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Burton CL, Longaretti A, Zlatanovic A, Gomes GM, Tonini R. Striatal insights: a cellular and molecular perspective on repetitive behaviors in pathology. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1386715. [PMID: 38601025 PMCID: PMC11004256 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1386715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Animals often behave repetitively and predictably. These repetitive behaviors can have a component that is learned and ingrained as habits, which can be evolutionarily advantageous as they reduce cognitive load and the expenditure of attentional resources. Repetitive behaviors can also be conscious and deliberate, and may occur in the absence of habit formation, typically when they are a feature of normal development in children, or neuropsychiatric disorders. They can be considered pathological when they interfere with social relationships and daily activities. For instance, people affected by obsessive-compulsive disorder, autism spectrum disorder, Huntington's disease and Gilles de la Tourette syndrome can display a wide range of symptoms like compulsive, stereotyped and ritualistic behaviors. The striatum nucleus of the basal ganglia is proposed to act as a master regulator of these repetitive behaviors through its circuit connections with sensorimotor, associative, and limbic areas of the cortex. However, the precise mechanisms within the striatum, detailing its compartmental organization, cellular specificity, and the intricacies of its downstream connections, remain an area of active research. In this review, we summarize evidence across multiple scales, including circuit-level, cellular, and molecular dimensions, to elucidate the striatal mechanisms underpinning repetitive behaviors and offer perspectives on the implicated disorders. We consider the close relationship between behavioral output and transcriptional changes, and thereby structural and circuit alterations, including those occurring through epigenetic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Raffaella Tonini
- Neuromodulation of Cortical and Subcortical Circuits Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
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Evans MM, Kim J, Abel T, Nickl-Jockschat T, Stevens HE. Developmental Disruptions of the Dorsal Striatum in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 95:102-111. [PMID: 37652130 PMCID: PMC10841118 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an increasingly prevalent neurodevelopmental condition characterized by social and communication deficits as well as patterns of restricted, repetitive behavior. Abnormal brain development has long been postulated to underlie ASD, but longitudinal studies aimed at understanding the developmental course of the disorder have been limited. More recently, abnormal development of the striatum in ASD has become an area of interest in research, partially due to overlap of striatal functions and deficit areas in ASD, as well as the critical role of the striatum in early development, when ASD is first detected. Focusing on the dorsal striatum and the associated symptom domain of restricted, repetitive behavior, we review the current literature on dorsal striatal abnormalities in ASD, including studies on functional connectivity, morphometry, and cellular and molecular substrates. We highlight that observed striatal abnormalities in ASD are often dynamic across development, displaying disrupted developmental trajectories. Important findings include an abnormal trajectory of increasing corticostriatal functional connectivity with age and increased striatal growth during childhood in ASD. We end by discussing striatal findings from animal models of ASD. In sum, the studies reviewed here demonstrate a key role for developmental disruptions of the dorsal striatum in the pathogenesis of ASD. Directing attention toward these findings will improve our understanding of ASD and of how associated deficits may be better addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya M Evans
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa; Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Jaekyoon Kim
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa; Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Ted Abel
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa; Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Thomas Nickl-Jockschat
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa; Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa; Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Hanna E Stevens
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa; Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
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Soghomonian JJ. The cortico-striatal circuitry in autism-spectrum disorders: a balancing act. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 17:1329095. [PMID: 38273975 PMCID: PMC10808402 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1329095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The basal ganglia are major targets of cortical inputs and, in turn, modulate cortical function via their projections to the motor and prefrontal cortices. The role of the basal ganglia in motor control and reward is well documented and there is also extensive evidence that they play a key role in social and repetitive behaviors. The basal ganglia influence the activity of the cerebral cortex via two major projections from the striatum to the output nuclei, the globus pallidus internus and the substantia nigra, pars reticulata. This modulation involves a direct projection known as the direct pathway and an indirect projection via the globus pallidus externus and the subthalamic nucleus, known as the indirect pathway. This review discusses the respective contribution of the direct and indirect pathways to social and repetitive behaviors in neurotypical conditions and in autism spectrum disorders.
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Zhu J, Jiao Y, Chen R, Wang XH, Han Y. Aberrant dynamic and static functional connectivity of the striatum across specific low-frequency bands in patients with autism spectrum disorder. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2023; 336:111749. [PMID: 37977097 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2023.111749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dysfunctions of the striatum have been repeatedly observed in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, previous studies have explored the static functional connectivity (sFC) of the striatum in a single frequency band, ignoring the dynamics and frequency specificity of brain FC. Therefore, we investigated the dynamic FC (dFC) and sFC of the striatum in the slow-4 (0.027-0.073 Hz) and slow-5 (0.01-0.027 Hz) frequency bands. METHODS Data of 47 ASD patients and 47 typically developing (TD) controls were obtained from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) database. A seed-based approach was used to compute the dFC and sFC. Then, a two-sample t-test was performed. For regions showing abnormal sFC and dFC, we performed clinical correlation analysis and constructed support vector machine (SVM) models. RESULTS The middle frontal gyrus (MFG), precuneus, and medial superior frontal gyrus (mPFC) showed both dynamic and static alterations. The reduced striatal dFC in the right MFG was associated with autism symptoms. The dynamic‒static FC model had a great performance in ASD classification, with 95.83 % accuracy. CONCLUSIONS The striatal dFC and sFC were altered in ASD, which were frequency specific. Examining brain activity using dynamic and static FC provides a comprehensive view of brain activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junsa Zhu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Department of Radiology, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yun Jiao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Department of Radiology, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China; Network Information Center, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Ran Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Department of Radiology, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xun-Heng Wang
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Instrumentation, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Yunyan Han
- Public Health School of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116000, China
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Woelfle S, Pedro MT, Wagner J, Schön M, Boeckers TM. Expression profiles of the autism-related SHANK proteins in the human brain. BMC Biol 2023; 21:254. [PMID: 37953224 PMCID: PMC10641957 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01712-0] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND SHANKs are major scaffolding proteins at postsynaptic densities (PSDs) in the central nervous system. Mutations in all three family members have been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Despite the pathophysiological importance of SHANK2 and SHANK3 mutations in humans, research on the expression of these proteins is mostly based on rodent model organisms. RESULTS In the present study, cellular and neuropil SHANK2 expression was analyzed by immunofluorescence (IF) staining of post mortem human brain tissue from four male individuals (19 brain regions). Mouse brains were analyzed in comparison to evaluate the degree of phylogenetic conservation. Furthermore, SHANK2 and SHANK3 isoform patterns were compared in human and mouse brain lysates. While isoform expression and subcellular distribution were largely conserved, differences in neuropil levels of SHANK2 were found by IF staining: Maximum expression was concordantly measured in the cerebellum; however, higher SHANK2 expression was detected in the human brainstem and thalamus when compared to mice. One of the lowest SHANK2 levels was found in the human amygdala, a moderately expressing region in mouse. Quantification of SHANK3 IF in mouse brains unveiled a distribution comparable to humans. CONCLUSIONS In summary, these data show that the overall expression pattern of SHANK is largely conserved in defined brain regions; however, differences do exist, which need to be considered in the translation of rodent studies. The summarized expression patterns of SHANK2 and SHANK3 should serve as a reference for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Woelfle
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Maria T Pedro
- Department of Neurosurgery, Ulm University, Campus Günzburg, Lindenallee 2, 89312, Günzburg, Germany
| | - Jan Wagner
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University and Universitäts- and Rehabilitationskliniken Ulm, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Michael Schön
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
| | - Tobias M Boeckers
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
- Deutsches Zentrum Für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen, DZNE, Ulm Site, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
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Funk AT, Hassan AAO, Brüggemann N, Sharma N, Breiter HC, Blood AJ, Waugh JL. In humans, striato-pallido-thalamic projections are largely segregated by their origin in either the striosome-like or matrix-like compartments. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1178473. [PMID: 37954873 PMCID: PMC10634229 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1178473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical (CSTC) loops are fundamental organizing units in mammalian brains. CSTCs process limbic, associative, and sensorimotor information in largely separated but interacting networks. CTSC loops pass through paired striatal compartments, striosome (aka patch) and matrix, segregated pools of medium spiny projection neurons with distinct embryologic origins, cortical/subcortical structural connectivity, susceptibility to injury, and roles in behaviors and diseases. Similarly, striatal dopamine modulates activity in striosome and matrix in opposite directions. Routing CSTCs through one compartment may be an anatomical basis for regulating discrete functions. We used differential structural connectivity, identified through probabilistic diffusion tractography, to distinguish the striatal compartments (striosome-like and matrix-like voxels) in living humans. We then mapped compartment-specific projections and quantified structural connectivity between each striatal compartment, the globus pallidus interna (GPi), and 20 thalamic nuclei in 221 healthy adults. We found that striosome-originating and matrix-originating streamlines were segregated within the GPi: striosome-like connectivity was significantly more rostral, ventral, and medial. Striato-pallido-thalamic streamline bundles that were seeded from striosome-like and matrix-like voxels transited spatially distinct portions of the white matter. Matrix-like streamlines were 5.7-fold more likely to reach the GPi, replicating animal tract-tracing studies. Striosome-like connectivity dominated in six thalamic nuclei (anteroventral, central lateral, laterodorsal, lateral posterior, mediodorsal-medial, and medial geniculate). Matrix-like connectivity dominated in seven thalamic nuclei (centromedian, parafascicular, pulvinar-anterior, pulvinar-lateral, ventral lateral-anterior, ventral lateral-posterior, ventral posterolateral). Though we mapped all thalamic nuclei independently, functionally-related nuclei were matched for compartment-level bias. We validated these results with prior thalamostriate tract tracing studies in non-human primates and other species; where reliable data was available, all agreed with our measures of structural connectivity. Matrix-like connectivity was lateralized (left > right hemisphere) in 18 thalamic nuclei, independent of handedness, diffusion protocol, sex, or whether the nucleus was striosome-dominated or matrix-dominated. Compartment-specific biases in striato-pallido-thalamic structural connectivity suggest that routing CSTC loops through striosome-like or matrix-like voxels is a fundamental mechanism for organizing and regulating brain networks. Our MRI-based assessments of striato-thalamic connectivity in humans match and extend the results of prior tract tracing studies in animals. Compartment-level characterization may improve localization of human neuropathologies and improve neurosurgical targeting in the GPi and thalamus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian T. Funk
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Asim A. O. Hassan
- Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States
| | - Norbert Brüggemann
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurogenetics, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Nutan Sharma
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Hans C. Breiter
- Laboratory of Neuroimaging and Genetics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
- Warren Wright Adolescent Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Anne J. Blood
- Laboratory of Neuroimaging and Genetics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
- Mood and Motor Control Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
- Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Jeff L. Waugh
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, United States
- Mood and Motor Control Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
- Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
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Mercaldo V, Vidimova B, Gastaldo D, Fernández E, Lo AC, Cencelli G, Pedini G, De Rubeis S, Longo F, Klann E, Smit AB, Grant SGN, Achsel T, Bagni C. Altered striatal actin dynamics drives behavioral inflexibility in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome. Neuron 2023; 111:1760-1775.e8. [PMID: 36996810 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
The proteome of glutamatergic synapses is diverse across the mammalian brain and involved in neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Among those is fragile X syndrome (FXS), an NDD caused by the absence of the functional RNA-binding protein FMRP. Here, we demonstrate how the brain region-specific composition of postsynaptic density (PSD) contributes to FXS. In the striatum, the FXS mouse model shows an altered association of the PSD with the actin cytoskeleton, reflecting immature dendritic spine morphology and reduced synaptic actin dynamics. Enhancing actin turnover with constitutively active RAC1 ameliorates these deficits. At the behavioral level, the FXS model displays striatal-driven inflexibility, a typical feature of FXS individuals, which is rescued by exogenous RAC1. Striatal ablation of Fmr1 is sufficient to recapitulate behavioral impairments observed in the FXS model. These results indicate that dysregulation of synaptic actin dynamics in the striatum, a region largely unexplored in FXS, contributes to the manifestation of FXS behavioral phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Mercaldo
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, Université de Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Barbora Vidimova
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, Université de Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Denise Gastaldo
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, Université de Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Esperanza Fernández
- VIB & UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology, Universiteit Gent, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Adrian C Lo
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, Université de Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Giulia Cencelli
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Università degli Studi di Roma "Tor Vergata", 00133 Rome, Italy; Institute of Neurosurgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Giorgia Pedini
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Università degli Studi di Roma "Tor Vergata", 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia De Rubeis
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Department of Psychiatry, Friedman Brain Institute, Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Francesco Longo
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Eric Klann
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - August B Smit
- Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Seth G N Grant
- Center for the Clinical Brain Sciences and Simons Initiatives for the Developing Brain, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, Scotland
| | - Tilmann Achsel
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, Université de Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Claudia Bagni
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, Université de Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Università degli Studi di Roma "Tor Vergata", 00133 Rome, Italy.
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Arasaratnam CJ, Song JJ, Yoshida T, Curtis MA, Graybiel AM, Faull RLM, Waldvogel HJ. DARPP-32 cells and neuropil define striosomal system and isolated matrix cells in human striatum. J Comp Neurol 2023; 531:888-920. [PMID: 37002560 PMCID: PMC10392785 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25473] [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: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
The dorsal striatum forms a central node of the basal ganglia interconnecting the neocortex and thalamus with circuits modulating mood and movement. Striatal projection neurons (SPNs) include relatively intermixed populations expressing D1-type or D2-type dopamine receptors (dSPNs and iSPNs) that give rise to the direct (D1) and indirect (D2) output systems of the basal ganglia. Overlaid on this organization is a compartmental organization, in which a labyrinthine system of striosomes made up of sequestered SPNs is embedded within the larger striatal matrix. Striosomal SPNs also include D1-SPNs and D2-SPNs, but they can be distinguished from matrix SPNs by many neurochemical markers. In the rodent striatum the key signaling molecule, DARPP-32, is a exception to these compartmental expression patterns, thought to befit its functions through opposite actions in both D1- and D2-expressing SPNs. We demonstrate here, however, that in the dorsal human striatum, DARPP-32 is concentrated in the neuropil and SPNs of striosomes, especially in the caudate nucleus and dorsomedial putamen, relative to the matrix neuropil in these regions. The generally DARPP-32-poor matrix contains scattered DARPP-32-positive cells. DARPP-32 cell bodies in both compartments proved negative for conventional intraneuronal markers. These findings raise the potential for specialized DARPP-32 expression in the human striosomal system and in a set of DARPP-32-positive neurons in the matrix. If DARPP-32 immunohistochemical positivity predicts differential functional DARPP-32 activity, then the distributions demonstrated here could render striosomes and dispersed matrix cells susceptible to differential signaling through cAMP and other signaling systems in health and disease. DARPP-32 is highly concentrated in cells and neuropil of striosomes in post-mortem human brain tissue, particularly in the dorsal caudate nucleus. Scattered DARPP-32-positive cells are found in the human striatal matrix. Calbindin and DARPP-32 do not colocalize within every spiny projection neuron in the dorsal human caudate nucleus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine J Arasaratnam
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Jennifer J Song
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Tomoko Yoshida
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Maurice A Curtis
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ann M Graybiel
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Richard L M Faull
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Henry J Waldvogel
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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Sharvin BL, Aburto MR, Cryan JF. Decoding the neurocircuitry of gut feelings: Region-specific microbiome-mediated brain alterations. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 179:106033. [PMID: 36758820 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Research in the last decade has unveiled a crucial role for the trillions of microorganisms that reside in the gut in influencing host neurodevelopment across the lifespan via the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Studies have linked alterations in the composition, complexity, and diversity of the gut microbiota to changes in behaviour including abnormal social interactions, cognitive deficits, and anxiety- and depressive-like phenotypes. Moreover, the microbiota has been linked with neurodevelopmental, neuropsychiatric, and neurodegenerative disorders. Interestingly, there appears to be specific brain regions governing the neurocircuitry driving higher cognitive function that are susceptible to influence from manipulations to the host microbiome. This review will aim to elucidate the region-specific effects mediated by the gut microbiota, with a focus on translational animal models and some existing human neuroimaging data. Compelling preclinical evidence suggests disruption to normal microbiota-gut-brain signalling can have detrimental effects on the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and striatum. Furthermore, human neuroimaging studies have unveiled a role for the microbiota in mediating functional connectivity and structure of specific brain regions that can be traced back to neurocognition and behavioural output. Understanding these microbiota-mediated changes will aid in identifying unique therapeutic targets for treating neurological disorders associated with these regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan L Sharvin
- APC Microbiome, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Maria Rodriguez Aburto
- APC Microbiome, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - John F Cryan
- APC Microbiome, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
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10
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Ferhat AT, Verpy E, Biton A, Forget B, De Chaumont F, Mueller F, Le Sourd AM, Coqueran S, Schmitt J, Rochefort C, Rondi-Reig L, Leboucher A, Boland A, Fin B, Deleuze JF, Boeckers TM, Ey E, Bourgeron T. Excessive self-grooming, gene dysregulation and imbalance between the striosome and matrix compartments in the striatum of Shank3 mutant mice. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1139118. [PMID: 37008785 PMCID: PMC10061084 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1139118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism is characterized by atypical social communication and stereotyped behaviors. Mutations in the gene encoding the synaptic scaffolding protein SHANK3 are detected in 1–2% of patients with autism and intellectual disability, but the mechanisms underpinning the symptoms remain largely unknown. Here, we characterized the behavior of Shank3Δ11/Δ11 mice from 3 to 12 months of age. We observed decreased locomotor activity, increased stereotyped self-grooming and modification of socio-sexual interaction compared to wild-type littermates. We then used RNAseq on four brain regions of the same animals to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). DEGs were identified mainly in the striatum and were associated with synaptic transmission (e.g., Grm2, Dlgap1), G-protein-signaling pathways (e.g., Gnal, Prkcg1, and Camk2g), as well as excitation/inhibition balance (e.g., Gad2). Downregulated and upregulated genes were enriched in the gene clusters of medium-sized spiny neurons expressing the dopamine 1 (D1-MSN) and the dopamine 2 receptor (D2-MSN), respectively. Several DEGs (Cnr1, Gnal, Gad2, and Drd4) were reported as striosome markers. By studying the distribution of the glutamate decarboxylase GAD65, encoded by Gad2, we showed that the striosome compartment of Shank3Δ11/Δ11 mice was enlarged and displayed much higher expression of GAD65 compared to wild-type mice. Altogether, these results indicate altered gene expression in the striatum of Shank3-deficient mice and strongly suggest, for the first time, that the excessive self-grooming of these mice is related to an imbalance in the striatal striosome and matrix compartments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allain-Thibeault Ferhat
- Génétique Humaine et Fonctions Cognitives, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 3571, IUF, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Allain-Thibeault Ferhat,
| | - Elisabeth Verpy
- Génétique Humaine et Fonctions Cognitives, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 3571, IUF, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Anne Biton
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Benoît Forget
- Génétique Humaine et Fonctions Cognitives, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 3571, IUF, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Fabrice De Chaumont
- Génétique Humaine et Fonctions Cognitives, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 3571, IUF, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Florian Mueller
- Imagerie et Modélisation, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 3691, Paris, France
| | - Anne-Marie Le Sourd
- Génétique Humaine et Fonctions Cognitives, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 3571, IUF, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Sabrina Coqueran
- Génétique Humaine et Fonctions Cognitives, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 3571, IUF, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Julien Schmitt
- Cerebellum Navigation and Memory Team, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Neurosciences Paris Seine, CNRS UMR 8246, Inserm UMR-S 1130, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Christelle Rochefort
- Cerebellum Navigation and Memory Team, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Neurosciences Paris Seine, CNRS UMR 8246, Inserm UMR-S 1130, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Laure Rondi-Reig
- Cerebellum Navigation and Memory Team, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Neurosciences Paris Seine, CNRS UMR 8246, Inserm UMR-S 1130, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Aziliz Leboucher
- Génétique Humaine et Fonctions Cognitives, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 3571, IUF, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Anne Boland
- Centre National de Recherche en Génomique Humaine, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Evry, France
| | - Bertrand Fin
- Centre National de Recherche en Génomique Humaine, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Evry, France
| | - Jean-François Deleuze
- Centre National de Recherche en Génomique Humaine, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Evry, France
- Centre d’Étude du Polymorphisme Humain, Paris, France
| | - Tobias M. Boeckers
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen, Ulm, Germany
| | - Elodie Ey
- Génétique Humaine et Fonctions Cognitives, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 3571, IUF, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, CNRS UMR 7104, Inserm UMR-S 1258, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France
| | - Thomas Bourgeron
- Génétique Humaine et Fonctions Cognitives, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 3571, IUF, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Thomas Bourgeron,
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11
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Kisaretova P, Tsybko A, Bondar N, Reshetnikov V. Molecular Abnormalities in BTBR Mice and Their Relevance to Schizophrenia and Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Overview of Transcriptomic and Proteomic Studies. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11020289. [PMID: 36830826 PMCID: PMC9953015 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11020289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal models of psychopathologies are of exceptional interest for neurobiologists because these models allow us to clarify molecular mechanisms underlying the pathologies. One such model is the inbred BTBR strain of mice, which is characterized by behavioral, neuroanatomical, and physiological hallmarks of schizophrenia (SCZ) and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Despite the active use of BTBR mice as a model object, the understanding of the molecular features of this strain that cause the observed behavioral phenotype remains insufficient. Here, we analyzed recently published data from independent transcriptomic and proteomic studies on hippocampal and corticostriatal samples from BTBR mice to search for the most consistent aberrations in gene or protein expression. Next, we compared reproducible molecular signatures of BTBR mice with data on postmortem samples from ASD and SCZ patients. Taken together, these data helped us to elucidate brain-region-specific molecular abnormalities in BTBR mice as well as their relevance to the anomalies seen in ASDs or SCZ in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Polina Kisaretova
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Prospekt Akad. Lavrentyeva 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
- Department of Natural Sciences, Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova Street 2, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Anton Tsybko
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Prospekt Akad. Lavrentyeva 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Natalia Bondar
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Prospekt Akad. Lavrentyeva 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Vasiliy Reshetnikov
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Prospekt Akad. Lavrentyeva 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
- Department of Biotechnology, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 1 Olympic Avenue, Sochi 354340, Russia
- Correspondence:
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12
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Cirnaru MD, Song S, Tshilenge KT, Corwin C, Mleczko J, Galicia Aguirre C, Benlhabib H, Bendl J, Apontes P, Fullard J, Creus-Muncunill J, Reyahi A, Nik AM, Carlsson P, Roussos P, Mooney SD, Ellerby LM, Ehrlich ME. Unbiased identification of novel transcription factors in striatal compartmentation and striosome maturation. eLife 2021; 10:e65979. [PMID: 34609283 PMCID: PMC8492065 DOI: 10.7554/elife.65979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Many diseases are linked to dysregulation of the striatum. Striatal function depends on neuronal compartmentation into striosomes and matrix. Striatal projection neurons are GABAergic medium spiny neurons (MSNs), subtyped by selective expression of receptors, neuropeptides, and other gene families. Neurogenesis of the striosome and matrix occurs in separate waves, but the factors regulating compartmentation and neuronal differentiation are largely unidentified. We performed RNA- and ATAC-seq on sorted striosome and matrix cells at postnatal day 3, using the Nr4a1-EGFP striosome reporter mouse. Focusing on the striosome, we validated the localization and/or role of Irx1, Foxf2, Olig2, and Stat1/2 in the developing striosome and the in vivo enhancer function of a striosome-specific open chromatin region 4.4 Kb downstream of Olig2. These data provide novel tools to dissect and manipulate the networks regulating MSN compartmentation and differentiation, including in human iPSC-derived striatal neurons for disease modeling and drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria-Daniela Cirnaru
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkUnited States
| | - Sicheng Song
- Department of Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | | | - Chuhyon Corwin
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkUnited States
| | - Justyna Mleczko
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkUnited States
| | | | - Houda Benlhabib
- Department of Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - Jaroslav Bendl
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkUnited States
- Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkUnited States
| | - Pasha Apontes
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkUnited States
- Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkUnited States
| | - John Fullard
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkUnited States
- Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkUnited States
| | - Jordi Creus-Muncunill
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkUnited States
| | - Azadeh Reyahi
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Ali M Nik
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Peter Carlsson
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Panos Roussos
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkUnited States
- Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkUnited States
- Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (VISN 2 South)BronxUnited States
| | - Sean D Mooney
- Department of Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | | | - Michelle E Ehrlich
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkUnited States
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13
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Bicker F, Nardi L, Maier J, Vasic V, Schmeisser MJ. Criss-crossing autism spectrum disorder and adult neurogenesis. J Neurochem 2021; 159:452-478. [PMID: 34478569 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) comprises a group of multifactorial neurodevelopmental disorders primarily characterized by deficits in social interaction and repetitive behavior. Although the onset is typically in early childhood, ASD poses a lifelong challenge for both patients and caretakers. Adult neurogenesis (AN) is the process by which new functional neurons are created from neural stem cells existing in the post-natal brain. The entire event is based on a sequence of cellular processes, such as proliferation, specification of cell fate, maturation, and ultimately, synaptic integration into the existing neural circuits. Hence, AN is implicated in structural and functional brain plasticity throughout life. Accumulating evidence shows that impaired AN may underlie some of the abnormal behavioral phenotypes seen in ASD. In this review, we approach the interconnections between the molecular pathways related to AN and ASD. We also discuss existing therapeutic approaches targeting such pathways both in preclinical and clinical studies. A deeper understanding of how ASD and AN reciprocally affect one another could reveal important converging pathways leading to the emergence of psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Bicker
- Institute for Microscopic Anatomy and Neurobiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Leonardo Nardi
- Institute for Microscopic Anatomy and Neurobiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jannik Maier
- Institute for Microscopic Anatomy and Neurobiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Verica Vasic
- Institute for Microscopic Anatomy and Neurobiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Michael J Schmeisser
- Institute for Microscopic Anatomy and Neurobiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany.,Focus Program Translational Neurosciences (FTN), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
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