Regulation of actions and habits by ventral hippocampal trkB and adolescent corticosteroid exposure

Cocaine disrupts action flexibility via glucocorticoid receptors

Many addictive drugs increase stress hormone levels. They also alter the propensity of organisms to prospectively select actions based on long-term consequences. We hypothesized that cocaine causes inflexible action by increasing circulating stress hormone levels, activating the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). We trained mice to generate two nose pokes for food and then required them to update action-consequence associations when one response was no longer reinforced. Cocaine delivered in adolescence or adulthood impaired the capacity of mice to update action strategies, and inhibiting CORT synthesis rescued action flexibility. Next, we reduced Nr3c1, encoding GR, in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), a region of the brain responsible for interlacing new information into established routines. Nr3c1 silencing preserved action flexibility and dendritic spine abundance on excitatory neurons, despite cocaine. Spines are often considered substrates for learning and memory, leading to the discovery that cocaine degrades the representation of new action memories, obstructing action flexibility.

Social experience in adolescence shapes prefrontal cortex structure and function in adulthood

During adolescence, the prefrontal cortex (PFC) undergoes dramatic reorganization. PFC development is profoundly influenced by the social environment, disruptions to which may prime the emergence of psychopathology across the lifespan. We investigated the neurobehavioral consequences of isolation experienced in adolescence in mice, and in particular, the long-term consequences that were detectable even despite normalization of the social milieu. Isolation produced biases toward habit-like behavior at the expense of flexible goal seeking, plus anhedonic-like reward deficits. Behavioral phenomena were accompanied by neuronal dendritic spine over-abundance and hyper-excitability in the ventromedial PFC (vmPFC), which was necessary for the expression of isolation-induced habits and sufficient to trigger behavioral inflexibility in socially reared controls. Isolation activated cytoskeletal regulatory pathways otherwise suppressed during adolescence, such that repression of constituent elements prevented long-term isolation-induced neurosequelae. Altogether, our findings unveil an adolescent critical period and multi-model mechanism by which social experiences facilitate prefrontal cortical maturation.

An Interaction between Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Stress-Related Glucocorticoids in the Pathophysiology of Alzheimer's Disease

Both the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glucocorticoids (GCs) play multiple roles in various aspects of neurons, including cell survival and synaptic function. BDNF and its receptor TrkB are extensively expressed in neurons of the central nervous system (CNS), and the contribution of the BDNF/TrkB system to neuronal function is evident; thus, its downregulation has been considered to be involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). GCs, stress-related molecules, and glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) are also considered to be associated with AD in addition to mental disorders such as depression. Importantly, a growing body of evidence suggests a close relationship between BDNF/TrkB-mediated signaling and the GCs/GR system in the CNS. Here, we introduce the current studies on the interaction between the neurotrophic system and stress in CNS neurons and discuss their involvement in the pathophysiology of AD.

A hippocampo-cortical pathway detects changes in the validity of an action as a predictor of reward

Much research has been dedicated to understanding the psychological and neural bases of goal-directed action, yet the relationship between context and goal-directed action is not well understood. Here, we used excitotoxic lesions, chemogenetics, and circuit-specific manipulations to demonstrate the role of the ventral hippocampus (vHPC) in contextual learning that supports sensitivity to action-outcome contingencies, a hallmark of goal-directed action. We found that chemogenetic inhibition of the ventral, but not dorsal, hippocampus attenuated sensitivity to instrumental contingency degradation. We then tested the hypothesis that this deficit was due to an inability to discern the relative validity of the action compared with the context as a predictor of reward. Using latent inhibition and Pavlovian context conditioning, we confirm that degradation of action-outcome contingencies relies on intact context-outcome learning and show that this learning is dependent on vHPC. Finally, we show that chemogenetic inhibition of vHPC terminals in the medial prefrontal cortex also impairs both instrumental contingency degradation and context-outcome learning. These results implicate a hippocampo-cortical pathway in adapting to changes in instrumental contingencies and indicate that the psychological basis of this deficit is an inability to learn the predictive value of the context. Our findings contribute to a broader understanding of the neural bases of goal-directed action and its contextual regulation.

Pathway specific interventions reveal the multiple roles of ventral hippocampus projections in cognitive functions

Since the 1950s study of Scoville and Milner on the case H.M., the hippocampus has attracted neuroscientists' attention. The hippocampus has been traditionally divided into dorsal and ventral parts, each of which projects to different brain structures and mediates various functions. Despite a predominant interest in its dorsal part in animal models, especially regarding episodic-like and spatial cognition, recent data highlight the role of the ventral hippocampus (vHPC), as the main hippocampal output, in cognitive processes. Here, we review recent studies conducted in rodents that have used advanced in vivo functional techniques to specifically monitor and manipulate vHPC efferent pathways and delineate the roles of these specific projections in learning and memory processes. Results highlight that vHPC projections to basal amygdala are implicated in emotional memory, to nucleus accumbens in social memory and instrumental actions and to prefrontal cortex in all the above as well as in object-based memory. Some of these hippocampal projections also modulate feeding and anxiety-like behaviours providing further evidence that the "one pathway-one function" view is outdated and future directions are proposed to better understand the role of hippocampal pathways and shed further light on its connectivity and function.

Contribution of dorsal versus ventral hippocampus to the hierarchical modulation of goal-directed actions in rats

Adaptive behaviour often necessitates that animals learn about events in a manner that is specific to a particular context or environment. These hierarchical organisations allow the animal to decide which action is the most appropriate when faced with ambiguous or conflicting possibilities. This study examined the role of hippocampus in enabling animals to use the context to guide action selection. We used a hierarchical instrumental outcome devaluation task in which male rats learn that the context provides information about the unique action-outcome relations that are in effect. We first confirmed that rats encode and use hierarchical context-(action-outcome) relations. We then show that chemogenetic inhibition of ventral hippocampus impairs both the encoding and retrieval of these associations, while inhibition of dorsal hippocampus impairs only the retrieval. Importantly, neither dorsal nor ventral hippocampus was required for goal-directed behaviour per se as these impairments only emerged when rats were forced to use the context to identify the current action-outcome relationships. These findings are discussed with respect to the role of the hippocampus and its broader circuitry in the contextual modulation of goal-directed behaviour and the importance of hierarchical associations in flexible behaviour.

Habit Formation and the Effect of Repeated Stress Exposures on Cognitive Flexibility Learning in Horses

Horse training exposes horses to an array of cognitive and ethological challenges. Horses are routinely required to perform behaviours that are not aligned to aspects of their ethology, which may delay learning. While horses readily form habits during training, not all of these responses are considered desirable, resulting in the horse being subject to retraining. This is a form of cognitive flexibility and is critical to the extinction of habits and the learning of new responses. It is underpinned by complex neural processes which can be impaired by chronic or repeated stress. Domestic horses may be repeatedly exposed to multiples stressors. The potential contribution of stress impairments of cognitive flexibility to apparent training failures is not well understood, however research from neuroscience can be used to understand horses’ responses to training. We trained horses to acquire habit-like responses in one of two industry-style aversive instrumental learning scenarios (moving away from the stimulus-instinctual or moving towards the stimulus-non-instinctual) and evaluated the effect of repeated stress exposures on their cognitive flexibility in a reversal task. We measured heart rate as a proxy for noradrenaline release, salivary cortisol and serum Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) to infer possible neural correlates of the learning outcomes. The instinctual task which aligned with innate equine escape responses to aversive stimuli was acquired significantly faster than the non-instinctual task during both learning phases, however contrary to expectations, the repeated stress exposure did not impair the reversal learning. We report a preliminary finding that serum BDNF and salivary cortisol concentrations in horses are positively correlated. The ethological salience of training tasks and cognitive flexibility learning can significantly affect learning in horses and trainers should adapt their practices where such tasks challenge innate equine behaviour.

Infralimbic BDNF signaling is necessary for the beneficial effects of extinction on set shifting in stressed rats

Current pharmacotherapies for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) are ineffective for many patients, and often do not restore cognitive dysfunction associated with these disorders. Behavioral therapies, such as exposure therapy, can be effective for treatment-resistant patients. The mechanisms underlying exposure therapy are not well-understood. Fear extinction as an intervention after chronic stress can model the beneficial effects of exposure therapy in rats. Extinction requires neuronal activity and protein synthesis in the infralimbic (IL) cortex for its beneficial effects. We hypothesized that extinction requires Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) activity in the IL cortex to reverse stress-induced cognitive flexibility impairments. Extinction learning reversed set-shifting deficits induced by Chronic Unpredictable Stress (CUS), tested 24 h after extinction. Blocking BDNF signaling in the IL cortex during extinction by local administration of a neutralizing antibody prevented the beneficial effects of extinction on set shifting after stress. Extinction induced activation of the BDNF TrkB receptor, and signaling pathways associated with BDNF (Akt and Erk). Administration of exogenous BDNF into IL cortex in the absence of extinction was sufficient to reverse the effects of stress on set shifting. The effects of extinction were prevented by blocking either Erk or Akt signaling in the IL cortex, whereas the effects of exogenous BDNF were dependent on Erk, but not Akt, signaling. Our observations suggest that BDNF-Erk signaling induced by extinction underlies plastic changes that can reverse or counteract the effects of chronic stress in the IL cortex.

Cell Adhesion Factors in the Orbitofrontal Cortex Control Cue-Induced Reinstatement of Cocaine Seeking and Amygdala-Dependent Goal Seeking

Repeated cocaine exposure causes dendritic spine loss in the orbitofrontal cortex, which might contribute to poor orbitofrontal cortical function following drug exposure. One challenge, however, has been verifying links between neuronal structural plasticity and behavior, if any. Here we report that cocaine self-administration triggers the loss of dendritic spines on excitatory neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex of male and female mice (as has been reported in rats). To understand functional consequences, we locally ablated neuronal β1-integrins, cell adhesion receptors that adhere cells to the extracellular matrix and thus support dendritic spine stability. Degradation of β1-integrin tone: (1) caused dendritic spine loss, (2) exaggerated cocaine-seeking responses in a cue-induced reinstatement test, and (3) impaired the ability of mice to integrate new learning into familiar routines, a key function of the orbitofrontal cortex. Stimulating Abl-related gene kinase, overexpressing Proline-rich tyrosine kinase, and inhibiting Rho-associated coiled-coil containing kinase corrected response strategies, uncovering a β1-integrin-mediated signaling axis that controls orbitofrontal cortical function. Finally, use of a combinatorial gene silencing/chemogenetic strategy revealed that β1-integrins support the ability of mice to integrate new information into established behaviors by sustaining orbitofrontal cortical connections with the basolateral amygdala.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Cocaine degenerates dendritic spines in the orbitofrontal cortex, a region of the brain involved in interlacing new information into established behaviors. One challenge has been verifying links between cellular structural stability and behavior, if any. In this second of two related investigations, we study integrin family receptors, which adhere cells to the extracellular matrix and thereby stabilize dendritic spines (see also DePoy et al., 2019). We reveal that β1-integrins in the orbitofrontal cortex control food- and cocaine-seeking behaviors. For instance, β1-integrin loss amplifies cocaine-seeking behavior and impairs the ability of mice to integrate new learning into familiar routines. We identify likely intracellular signaling partners by which β1-integrins support orbitofrontal cortical function and connectivity with the basolateral amygdala.

The stressed orbitofrontal cortex

Stressor exposure causes dendritic remodeling on excitatory neurons in multiple regions of the brain, including the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Additionally, stressor and exogenous stress hormone exposure impair cognitive functions that are dependent on the OFC. For this Special Issue on the OFC, we summarize current literature regarding how stress-prenatal, postnatal, and even inter-generational-affects OFC neuron structure in rodents. We discuss dendrite structure, dendritic spines, and gene expression. We aim to provide a focused resource for those interested in how stressors impact this heterogeneous brain region. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Rats exposed to intermittent ethanol during late adolescence exhibit enhanced habitual behavior following reward devaluation

The brain undergoes substantial maturation during adolescence, and repeated exposure to ethanol at this time has been shown to result in long-lasting behavioral and neural consequences. During the broad period of adolescence, different neuronal populations and circuits are refined between early and late adolescence, suggesting the possibility that ethanol exposure at these differing times may lead to differential outcomes. The goal of the current study was to evaluate the impact of adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) during early and late adolescence on the formation of goal-directed and habitual behavior in adulthood. Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to ethanol via intragastric gavage (4.0 g/kg, 25% v/v) every other day from postnatal day (P) 25-45 or P45-65, considered early and late adolescence, respectively. In adulthood (~P70 early or ~ P90 late), rats were gradually food-restricted and began operant training on a fixed ratio 1 schedule. Rats were then transitioned onto random interval schedules and eventually underwent a sensory-specific satiation procedure as a model of reward devaluation. Few differences as a result of adolescent ethanol exposure were found during instrumental training. Following reward devaluation, rats exposed to water and ethanol during early adolescence exhibited reductions in lever pressing, suggestive of a goal-directed response pattern. In contrast, late AIE males and females demonstrated persistent responding following both devalued and non-devalued trials, findings representative of a habitual behavior pattern. The shifts from goal-directed to habitual behavior noted only following late AIE contribute to the growing literature identifying specific behavioral consequences as a result of ethanol exposure during distinct developmental periods within adolescence. More work is needed to determine whether the greater habit formation following late AIE is also associated with elevated habitual ethanol consumption.

Differential compartmental processing and phosphorylation of pathogenic human tau and native mouse tau in the line 66 model of frontotemporal dementia

Synapse loss is associated with motor and cognitive decline in multiple neurodegenerative disorders, and the cellular redistribution of tau is related to synaptic impairment in tauopathies, such as Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia. Here, we examined the cellular distribution of tau protein species in human tau overexpressing line 66 mice, a transgenic mouse model akin to genetic variants of frontotemporal dementia. Line 66 mice express intracellular tau aggregates in multiple brain regions and exhibit sensorimotor and motor learning deficiencies. Using a series of anti-tau antibodies, we observed, histologically, that nonphosphorylated transgenic human tau is enriched in synapses, whereas phosphorylated tau accumulates predominantly in cell bodies and axons. Subcellular fractionation confirmed that human tau is highly enriched in insoluble cytosolic and synaptosomal fractions, whereas endogenous mouse tau is virtually absent from synapses. Cytosolic tau was resistant to solubilization with urea and Triton X-100, indicating the formation of larger tau aggregates. By contrast, synaptic tau was partially soluble after Triton X-100 treatment and most likely represents aggregates of smaller size. MS corroborated that synaptosomal tau is nonphosphorylated. Tau enriched in the synapse of line 66 mice, therefore, appears to be in an oligomeric and nonphosphorylated state, and one that could have a direct impact on cognitive function.

Morphological Responses of Excitatory Prelimbic and Orbitofrontal Cortical Neurons to Excess Corticosterone in Adolescence and Acute Stress in Adulthood

Considerable evidence indicates that chronic stress and excess glucocorticoids induce neuronal remodeling in prefrontal cortical (PFC) regions. Adolescence is also characterized by a structural reorganization of PFC neurons, yet interactions between stress- and age-related structural plasticity are still being determined. We quantified dendritic spine densities on apical dendrites of excitatory neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex, prelimbic subregion (PL). Densities decreased across adolescent development, as expected, and spine volume increased. Unexpectedly, exposure to excess corticosterone (CORT) throughout adolescence did not cause additional dendritic spine loss detectable in adulthood. As a positive control dendrite population expected to be sensitive to CORT, we imaged neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), confirming CORT-induced dendritic spine attrition on basal arbors of layer V neurons. We next assessed the effects of acute, mild stress in adulthood: On PL neurons, an acute stressor increased the density of mature, mushroom-shaped spines. Meanwhile, on OFC neurons, dendritic spine volumes and lengths were lower in mice exposed to both CORT and an acute stressor (also referred to as a "double hit"). In sum, prolonged exposure to excess glucocorticoids during adolescence can have morphological and also metaplastic consequences, but they are not global. Anatomical considerations are discussed.

Neural substrates of habit

Active reward pursuit is supported by the balance between the cognitive and habitual control of behavior. The cognitive, goal-directed strategy relies on the prospective evaluation of anticipated consequences, which allows behavior to readily adapt when circumstances change. Repetition of successful actions promotes less cognitively taxing habits, in which behavior is automatically executed without prospective consideration. Disruption in either of these behavioral regulatory systems contributes to the symptoms that underlie many psychiatric disorders. Here, I review recently identified neural substrates, at multiple neural levels, that contribute to habits and outline gaps in knowledge that must be addressed to fully understand the neural mechanisms of behavioral control.

Effects of stress on the structure and function of the medial prefrontal cortex: Insights from animal models

Stress alters both cognitive and emotional function, and increases risk for a variety of psychological disorders, such as depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. The prefrontal cortex is critical for executive function and emotion regulation, is a target for stress hormones, and is implicated in many stress-influenced psychological disorders. Therefore, understanding how stress-induced changes in the structure and function of the prefrontal cortex are related to stress-induced changes in behavior may elucidate some of the mechanisms contributing to stress-sensitive disorders. This review focuses on data from rodent models to describe the effects of chronic stress on behaviors mediated by the medial prefrontal cortex, the effects of chronic stress on the morphology and physiology of the medial prefrontal cortex, mechanisms that may mediate these effects, and evidence for sex differences in the effects of stress on the prefrontal cortex. Understanding how stress influences prefrontal cortex and behaviors mediated by it, as well as sex differences in this effect, will elucidate potential avenues for novel interventions for stress-sensitive disorders characterized by deficits in executive function and emotion regulation.

Glucocorticoid-sensitive ventral hippocampal-orbitofrontal cortical connections support goal-directed action - Curt Richter Award Paper 2019

In an ever-changing and often ambiguous environment, organisms must use previously learned associations between antecedents and outcomes to predict future associations and make optimal choices. Chronic stress can impair one's ability to flexibly adjust behaviors when environmental contingencies change, particularly in cases of early-life stress. In mice, exposure to elevated levels of the primary stress hormone, corticosterone (CORT), during early adolescence is sufficient to impair response-outcome decision making later in life, biasing response strategies towards inflexible habits. Nevertheless, neurobiological mechanisms are still being defined. Here, we report that exposure to excess CORT in adolescence causes a loss of dendritic spines on excitatory pyramidal neurons in the lateral, but not medial, orbital prefrontal cortex (loPFC) of mice, and spine loss correlates with the severity of habit biases in adulthood. Excess CORT also reduces the presence of ventral hippocampal (vHC) axon terminals in the loPFC. To identify functional consequences, we inactivated vHC→loPFC projections in typical healthy mice during a period when mice must update response-outcome expectations to optimally acquire food reinforcers. Inactivation impaired the animals' subsequent ability to sustainably choose actions based on likely outcomes, causing them to defer to habit-based response strategies. Thus, vHC→loPFC projections are necessary for response-outcome expectancy updating and a target of excess glucocorticoids during early-life development. Their degradation is likely involved in long-term biases towards habit-based behaviors following glucocorticoid excess in adolescence.

Social Isolation in Adolescence Disrupts Cortical Development and Goal-Dependent Decision-Making in Adulthood, Despite Social Reintegration

The social environment influences neurodevelopment. Investigations using rodents to study this phenomenon commonly isolate subjects, then assess neurobehavioral consequences while animals are still isolated. This approach precludes one from dissociating the effects of on-going versus prior isolation, hindering our complete understanding of the consequences of social experience during particular developmental periods. Here, we socially isolated adolescent mice from postnatal day (P)31 to P60, then re-housed them into social groups. We tested their ability to select actions based on expected outcomes using multiple reinforcer devaluation and instrumental contingency degradation techniques. Social isolation in adolescence (but not adulthood) weakened instrumental response updating, causing mice to defer to habit-like behaviors. Habit biases were associated with glucocorticoid insufficiency in adolescence, oligodendrocyte marker loss throughout cortico-striatal regions, and dendritic spine and synaptic marker excess in the adult orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Artificial, chemogenetic stimulation of the ventrolateral OFC in typical, healthy mice recapitulated response biases following isolation, causing habit-like behaviors. Meanwhile, correcting dendritic architecture by inhibiting the cytoskeletal regulatory protein ROCK remedied instrumental response updating defects in socially isolated mice. Our findings suggest that adolescence is a critical period during which social experience optimizes one's ability to seek and attain goals later in life. Age-typical dendritic spine elimination appears to be an essential factor, and in its absence, organisms may defer to habit-based behaviors.

Interplay of miR-137 and EZH2 contributes to the genome-wide redistribution of H3K27me3 underlying the Pb-induced memory impairment

Compromised learning and memory is a common feature of multiple neurodegenerative disorders. A paradigm spatial memory impairment could be caused by developmental lead (Pb) exposure. Growing evidence implicates epigenetic modifications in the Pb-mediated memory deficits; however, how histone modifications exemplified by H3K27me3 (H3 Lys27 trimethylation) contribute to this pathogenesis remains poorly understood. Here we found that Pb exposure diminished H3K27me3 levels in vivo by suppressing EZH2 (enhancer of zeste homolog 2) expression at an early stage. EZH2 overexpression in Pb-treated rats rescued the H3K27me3 abundance and partially restored the normal spatial memory, as manifested by the rat performance in a Morris water maze test, and structural analysis of hippocampal spine densities. Furthermore, miR-137 and EZH2 constitute mutually inhibitory loop to regulate the H3K27me3 level, and this feedback regulation could be specifically activated by Pb treatment. Considering genes targeted by H3K27me3, ChIP-chip (chromatin immunoprecipitation on chip) studies revealed that Pb could remodel the genome-wide distribution of H3K27me3, represented by pathways like transcriptional regulation, developmental regulation, cell motion, and apoptosis, as well as a novel Wnt9b locus. As a Wnt isoform associated with canonical and noncanonical signaling, Wnt9b was regulated by the opposite modifications of H3K4me3 (H3 Lys4 trimethylation) and H3K27me3 in Pb-exposed neurons. Rescue trials further validated the contribution of Wnt9b to Pb-induced neuronal impairments, wherein canonical or noncanonical Wnt signaling potentially exhibited destructive or protective roles, respectively. In summary, the study reveals an epigenetic-based molecular change underlying Pb-triggered spatial memory deficits, and provides new potential avenues for our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases with environmental etiology.

β1-Integrins in the Developing Orbitofrontal Cortex Are Necessary for Expectancy Updating in Mice

Navigating a changing environment requires associating stimuli and actions with their likely outcomes and modifying these associations when they change. These processes involve the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Although some molecular mediators have been identified, developmental factors are virtually unknown. We hypothesized that the cell adhesion factor β1-integrin is essential to OFC function, anticipating developmental windows during which β1-integrins might be more influential than others. We discovered that OFC-selective β1-integrin silencing before adolescence, but not later, impaired the ability of mice to extinguish conditioned fear and select actions based on their likely outcomes. Early-life knock-down also reduced the densities of dendritic spines, the primary sites of excitatory plasticity in the brain, and weakened sensitivity to cortical inputs. Notwithstanding these defects in male mice, females were resilient to OFC (but not hippocampal) β1-integrin loss. Existing literature suggests that resilience may be explained by estradiol-mediated transactivation of β1-integrins and tropomyosin receptor kinase B (trkB). Accordingly, we discovered that a trkB agonist administered during adolescence corrected reward-related decision making in β1-integrin-deficient males. In sum, developmental β1-integrins are indispensable for OFC function later in life.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is a subregion of the frontal cortex that allows organisms to link behaviors and stimuli with anticipated outcomes, and to make predictions about the consequences of one's behavior. Aspects of OFC development are particularly prolonged, extending well into adolescence, likely optimizing organisms' abilities to prospectively calculate the consequences of their actions and select behaviors appropriately; these decision making strategies improve as young individuals mature into adulthood. Molecular factors are not, however, well understood. Our experiments reveal that a cell adhesion protein termed "β1-integrin" is necessary for OFC neuronal maturation and function. Importantly, β1-integrins operate during a critical period equivalent to early adolescence in humans to optimize the ability of organisms to update expectancies later in life.

Chronic mild corticosterone exposure during adolescence enhances behaviors and upregulates neuroplasticity-related proteins in rat hippocampus

Adolescence is a critical period with ongoing maturational processes in stress-sensitive systems. It remains unknown how adolescent individuals would be affected by chronic exposure to corticosterone (the major stress hormone in rodents, CORT) at the doses that are usually not detrimental in adults. In this study, male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with CORT (5 mg/kg) or vehicle for 21 days during adolescence (postnatal day (PND) 29-49) or adulthood (PND 71-91) and then subjected to behavioral testing or sacrifice for neurobiological analyses. Shortly after treatment cessation, different from CORT-treated adults showing increased anxiety-like behaviors, CORT-treated adolescents exhibited enhanced prepulse inhibition and spatial learning. They also showed increased expression of hippocampal neuroplasticity-related proteins, including BDNF, nectin3, and AMPA receptor subunits. These effects became undetectable after a four-week washout period when CORT-treated adolescents exhibited improved reversal learning. Together, these findings demonstrate that chronic CORT exposure at the dose of 5 mg/kg endows adolescent individuals with enhanced cognitive capacities, possibly supported by increased hippocampal neuroplasticity. This study also highlights mild elevation of CORT levels during adolescence as a potential approach of promoting adaptive behaviors.

Short- and long-term alterations of FKBP5-GR and specific microRNAs in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of male rats induced by adolescent stress contribute to depression susceptibility

Maladaptation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is involved in susceptibility to depression. Glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) and the co-chaperone protein, FK506 binding protein 51 (FKBP5), play crucial roles in dysfunction of the HPA axis. Further, certain microRNAs (miRNAs), such as miR-124a and miR-18a, which could reduce GR protein expression, contribute to affective disorders, while miR-511 as a regulator of FKBP5 is involved in an increased risk of depression. However, the short-term and persistent impacts of adolescent stress on miR-124a, miR-18a, and miR-511 expressions in the brain are unknown. Using depression models of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) or dexamethasone administration of adolescent rats, the authors of the present study probed the depressive-like behaviors, GR and FKBP5 expressions, and miR-124a, miR-18a, and miR-511 expressions in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. The GR antagonist RU486 was used as intervention. The results revealed that both CUMS and dexamethasone administration in the adolescent period resulted in anhedonia, altered locomotor behaviors, anxiety, and cognitive impairment. A remarkable decrease in GR expression, and increase in FKBP5, miR-124a, and miR-18a expressions were detected in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of adolescent rats. Furthermore, the similar long-term changes on behaviors and expressions of GR, FKBP5 and GR-related microRNAs were found in the adult rats following CUMS and dexamethasone treatment in adolescence. However, reduced miR-511 expression was observed only in the prefrontal cortex of adult rats exposed to adolescent CUMS or dexamethasone administration. These data suggested that the downregulation of GR, upregulation of FKBP5, miR-124a, and miR-18a in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, and downregulation of miR-511 in the prefrontal cortex were relevant to depressive-like behaviors.

Bridging the Gap between Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Glucocorticoid Effects on Brain Networks

Behavioral choices made by the brain during stress depend on glucocorticoid and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling pathways acting in synchrony in the mesolimbic (reward) and corticolimbic (emotion) neural networks. Deregulated expression of BDNF and glucocorticoid receptors in brain valuation areas may compromise the integration of signals. Glucocorticoid receptor phosphorylation upon BDNF signaling in neurons represents one mechanism underlying the integration of BDNF and glucocorticoid signals that when off balance may lay the foundation of maladaptations to stress. Here, we propose that BDNF signaling conditions glucocorticoid responses impacting neural plasticity in the mesocorticolimbic system. This provides a novel molecular framework for understanding how brain networks use BDNF and glucocorticoid signaling contingencies to forge receptive neuronal fields in temporal domains defined by behavioral experience, and in mood disorders.

Preclinical studies of stress, extinction, and prefrontal cortex: intriguing leads and pressing questions

BACKGROUND

Stress is associated with cognitive and emotional dysfunction, and increases risk for a variety of psychological disorders, including depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. Prefrontal cortex is critical for executive function and emotion regulation, is a target for stress hormones, and is implicated in many stress-influenced psychological disorders. Extinction of conditioned fear provides an excellent model system for examining how stress-induced changes in corticolimbic structure and function are related to stress-induced changes in neural function and behavior, as the neural circuitry underlying this behavior is well characterized.

OBJECTIVES

This review examines how acute and chronic stress influences extinction and describes how stress alters the structure and function of the medial prefrontal cortex, a potential neural substrate for these effects. In addition, we identify important unanswered questions about how stress-induced change in prefrontal cortex may mediate extinction deficits and avenues for future research.

KEY FINDINGS

A substantial body of work demonstrates deficits in extinction after either acute or chronic stress. A separate and substantial literature demonstrates stress-induced neuronal remodeling in medial prefrontal cortex, along with several key neurohormonal contributors to this remodeling, and there is substantial overlap in prefrontal mechanisms underlying extinction and the mechanisms implicated in stress-induced dysfunction of-and neuronal remodeling in-medial prefrontal cortex. However, data directly examining the contribution of changes in prefrontal structure and function to stress-induced extinction deficits is currently lacking.

CONCLUSIONS

Understanding how stress influences extinction and its neural substrates as well as individual differences in this effect will elucidate potential avenues for novel interventions for stress-sensitive disorders characterized by deficits in extinction.

Inactivation of ventral hippocampus projections promotes sensitivity to changes in contingency

The loss of behavioral flexibility is common across a number of neuropsychiatric illnesses. This may be in part due to the loss of the ability to detect or use changes in action–outcome contingencies to guide behavior. There is growing evidence that the ventral hippocampus plays a critical role in the regulation of flexible behavior and reward-related decision making. Here, we investigated the role of glutamatergic projections from the ventral hippocampus in the expression of contingency-mediated reward seeking. We demonstrate that selectively silencing ventral hippocampus projections can restore the use of action–outcome contingencies to guide behavior, while sparing cue-guided behavior and extinction learning. Our findings further indicated that the ability of the ventral hippocampus to promote habitual response strategies may be in part mediated by selective projections from the ventral hippocampus to the nucleus accumbens shell. Together these results implicate glutamatergic projections from the ventral hippocampus in the regulation of behavioral flexibility and suggest that alterations in ventral hippocampus function may contribute to overreliance on habitual response strategy observed in neuropsychiatric illnesses including addiction and obsessive–compulsive disorder.

Prefrontal cortical trkB, glucocorticoids, and their interactions in stress and developmental contexts

The tropomyosin/tyrosine receptor kinase B (trkB) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) regulate neuron structure and function and the hormonal stress response. Meanwhile, disruption of trkB and GR activity (e.g., by chronic stress) can perturb neuronal morphology in cortico-limbic regions implicated in stressor-related illnesses like depression. Further, several of the short- and long-term neurobehavioral consequences of stress depend on the developmental timing and context of stressor exposure. We review how the levels and activities of trkB and GR in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) change during development, interact, are modulated by stress, and are implicated in depression. We review evidence that trkB- and GR-mediated signaling events impact the density and morphology of dendritic spines, the primary sites of excitatory synapses in the brain, highlighting effects in adolescents when possible. Finally, we review the role of neurotrophin and glucocorticoid systems in stress-related metaplasticity. We argue that better understanding the long-term effects of developmental stressors on PFC trkB, GR, and related factors may yield insights into risk for chronic, remitting depression and related neuropsychiatric illnesses.

Functional Neurochemistry of the Ventral and Dorsal Hippocampus: Stress, Depression, Dementia and Remote Hippocampal Damage

The hippocampus is not a homogeneous brain area, and the complex organization of this structure underlies its relevance and functional pleiotropism. The new data related to the involvement of the ventral hippocampus in the cognitive function, behavior, stress response and its association with brain pathology, in particular, depression, are analyzed with a focus on neuroplasticity, specializations of the intrinsic neuronal network, corticosteroid signaling through mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptors and neuroinflammation in the hippocampus. The data on the septo-temporal hippicampal gradient are analyzed with particular emphasis on the ventral hippocampus, a region where most important alteration underlying depressive disorders occur. According to the recent data, the existing simple paradigm "learning (dorsal hippocampus) versus emotions (ventral hippocampus)" should be substantially revised and specified. A new hypothesis is suggested on the principal involvement of stress response mechanisms (including interaction of released glucocorticoids with hippocampal receptors and subsequent inflammatory events) in the remote hippocampal damage underlying delayed dementia and depression induced by focal brain damage (e.g. post-stroke and post-traumatic). The translational validity of this hypothesis comprising new approaches in preventing post-stroke and post-trauma depression and dementia can be confirmed in experimental and clinical studies.

Bidirectional coordination of actions and habits by TrkB in mice

Specific corticostriatal structures and circuits are important for flexibly shifting between goal-oriented versus habitual behaviors. For example, the orbitofrontal cortex and dorsomedial striatum are critical for goal-directed action, while the dorsolateral striatum supports habits. To determine the role of neurotrophin signaling, we overexpressed a truncated, inactive form of tropomyosin receptor kinase B [also called tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB)], the high-affinity receptor for Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor, in the orbitofrontal cortex, dorsomedial striatum and dorsolateral striatum. Overexpression of truncated TrkB interfered with phosphorylation of full-length TrkB and ERK42/44, as expected. In the orbitofrontal cortex and dorsomedial striatum, truncated trkB overexpression also occluded the ability of mice to select actions based on the likelihood that they would be reinforced. Meanwhile, in the dorsolateral striatum, truncated trkB blocked the development of habits. Thus, corticostriatal TrkB-mediated plasticity appears necessary for balancing actions and habits.

Adolescent Corticosterone and TrkB Pharmaco-Manipulations Sex-Dependently Impact Instrumental Reversal Learning Later in Life

Early-life trauma can increase the risk for, and severity of, several psychiatric illnesses. These include drug use disorders, and some correlations appear to be stronger in women. Understanding the long-term consequences of developmental stressor or stress hormone exposure and possible sex differences is critically important. So-called “reversal learning” tasks are commonly used in rodents to model cognitive deficits in stress- and addiction-related illnesses in humans. Here, we exposed mice to the primary stress hormone corticosterone (CORT) during early adolescence (postnatal days 31–42), then tested behavioral flexibility in adulthood using an instrumental reversal learning task. CORT-exposed female, but not male, mice developed perseverative errors. Despite resilience to subchronic CORT exposure, males developed reversal performance impairments following exposure to physical stressors. Administration of a putative tyrosine kinase receptor B (trkB) agonist, 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF), during adolescence blocked CORT-induced errors in females and improved performance in males. Conversely, blockade of trkB by ANA-12 impaired performance. These data suggest that trkB-based interventions could have certain protective benefits in the context of early-life stressor exposure. We consider the implications of our findings in an extended “Discussion” section.