang
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Ha Lee
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Changhwan Ahn
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Jeju National University, Jeju, Republic of Korea
| | - Eui-Man Jung
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea; Institute for Future Earth, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea.
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3
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Freels TG, Westbrook SR, Zamberletti E, Kuyat JR, Wright HR, Malena AN, Melville MW, Brown AM, Glodosky NC, Ginder DE, Klappenbach CM, Delevich KM, Rubino T, McLaughlin RJ. Sex Differences in Response-Contingent Cannabis Vapor Administration During Adolescence Mediate Enduring Effects on Behavioral Flexibility and Prefrontal Microglia Activation in Rats. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2024. [PMID: 38190273 DOI: 10.1089/can.2023.0014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Cannabis is the most used illicit drug in the United States. With many states passing legislation to permit its recreational use, there is concern that cannabis use among adolescents could increase dramatically in the coming years. Historically, it has been difficult to model real-world cannabis use to investigate the causal relationship between cannabis use in adolescence and behavioral and neurobiological effects in adulthood. Materials and Methods: We used a response-contingent vapor administration model to investigate long-term effects of cannabis use during adolescence on the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and mPFC-dependent behaviors in male and female rats. Results: Adolescent (35- to 55-day-old) female rats had significantly higher rates of responding for vaporized Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-dominant cannabis extract (CANTHC) compared with adolescent males. In adulthood (70-110 days old), female, but not male, CANTHC rats also took more trials to reach criterion and made more regressive errors in an automated attentional set-shifting task compared with vehicle rats, thereby indicating sex differences in behavioral flexibility impairments. Notably, sex-treatment interactions were not observed when rats of each sex were exposed to a noncontingent CANTHC vapor dosing regimen that approximated CANTHC vapor deliveries earned by females. No differences were observed in effort-based decision making in either sex. In the mPFC, female (but not male) CANTHC rats displayed more reactive microglia with no changes in myelin basic protein expression or dendritic spine density. Conclusion: Altogether, these data reveal important sex differences in rates of responding for CANTHC vapor in adolescence that may confer enduring alterations to mPFC structure and function and suggest that there may be subtle differences in the effects of response-contingent versus noncontingent cannabis exposure that should be systematically examined in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy G Freels
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Sara R Westbrook
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Erica Zamberletti
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences and Neuroscience Center, University of Insubria, Busto Arsizio, Varese, Italy
| | - Jacqulyn R Kuyat
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Hayden R Wright
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Alexandra N Malena
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Max W Melville
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Amanda M Brown
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Nicholas C Glodosky
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Darren E Ginder
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Courtney M Klappenbach
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Kristen M Delevich
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Tiziana Rubino
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences and Neuroscience Center, University of Insubria, Busto Arsizio, Varese, Italy
| | - Ryan J McLaughlin
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
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Perica MI, Luna B. Impact of stress on excitatory and inhibitory markers of adolescent cognitive critical period plasticity. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 153:105378. [PMID: 37643681 PMCID: PMC10591935 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Adolescence is a time of significant neurocognitive development. Prolonged maturation of prefrontal cortex (PFC) through adolescence has been found to support improvements in executive function. Changes in excitatory and inhibitory mechanisms of critical period plasticity have been found to be present in the PFC through adolescence, suggesting that environment may have a greater effect on development during this time. Stress is one factor known to affect neurodevelopment increasing risk for psychopathology. However, less is known about how stress experienced during adolescence could affect adolescent-specific critical period plasticity mechanisms and cognitive outcomes. In this review, we synthesize findings from human and animal literatures looking at the experience of stress during adolescence on cognition and frontal excitatory and inhibitory neural activity. Studies indicate enhancing effects of acute stress on cognition and excitation within specific contexts, while chronic stress generally dampens excitatory and inhibitory processes and impairs cognition. We propose a model of how stress could affect frontal critical period plasticity, thus potentially altering neurodevelopmental trajectories that could lead to risk for psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria I Perica
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Beatriz Luna
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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5
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Bear T, Roy N, Dalziel J, Butts C, Coad J, Young W, Parkar SG, Hedderley D, Dinnan H, Martell S, Middlemiss-Kraak S, Gopal P. Anxiety-like Behavior in Female Sprague Dawley Rats Associated with Cecal Clostridiales. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1773. [PMID: 37512945 PMCID: PMC10386170 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11071773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The relationship between the microbiota profile and exposure to stress is not well understood. Therefore, we used a rat model of unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) to investigate this relationship. Depressive-like behaviors were measured in Female Sprague Dawley rats using the sucrose preference test and the Porsolt swim test. Anxiety-like behaviors were measured with the light-dark box test. Fecal corticosterone, cecal microbiota (composition and organic acids), plasma gut permeability (lipopolysaccharide-binding protein, LBP) and plasma inflammation (12 cytokines) markers were measured. Atypical behaviors were observed in female rats following UCMS, but no depressive-like behaviors were observed. Circulating concentrations of cytokines granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant 1 were higher in UCMS-exposed female rats; plasma LBP and cecal organic acid levels remained unchanged. Our results reflect a resilient and adaptive phenotype for female SD rats. The relative abundance of taxa from the Clostridiales order and Desulfovibrionaceae family did, however, correlate both positively and negatively with anxiety-like behaviors and plasma cytokine concentrations, regardless of UCMS exposure, supporting the brain-to-gut influence of mild anxiety with a microbiota profile that may involve inflammatory pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracey Bear
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand
- Riddet Institute, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
- School of Food and Advanced Technology, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
| | - Nicole Roy
- Riddet Institute, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
- Department of Human Nutrition, Otago University, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
- High-Value Nutrition National Science Challenge, Auckland 1145, New Zealand
| | - Julie Dalziel
- AgResearch Ltd., Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
| | - Chrissie Butts
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand
| | - Jane Coad
- School of Food and Advanced Technology, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
| | - Wayne Young
- AgResearch Ltd., Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
| | - Shanthi G Parkar
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand
| | - Duncan Hedderley
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand
| | - Hannah Dinnan
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand
| | - Sheridan Martell
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand
| | - Susanne Middlemiss-Kraak
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand
| | - Pramod Gopal
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand
- Riddet Institute, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
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6
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Habit Formation and the Effect of Repeated Stress Exposures on Cognitive Flexibility Learning in Horses. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12202818. [DOI: 10.3390/ani12202818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Horse training exposes horses to an array of cognitive and ethological challenges. Horses are routinely required to perform behaviours that are not aligned to aspects of their ethology, which may delay learning. While horses readily form habits during training, not all of these responses are considered desirable, resulting in the horse being subject to retraining. This is a form of cognitive flexibility and is critical to the extinction of habits and the learning of new responses. It is underpinned by complex neural processes which can be impaired by chronic or repeated stress. Domestic horses may be repeatedly exposed to multiples stressors. The potential contribution of stress impairments of cognitive flexibility to apparent training failures is not well understood, however research from neuroscience can be used to understand horses’ responses to training. We trained horses to acquire habit-like responses in one of two industry-style aversive instrumental learning scenarios (moving away from the stimulus-instinctual or moving towards the stimulus-non-instinctual) and evaluated the effect of repeated stress exposures on their cognitive flexibility in a reversal task. We measured heart rate as a proxy for noradrenaline release, salivary cortisol and serum Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) to infer possible neural correlates of the learning outcomes. The instinctual task which aligned with innate equine escape responses to aversive stimuli was acquired significantly faster than the non-instinctual task during both learning phases, however contrary to expectations, the repeated stress exposure did not impair the reversal learning. We report a preliminary finding that serum BDNF and salivary cortisol concentrations in horses are positively correlated. The ethological salience of training tasks and cognitive flexibility learning can significantly affect learning in horses and trainers should adapt their practices where such tasks challenge innate equine behaviour.
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7
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Czarzasta K, Bogacki-Rychlik W, Segiet-Swiecicka A, Kruszewska J, Malik J, Skital V, Kasarello K, Wrzesien R, Bialy M, Sajdel-Sulkowska EM. Gender differences in short- vs. long-term impact of maternal depression following pre-gestational chronic mild stress. Exp Neurol 2022; 353:114059. [DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2022.114059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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de la Tremblaye PB, Wellcome JL, Wiley K, Lomahan CA, Moschonas EH, Cheng JP, Bondi CO, Kline AE. Chronic unpredictable stress during adolescence protects against adult traumatic brain injury-induced affective and cognitive deficits. Brain Res 2021; 1767:147544. [PMID: 34090883 PMCID: PMC8349874 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2021.147544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Pre-clinical early-life stress paradigms model early adverse events in humans. However, the long-term behavioral consequences of early-life adversities after traumatic brain injury (TBI) in adults have not been examined. In addition, endocannabinoids may protect against TBI neuropathology. Hence, the current study assessed the effects of adverse stress during adolescence on emotional and cognitive performance in rats sustaining a TBI as adults, and how cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) activation impacts the outcome. On postnatal days (PND) 30-60, adolescent male rats were exposed to four weeks of chronic unpredictable stress (CUS), followed by four weeks of no stress (PND 60-90), or no stress at any time (Control), and then anesthetized and provided a cortical impact of moderate severity (2.8 mm tissue deformation at 4 m/s) or sham injury. TBI and Sham rats (CUS and Control) were administered either arachidonyl-2'-chloroethylamide (ACEA; 1 mg/kg, i.p.), a CB1 receptor agonist, or vehicle (VEH; 1 mL/kg, i.p.) immediately after surgery and once daily for 7 days. Anxiety-like behavior was assessed in an open field test (OFT) and learning and memory in novel object recognition (NOR) and Morris water maze (MWM) tasks. No differences were revealed among the Sham groups in any behavioral assessment and thus the groups were pooled. In the ACEA and VEH-treated TBI groups, CUS increased exploration in the OFT, enhanced NOR focus, and decreased the time to reach the escape platform in the MWM, suggesting decreased anxiety and enhanced learning and memory relative to the Control group receiving VEH (p < 0.05). ACEA also enhanced NOR and MWM performance in the Control + TBI group (p < 0.05). These data suggest that 4 weeks of CUS provided during adolescence may provide protection against TBI acquired during adulthood and/or induce adaptive behavioral responses. Moreover, CB1 receptor agonism produces benefits after TBI independent of CUS protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia B de la Tremblaye
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States; Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States
| | - JoDy L Wellcome
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States
| | - Kaitlyn Wiley
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States
| | - Carolyn A Lomahan
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States
| | - Eleni H Moschonas
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States; Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States
| | - Jeffrey P Cheng
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States
| | - Corina O Bondi
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States; Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States; Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States
| | - Anthony E Kline
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States; Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States; Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States; Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States.
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9
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Dalmaz C, Barth B, Pokhvisneva I, Wang Z, Patel S, Quillfeldt JA, Mendonça Filho EJ, de Lima RMS, Arcego DM, Sassi RB, Hall GBC, Kobor MS, Meaney MJ, Silveira PP. Prefrontal cortex VAMP1 gene network moderates the effect of the early environment on cognitive flexibility in children. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2021; 185:107509. [PMID: 34454100 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2021.107509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
During development, genetic and environmental factors interact to modify specific phenotypes. Both in humans and in animal models, early adversities influence cognitive flexibility, an important brain function related to behavioral adaptation to variations in the environment. Abnormalities in cognitive functions are related to changes in synaptic connectivity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), and altered levels of synaptic proteins. We investigated if individual variations in the expression of a network of genes co-expressed with the synaptic protein VAMP1 in the prefrontal cortex moderate the effect of early environmental quality on the performance of children in cognitive flexibility tasks. Genes overexpressed in early childhood and co-expressed with the VAMP1 gene in the PFC were selected for study. SNPs from these genes (post-clumping) were compiled in an expression-based polygenic score (PFC-ePRS-VAMP1). We evaluated cognitive performance of the 4 years-old children in two cohorts using similar cognitive flexibility tasks. In the first cohort (MAVAN) we utilized two CANTAB tasks: (a) the Intra-/Extra-dimensional Set Shift (IED) task, and (b) the Spatial Working Memory (SWM) task. In the second cohort, GUSTO, we used the Dimensional Change Card Sort (DCCS) task. The results show that in 4 years-old children, the PFC-ePRS-VAMP1 network moderates responsiveness to the effects of early adversities on the performance in attentional flexibility tests. The same result was observed for a spatial working memory task. Compared to attentional flexibility, reversal learning showed opposite effects of the environment, as moderated by the ePRS. A parallel ICA analysis was performed to identify relationships between whole-brain voxel based gray matter density and SNPs that comprise the PFC-ePRS-VAMP1. The early environment predicts differences in gray matter content in regions such as prefrontal and temporal cortices, significantly associated with a genetic component related to Wnt signaling pathways. Our data suggest that a network of genes co-expressed with VAMP1 in the PFC moderates the influence of early environment on cognitive function in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Dalmaz
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Depto Bioquimica e PPG CB Bioquimica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; PPG Neurociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - Barbara Barth
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Irina Pokhvisneva
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Zihan Wang
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Sachin Patel
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jorge A Quillfeldt
- PPG Neurociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Depto Biofisica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Euclides J Mendonça Filho
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Randriely Merscher Sobreira de Lima
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; PPG Neurociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Danusa M Arcego
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Roberto Britto Sassi
- Mood Disorders Program, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Geoffrey B C Hall
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Michael S Kobor
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Department of Medical Genetics, The University of British Columbia, 938 West 28th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Michael J Meaney
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
| | - Patrícia P Silveira
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; PPG Neurociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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Ebeid MA, Habib MZ, Mohamed AM, Faramawy YE, Saad SST, El-Kharashi OA, El Magdoub HM, Abd-Alkhalek HA, Aboul-Fotouh S, Abdel-Tawab AM. Cognitive effects of the GSK-3 inhibitor "lithium" in LPS/chronic mild stress rat model of depression: Hippocampal and cortical neuroinflammation and tauopathy. Neurotoxicology 2021; 83:77-88. [PMID: 33417987 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2020.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Low-dose repeated lipopolysaccharide pre-challenge followed by chronic mild stress (LPS/CMS) protocol has been introduced as a rodent model of depression combining the roles of immune activation and chronic psychological stress. However, the impact of this paradigm on cognitive functioning has not been investigated hitherto. METHODS This study evaluated LPS/CMS-induced cognitive effects and the role of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) activation with subsequent neuroinflammation and pathological tau deposition in the pathogenesis of these effects using lithium (Li) as a tool for GSK-3 inhibition. RESULTS LPS pre-challenge reduced CMS-induced neuroinflammation, depressive-like behavior and cognitive inflexibility. It also improved spatial learning but increased GSK-3β expression and exaggerated hyperphosphorylated tau accumulation in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Li ameliorated CMS and LPS/CMS-induced depressive and cognitive deficits, reduced GSK-3β over-expression and tau hyperphosphorylation, impeded neuroinflammation and enhanced neuronal survival. CONCLUSION This study draws attention to LPS/CMS-triggered cognitive changes and highlights how prior low-dose immune challenge could develop an adaptive capacity to buffer inflammatory damage and maintain the cognitive abilities necessary to withstand threats. This work also underscores the favorable effect of Li (as a GSK-3β inhibitor) in impeding exaggerated tauopathy and neuroinflammation, rescuing neuronal survival and preserving cognitive functions. Yet, further in-depth studies utilizing different low-dose LPS challenge schedules are needed to elucidate the complex interactions between immune activation and chronic stress exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mai A Ebeid
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Z Habib
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Ahmed M Mohamed
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Yasser El Faramawy
- Department of Geriatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Sherin S T Saad
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Omnyah A El-Kharashi
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Hekmat M El Magdoub
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Misr International University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Hadwa A Abd-Alkhalek
- Department of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Sawsan Aboul-Fotouh
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt; Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ahmed M Abdel-Tawab
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt; Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
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Amisulpride alleviates chronic mild stress-induced cognitive deficits: Role of prefrontal cortex microglia and Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Eur J Pharmacol 2020; 885:173411. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2020.173411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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12
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Barfield ET, Sequeira MK, Parsons RG, Gourley SL. Morphological Responses of Excitatory Prelimbic and Orbitofrontal Cortical Neurons to Excess Corticosterone in Adolescence and Acute Stress in Adulthood. Front Neuroanat 2020; 14:45. [PMID: 33013327 PMCID: PMC7506158 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2020.00045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Considerable evidence indicates that chronic stress and excess glucocorticoids induce neuronal remodeling in prefrontal cortical (PFC) regions. Adolescence is also characterized by a structural reorganization of PFC neurons, yet interactions between stress- and age-related structural plasticity are still being determined. We quantified dendritic spine densities on apical dendrites of excitatory neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex, prelimbic subregion (PL). Densities decreased across adolescent development, as expected, and spine volume increased. Unexpectedly, exposure to excess corticosterone (CORT) throughout adolescence did not cause additional dendritic spine loss detectable in adulthood. As a positive control dendrite population expected to be sensitive to CORT, we imaged neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), confirming CORT-induced dendritic spine attrition on basal arbors of layer V neurons. We next assessed the effects of acute, mild stress in adulthood: On PL neurons, an acute stressor increased the density of mature, mushroom-shaped spines. Meanwhile, on OFC neurons, dendritic spine volumes and lengths were lower in mice exposed to both CORT and an acute stressor (also referred to as a "double hit"). In sum, prolonged exposure to excess glucocorticoids during adolescence can have morphological and also metaplastic consequences, but they are not global. Anatomical considerations are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth T. Barfield
- Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, Emory University School of Medicine, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Michelle K. Sequeira
- Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, Emory University School of Medicine, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Graduate Training Programs in Neuroscience, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Ryan G. Parsons
- Graduate Program in Integrative Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Shannon L. Gourley
- Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, Emory University School of Medicine, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Graduate Training Programs in Neuroscience, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
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13
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Maramis MM, Mahajudin MS, Khotib J. Impaired Cognitive Flexibility and Working Memory Precedes Depression: A Rat Model to Study Depression. Neuropsychobiology 2020; 80:225-233. [PMID: 32712605 PMCID: PMC8220918 DOI: 10.1159/000508682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Depressive disorders are the 4th leading cause of health problems and the 2nd leading cause of burden among all diseases. Almost all depressive disorder patients have cognitive impairments to a certain extend. Studies about cognitive impairments in depression had been conducted, but whether cognitive dysfunctions are the cause or the effect is still not clear. OBJECTIVES To analyze the process of working memory and cognitive flexibility impairments in a rat model of depression. METHODS In this experimental study, chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) was used as a model of depression in 30 rats (Rattus novergicus). Cognitive function was assessed with the Morris water maze and attentional set shifting test. RESULTS This study found a significant difference on day 21 in working memory (p = 0.002) and cognitive flexibility (p = 0.036), which continued to day 41 in working memory (p = 0.001) and cognitive flexibility (p = 0.020). In the CUMS model of depression, parameters peak on day 41 and reveal parameter changes in weight gain (p = 0.018), food intake (p < 0.001), changes in food intake (p = 0.001), and the sucrose preference (p = 0.005), elevated plus maze (p = 0.001), and light dark box tests (p = 0.020). CONCLUSION In a rat model of depression, cognitive impairment preceded depression, but it might be caused by anxiety-like behavior that occurred in early stimulation of chronic unpredictable mild stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarita M Maramis
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Airlangga University, Surabaya, Indonesia,
| | - Marlina S Mahajudin
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Airlangga University, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Junaidi Khotib
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Airlangga University, Surabaya, Indonesia
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14
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Barfield ET, Gourley SL. Glucocorticoid-sensitive ventral hippocampal-orbitofrontal cortical connections support goal-directed action - Curt Richter Award Paper 2019. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 110:104436. [PMID: 31526526 PMCID: PMC6859207 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
In an ever-changing and often ambiguous environment, organisms must use previously learned associations between antecedents and outcomes to predict future associations and make optimal choices. Chronic stress can impair one's ability to flexibly adjust behaviors when environmental contingencies change, particularly in cases of early-life stress. In mice, exposure to elevated levels of the primary stress hormone, corticosterone (CORT), during early adolescence is sufficient to impair response-outcome decision making later in life, biasing response strategies towards inflexible habits. Nevertheless, neurobiological mechanisms are still being defined. Here, we report that exposure to excess CORT in adolescence causes a loss of dendritic spines on excitatory pyramidal neurons in the lateral, but not medial, orbital prefrontal cortex (loPFC) of mice, and spine loss correlates with the severity of habit biases in adulthood. Excess CORT also reduces the presence of ventral hippocampal (vHC) axon terminals in the loPFC. To identify functional consequences, we inactivated vHC→loPFC projections in typical healthy mice during a period when mice must update response-outcome expectations to optimally acquire food reinforcers. Inactivation impaired the animals' subsequent ability to sustainably choose actions based on likely outcomes, causing them to defer to habit-based response strategies. Thus, vHC→loPFC projections are necessary for response-outcome expectancy updating and a target of excess glucocorticoids during early-life development. Their degradation is likely involved in long-term biases towards habit-based behaviors following glucocorticoid excess in adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth T Barfield
- Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, Emory University School of Medicine, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Shannon L Gourley
- Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, Emory University School of Medicine, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA; Graduate Training Programs in Neuroscience and Molecular and Systems Pharmacology, Emory University, USA.
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15
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Zhang S, Xue R, Hu R. The neuroprotective effect and action mechanism of polyphenols in diabetes mellitus-related cognitive dysfunction. Eur J Nutr 2019; 59:1295-1311. [PMID: 31598747 DOI: 10.1007/s00394-019-02078-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a complex and prevalent metabolic disorder worldwide. Strong evidence has emerged that DM is a risk factor for the accelerated rate of cognitive decline and the development of dementia. Though traditional pharmaceutical agents are efficient for the management of DM and DM-related cognitive decrement, long-term use of these drugs are along with undesired side effects. Therefore, tremendous studies have focused on the therapeutic benefits of natural compounds at present. Ample evidence exists to prove that polyphenols are capable to modulate diabetic neuropathy with minimal toxicity and adverse effects. PURPOSE To describe the benefits and mechanisms of polyphenols on DM-induced cognitive dysfunction. In this review, we introduce an updated overview of associations between DM and cognitive dysfunction. The risk factors as well as pathological and molecular mechanisms of DM-induced cognitive dysfunction are summarized. More importantly, many active polyphenols that possess preventive and therapeutic effects on DM-induced cognitive dysfunction and the potential signaling pathways involved in the action are highlighted. CONCLUSIONS The therapeutic effects of polyphenols on DM-related cognitive dysfunction pave a novel way for the management of diabetic encephalopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenshen Zhang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
| | - Ran Xue
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ruizhe Hu
- School of Physical Education (Main Campus), Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
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16
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Controllability affects endocrine response of adolescent male rats to stress as well as impulsivity and behavioral flexibility during adulthood. Sci Rep 2019; 9:3180. [PMID: 30816288 PMCID: PMC6395608 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40061-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to stress during adolescence exerts a long-term impact on behavior and might contribute to the development of several neuropsychiatric disorders. In adults, control over stress has been found to protect from the negative consequences of stress, but the influence of controllability at early ages has not been extensively studied. Here, we evaluated in a rodent model the effects of repeated exposure in adolescent male rats to controllable versus uncontrollable foot-shock stress (CST or UST, respectively). Rats were assigned to three groups: non-stress (stress-naïve), CST (exposed to 8 sessions of a two-way shuttle active avoidance task over a period of 22 days) and UST (receiving the same amount of shocks as CST, regardless of their actual behavior). During adulthood, different cohorts were tested in several tasks evaluating inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility: 5-choice serial reaction time, delay-discounting, gambling test and probabilistic reversal learning. Results showed that the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal response to the first shock session was similar in CST and UST animals, but the response to the 8th session was lower in CST animals. In adulthood, the UST animals presented impaired motor (but not cognitive) impulsivity and more perseverative behavior. The behavioral effects of UST were associated with increased number of D2 dopamine receptors in dorsomedial striatum, but not in other striatal regions. In summary, UST exposure during adolescence induced long-term impairments in impulsivity and compulsivity, whereas CST had only minor effects. These data support a critical role of stress uncontrollability on the long-lasting consequences of stress, as a risk factor for mental illnesses.
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Barfield ET, Gourley SL. Prefrontal cortical trkB, glucocorticoids, and their interactions in stress and developmental contexts. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 95:535-558. [PMID: 30477984 PMCID: PMC6392187 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Revised: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The tropomyosin/tyrosine receptor kinase B (trkB) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) regulate neuron structure and function and the hormonal stress response. Meanwhile, disruption of trkB and GR activity (e.g., by chronic stress) can perturb neuronal morphology in cortico-limbic regions implicated in stressor-related illnesses like depression. Further, several of the short- and long-term neurobehavioral consequences of stress depend on the developmental timing and context of stressor exposure. We review how the levels and activities of trkB and GR in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) change during development, interact, are modulated by stress, and are implicated in depression. We review evidence that trkB- and GR-mediated signaling events impact the density and morphology of dendritic spines, the primary sites of excitatory synapses in the brain, highlighting effects in adolescents when possible. Finally, we review the role of neurotrophin and glucocorticoid systems in stress-related metaplasticity. We argue that better understanding the long-term effects of developmental stressors on PFC trkB, GR, and related factors may yield insights into risk for chronic, remitting depression and related neuropsychiatric illnesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth T Barfield
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA; Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA.
| | - Shannon L Gourley
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA; Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA; Molecular and Systems Pharmacology Program, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA.
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18
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Inosine alleviates depression-like behavior and increases the activity of the ERK-CREB signaling in adolescent male rats. Neuroreport 2018; 29:1223-1229. [DOI: 10.1097/wnr.0000000000001101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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19
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Region-Dependent Alterations in Cognitive Function and ERK1/2 Signaling in the PFC in Rats after Social Defeat Stress. Neural Plast 2018; 2018:9870985. [PMID: 29849577 PMCID: PMC5925180 DOI: 10.1155/2018/9870985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive dysfunctions are highly comorbid with depression. Impairments of cognitive flexibility, which are modulated by the monoaminergic system of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), are increasingly recognized as an important component of the pathophysiology and treatment of depression. However, the downstream molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Using a classical model of depression, this study investigated the effects of social defeat stress on emotional behaviors, on cognitive flexibility in the attentional set-shifting task (AST), and on the expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1 and ERK2) and their downstream signaling molecules cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in two subregions of the PFC, the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). The results showed that stress induced emotional and cognitive alterations associated with depression, including a decreased sucrose intake ratio and impaired reversal learning and set-shifting performance in the AST. Additionally, rats in the stress group showed a significant decrease only in ERK2 signaling in the mPFC, while more extensive decreases in both ERK1 signaling and ERK2 signaling were observed in the OFC. Along with the decreased ERK signaling, compared to controls, stressed rats showed downregulation of CREB phosphorylation and BDNF expression in both the OFC and the mPFC. Further analysis showed that behavioral changes were differentially correlated with several molecules in subregions of the PFC. These results suggested that social defeat stress was an effective animal model to induce both emotional and cognitive symptoms of depression and that the dysfunction of ERK signaling activities in the PFC might be a potential underlying biological mechanism.
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Wang J, Jia Y, Li G, Wang B, Zhou T, Zhu L, Chen T, Chen Y. The Dopamine Receptor D3 Regulates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Depressive-Like Behavior in Mice. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2018; 21:448-460. [PMID: 29390063 PMCID: PMC5932470 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyy005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [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: 09/14/2017] [Accepted: 01/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The altered expression and function of dopamine receptor D3 (D3R) in patients and animal models have been correlated with depression disease severity. However, the morphological alterations and biological effects of D3R in the brain after inflammation-induced depressive-like behavior remain elusive. METHODS In the present study, we ascertained the changes of D3R expression in the brain regions after depressive-like behavior induced by peripheral administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Protein levels of proinflammatory cytokines, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2)-cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB) signaling pathway after activation or inhibition of D3R in the brain of depressive mice were also investigated. RESULTS LPS caused a significant reduction of D3R in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and nucleus accumbens (NAc), which are areas related to the mesolimbic dopaminergic system. Pretreatment with pramipexole (PPX), a preferential D3R agonist, showed antidepressant effects on LPS-induced depression-like behavior through preventing changes in LPS-induced proinflammatory cytokines (tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6), BDNF, and ERK1/2-CREB signaling pathway in the VTA and NAc. In opposition, treatment with a D3R selective antagonist NGB 2904 alone made mice susceptible to depression-like effects and caused changes in accordance with the LPS-induced alterations in proinflammatory cytokines, BDNF, and the ERK1/2-CREB signaling pathway in the mPFC and NAc. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide a relevant mechanism for D3R in LPS-induced depressive-like behavior via its mediation of proinflammatory cytokines and potential cross-effects between BDNF and the ERK1/2-CREB signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, College of Basic Medicine, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
| | - Yuwei Jia
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, College of Basic Medicine, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
| | - Guodong Li
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, College of Basic Medicine, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
| | - Biao Wang
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, College of Basic Medicine, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
| | - Ting Zhou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
| | - Li Zhu
- Forensic Medicine College of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Key Laboratory of the Health Ministry for Forensic Medicine, Xi’an, China
| | - Teng Chen
- Forensic Medicine College of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Key Laboratory of the Health Ministry for Forensic Medicine, Xi’an, China
| | - Yanjiong Chen
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, College of Basic Medicine, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China,Forensic Medicine College of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Key Laboratory of the Health Ministry for Forensic Medicine, Xi’an, China,Correspondence: Yanjiong Chen, PhD, Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, College of Basic Medicine, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an 710061, China ()
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Barfield ET, Gourley SL. Adolescent Corticosterone and TrkB Pharmaco-Manipulations Sex-Dependently Impact Instrumental Reversal Learning Later in Life. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:237. [PMID: 29270114 PMCID: PMC5725412 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Early-life trauma can increase the risk for, and severity of, several psychiatric illnesses. These include drug use disorders, and some correlations appear to be stronger in women. Understanding the long-term consequences of developmental stressor or stress hormone exposure and possible sex differences is critically important. So-called “reversal learning” tasks are commonly used in rodents to model cognitive deficits in stress- and addiction-related illnesses in humans. Here, we exposed mice to the primary stress hormone corticosterone (CORT) during early adolescence (postnatal days 31–42), then tested behavioral flexibility in adulthood using an instrumental reversal learning task. CORT-exposed female, but not male, mice developed perseverative errors. Despite resilience to subchronic CORT exposure, males developed reversal performance impairments following exposure to physical stressors. Administration of a putative tyrosine kinase receptor B (trkB) agonist, 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF), during adolescence blocked CORT-induced errors in females and improved performance in males. Conversely, blockade of trkB by ANA-12 impaired performance. These data suggest that trkB-based interventions could have certain protective benefits in the context of early-life stressor exposure. We consider the implications of our findings in an extended “Discussion” section.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth T Barfield
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Shannon L Gourley
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
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22
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Predictable Chronic Mild Stress during Adolescence Promotes Fear Memory Extinction in Adulthood. Sci Rep 2017; 7:7857. [PMID: 28798340 PMCID: PMC5552791 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-08017-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2017] [Accepted: 07/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Early-life stress in adolescence has a long-lasting influence on brain function in adulthood, and it is mostly recognized as a predisposing factor for mental illnesses, such as anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder. Previous studies also indicated that adolescent predictable chronic mild stress (PCMS) in early life promotes resilience to depression- and anxiety-like behaviors in adulthood. However, the role of PCMS in associated memory process is still unclear. In the present study, we found that adolescent PCMS facilitated extinction and inhibited fear response in reinstatement and spontaneous recovery tests in adult rats, and this effect was still present 1 week later. PCMS in adolescence increased the activity of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) signaling in infralimbic cortex (IL) but not prelimbic cortex in adulthood. Intra-IL infusion of BDNF antibody and the ERK1/2 inhibitor U0126 reversed PCMS-induced enhancement of fear extinction. Moreover, we found that PCMS decreased DNA methylation of the Bdnf gene at exons IV and VI and elevated the mRNA levels of Bdnf in the IL. Our findings indicate that adolescent PCMS exposure promotes fear memory extinction in adulthood, which reevaluates the traditional notion of adolescent stress.
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