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Whelan TP, Daly E, Puts NA, Malievskaia E, Murphy DGM, McAlonan GM. Editorial Perspective: Bridging the translational neuroscience gap in autism - development of the 'shiftability' paradigm. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2024; 65:862-865. [PMID: 38130022 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13940] [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] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Clinical trials of pharmacological candidates targeting the core features of autism have largely failed. This is despite evidence linking differences in multiple neurochemical systems to brain function in autism. While this has in part been explained by the heterogeneity of the autistic population, the field has largely relied upon association studies to link brain chemistry to function. The only way to directly establish that a neurotransmitter or neuromodulator is involved in a candidate brain function is to change it and observe a shift in that function. This experimental approach dominates preclinical neuroscience, but not human studies. There is little direct experimental evidence describing how neurochemical systems modulate information processing in the living human brain. Thus, our understanding of how neurochemical differences contribute to neurodiversity is limited, impeding our ability to translate findings from animal studies into humans. Here, we introduce our 'shiftability' paradigm, an approach to bridge the translational gap in autism research. We provide an overview of the guiding principles and methodologies we use to directly test the hypothesis that neurochemical systems function differently in autistic and non-autistic individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias P Whelan
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- COMPASS Pathfinder Ltd, London, UK
| | - Eileen Daly
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Nicolaas A Puts
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | | | - Declan G M Murphy
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- NIHR-Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Grainne M McAlonan
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- NIHR-Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
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Monferrer M, García AS, Ricarte JJ, Montes MJ, Fernández-Caballero A, Fernández-Sotos P. Facial emotion recognition in patients with depression compared to healthy controls when using human avatars. Sci Rep 2023; 13:6007. [PMID: 37045889 PMCID: PMC10097677 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31277-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The negative, mood-congruent cognitive bias described in depression, as well as excessive rumination, have been found to interfere with emotional processing. This study focuses on the assessment of facial recognition of emotions in patients with depression through a new set of dynamic virtual faces (DVFs). The sample consisted of 54 stable patients compared to 54 healthy controls. The experiment consisted in an emotion recognition task using non-immersive virtual reality (VR) with DVFs of six basic emotions and neutral expression. Patients with depression showed a worst performance in facial affect recognition compared to healthy controls. Age of onset was negatively correlated with emotion recognition and no correlation was observed for duration of illness or number of lifetime hospitalizations. There was no correlation for the depression group between emotion recognition and degree of psychopathology, excessive rumination, degree of functioning, or quality of life. Hence, it is important to improve and validate VR tools for emotion recognition to achieve greater methodological homogeneity of studies and to be able to establish more conclusive results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Monferrer
- Servicio de Salud de Castilla-La Mancha, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete, Servicio de Salud Mental, 02004, Albacete, Spain
| | - Arturo S García
- Departmento de Sistemas Informáticos, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 02071, Albacete, Spain
- Neurocognition and Emotion Unit, Instituto de Investigación en Informática de Albacete, 02071, Albacete, Spain
| | - Jorge J Ricarte
- Departmento de Psicología, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 02071, Albacete, Spain
| | - María J Montes
- Servicio de Salud de Castilla-La Mancha, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete, Servicio de Salud Mental, 02004, Albacete, Spain
| | - Antonio Fernández-Caballero
- Departmento de Sistemas Informáticos, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 02071, Albacete, Spain
- Neurocognition and Emotion Unit, Instituto de Investigación en Informática de Albacete, 02071, Albacete, Spain
- CIBERSAM-ISCIII (Biomedical Research Networking Centre in Mental Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III), 28016, Madrid, Spain
| | - Patricia Fernández-Sotos
- Servicio de Salud de Castilla-La Mancha, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete, Servicio de Salud Mental, 02004, Albacete, Spain.
- CIBERSAM-ISCIII (Biomedical Research Networking Centre in Mental Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III), 28016, Madrid, Spain.
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Beckenstrom AC, Coloma PM, Dawson GR, Finlayson AK, Malik A, Post A, Steiner MA, Potenza MN. Use of experimental medicine approaches for the development of novel psychiatric treatments based on orexin receptor modulation. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 147:105107. [PMID: 36828161 PMCID: PMC10165155 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Despite progress in understanding the pathological mechanisms underlying psychiatric disorders, translation from animal models into clinical use remains a significant bottleneck. Preclinical studies have implicated the orexin neuropeptide system as a potential target for psychiatric disorders through its role in regulating emotional, cognitive, and behavioral processes. Clinical studies are investigating orexin modulation in addiction and mood disorders. Here we review performance-outcome measures (POMs) arising from experimental medicine research methods which may show promise as markers of efficacy of orexin receptor modulators in humans. POMs provide objective measures of brain function, complementing patient-reported or clinician-observed symptom evaluation, and aid the translation from preclinical to clinical research. Significant challenges include the development, validation, and operationalization of these measures. We suggest that collaborative networks comprising clinical practitioners, academics, individuals working in the pharmaceutical industry, drug regulators, patients, patient advocacy groups, and other relevant stakeholders may provide infrastructure to facilitate validation of experimental medicine approaches in translational research and in the implementation of these approaches in real-world clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy C Beckenstrom
- P1vital Ltd, Manor House, Howbery Business Park, Wallingford OX10 8BA, UK.
| | - Preciosa M Coloma
- Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Hegenheimermattweg 91, Allschwil 4123, Switzerland
| | - Gerard R Dawson
- P1vital Ltd, Manor House, Howbery Business Park, Wallingford OX10 8BA, UK
| | - Ailidh K Finlayson
- P1vital Ltd, Manor House, Howbery Business Park, Wallingford OX10 8BA, UK; Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Asad Malik
- P1vital Ltd, Manor House, Howbery Business Park, Wallingford OX10 8BA, UK
| | - Anke Post
- Corlieve Therapeutics, Swiss Innovation Park, Hegenheimermattweg 167A, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
| | | | - Marc N Potenza
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience and the Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, 1 Church Street, Room 726, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Connecticut Mental Health Center, 34 Park Street, New Haven, CT 06519, USA; Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, Wethersfield, CT, USA; The Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, 100 College St, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
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The Opioid System in Depression. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 140:104800. [PMID: 35914624 PMCID: PMC10166717 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Opioid receptors are widely distributed throughout the brain and play an essential role in modulating aspects of human mood, reward, and well-being. Accumulating evidence indicates the endogenous opioid system is dysregulated in depression and that pharmacological modulators of mu, delta, and kappa opioid receptors hold potential for the treatment of depression. Here we review animal and clinical data, highlighting evidence to support: dysregulation of the opioid system in depression, evidence for opioidergic modulation of behavioural processes and brain regions associated with depression, and evidence for opioidergic modulation in antidepressant responses. We evaluate clinical trials that have examined the safety and efficacy of opioidergic agents in depression and consider how the opioid system may be involved in the effects of other treatments, including ketamine, that are currently understood to exert antidepressant effects through non-opioidergic actions. Finally, we explore key neurochemical and molecular mechanisms underlying the potential therapeutic effects of opioid system engagement, that together provides a rationale for further investigation into this relevant target in the treatment of depression.
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D'Oliveira da Silva F, Azevedo Neto J, Sturaro C, Guarino A, Robert C, Gavioli EC, Calo G, Mouledous L, Ruzza C. The NOP antagonist BTRX-246040 increases stress resilience in mice without affecting adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus. Neuropharmacology 2022; 212:109077. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Santos JLS, Bezerra KS, Barbosa ED, Pereira ACL, Meurer YSR, Oliveira JIN, Gavioli EC, Fulco UL. In silico analysis of energy interactions between nociceptin/orfanin FQ receptor and two antagonists with potential antidepressive action. NEW J CHEM 2022. [DOI: 10.1039/d2nj00916a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
This study addresses the binding energies of NOPR-ligand complexes and presents the main amino acid residues involved in the interaction between these complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. L. S. Santos
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970, Natal-RN, Brazil
| | - K. S. Bezerra
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970, Natal-RN, Brazil
| | - E. D. Barbosa
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970, Natal-RN, Brazil
| | - A. C. L. Pereira
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970, Natal-RN, Brazil
| | - Y. S. R. Meurer
- Departamento de Psicologia, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, 58051-900, João Pessoa-PB, Brazil
| | - J. I. N. Oliveira
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970, Natal-RN, Brazil
| | - E. C. Gavioli
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970, Natal-RN, Brazil
| | - U. L. Fulco
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970, Natal-RN, Brazil
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Young AH. Repurposing psychopharmacology: A two-way street? J Psychopharmacol 2021; 35:1439-1440. [PMID: 34872403 DOI: 10.1177/02698811211064648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Allan H Young
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Academic Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, UK
- Bethlem Royal Hospital, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Beckenham, UK
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