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Bagosi Z, Megyesi K, Ayman J, Rudersdorf H, Ayaz MK, Csabafi K. The Role of Corticotropin-Releasing Factor (CRF) and CRF-Related Peptides in the Social Behavior of Rodents. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2217. [PMID: 37626714 PMCID: PMC10452353 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11082217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) was isolated from an ovine brain, a growing family of CRF-related peptides has been discovered. Today, the mammalian CRF system consists of four ligands (CRF, urocortin 1 (Ucn1), urocortin 2 (Ucn2), and urocortin 3 (Ucn3)); two receptors (CRF receptor type 1 (CRF1) and CRF receptor type 2 (CRF2)); and a CRF-binding protein (CRF-BP). Besides the regulation of the neuroendocrine, autonomic, and behavioral responses to stress, CRF and CRF-related peptides are also involved in different aspects of social behavior. In the present study, we review the experiments that investigated the role of CRF and the urocortins involved in the social behavior of rats, mice, and voles, with a special focus on sociability and preference for social novelty, as well as the ability for social recognition, discrimination, and memory. In general, these experiments demonstrate that CRF, Ucn1, Ucn2, and Ucn3 play important, but distinct roles in the social behavior of rodents, and that they are mediated by CRF1 and/or CRF2. In addition, we suggest the possible brain regions and pathways that express CRF and CRF-related peptides and that might be involved in social interactions. Furthermore, we also emphasize the differences between the species, strains, and sexes that make translation of these roles from rodents to humans difficult.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsolt Bagosi
- Department of Pathophysiology, Albert Szent-Györgyi School of Medicine, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Hungary; (H.R.); (M.K.A.); (K.C.)
| | - Kíra Megyesi
- Interdisciplinary Center for Excellence, Clinical Research Competence Center, Albert Szent-Györgyi School of Medicine, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Hungary;
| | - Jázmin Ayman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Albert Szent-Györgyi Albert School of Medicine, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Hungary;
| | - Hanna Rudersdorf
- Department of Pathophysiology, Albert Szent-Györgyi School of Medicine, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Hungary; (H.R.); (M.K.A.); (K.C.)
| | - Maieda Khan Ayaz
- Department of Pathophysiology, Albert Szent-Györgyi School of Medicine, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Hungary; (H.R.); (M.K.A.); (K.C.)
| | - Krisztina Csabafi
- Department of Pathophysiology, Albert Szent-Györgyi School of Medicine, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Hungary; (H.R.); (M.K.A.); (K.C.)
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De Guzman RM, Rosinger ZJ, Rybka KA, Jacobskind JS, Thrasher CA, Caballero AL, Sturm KL, Sharif MS, Abbas MS, Parra KE, Zuloaga KL, Justice NJ, Zuloaga DG. Changes in Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Receptor Type 1, Co-Expression with Tyrosine Hydroxylase and Oxytocin Neurons, and Anxiety-Like Behaviors across the Postpartum Period in Mice. Neuroendocrinology 2023; 113:795-810. [PMID: 36917957 PMCID: PMC10389801 DOI: 10.1159/000530156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Corticotropin-releasing factor and its primary receptor (CRFR1) are critical regulators of behavioral and neuroendocrine stress responses. CRFR1 has also been associated with stress-related behavioral changes in postpartum mice. Our previous studies indicate dynamic changes in CRFR1 levels and coupling of CRFR1 with tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and oxytocin (OT) neurons in postpartum mice. In this study, we aimed to determine the time course of these changes during the postpartum period. METHODS Using a CRFR1-GFP reporter mouse line, we compared postpartum mice at five time points with nulliparous mice. We performed immunohistochemistry to assess changes in CRFR1 levels and changes in co-expression of TH/CRFR1-GFP and OT/CRFR1-GFP across the postpartum period. Mice were also assessed for behavioral stress responses in the open field test. RESULTS Relative to nulliparous mice, CRFR1 levels were elevated in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV/PeN) but were decreased in the medial preoptic area from postpartum day 1 (P1) through P28. In the paraventricular hypothalamus (PVN), there is a transient decline in CRFR1 mid-postpartum with a nadir at P7. Co-localization of CRFR1 with TH-expressing neurons was also altered with a transient decrease found in the AVPV/PeN at P7 and P14. Co-expression of CRFR1 and OT neurons of the PVN and supraoptic nucleus was dramatically altered with virtually no co-expression found in nulliparous mice, but levels increased shortly after parturition and peaked near P21. A transient decrease in open field center time was found at P7, indicating elevated anxiety-like behavior. CONCLUSION This study revealed various changes in CRFR1 across the postpartum period, which may contribute to stress-related behavior changes in postpartum mice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Christina A. Thrasher
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Kristen L. Zuloaga
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Nicholas J. Justice
- Center for Metabolic and Degenerative Diseases, Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine of McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, TX, USA
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De Guzman RM, Rosinger ZJ, Parra KE, Jacobskind JS, Justice NJ, Zuloaga DG. Alterations in corticotropin-releasing factor receptor type 1 in the preoptic area and hypothalamus in mice during the postpartum period. Horm Behav 2021; 135:105044. [PMID: 34507241 PMCID: PMC8653990 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) signaling through CRF receptor 1 (CRFR1) regulates autonomic, endocrine, and behavioral responses to stress, as well as behavioral changes during the maternal period. Previous work in our lab reported higher levels of CRFR1 in female, compared to male, mice within the rostral anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV/PeN), a brain region involved in maternal behaviors. In this study, we used CRFR1-GFP reporter mice to investigate whether the reproductive status (postpartum vs. nulliparous) of acutely stressed females affects levels of CRFR1 in the AVPV/PeN and other regions involved in maternal functions. Compared to nulliparous, postpartum day 14 females showed increased AVPV/PeN CRFR1-GFP immunoreactivity and an elevated number of restraint stress-activated AVPV/PeN CRFR1 cells as assessed by immunohistochemical co-localization of CRFR1-GFP and phosphorylated CREB (pCREB). The medial preoptic area (MPOA) and paraventricular hypothalamus (PVN) of postpartum mice showed modest decreases in CRFR1-GFP immunoreactivity, while increased CRFR1-GFP/pCREB co-expressing cells were found in the PVN following restraint stress relative to nulliparous mice. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and CRFR1-GFP co-localization was also assessed in the AVPV/PeN and other regions and revealed a decrease in co-localized neurons in the AVPV/PeN and ventral tegmental area of postpartum mice. Corticosterone analysis of restrained mice revealed blunted peak, but elevated recovery, levels in postpartum compared to nulliparous mice. Finally, we investigated projection patterns of AVPV/PeN CRFR1 neurons using female CRFR1-Cre mice and revealed dense efferent projections to several preoptic, hypothalamic, and hindbrain regions known to control stress-associated and maternal functions. Together, these findings contribute to our understanding of the neurobiology that might underlie changes in stress-related functions during the postpartum period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rose M De Guzman
- Department of Psychology, University at Albany, State University New York, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222, United States
| | - Zachary J Rosinger
- Department of Psychology, University at Albany, State University New York, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222, United States
| | - Katherine E Parra
- Department of Psychology, University at Albany, State University New York, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222, United States
| | - Jason S Jacobskind
- Department of Psychology, University at Albany, State University New York, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222, United States
| | - Nicholas J Justice
- Center for Metabolic and Degenerative Diseases, Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Damian G Zuloaga
- Department of Psychology, University at Albany, State University New York, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222, United States.
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Keller SM, Doherty TS, Roth TL. Pharmacological manipulation of DNA methylation normalizes maternal behavior, DNA methylation, and gene expression in dams with a history of maltreatment. Sci Rep 2019; 9:10253. [PMID: 31311968 PMCID: PMC6635500 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-46539-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The quality of parental care received during development profoundly influences an individual's phenotype, including that of maternal behavior. We previously found that female rats with a history of maltreatment during infancy mistreat their own offspring. One proposed mechanism through which early-life experiences influence behavior is via epigenetic modifications. Indeed, our lab has identified a number of brain epigenetic alterations in female rats with a history of maltreatment. Here we sought to investigate the role of DNA methylation in aberrant maternal behavior. We administered zebularine, a drug known to alter DNA methylation, to dams exposed during infancy to the scarcity-adversity model of low nesting resources, and then characterized the quality of their care towards their offspring. First, we replicate that dams with a history of maltreatment mistreat their own offspring. Second, we show that maltreated-dams treated with zebularine exhibit lower levels of adverse care toward their offspring. Third, we show that administration of zebularine in control dams (history of nurturing care) enhances levels of adverse care. Lastly, we show altered methylation and gene expression in maltreated dams normalized by zebularine. These findings lend support to the hypothesis that epigenetic alterations resulting from maltreatment causally relate to behavioral outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha M Keller
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA
| | - Tiffany S Doherty
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA
| | - Tania L Roth
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA.
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Klampfl SM, Bosch OJ. When mothers neglect their offspring: an activated CRF system in the BNST is detrimental for maternal behavior. Arch Womens Ment Health 2019; 22:409-415. [PMID: 30078057 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-018-0897-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Becoming a mother is an intense experience that not only changes a woman's life but is also paralleled by multiple central adaptations. These changes evolve before parturition and continue to persist into lactation, thereby ensuring the full commitment of the mother to care for the newborns. Most of our knowledge on these adaptations that drive the peripartum brain come from rodent animal models. On one side, it is known that maternal behavior is initiated and maternal mood is stabilized by an upregulation of the pro-maternal neuropeptide systems' activity of oxytocin and arginine-vasopressin. On the other side, signaling of the rather anti-maternal corticotropin-releasing factor system triggers maternal neglect and increases maternal anxiety. Here, we discuss how the corticotropin-releasing factor system based in the limbic bed nucleus of the stria terminalis negatively affects maternal behavior and maternal mood. Moreover, we apply microdialysis and acute pharmacological interventions to demonstrate how the corticotropin-releasing factor system potentially interacts with the pro-maternal oxytocin system in the posterior bed nucleus of the stria terminalis to trigger certain aspects of maternal behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie M Klampfl
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Oliver J Bosch
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
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Klampfl SM, Bosch OJ. Mom doesn't care: When increased brain CRF system activity leads to maternal neglect in rodents. Front Neuroendocrinol 2019; 53:100735. [PMID: 30684507 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2019.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Revised: 12/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Mothers are the primary caregivers in mammals, ensuring their offspring's survival. This strongly depends on the adequate expression of maternal behavior, which is the result of a concerted action of "pro-maternal" versus "anti-maternal" neuromodulators such as the oxytocin and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) systems, respectively. When essential peripartum adaptations fail, the CRF system has negative physiological, emotional and behavioral consequences for both mother and offspring often resulting in maternal neglect. Here, we provide an elaborate and unprecedented review on the implications of the CRF system in the maternal brain. Studies in rodents have advanced our understanding of the specific roles of brain regions such as the limbic bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, medial preoptic area and lateral septum even in a CRF receptor subtype-specific manner. Furthermore, we discuss potential interactions of the CRF system with other neurotransmitters like oxytocin and noradrenaline, and present valuable translational aspects of the recent research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie M Klampfl
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Oliver J Bosch
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
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7
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Klampfl SM, Schramm MM, Gaßner BM, Hübner K, Seasholtz AF, Brunton PJ, Bayerl DS, Bosch OJ. Maternal stress and the MPOA: Activation of CRF receptor 1 impairs maternal behavior and triggers local oxytocin release in lactating rats. Neuropharmacology 2018; 133:440-450. [PMID: 29477300 PMCID: PMC5869057 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.02.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Revised: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Maternal behavior and anxiety are potently modulated by the brain corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) system postpartum. Downregulation of CRF in limbic brain regions is essential for appropriate maternal behavior and an adaptive anxiety response. Here, we focus our attention on arguably the most important brain region for maternal behavior, the hypothalamic medial preoptic area (MPOA). Within the MPOA, mRNA for CRF receptor subtype 1 (protein: CRFR1, gene: Crhr1) was more abundantly expressed than for subtype 2 (protein: CRFR2, gene: Crhr2), however expression of Crhr1, Crhr2 and CRF-binding protein (protein: CRFBP, gene: Crhbp) mRNA was similar between virgin and lactating rats. Subtype-specific activation of CRFR, predominantly CRFR1, in the MPOA decreased arched back nursing and total nursing under non-stress conditions. Following acute stressor exposure, only CRFR1 inhibition rescued the stress-induced reduction in arched back nursing while CRFR1 activation prolonged the decline in nursing. Furthermore, inhibition of CRFR1 strongly increased maternal aggression in the maternal defense test. CRFR1 activation had anxiogenic actions and reduced locomotion on the elevated plus-maze, however neither CRFR1 nor R2 manipulation affected maternal motivation. In addition, activation of CRFR1, either centrally or locally in the MPOA, increased local oxytocin release. Finally, inhibition of CRFBP (a potent regulator of CRFR activity) in the MPOA did not affect any of the maternal parameters investigated. In conclusion, activity of CRFR in the MPOA, particularly of subtype 1, needs to be dampened during lactation to ensure appropriate maternal behavior. Furthermore, oxytocin release in the MPOA may provide a regulatory mechanism to counteract the negative impact of CRFR activation on maternal behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie M. Klampfl
- University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany,University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Audrey F. Seasholtz
- Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, USA,Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, USA
| | - Paula J. Brunton
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - Oliver J. Bosch
- University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany,Corresponding author. University of Regensburg, Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, Universitätsstr. 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.University of RegensburgDepartment of Behavioural and Molecular NeurobiologyRegensburg Center of NeuroscienceUniversitätsstr. 31Regensburg93053Germany
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8
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Lalonde R, Strazielle C. Neuroanatomical pathways underlying the effects of hypothalamo-hypophysial-adrenal hormones on exploratory activity. Rev Neurosci 2018; 28:617-648. [PMID: 28609296 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2016-0075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2016] [Accepted: 02/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
When injected via the intracerebroventricular route, corticosterone-releasing hormone (CRH) reduced exploration in the elevated plus-maze, the center region of the open-field, and the large chamber in the defensive withdrawal test. The anxiogenic action of CRH in the elevated plus-maze also occurred when infused in the basolateral amygdala, ventral hippocampus, lateral septum, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, nucleus accumbens, periaqueductal grey, and medial frontal cortex. The anxiogenic action of CRH in the defensive withdrawal test was reproduced when injected in the locus coeruleus, while the amygdala, hippocampus, lateral septum, nucleus accumbens, and lateral globus pallidus contribute to center zone exploration in the open-field. In addition to elevated plus-maze and open-field tests, the amygdala appears as a target region for CRH-mediated anxiety in the elevated T-maze. Thus, the amygdala is the principal brain region identified with these three tests, and further research must identify the neural circuits underlying this form of anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Catherine Strazielle
- , Laboratoire 'Stress, Immunité, Pathogènes' EA 7300 and Service de Microscopie Electronique, Faculté de Médecine
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9
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Freudenberg F, Carreño Gutierrez H, Post AM, Reif A, Norton WHJ. Aggression in non-human vertebrates: Genetic mechanisms and molecular pathways. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2016; 171:603-40. [PMID: 26284957 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Aggression is an adaptive behavioral trait that is important for the establishment of social hierarchies and competition for mating partners, food, and territories. While a certain level of aggression can be beneficial for the survival of an individual or species, abnormal aggression levels can be detrimental. Abnormal aggression is commonly found in human patients with psychiatric disorders. The predisposition to aggression is influenced by a combination of environmental and genetic factors and a large number of genes have been associated with aggression in both human and animal studies. In this review, we compare and contrast aggression studies in zebrafish and mouse. We present gene ontology and pathway analyses of genes linked to aggression and discuss the molecular pathways that underpin agonistic behavior in these species. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Freudenberg
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | - Antonia M Post
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Andreas Reif
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - William H J Norton
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
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Veroude K, Zhang-James Y, Fernàndez-Castillo N, Bakker MJ, Cormand B, Faraone SV. Genetics of aggressive behavior: An overview. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2016; 171B:3-43. [PMID: 26345359 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2015] [Accepted: 08/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) address three types of aggression: frustrative non-reward, defensive aggression and offensive/proactive aggression. This review sought to present the evidence for genetic underpinnings of aggression and to determine to what degree prior studies have examined phenotypes that fit into the RDoC framework. Although the constructs of defensive and offensive aggression have been widely used in the animal genetics literature, the human literature is mostly agnostic with regard to all the RDoC constructs. We know from twin studies that about half the variance in behavior may be explained by genetic risk factors. This is true for both dimensional, trait-like, measures of aggression and categorical definitions of psychopathology. The non-shared environment seems to have a moderate influence with the effects of shared environment being unclear. Human molecular genetic studies of aggression are in an early stage. The most promising candidates are in the dopaminergic and serotonergic systems along with hormonal regulators. Genome-wide association studies have not yet achieved genome-wide significance, but current samples are too small to detect variants having the small effects one would expect for a complex disorder. The strongest molecular evidence for a genetic basis for aggression comes from animal models comparing aggressive and non-aggressive strains or documenting the effects of gene knockouts. Although we have learned much from these prior studies, future studies should improve the measurement of aggression by using a systematic method of measurement such as that proposed by the RDoC initiative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim Veroude
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Yanli Zhang-James
- Departments of Psychiatry and of Neuroscience and Physiology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York.,Departments of Neuroscience and Physiology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York
| | - Noèlia Fernàndez-Castillo
- Departament de Genètica, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona (IBUB), Catalonia, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Spain
| | - Mireille J Bakker
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Bru Cormand
- Departament de Genètica, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona (IBUB), Catalonia, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Spain
| | - Stephen V Faraone
- Departments of Psychiatry and of Neuroscience and Physiology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York.,Departments of Neuroscience and Physiology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York.,K.G. Jebsen Centre for Research on Neuropsychiatric Disorders, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "Parental Care". The postpartum period involves some truly transformational changes in females' socioemotional behaviors. For most female laboratory rodents and women, these changes include an improvement in their affective state, which has positive consequences for their ability to sensitively care for their offspring. There is heterogeneity among females in the likelihood of this positive affective change, though, and some women experience elevated anxiety or depression (or in rodents anxiety- or depression-related behaviors) after giving birth. We aim to contribute to the understanding of this heterogeneity in maternal affectivity by reviewing selected components of the scientific literatures on laboratory rodents and humans examining how mothers' physical contact with her infants, genetics, history of anxiety and depression and early-life and recent-life experiences contribute to individual differences in postpartum affective states. These studies together indicate that multiple biological and environmental factors beyond female maternal state shape affective responses during the postpartum period, and probably do so in an interactive manner. Furthermore, the similar capacity of some of these factors to modulate anxiety and depression in human and rodent mothers suggests cross-species conservation of mechanisms regulating postpartum affectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniella Agrati
- Department of Physiology and Nutrition, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la Republica, Montevideo, Uruguay.
| | - Joseph S Lonstein
- Neuroscience Program & Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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12
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Ashbrook DG, Gini B, Hager R. Genetic variation in offspring indirectly influences the quality of maternal behaviour in mice. eLife 2015; 4. [PMID: 26701914 PMCID: PMC4758942 DOI: 10.7554/elife.11814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2015] [Accepted: 12/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Conflict over parental investment between parent and offspring is predicted to lead to selection on genes expressed in offspring for traits influencing maternal investment, and on parentally expressed genes affecting offspring behaviour. However, the specific genetic variants that indirectly modify maternal or offspring behaviour remain largely unknown. Using a cross-fostered population of mice, we map maternal behaviour in genetically uniform mothers as a function of genetic variation in offspring and identify loci on offspring chromosomes 5 and 7 that modify maternal behaviour. Conversely, we found that genetic variation among mothers influences offspring development, independent of offspring genotype. Offspring solicitation and maternal behaviour show signs of coadaptation as they are negatively correlated between mothers and their biological offspring, which may be linked to costs of increased solicitation on growth found in our study. Overall, our results show levels of parental provisioning and offspring solicitation are unique to specific genotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- David George Ashbrook
- Computational and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Beatrice Gini
- Computational and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Reinmar Hager
- Computational and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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13
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Angoa-Pérez M, Kane MJ, Sykes CE, Perrine SA, Church MW, Kuhn DM. Brain serotonin determines maternal behavior and offspring survival. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2014; 13:579-91. [PMID: 25077934 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2014] [Revised: 07/25/2014] [Accepted: 07/25/2014] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Maternal care is an indispensable component of offspring survival and development in all mammals and necessary for reproductive success. Although brain areas regulating maternal behaviors are innervated by serotonergic afferents, very little is known about the role of this neurotransmitter in these behaviors. To evaluate the contribution of serotonin to maternal care, we used mice with a null mutation in the gene for tryptophan hydroxylase-2 (TPH2), which results in a genetic depletion of brain serotonin, and tested them in a wide range of maternal behavior paradigms. We found that litters born to and reared by TPH2(-/-) mothers showed decreased survival, lower weaning weights and increased cannibalization. In addition, TPH2(-/-) mothers performed poorly in pup retrieval, huddling, nest construction and high-arched back nursing. Aggression in TPH2(-/-) dams was not triggered by lactation and was steadily high. Survival and weaning weight deficits of TPH2(-/-) pups were rescued by cross-fostering and in litters of mixed genotype (TPH2(-/-) and TPH2(-/+) ). However, the maternal behaviors of TPH2(-/-) dams did not improve when rearing either TPH2(+/+) pups or mixed-genotype litters. In addition, TPH2(-/-) pups significantly worsened the behavior of TPH2(+/+) dams with respect to cannibalism, weaning weight and latency to attack. Olfactory and auditory functions of TPH2(-/-) females or anxiety-like behaviors did not account for these maternal alterations as they were equal to their TPH2(+/+) counterparts. These findings illustrate a profound influence of brain serotonin on virtually all elements of maternal behavior and establish that TPH2(-/-) pups can engender maladaptive mothering in dams of both genotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Angoa-Pérez
- Research & Development Service, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, MI, USA; Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Detroit, MI, USA
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Klampfl SM, Neumann ID, Bosch OJ. Reduced brain corticotropin-releasing factor receptor activation is required for adequate maternal care and maternal aggression in lactating rats. Eur J Neurosci 2013; 38:2742-50. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2013] [Revised: 05/07/2013] [Accepted: 05/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie M. Klampfl
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology; University of Regensburg; 93040; Regensburg; Germany
| | - Inga D. Neumann
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology; University of Regensburg; 93040; Regensburg; Germany
| | - Oliver J. Bosch
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology; University of Regensburg; 93040; Regensburg; Germany
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Hostetler CM, Ryabinin AE. The CRF system and social behavior: a review. Front Neurosci 2013; 7:92. [PMID: 23754975 PMCID: PMC3668170 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2013.00092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2013] [Accepted: 05/14/2013] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) system plays a key role in a diversity of behaviors accompanying stress, anxiety and depression. There is also substantial research on relationships between social behaviors and the CRF system in a variety of taxa including fish, birds, rodents, and primates. Some of these relationships are due to the broad role of CRF and urocortins in stress and anxiety, but these peptides also modulate social behavior specifically. For example, the social interaction (SI) test is often used to measure anxiety-like behavior. Many components of the CRF system including CRF, urocortin1, and the R1 receptor have been implicated in SI, via general effects on anxiety as well as specific effects depending on the brain region. The CRF system is also highly responsive to chronic social stressors such as social defeat and isolation. Animals exposed to these stressors display a number of anxiety- and stress-related behaviors, accompanied by changes in specific components the CRF system. Although the primary focus of CRF research on social behavior has been on the deleterious effects of social stress, there are also insights on a role for CRF and urocortins in prosocial and affiliative behaviors. The CRF system has been implicated in parental care, maternal defense, sexual behavior, and pair bonding. Species differences in the ligands and CRF receptors have been observed in vole and bird species differing in social behavior. Exogenous administration of CRF facilitates partner preference formation in monogamous male prairie voles, and these effects are dependent on both the CRF R1 and R2 receptors. These findings are particularly interesting as studies have also implicated the CRF and urocortins in social memory. With the rapid progress of social neuroscience and in understanding the complex structure of the CRF system, the next challenge is in parsing the exact contribution of individual components of this system to specific social behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline M Hostetler
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University Portland, OR, USA
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Rutherford HJV, Williams SK, Moy S, Mayes LC, Johns JM. Disruption of maternal parenting circuitry by addictive process: rewiring of reward and stress systems. Front Psychiatry 2011; 2:37. [PMID: 21779252 PMCID: PMC3133875 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2011.00037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2011] [Accepted: 06/09/2011] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Addiction represents a complex interaction between the reward and stress neural circuits, with increasing drug use reflecting a shift from positive reinforcement to negative reinforcement mechanisms in sustaining drug dependence. Preclinical studies have indicated the involvement of regions within the extended amygdala as subserving this transition, especially under stressful conditions. In the addictive situation, the reward system serves to maintain habitual behaviors that are associated with the relief of negative affect, at the cost of attenuating the salience of other rewards. Therefore, addiction reflects the dysregulation between core reward systems, including the prefrontal cortex (PFC), ventral tegmental area (VTA), and nucleus accumbens (NAc), as well as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and extended amygdala of the stress system. Here, we consider the consequences of changes in neural function during or following addiction on parenting, an inherently rewarding process that may be disrupted by addiction. Specifically, we outline the preclinical and human studies that support the dysregulation of reward and stress systems by addiction and the contribution of these systems to parenting. Increasing evidence suggests an important role for the hypothalamus, PFC, VTA, and NAc in parenting, with these same regions being those dysregulated in addiction. Moreover, in addicted adults, we propose that parenting cues trigger stress reactivity rather than reward salience, and this may heighten negative affect states, eliciting both addictive behaviors and the potential for child neglect and abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sarah K. Williams
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina-Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Sheryl Moy
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina-Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC, USA
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina-Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Linda C. Mayes
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale UniversityNew Haven, CT, USA
| | - Josephine M. Johns
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina-Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC, USA
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina-Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC, USA
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van Velzen A, Toth M. Role of maternal 5-HT(1A) receptor in programming offspring emotional and physical development. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2011; 9:877-85. [PMID: 20633050 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-183x.2010.00625.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Serotonin(1A) receptor (5-HT(1A)R) deficiency has been associated with anxiety and depression and mice with genetic receptor inactivation exhibit heightened anxiety. We have reported that 5-HT(1A)R is not only a genetic but also a maternal 'environmental' factor in the development of anxiety in Swiss-Webster mice. Here, we tested whether the emergence of maternal genotype-dependent adult anxiety is preceded by early behavioral abnormalities or whether it is manifested following a normal emotional development. Pups born to null or heterozygote mothers had significantly reduced ultrasonic vocalization (USV) between postnatal day (P) 4 and 12, indicating an influence of the maternal genotype. The offspring's own genotype had an effect limited to P4. Furthermore, we observed reduced weight gain in the null offspring of null but not heterozygote mothers, indicating that a complete maternal receptor deficiency compromises physical development of the offspring. Except a short perinatal deficit during the dark period, heterozygote females displayed normal maternal behavior, which, with the early appearance of USV deficit, suggests a role for 5-HT(1A)R during pre-/perinatal development. Consistent with this notion, adult anxiety in the offspring is determined during the pre-/perinatal period. In contrast to heterozygote females, null mothers exhibited impaired pup retrieval and nest building that may explain the reduced weight gain of their offspring. Taken together, our data indicate an important role for the maternal 5-HT(1A)R in regulating emotional and physical development of their offspring. Because reduced receptor binding has been reported in depression, including postpartum depression, reduced 5-HT(1A)R function in mothers may influence the emotional development of their offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- A van Velzen
- Department of Pharmacology, Cornell University, Weill Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA
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Brain serotonin receptors and transporters: initiation vs. termination of escalated aggression. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2011; 213:183-212. [PMID: 20938650 PMCID: PMC3684010 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-010-2000-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2010] [Accepted: 08/09/2010] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Recent findings have shown a complexly regulated 5-HT system as it is linked to different kinds of aggression. OBJECTIVE We focus on (1) phasic and tonic changes of 5-HT and (2) state and trait of aggression, and emphasize the different receptor subtypes, their role in specific brain regions, feed-back regulation and modulation by other amines, acids and peptides. RESULTS New pharmacological tools differentiate the first three 5-HT receptor families and their modulation by GABA, glutamate and CRF. Activation of 5-HT(1A), 5-HT(1B) and 5-HT(2A/2C) receptors in mesocorticolimbic areas, reduce species-typical and other aggressive behaviors. In contrast, agonists at 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(1B) receptors in the medial prefrontal cortex or septal area can increase aggressive behavior under specific conditions. Activation of serotonin transporters reduce mainly pathological aggression. Genetic analyses of aggressive individuals have identified several molecules that affect the 5-HT system directly (e.g., Tph2, 5-HT(1B), 5-HT transporter, Pet1, MAOA) or indirectly (e.g., Neuropeptide Y, αCaMKII, NOS, BDNF). Dysfunction in genes for MAOA escalates pathological aggression in rodents and humans, particularly in interaction with specific experiences. CONCLUSIONS Feedback to autoreceptors of the 5-HT(1) family and modulation via heteroreceptors are important in the expression of aggressive behavior. Tonic increase of the 5-HT(2) family expression may cause escalated aggression, whereas the phasic increase of 5-HT(2) receptors inhibits aggressive behaviors. Polymorphisms in the genes of 5-HT transporters or rate-limiting synthetic and metabolic enzymes of 5-HT modulate aggression, often requiring interaction with the rearing environment.
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Mileva-Seitz V, Fleming AS. How Mothers Are Born: A Psychobiological Analysis of Mothering. NATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON FAMILY ISSUES 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4419-7361-0_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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Takahashi A, Quadros IM, de Almeida RMM, Miczek KA. Behavioral and pharmacogenetics of aggressive behavior. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2011; 12:73-138. [PMID: 22297576 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2011_191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Serotonin (5-HT) has long been considered as a key transmitter in the neurocircuitry controlling aggression. Impaired regulation of each subtype of 5-HT receptor, 5-HT transporter, synthetic and metabolic enzymes has been linked particularly to impulsive aggression. The current summary focuses mostly on recent findings from pharmacological and genetic studies. The pharmacological treatments and genetic manipulations or polymorphisms of aspecific target (e.g., 5-HT1A receptor) can often result in inconsistent results on aggression, due to "phasic" effects of pharmacological agents versus "trait"-like effects of genetic manipulations. Also, the local administration of a drug using the intracranial microinjection technique has shown that activation of specific subtypes of 5-HT receptors (5-HT1A and 5-HT1B) in mesocorticolimbic areas can reduce species-typical and other aggressive behaviors, but the same receptors in the medial prefrontal cortex or septal area promote escalated forms of aggression. Thus, there are receptor populations in specific brain regions that preferentially modulate specific types of aggression. Genetic studies have shown important gene-environment interactions; it is likely that the polymorphisms in the genes of 5-HT transporters or rate-limiting synthetic and metabolic enzymes of 5-HT (e.g., MAOA) determine the vulnerability to adverse environmental factors that escalate aggression. We also discuss the interaction between the 5-HT system and other systems. Modulation of 5-HT neurons in the dorsalraphe nucleus by GABA, glutamate and CRF profoundly regulate aggressive behaviors. Also, interactions of the 5-HT system with other neuropeptides(arginine vasopressin, oxytocin, neuropeptide Y, opioid) have emerged as important neurobiological determinants of aggression. Studies of aggression in genetically modified mice identified several molecules that affect the 5-HT system directly (e.g., Tph2, 5-HT1B, 5-HT transporter, Pet1, MAOA) or indirectly[e.g., BDNF, neuronal nitric oxide (nNOS), aCaMKII, Neuropeptide Y].The future agenda delineates specific receptor subpopulations for GABA, glutamate and neuropeptides as they modulate the canonical aminergic neurotransmitters in brainstem, limbic and cortical regions with the ultimate outcome of attenuating or escalating aggressive behavior.
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Gleason G, Zupan B, Toth M. Maternal genetic mutations as gestational and early life influences in producing psychiatric disease-like phenotypes in mice. Front Psychiatry 2011; 2:25. [PMID: 21629836 PMCID: PMC3098653 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2011.00025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2011] [Accepted: 04/26/2011] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Risk factors for psychiatric disorders have traditionally been classified as genetic or environmental. Risk (candidate) genes, although typically possessing small effects, represent a clear starting point to elucidate downstream cellular/molecular pathways of disease. Environmental effects, especially during development, can also lead to altered behavior and increased risk for disease. An important environmental factor is the mother, demonstrated by the negative effects elicited by maternal gestational stress and altered maternal care. These maternal effects can also have a genetic basis (e.g., maternal genetic variability and mutations). The focus of this review is "maternal genotype effects" that influence the emotional development of the offspring resulting in life-long psychiatric disease-like phenotypes. We have recently found that genetic inactivation of the serotonin 1A receptor (5-HT1AR) and the fmr1 gene (encoding the fragile X mental retardation protein) in mouse dams results in psychiatric disease-like phenotypes in their genetically unaffected offspring. 5-HT1AR deficiency in dams results in anxiety and increased stress responsiveness in their offspring. Offspring of 5-HT1AR deficient dams display altered development of the hippocampus, which could be linked to their anxiety-like phenotype. Maternal inactivation of fmr1, like its inactivation in the offspring, results in a hyperactivity-like condition and is associated with receptor alterations in the striatum. These data indicate a high sensitivity of the offspring to maternal mutations and suggest that maternal genotype effects can increase the impact of genetic risk factors in a population by increasing the risk of the genetically normal offspring as well as by enhancing the effects of offspring mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Gleason
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University New York, NY, USA
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Abstract
AbstractIn a biological sense an individual’s life is all about survival and reproduction. Beside the selection of a mate, the mutual commitment of a parent to sustain an infant through a period of dependency is amongst the most important aspects of natural selection. Here we review how the highly conserved circuitry of key midbrain and hypothalamic structures, and limbic and frontal cortical regions support these processes, and at the same time are involved in shaping the offspring’s emotional development and behavior. Many recent studies provided new findings on how attachment behavior and parental bonding is promoted and maintained through genetic and epigenetic influences on synaptic plasticity of mirror neurons and various neuropeptide systems, particularly oxytocinergic, and how these systems serve to link social cues to the brain reward system. Most of this evidence suggests that stress, early parental deprivation and lack of care during the postnatal period leads to profound and lasting changes in the attachment pattern and motivational development with consequent increased vulnerability of the mesocortical and mesolimbic dopamine-associated reward reinforcement pathways to psychosocial stressors, abuse of stimulants and psychopathology later in life.
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Girirajan S, Elsea SH. Abnormal maternal behavior, altered sociability, and impaired serotonin metabolism in Rai1-transgenic mice. Mamm Genome 2009; 20:247-55. [DOI: 10.1007/s00335-009-9180-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2009] [Accepted: 02/24/2009] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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D'Anna KL, Stevenson SA, Gammie SC. Maternal profiling of corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 2 deficient mice in association with restraint stress. Brain Res 2008; 1241:110-21. [PMID: 18817761 PMCID: PMC2614657 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2008.08.071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2008] [Revised: 08/25/2008] [Accepted: 08/25/2008] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Mice deficient in corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 2 (CRF2) (C57BL/6J:129Sv background) exhibit impaired maternal defense (protection of offspring) and are more reactive to stressors than wild-type mice. To further understand CRF2's role in maternal behavior, we crossed the knockout mice with a line bred for high maternal defense that also has elevated maternal care relative to inbred lines. Maternal care was normal in knockout mice (relative to wild-type). Maternal defense was impaired as previously observed. Exposure to a mild stressor (15 min restraint) did not trigger deficits in maternal defense in either genotype as determined by a two-way repeated measures ANOVA analysis. However, when examining difference scores between unrestrained and restrained conditions, knockout mice exhibited significant decreases in maternal defense with stress, suggesting knockouts are more susceptible to a mild stressor's effects. To gain possible insights into brain activity differences between WT and KO mice, we examined c-Fos expression in association with stress. Unrestrained KO mice exhibited significantly lower c-Fos levels relative to unrestrained WT mice in 9 regions, including lateral septum and periaqueductal gray. For WT mice, restraint stress triggered c-Fos activity increases in 3 regions while for KO mice, restraint stress triggered c-Fos increases in 16 regions. Taken together, our results suggest both altered behavioral and c-Fos responses to stress in lactating CRF2 KO mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly L D'Anna
- Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
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Brunton PJ, Russell JA. The expectant brain: adapting for motherhood. Nat Rev Neurosci 2008; 9:11-25. [PMID: 18073776 DOI: 10.1038/nrn2280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 267] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
A successful pregnancy requires multiple adaptations of the mother's physiology to optimize fetal growth and development, to protect the fetus from adverse programming, to provide impetus for timely parturition and to ensure that adequate maternal care is provided after parturition. Many of these adaptations are organized by the mother's brain, predominantly through changes in neuroendocrine systems, and these changes are primarily driven by the hormones of pregnancy. By contrast, adaptations in the mother's brain during lactation are maintained by external stimuli from the young. The changes in pregnancy are not necessarily innocuous: they may predispose the mother to post-partum mood disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula J Brunton
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, Scotland, UK
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