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Davis LL, Hamner MB. Post-traumatic stress disorder: the role of the amygdala and potential therapeutic interventions - a review. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1356563. [PMID: 38903645 PMCID: PMC11187309 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1356563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder triggered by exposure to a life-threatening or sexually violent traumatic event, and is characterized by symptoms involving intrusive re-experiencing, persistent avoidance of associated stimuli, emotional and cognitive disturbances, and hyperarousal for long periods after the trauma has occurred. These debilitating symptoms induce occupational and social impairments that contribute to a significant clinical burden for PTSD patients, and substantial socioeconomic costs, reaching approximately $20,000 dollars per individual with PTSD each year in the US. Despite increased translational research focus in the field of PTSD, the development of novel, effective pharmacotherapies for its treatment remains an important unmet clinical need. Observations In this review, we summarize the evidence implicating dysfunctional activity of the amygdala in the pathophysiology of PTSD. We identify the transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) ion channels as promising drug targets given their distribution in the amygdala, and evidence from animal studies demonstrating their role in fear response modulation. We discuss the evidence-based pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy treatment approaches for PTSD. Discussion In view of the prevalence and economic burden associated with PTSD, further investigation is warranted into novel treatment approaches based on our knowledge of the involvement of brain circuitry and the role of the amygdala in PTSD, as well as the potential added value of combined pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy to better manage PTSD symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lori L. Davis
- Mental Health Service, Birmingham VA Health Care System, Birmingham, AL, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Alabama College of Community Health Science, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States
| | - Mark B. Hamner
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
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Hubená P, Horký P, Grabic R, Grabicová K, Douda K, Slavík O, Randák T. Aggression repeatability in stressed fish in response to an environmental concentration of sertraline and lunar cycle as evidenced by brain metabolomics. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2023; 264:106707. [PMID: 37806025 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2023.106707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Sertraline is an environmental pollutant which received magnified scientific attention due to its global presence in waters. Adverse effects on feeding, reproduction and other traits were observed mostly in unstressed aquatic organisms. Chronic stress, however, induces significant physiological changes, and the effects of sertraline in stressed fish may differ from those observed in non-stressed individuals. The current laboratory study addresses this gap by repeatedly monitoring the individual aggression of chronically stressed juvenile chub (Squalius cephalus L.) using the non-reversing mirror test at an environmental sertraline concentration of 0.022 g/L every three to four days for a period of 39 days. Specifically, it was hypothesized that the level and repeatability of aggressiveness would be (i) correlated with the concentration of sertraline/norsertraline in the fish brain; (ii) linked to the individual brain metabolomic profile described by LC-HRMS analyses; (iii) related to the lunar cycle. Sertraline led to an increase in fish aggression and more repeatable/consistent behaviour compared to control fish. While the level of sertraline in the brain did not correlate with aggressiveness, aggressive responses increased with higher norsertraline concentration. The observed aggressive behaviour also varied depending on the individual metabolomic profile of the brain. The behavioural outcome and metabolic change in fish brain may indicate that sertraline has demonstrated neuroprotective effects by reducing cortisol release. It is possible that fish exposed to sertraline could suffer a blunted stress response under the chronic stressors in the wild. Aggressiveness of both treatments evolved in time, revealing a sinusoid-like pattern corresponding to a lunar cycle with a peak of the aggressiveness during the new moon. There is a need for future studies to focus on this relationship to reveal its details and general validity. Our results emphasize that long-term behavioural variability should generally be taken into account in laboratory behavioural studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavla Hubená
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha 6 Suchdol, Czech Republic; Uppsala University, Uppsala Biomedical Centre, Department of Medical Cell Biology, Husargatan 3, 751 23 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Pavel Horký
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha 6 Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Roman Grabic
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 398 25 Vodňany, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Grabicová
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 398 25 Vodňany, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Douda
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha 6 Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Ondřej Slavík
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha 6 Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Randák
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 398 25 Vodňany, Czech Republic
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Heesbeen EJ, Bijlsma EY, Verdouw PM, van Lissa C, Hooijmans C, Groenink L. The effect of SSRIs on fear learning: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2023; 240:2335-2359. [PMID: 36847831 PMCID: PMC10593621 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06333-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are considered first-line medication for anxiety-like disorders such as panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Fear learning plays an important role in the development and treatment of these disorders. Yet, the effect of SSRIs on fear learning are not well known. OBJECTIVE We aimed to systematically review the effect of six clinically effective SSRIs on acquisition, expression, and extinction of cued and contextual conditioned fear. METHODS We searched the Medline and Embase databases, which yielded 128 articles that met the inclusion criteria and reported on 9 human and 275 animal experiments. RESULTS Meta-analysis showed that SSRIs significantly reduced contextual fear expression and facilitated extinction learning to cue. Bayesian-regularized meta-regression further suggested that chronic treatment exerts a stronger anxiolytic effect on cued fear expression than acute treatment. Type of SSRI, species, disease-induction model, and type of anxiety test used did not seem to moderate the effect of SSRIs. The number of studies was relatively small, the level of heterogeneity was high, and publication bias has likely occurred which may have resulted in an overestimation of the overall effect sizes. CONCLUSIONS This review suggests that the efficacy of SSRIs may be related to their effects on contextual fear expression and extinction to cue, rather than fear acquisition. However, these effects of SSRIs may be due to a more general inhibition of fear-related emotions. Therefore, additional meta-analyses on the effects of SSRIs on unconditioned fear responses may provide further insight into the actions of SSRIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise J Heesbeen
- Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth Y Bijlsma
- Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - P Monika Verdouw
- Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Caspar van Lissa
- Department of Methodology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands
| | - Carlijn Hooijmans
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Care, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Lucianne Groenink
- Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.
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Neuronal nitric oxide synthase inhibition accelerated the removal of fluoxetine's anxiogenic activity in an animal model of PTSD. Behav Brain Res 2023; 437:114128. [PMID: 36174841 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.114128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
While SSRIs are the current first-line pharmacotherapies against post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), they suffer from delayed onset of efficacy and low remission rates. One solution is to combine SSRIs with other treatments. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) has been shown to play a role in serotonergic signaling, and there is evidence of synergism between nNOS modulation and SSRIs in models of other psychiatric conditions. Therefore, in this study, we combined subchronic fluoxetine (Flx) with 7-nitroindazole (NI), a selective nNOS inhibitor, and evaluated their efficacy against anxiety-related behavior in an animal model of PTSD. We used the underwater trauma model to induce PTSD in rats. Animals underwent the open field (OFT) and elevated plus maze tests on days 14 (baseline) and 21 (post-treatment) after PTSD induction to assess anxiety-related behaviors. Between the two tests, the rats received daily intraperitoneal injections of 10 mg/kg Flx or saline, and were injected intraperitoneally before the second test with either 15 mg/kg NI or saline. The change in behaviors between the two tests was compared between treatment groups. Individual treatment with both Flx and NI had anxiogenic effects in the OFT. These effects were associated with modest increases in cFOS expression in the hippocampus. Combination therapy with Flx + NI did not show any anxiogenic effects, while causing even higher expression levels of cFOS. In conclusion, addition of NI treatment to subchronic Flx therapy accelerated the abrogation of Flx's anxiogenic properties. Furthermore, hippocampal activity, as evidenced by cFOS expression, was biphasically related to anxiety-related behavior.
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Iwakura Y, Kawahara-Miki R, Kida S, Sotoyama H, Gabdulkhaev R, Takahashi H, Kunii Y, Hino M, Nagaoka A, Izumi R, Shishido R, Someya T, Yabe H, Kakita A, Nawa H. Elevation of EGR1/zif268, a Neural Activity Marker, in the Auditory Cortex of Patients with Schizophrenia and its Animal Model. Neurochem Res 2022; 47:2715-2727. [PMID: 35469366 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-022-03599-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The family of epidermal growth factor (EGF) including neuregulin-1 are implicated in the neuropathology of schizophrenia. We established a rat model of schizophrenia by exposing perinatal rats to EGF and reported that the auditory pathophysiological traits of this model such as prepulse inhibition, auditory steady-state response, and mismatch negativity are relevant to those of schizophrenia. We assessed the activation status of the auditory cortex in this model, as well as that in patients with schizophrenia, by monitoring the three neural activity-induced proteins: EGR1 (zif268), c-fos, and Arc. Among the activity markers, protein levels of EGR1 were significantly higher at the adult stage in EGF model rats than those in control rats. The group difference was observed despite an EGF model rat and a control rat being housed together, ruling out the contribution of rat vocalization effects. These changes in EGR1 levels were seen to be specific to the auditory cortex of this model. The increase in EGR1 levels were detectable at the juvenile stage and continued until old ages but displayed a peak immediately after puberty, whereas c-fos and Arc levels were nearly indistinguishable between groups at all ages with an exception of Arc decrease at the juvenile stage. A similar increase in EGR1 levels was observed in the postmortem superior temporal cortex of patients with schizophrenia. The commonality of the EGR1 increase indicates that the EGR1 elevation in the auditory cortex might be one of the molecular signatures of this animal model and schizophrenia associating with hallucination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuriko Iwakura
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan.
- Department of Brain Tumor Biology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, 1-757 Asahimachi-Dori, Chuo-ku, Niigata City, Niigata, 951-8585, Japan.
| | | | - Satoshi Kida
- Graduate School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Bioscience, Faculty of Life Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hidekazu Sotoyama
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Ramil Gabdulkhaev
- Department of Pathology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Takahashi
- Department of Pathology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Yasuto Kunii
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Mizuki Hino
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Atsuko Nagaoka
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Ryuta Izumi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Risa Shishido
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Toshiyuki Someya
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Hirooki Yabe
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Akiyoshi Kakita
- Department of Pathology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Nawa
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
- Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
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The Medial Prefrontal Cortex, Nucleus Accumbens, Basolateral Amygdala, and Hippocampus Regulate the Amelioration of Environmental Enrichment and Cue in Fear Behavior in the Animal Model of PTSD. Behav Neurol 2022; 2022:7331714. [PMID: 35178125 PMCID: PMC8843982 DOI: 10.1155/2022/7331714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A growing body of evidence showed that environmental enrichment (EE) ameliorated footshock-induced fear behavior of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, no research comprehensively tested the effect of EE, cue, and the combination of EE and cue in footshock-induced fear behavior of PTSD symptoms. The present study addressed this issue and examined whether the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC, including the cingulate cortex 1 (Cg1), prelimbic cortex (PrL), and infralimbic cortex (IL)), the nucleus accumbens (NAc), the basolateral amygdala (BLA), and the hippocampus (e.g., CA1, CA3, and dentate gyrus (DG)) regulated the amelioration of the EE, cue, or the combination of EE and cue. The results showed that EE or cue could reduce fear behavior. The combination of EE and cue revealed a stronger decrease in fear behavior. The cue stimulus may play an occasion setting or a conditioned stimulus to modulate the reduction in fear behavior induced by footshock. Regarding the reduction of the EE in fear behavior, the Cg1 and IL of the mPFC and the NAc upregulated the c-Fos expression; however, the BLA downregulated the c-Fos expression. The mPFC (i.e., the Cg1, PrL, and IL) and the hippocampus (i.e., the CA1, CA3, and DG) downregulated the c-Fos expression in the suppression of the cue in fear behavior. The interaction of EE and cue in reduction of fear behavior occurred in the Cg1 and NAc for the c-Fos expression. The data of c-Fos mRNA were similar to the findings of the c-Fos protein expression. These findings related to the EE and cue modulations in fear behavior may develop a novel nonpharmacological treatment in PTSD.
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Shyu BC, He AB, Yu YH, Huang ACW. Tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors but not anticonvulsants ameliorate pain, anxiety, and depression symptoms in an animal model of central post-stroke pain. Mol Pain 2021; 17:17448069211063351. [PMID: 34903115 PMCID: PMC8679055 DOI: 10.1177/17448069211063351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Central post-stroke pain (CPSP) is a type of neuropathic pain caused by
dysfunction in the spinothalamocortical pathway. However, no animal studies
have examined comorbid anxiety and depression symptoms. Whether the typical
pharmacological treatments for CPSP, which include antidepressants,
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and anticonvulsants, can
treat comorbid anxiety and depression symptoms in addition to pain remains
unclear? The present study ablated the ventrobasal complex of the thalamus
(VBC) to cause various CPSP symptoms. The effects of the tricyclic
antidepressants amitriptyline and imipramine, the SSRI fluoxetine, and the
anticonvulsant carbamazepine on pain, anxiety, and depression were
examined. Results The results showed that VBC lesions induced sensitivity to thermal pain,
measured using a hot water bath; mechanical pain, assessed by von Frey test;
anxiety behavior, determined by the open-field test, elevated plus-maze
test, and zero-maze test; and depression behavior, assessed by the forced
swim test. No effect on motor activity in the open-field test was observed.
Amitriptyline reduced thermal and mechanical pain sensitivity and anxiety
but not depression. Imipramine suppressed thermal and mechanical pain
sensitivity, anxiety, and depression. Fluoxetine blocked mechanical but not
thermal pain sensitivity, anxiety, and depression. However, carbamazepine
did not affect pain, anxiety, or depression. Conclusion In summary, antidepressants and SSRIs but not anticonvulsants can effectively
ameliorate pain and comorbid anxiety and depression in CPSP. The present
findings, including discrepancies in the effects observed following
treatment with anticonvulsants, antidepressants, and SSRIs in this CPSP
animal model, can be applied in the clinical setting to guide the
pharmacological treatment of CPSP symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alan Bh He
- Department of Psychology, 56854Fo Guang University, Yilan County 26247, Taiwan
| | - Ying H Yu
- Department of Psychology, 56854Fo Guang University, Yilan County 26247, Taiwan.,Department of Biotechnology and Animal Science, National Ilan University, Yilan City, Yilan County 260, Taiwan
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