1
|
Fragkiadaki E, Katsanou L, Vartzoka F, Gravanis A, Pitsikas N. Effects of low doses of the novel dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) derivative BNN27 in rat models of anxiety. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024; 241:341-350. [PMID: 37917180 PMCID: PMC10806005 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06490-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Several lines of evidence indicate that the neurosteroid dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is involved in anxiety. BNN27 is a new DHEA derivative lacking steroidogenic effects. The beneficial effects exerted by BNN27 in preclinical models of schizophrenia and memory disorders have been recently reported. OBJECTIVES The present study was designed to investigate the effects of this DHEA novel analog on anxiety-like behavior in rats. METHODS To this end, the light/dark box, the open field, the contextual fear conditioning, and the excessive self-grooming induced by the serotonin 5-HT2c receptor agonist mCPP tests were utilized. RESULTS Animals treated acutely with BNN27 (1, 3, and 6 mg/kg) dose dependently spent more time in the bright compartment of the light/dark box and in the central zone of the open field with respect to their vehicle-treated cohorts. Further, BNN27 reduced freezing behavior and weakened the mCPP-induced excessive self-grooming. CONCLUSIONS Our data indicate that BNN27 is a highly potent anxiolytic agent, as in all studied paradigms it showed anxiolytic-like effects in male rats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Evangelia Fragkiadaki
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, Panepistimiou 3, 415-00, Larissa, Greece
| | - Lamprini Katsanou
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, Panepistimiou 3, 415-00, Larissa, Greece
| | - Foteini Vartzoka
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, Panepistimiou 3, 415-00, Larissa, Greece
| | - Achille Gravanis
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Pitsikas
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, Panepistimiou 3, 415-00, Larissa, Greece.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Sep MSC, Geuze E, Joëls M. Impaired learning, memory, and extinction in posttraumatic stress disorder: translational meta-analysis of clinical and preclinical studies. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:376. [PMID: 38062029 PMCID: PMC10703817 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02660-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Current evidence-based treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are efficacious in only part of PTSD patients. Therefore, novel neurobiologically informed approaches are urgently needed. Clinical and translational neuroscience point to altered learning and memory processes as key in (models of) PTSD psychopathology. We extended this notion by clarifying at a meta-level (i) the role of information valence, i.e. neutral versus emotional/fearful, and (ii) comparability, as far as applicable, between clinical and preclinical phenotypes. We hypothesized that cross-species, neutral versus emotional/fearful information processing is, respectively, impaired and enhanced in PTSD. This preregistered meta-analysis involved a literature search on PTSD+Learning/Memory+Behavior, performed in PubMed. First, the effect of information valence was estimated with a random-effects meta-regression. The sources of variation were explored with a random forest-based analysis. The analyses included 92 clinical (N = 6732 humans) and 182 preclinical (N = 6834 animals) studies. A general impairment of learning, memory and extinction processes was observed in PTSD patients, regardless of information valence. Impaired neutral learning/memory and fear extinction were also present in animal models of PTSD. Yet, PTSD models enhanced fear/trauma memory in preclinical studies and PTSD impaired emotional memory in patients. Clinical data on fear/trauma memory was limited. Mnemonic phase and valence explained most variation in rodents but not humans. Impaired neutral learning/memory and fear extinction show stable cross-species PTSD phenotypes. These could be targeted for novel PTSD treatments, using information gained from neurobiological animal studies. We argue that apparent cross-species discrepancies in emotional/fearful memory deserve further in-depth study; until then, animal models targeting this phenotype should be applied with utmost care.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Milou S C Sep
- Brain Research and Innovation Centre, Ministry of Defence, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- GGZ inGeest Mental Health Care, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Mood, Anxiety, Psychosis, Sleep & Stress Program, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Amsterdam Public Health, Mental Health Program, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Center location Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Elbert Geuze
- Brain Research and Innovation Centre, Ministry of Defence, Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marian Joëls
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Mendes-Gomes J, Paschoalin-Maurin T, Donaldson LF, Lumb BM, Blanchard DC, Coimbra NC. Repeated exposure of naïve and peripheral nerve-injured mice to a snake as an experimental model of post-traumatic stress disorder and its co-morbidity with neuropathic pain. Brain Res 2020; 1744:146907. [PMID: 32474017 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2020.146907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Confrontation of rodents by natural predators provides a number of advantages as a model for traumatic or stressful experience. Using this approach, one of the aims of this study was to investigate a model for the study of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-related behaviour in mice. Moreover, because PTSD can facilitate the establishment of chronic pain (CP), and in the same way, patients with CP have an increased tendency to develop PTSD when exposed to a traumatic event, our second aim was to analyse whether this comorbidity can be verified in the new paradigm. C57BL/6 male mice underwent chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve (CCI), a model of neuropathic CP, or not (sham groups) and were submitted to different threatening situations. Threatened mice exhibited enhanced defensive behaviours, as well as significantly enhanced risk assessment and escape behaviours during context reexposure. Previous snake exposure reduced open-arm time in the elevated plus-maze test, suggesting an increase in anxiety levels. Sham mice showed fear-induced antinociception immediately after a second exposure to the snake, but 1 week later, they exhibited allodynia, suggesting that multiple exposures to the snake led to increased nociceptive responses. Moreover, after reexposure to the aversive environment, allodynia was maintained. CCI alone produced intense allodynia, which was unaltered by exposure to either the snake stimuli or reexposure to the experimental context. Together, these results specifically parallel the behavioural symptoms of PTSD, suggesting that the snake/exuvia/reexposure procedure may constitute a useful animal model to study PTSD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joyce Mendes-Gomes
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Neuropsychobiology, Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, 14049-900 São Paulo, Brazil; Ophidiarium LNN-FMRP-USP/INeC, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, 14049-900 São Paulo, Brazil; Behavioural Neurosciences Institute (INeC), Avenida do Café, 2450, Ribeirão Preto, 14050-220 São Paulo, Brazil; Dracena Medical School (UNIFADRA-FUNDEC), Rua Bahia, 332, Dracena, 17900-000 São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Tatiana Paschoalin-Maurin
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Neuropsychobiology, Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, 14049-900 São Paulo, Brazil; Ophidiarium LNN-FMRP-USP/INeC, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, 14049-900 São Paulo, Brazil; Behavioural Neurosciences Institute (INeC), Avenida do Café, 2450, Ribeirão Preto, 14050-220 São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lucy F Donaldson
- Arthritis Research UK Pain Centre and School of Life Sciences, QMC, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2UH, United Kingdom
| | - Bridget M Lumb
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Medical Sciences Building, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, United Kingdom
| | - D Caroline Blanchard
- Pacific Biosciences Research Centre, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - Norberto Cysne Coimbra
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Neuropsychobiology, Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, 14049-900 São Paulo, Brazil; Ophidiarium LNN-FMRP-USP/INeC, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, 14049-900 São Paulo, Brazil; Behavioural Neurosciences Institute (INeC), Avenida do Café, 2450, Ribeirão Preto, 14050-220 São Paulo, Brazil; University of São Paulo Neurobiology of Emotions Research Centre (NAP-USP-NuPNE), Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, 14049-900 São Paulo, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|