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Asraf K, Zaidan H, Natoor B, Gaisler-Salomon I. Synergistic, long-term effects of glutamate dehydrogenase 1 deficiency and mild stress on cognitive function and mPFC gene and miRNA expression. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:248. [PMID: 37419882 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02534-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Glutamate abnormalities in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) are associated with cognitive deficits. We previously showed that homozygous deletion of CNS glutamate dehydrogenase 1 (Glud1), a metabolic enzyme critical for glutamate metabolism, leads to schizophrenia-like behavioral abnormalities and increased mPFC glutamate; mice heterozygous for CNS Glud1 deletion (C-Glud1+/- mice) showed no cognitive or molecular abnormalities. Here, we examined the protracted behavioral and molecular effects of mild injection stress on C-Glud1+/- mice. We found spatial and reversal learning deficits, as well as large-scale mPFC transcriptional changes in pathways associated with glutamate and GABA signaling, in stress-exposed C-Glud1+/- mice, but not in their stress-naïve or C-Glud1+/+ littermates. These effects were observed several weeks following stress exposure, and the expression levels of specific glutamatergic and GABAergic genes differentiated between high and low reversal learning performance. An increase in miR203-5p expression immediately following stress may provide a translational regulatory mechanism to account for the delayed effect of stress exposure on cognitive function. Our findings show that chronic glutamate abnormalities interact with acute stress to induce cognitive deficits, and resonate with gene x environment theories of schizophrenia. Stress-exposed C-Glud1+/- mice may model a schizophrenia high-risk population, which is uniquely sensitive to stress-related 'trigger' events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kfir Asraf
- School of Psychological Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
- The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Hiba Zaidan
- School of Psychological Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
- The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Baylasan Natoor
- School of Psychological Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
- The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Inna Gaisler-Salomon
- School of Psychological Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel.
- The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel.
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2
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Siegel AE, Bianchi DW, Guedj F. Visual discrimination and inhibitory control deficits in mouse models of Down syndrome: A pilot study using rodent touchscreen technology. J Neurosci Res 2023; 101:492-507. [PMID: 36602162 PMCID: PMC10068543 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Several non-verbal cognitive and behavioral tests have been developed to assess learning deficits in humans with Down syndrome (DS). Here we used rodent touchscreen paradigms in adult male mice to investigate visual discrimination (VD) learning and inhibitory control in the Dp(16)1/Yey (C57BL/6J genetic background), Ts65Dn (mixed B6 X C3H genetic background) and Ts1Cje (C57BL/6J genetic background) mouse models of DS. Dp(16)1/Yey and Ts1Cje models did not exhibit motivation or learning deficits during early pre-training, however, Ts1Cje mice showed a significant learning delay after the introduction of the incorrect stimulus (late pre-training), suggesting prefrontal cortex defects in this model. Dp(16)1/Yey and Ts1Cje mice display learning deficits in VD but these deficits were more pronounced in the Dp(16)1/Yey model. Both models also exhibited compulsive behavior and abnormal cortical inhibitory control during Extinction compared to WT littermates. Finally, Ts65Dn mice outperformed WT littermates in pre-training stages by initiating a significantly higher number of trials due to their hyperactive behavior. Both Ts65Dn and WT littermates showed poor performance during late pre-training and were not tested in VD. These studies demonstrate significant learning deficits and compulsive behavior in the Ts1Cje and Dp(16)1/Yey mouse models of DS. They also demonstrate that the mouse genetic background (C57BL/6J vs. mixed B6 X C3H) and the absence of hyperactive behavior are key determinants of successful learning in touchscreen behavioral testing. These data will be used to select the mouse model that best mimics cognitive deficits in humans with DS and evaluate the effects of future therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Emily Siegel
- Prenatal Genomics and Therapy (PGT) Section, Center for Precision Health Research (CPHR), National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Mother Infant Research Institute (MIRI), Tufts Medical Center (TMC), Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Diana W. Bianchi
- Prenatal Genomics and Therapy (PGT) Section, Center for Precision Health Research (CPHR), National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Mother Infant Research Institute (MIRI), Tufts Medical Center (TMC), Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Faycal Guedj
- Prenatal Genomics and Therapy (PGT) Section, Center for Precision Health Research (CPHR), National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Mother Infant Research Institute (MIRI), Tufts Medical Center (TMC), Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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3
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Cotter KM, Bancroft GL, Haas HA, Shi R, Clarkson AN, Croxall ME, Stowe AM, Yun S, Eisch AJ. Use of an Automated Mouse Touchscreen Platform for Quantification of Cognitive Deficits After Central Nervous System Injury. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2616:279-326. [PMID: 36715942 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2926-0_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Analyzing cognitive performance is an important aspect of assessing physiological deficits after stroke or other central nervous system (CNS) injuries in both humans and in basic science animal models. Cognitive testing on an automated touchscreen operant platform began in humans but is now increasingly popular in preclinical studies as it enables testing in many cognitive domains in a highly reproducible way while minimizing stress to the laboratory animal. Here, we describe the step-by-step setup and application of four operant touchscreen tests used on adult mice. In brief, mice are trained to touch a graphical image on a lit screen and initiate subsequent trials for a reward. Following initial training, mice can be tested on tasks that probe performance in many cognitive domains and thus infer the integrity of brain circuits and regions. There are already many outstanding published protocols on touchscreen cognitive testing. This chapter is designed to add to the literature in two specific ways. First, this chapter provides in a single location practical, behind-the-scenes tips for setup and testing of mice in four touchscreen tasks that are useful to assess in CNS injury models: Paired Associates Learning (PAL), a task of episodic, associative (object-location) memory; Location Discrimination Reversal (LDR), a test for mnemonic discrimination (also called behavioral pattern separation) and cognitive flexibility; Autoshaping (AUTO), a test of Pavlovian or classical conditioning; and Extinction (EXT), tasks of stimulus-response and response inhibition, respectively. Second, this chapter summarizes issues to consider when performing touchscreen tests in mouse models of CNS injury. Quantifying gross and fine aspects of cognitive function is essential to improved treatment for brain dysfunction after stroke or CNS injury as well as other brain diseases, and touchscreen testing provides a sensitive, reliable, and robust way to achieve this.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M Cotter
- Department of Neurology, Department of Neuroscience, The University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | | | | | - Raymon Shi
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Andrew N Clarkson
- Department of Anatomy, Brain Health Research Centre and Brain Research New Zealand, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | | | - Ann M Stowe
- Department of Neurology, Department of Neuroscience, The University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Sanghee Yun
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA. .,Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Amelia J Eisch
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA. .,Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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4
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Hawkes CA, Heath CJ, Sharp MM, Górecki DC, Carare RO. α-Dystrobrevin knockout mice have increased motivation for appetitive reward and altered brain cannabinoid receptor 1 expression. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:127. [PMID: 36045406 PMCID: PMC9434862 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01434-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Dystrobrevin (α-DB) is a major component of the dystrophin-associated protein complex (DAPC). Knockout (KO) of α-DB in the brain is associated with astrocytic abnormalities and loss of neuronal GABA receptor clustering. Mutations in DAPC proteins are associated with altered dopamine signaling and cognitive and psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia. This study tested the hypothesis that motivation and associated underlying biological pathways are altered in the absence of α-DB expression. Male wildtype and α-DB KO mice were tested for measures of motivation, executive function and extinction in the rodent touchscreen apparatus. Subsequently, brain tissues were evaluated for mRNA and/or protein levels of dysbindin-1, dopamine transporter and receptor 1 and 2, mu opioid receptor 1 (mOR1) and cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1). α-DB KO mice had significantly increased motivation for the appetitive reward, while measures of executive function and extinction were unaffected. No differences were observed between wildtype and KO animals on mRNA levels of dysbindin-1 or any of the dopamine markers. mRNA levels of mOR1were significantly decreased in the caudate-putamen and nucleus accumbens of α-DB KO compared to WT animals, but protein levels were unaltered. However, CB1 protein levels were significantly increased in the prefrontal cortex and decreased in the nucleus accumbens of α-DB KO mice. Triple-labelling immunohistochemistry confirmed that changes in CB1 were not specific to astrocytes. These results highlight a novel role for α-DB in the regulation of appetitive motivation that may have implications for other behaviours that involve the dopaminergic and endocannabinoid systems.
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Wang H, Sun N, Wang X, Han J, Zhang Y, Huang Y, Zhou W. A touchscreen-based paradigm to measure visual pattern separation and pattern completion in mice. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:947742. [PMID: 36090275 PMCID: PMC9449699 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.947742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Memory accuracy involves two major processes: pattern separation and pattern completion. Pattern separation refers to the ability to reduce overlap among similar inputs to avoid interference, and pattern completion refers to the ability to retrieve the whole information from partial or degraded cues. Impairments in pattern separation/pattern completion contribute to cognitive deficits in several diseases of the nervous system. Therefore, it is better to evaluate both pattern separation and pattern completion in one apparatus. However, few tools are available to assess pattern separation and pattern completion within the same apparatus for rodents. In this study, we designed a series of images with varying degrees of similarity to the correct image to evaluate pattern separation and pattern completion. First, mice were trained to discriminate between two totally different images, and once the correct percentage reached above 77% for two consecutive days, the images with different degrees of similarity were used to measure pattern separation and pattern completion. The results showed the mice performed progressively worse from S0 to S4 (increasing similarity) when discriminating similar images in pattern separation, and the mice performed progressively worse from C0 to C4 (decreasing cues information) when recalling the correct image according to partial cues in pattern completion, implying a good image similarity-dependent manner for memory accuracy evaluation. In sum, we designed a convenient, effective paradigm to evaluate pattern separation and pattern completion based on a touchscreen pairwise discrimination task, which may provide a new method for the studies of the effects and mechanisms of memory accuracy enhancing drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wang
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Na Sun
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyue Wang
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Jinyuan Han
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Yongxiang Zhang
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Huang
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Yan Huang,
| | - Wenxia Zhou
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- Wenxia Zhou,
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6
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Muthukumar S, Mehrotra K, Fouda M, Hamimi S, Jantzie LL, Robinson S. Prenatal and postnatal insults differentially contribute to executive function and cognition: Utilizing touchscreen technology for perinatal brain injury research. Exp Neurol 2022; 354:114104. [PMID: 35525306 PMCID: PMC10085749 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2022.114104] [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: 10/30/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The use of touchscreen technology to evaluate cognitive deficits in animal models has grown tremendously over the past 20 years. The touchscreen apparatus encompasses many advantages, namely a high level of standardization and translational capability. Improvements in technology in recent years have expanded the versatility of the touchscreen platform, as it is able to test distinct cognitive modalities including working memory, attention, discrimination, and association. Importantly, touchscreen technology has allowed researchers to explore deficits in multiple pillars of cognition in a wide variety of perinatal disorders with neurological sequelae across critical developmental windows. The touchscreen platform has been used to dissect deficits in antenatal CNS injury including fetal alcohol syndrome, prenatal opioid exposure, and chorioamnionitis, to peripartum insults such as term hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, to early postnatal insults including infantile traumatic brain injury. Most importantly, touchscreen technology offers the sensitivity necessary to detect subtle injury and treatment-induced changes in cognition and executive function beyond those offered by more rudimentary tests of rodent cognition. Understanding the pathophysiology of these disorders in rodents is paramount to addressing these deficits in human infants and dissecting the neural circuitry essential to perinatal brain injury pathophysiology and responsiveness to novel therapeutics. Touchscreen testing provides an effective, facile, sophisticated technique to accelerate the goal of improving cognitive and behavioral outcomes of children who suffer perinatal brain injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sankar Muthukumar
- Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Karnika Mehrotra
- Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mohammed Fouda
- Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sarah Hamimi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lauren L Jantzie
- Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Shenandoah Robinson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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7
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Effects of chronic tramadol administration on cognitive flexibility in mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2021; 238:2883-2893. [PMID: 34173033 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-05903-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Tramadol is widely used for pain relief especially in seniors. However, long-term use of tramadol has serious adverse effects, including cognitive impairment. Besides its memory effects, already demonstrated in animals, a recent clinical report suggests that tramadol could also affect executive function in seniors. Several studies have hypothesized that the anti-muscarinic properties of tramadol could be responsible for the deleterious effects of tramadol on cognition. OBJECTIVES We aimed at investigating the effects of chronic administration of tramadol on cognitive flexibility in adult male mice, as assessed by a visual discrimination reversal task using a touchscreen device. The effects of tramadol were further compared to those of scopolamine, a reference muscarinic antagonist. RESULTS We found that, during the early phase of the reversal task, when cognitive flexibility is most in demand, both tramadol-treated mice (20 mg/kg, s.c., twice a day) and scopolamine-treated mice (0.5 mg/kg, s.c., twice a day) needed more correction trials and showed a higher perseveration index than saline-treated mice. Therefore, tramadol affects cognitive flexibility, and its anticholinergic properties could be at least partly involved in these deficits. CONCLUSIONS In view of these deleterious cognitive effects of tramadol, physicians should be cautious when prescribing this analgesic, especially in seniors who are more vulnerable to adverse drug events and in which alternative prescription should be preferred whenever possible.
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Lopez-Cruz L, Bussey TJ, Saksida LM, Heath CJ. Using touchscreen-delivered cognitive assessments to address the principles of the 3Rs in behavioral sciences. Lab Anim (NY) 2021; 50:174-184. [PMID: 34140683 DOI: 10.1038/s41684-021-00791-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Despite considerable advances in both in silico and in vitro approaches, in vivo studies that involve animal model systems remain necessary in many research disciplines. Neuroscience is one such area, with studies often requiring access to a complete nervous system capable of dynamically selecting between and then executing a full range of cognitive and behavioral outputs in response to a given stimulus or other manipulation. The involvement of animals in research studies is an issue of active public debate and concern and is therefore carefully regulated. Such regulations are based on the principles of the 3Rs of Replacement, Reduction and Refinement. In the sub-specialty of behavioral neuroscience, Full/Absolute Replacement remains a major challenge, as the complete ex vivo recapitulation of a system as complex and dynamic as the nervous system has yet to be achieved. However, a number of very positive developments have occurred in this area with respect to Relative Replacement and to both Refinement and Reduction. In this review, we discuss the Refinement- and Reduction-related benefits yielded by the introduction of touchscreen-based behavioral assessment apparatus. We also discuss how data generated by a specific panel of behavioral tasks developed for this platform might substantially enhance monitoring of laboratory animal welfare and provide robust, quantitative comparisons of husbandry techniques to define and ensure maintenance of best practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Lopez-Cruz
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. .,School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Robarts Research Institute & Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lisa M Saksida
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Robarts Research Institute & Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christopher J Heath
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
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Xu J, Marshall JJ, Kraniotis S, Nomura T, Zhu Y, Contractor A. Genetic disruption of Grm5 causes complex alterations in motor activity, anxiety and social behaviors. Behav Brain Res 2021; 411:113378. [PMID: 34029630 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interactions and restricted and repetitive behaviors. Although group 1 metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs), and in particular mGluR5, have been extensively proposed as potential targets for intervention in autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders, there has not been a comprehensive analysis of the effect of mGluR5 loss on behaviors typically assessed in autism mouse models thought to be correlates of behavioral symptoms of human disorders. Here we present a behavioral characterization of mice with complete or partial loss of mGluR5 (homozygous or heterozygous null mutations in Grm5 gene). We tested several autism related behaviors including social interaction, repetitive grooming, digging and locomotor behaviors. We found that digging and marble burying behaviors were almost completely abolished in mGluR5 ko mice, although self-grooming was not altered. Social interaction was impaired in ko but not in heterozygote (het) mice. In tests of locomotor activity and anxiety related behaviors, mGluR5 ko mice exhibited hyperactivity and reduced anxiety in the open field test but unexpectedly, showed hypoactivity in the elevated zero-maze test. There was no impairment in motor learning in the accelerating rotarod in both ko and het mutant. Together these results provide support for the importance of mGluR5 in motor and social behaviors that are specifically affected in autism disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Xu
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, United States.
| | - John J Marshall
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, United States
| | - Stephen Kraniotis
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, United States
| | - Toshihiro Nomura
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, United States
| | - Yongling Zhu
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, United States
| | - Anis Contractor
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, United States; Department of Neurobiology, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, United States.
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10
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Kim E, White MA, Phillips BU, Lopez-Cruz L, Kim H, Heath CJ, Lee JE, Saksida LM, Sreedharan J, Bussey TJ. Coexistence of perseveration and apathy in the TDP-43 Q331K knock-in mouse model of ALS-FTD. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:377. [PMID: 33149110 PMCID: PMC7643138 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-01078-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2019] [Revised: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Perseveration and apathy are two of the most common behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSDs) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-frontotemporal dementia (ALS-FTD). Availability of a validated and behaviourally characterised animal model is crucial for translational research into BPSD in the FTD context. We behaviourally evaluated the male TDP-43Q331K mouse, an ALS-FTD model with a human-equivalent mutation (TDP-43Q331K) knocked into the endogenous Tardbp gene. We utilised a panel of behavioural tasks delivered using the rodent touchscreen apparatus, including progressive ratio (PR), extinction and visual discrimination/reversal learning (VDR) assays to examine motivation, response inhibition and cognitive flexibility, respectively. Relative to WT littermates, TDP-43Q331K mice exhibited increased responding under a PR schedule. While elevated PR responding is typically an indication of increased motivation for reward, a trial-by-trial response rate analysis revealed that TDP-43Q331K mice exhibited decreased maximal response rate and slower response decay rate, suggestive of reduced motivation and a perseverative behavioural phenotype, respectively. In the extinction assay, TDP-43Q331K mice displayed increased omissions during the early phase of each session, consistent with a deficit in activational motivation. Finally, the VDR task revealed cognitive inflexibility, manifesting as stimulus-bound perseveration. Together, our data indicate that male TDP-43Q331K mice exhibit a perseverative phenotype with some evidence of apathy-like behaviour, similar to BPSDs observed in human ALS-FTD patients. The TDP-43Q331K knock-in mouse therefore has features that recommend it as a useful platform to facilitate translational research into behavioural symptoms in the context of ALS-FTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eosu Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Brain Korea 21 Plus Project for Medical Sciences, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Matthew A White
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Benjamin U Phillips
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Laura Lopez-Cruz
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, UK
| | - Hyunjeong Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Brain Korea 21 Plus Project for Medical Sciences, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Anatomy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Christopher J Heath
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, UK
| | - Jong Eun Lee
- Department of Anatomy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Lisa M Saksida
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Molecular Medicine Research Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute & Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Jemeen Sreedharan
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Molecular Medicine Research Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute & Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
- The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
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11
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Gubert C, Kong G, Uzungil V, Zeleznikow-Johnston AM, Burrows EL, Renoir T, Hannan AJ. Microbiome Profiling Reveals Gut Dysbiosis in the Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 5 Knockout Mouse Model of Schizophrenia. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:582320. [PMID: 33195226 PMCID: PMC7658610 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.582320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SZ) is a psychiatric disorder that constitutes one of the top 10 global causes of disability. More recently, a potential pathogenic role for the gut microbial community (microbiota) has been highlighted, with numerous studies describing dysregulated microbial profiles in SZ patients when compared to healthy controls. However, no animal model of SZ has previously recapitulated the gut dysbiosis observed clinically. Since the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGlu5) knockout mice provide a preclinical model of SZ with strong face and predictive validity, in the present study we performed gut microbiome profiling of mGlu5 knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice by 16S rRNA sequencing of bacterial genomic DNA from fecal samples, analyzing bacterial diversity and taxonomic composition, as well as gastrointestinal parameters as indicators of gut function. We found a significant genotype difference in microbial beta diversity. Analysis of composition of microbiomes (ANCOM) models were performed to evaluate microbiota compositions, which identified a decreased relative abundance of the Erysipelotrichaceae family and Allobaculum genus in this mouse model of SZ. We also identified a signature of bacteria discriminating between the genotypes (KO and WT), consisting of the Erysipelotrichales, Bacteroidales, and Clostridiales orders and macroscopic gut differences. We thus uncovered global differential community composition in the gut microbiota profile between mGlu5 KO and WT mice, outlining the first evidence for gut dysbiosis in a genetic animal model of SZ. Our findings suggest that this widely used preclinical model of SZ also has substantial utility for investigations of gut dysbiosis and associated signaling via the microbiota-gut-brain axis, as potential modulators of SZ pathogenesis. Our discovery opens up new avenues to explore gut dysbiosis and its proposed links to brain dysfunction in SZ, as well as novel therapeutic approaches to this devastating disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Gubert
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Geraldine Kong
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Volkan Uzungil
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Emma L. Burrows
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Thibault Renoir
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Anthony J. Hannan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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12
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Lee JH, Cho SY, Kim E. Translational cognitive neuroscience of dementia with touchscreen operant chambers. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2020; 20:e12664. [PMID: 32374080 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Translational cognitive neuroscience of dementia involves mainly two areas: the validation of newly developed dementia animal models and the preclinical assessment of novel drug candidates in such model animals. To validate new animal models, a multidomain panel (battery) approach is essential in that dementia is, by definition, not merely a memory disorder but rather a multidomain cognitive/behavior disorder: animal modeling with a certain type of dementia would develop cognitive impairments in multiple (two at minimum) domains in a specific order according to unique spreading patterns of its neuropathology. In new drug development, the availability of highly sensitive tools assessing animal cognition is crucial to the detection of cognitive decline at the earliest stage of the disease, which may be an optimal time point to test a drug candidate. Using interspecies translatable (analogous) cognitive tasks would also be necessary to successfully predict the efficacy of drug candidates in subsequent clinical trials. Currently, this translational prediction is seriously limited given discrepancies in behavioral assessment methods between animals and humans in the preclinical and clinical trials, respectively. Since neurodegenerative diseases are often accompanied by not only cognitive but also affective and movement disorders, simultaneous assessment of task-relevant locomotor behavior and motivation is also important to rule out the effects of potential confounders. The touchscreen operant platform may satisfy these needs by offering several advantages over conventional methodology. In this review, we discuss the touchscreen operant chamber system and highlight some of its qualities as a promising and desirable tool for translational research of dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Han Lee
- Department of Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - So Yeon Cho
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Brain Korea 21 Plus Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Eosu Kim
- Department of Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Brain Korea 21 Plus Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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13
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Srivastava A, Das B, Yao AY, Yan R. Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors in Alzheimer's Disease Synaptic Dysfunction: Therapeutic Opportunities and Hope for the Future. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 78:1345-1361. [PMID: 33325389 PMCID: PMC8439550 DOI: 10.3233/jad-201146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the presence of neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. The impaired synaptic plasticity and dendritic loss at the synaptic level is an early event associated with the AD pathogenesis. The abnormal accumulation of soluble oligomeric amyloid-β (Aβ), the major toxic component in amyloid plaques, is viewed to trigger synaptic dysfunctions through binding to several presynaptic and postsynaptic partners and thus to disrupt synaptic transmission. Over time, the abnormalities in neural transmission will result in cognitive deficits, which are commonly manifested as memory loss in AD patients. Synaptic plasticity is regulated through glutamate transmission, which is mediated by various glutamate receptors. Here we review recent progresses in the study of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) in AD cognition. We will discuss the role of mGluRs in synaptic plasticity and their modulation as a possible strategy for AD cognitive improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akriti Srivastava
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Brati Das
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Annie Y. Yao
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Riqiang Yan
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, CT, USA
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14
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Beraldo FH, Palmer D, Memar S, Wasserman DI, Lee WJV, Liang S, Creighton SD, Kolisnyk B, Cowan MF, Mels J, Masood TS, Fodor C, Al-Onaizi MA, Bartha R, Gee T, Saksida LM, Bussey TJ, Strother SS, Prado VF, Winters BD, Prado MA. MouseBytes, an open-access high-throughput pipeline and database for rodent touchscreen-based cognitive assessment. eLife 2019; 8:49630. [PMID: 31825307 PMCID: PMC6934379 DOI: 10.7554/elife.49630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Open Science has changed research by making data accessible and shareable, contributing to replicability to accelerate and disseminate knowledge. However, for rodent cognitive studies the availability of tools to share and disseminate data is scarce. Automated touchscreen-based tests enable systematic cognitive assessment with easily standardised outputs that can facilitate data dissemination. Here we present an integration of touchscreen cognitive testing with an open-access database public repository (mousebytes.ca), as well as a Web platform for knowledge dissemination (https://touchscreencognition.org). We complement these resources with the largest dataset of age-dependent high-level cognitive assessment of mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease, expanding knowledge of affected cognitive domains from male and female mice of three strains. We envision that these new platforms will enhance sharing of protocols, data availability and transparency, allowing meta-analysis and reuse of mouse cognitive data to increase the replicability/reproducibility of datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavio H Beraldo
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Daniel Palmer
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
| | - Sara Memar
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - David I Wasserman
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
| | - Wai-Jane V Lee
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shuai Liang
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| | - Samantha D Creighton
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
| | - Benjamin Kolisnyk
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Matthew F Cowan
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Justin Mels
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Talal S Masood
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Chris Fodor
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mohammed A Al-Onaizi
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Robert Bartha
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - Tom Gee
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| | - Lisa M Saksida
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stephen S Strother
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Hospital, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Vania F Prado
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Boyer D Winters
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
| | - Marco Am Prado
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
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