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Ysbæk-Nielsen AT. Exploring volumetric abnormalities in subcortical L-HPA axis structures in pediatric generalized anxiety disorder. Nord J Psychiatry 2024; 78:402-410. [PMID: 38573199 DOI: 10.1080/08039488.2024.2335980] [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: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pediatric generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is debilitating and increasingly prevalent, yet its etiology remains unclear. Some believe the disorder to be propagated by chronic dysregulation of the limbic-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (L-HPA) axis, but morphometric studies of implicated subcortical areas have been largely inconclusive. Recognizing that certain subcortical subdivisions are more directly involved in L-HPA axis functioning, this study aims to detect specific abnormalities in these critical areas. METHODS Thirty-eight MRI scans of preschool children with (n = 15) and without (n = 23) GAD underwent segmentation and between-group volumetric comparisons of the basolateral amygdala (BLA), ventral hippocampal subiculum (vSC), and mediodorsal medial magnocellular (MDm) area of the thalamus. RESULTS Children with GAD displayed significantly larger vSC compared to healthy peers, F(1, 31) = 6.50, pFDR = .048. On average, children with GAD presented with larger BLA and MDm, Fs(1, 31) ≥ 4.86, psFDR ≤ .054. Exploratory analyses revealed right-hemispheric lateralization of all measures, most notably the MDm, F(1, 31) = 8.13, pFDR = .024, the size of which scaled with symptom severity, r = .83, pFDR = .033. CONCLUSION The BLA, vSC, and MDm are believed to be involved in the regulation of anxiety and stress, both individually and collectively through the excitation and inhibition of the L-HPA axis. All were found to be enlarged in children with GAD, perhaps reflecting hypertrophy related to hyperexcitability, or early neuronal overgrowth. Longitudinal studies should investigate the relationship between these early morphological differences and the long-term subcortical atrophy previously observed.
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Ghanem K, Saltoun K, Suvrathan A, Draganski B, Bzdok D. Longitudinal microstructural changes in 18 amygdala nuclei resonate with cortical circuits and phenomics. Commun Biol 2024; 7:477. [PMID: 38637627 PMCID: PMC11026520 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06187-5] [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: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The amygdala nuclei modulate distributed neural circuits that most likely evolved to respond to environmental threats and opportunities. So far, the specific role of unique amygdala nuclei in the context processing of salient environmental cues lacks adequate characterization across neural systems and over time. Here, we present amygdala nuclei morphometry and behavioral findings from longitudinal population data (>1400 subjects, age range 40-69 years, sampled 2-3 years apart): the UK Biobank offers exceptionally rich phenotyping along with brain morphology scans. This allows us to quantify how 18 microanatomical amygdala subregions undergo plastic changes in tandem with coupled neural systems and delineating their associated phenome-wide profiles. In the context of population change, the basal, lateral, accessory basal, and paralaminar nuclei change in lockstep with the prefrontal cortex, a region that subserves planning and decision-making. The central, medial and cortical nuclei are structurally coupled with the insular and anterior-cingulate nodes of the salience network, in addition to the MT/V5, basal ganglia, and putamen, areas proposed to represent internal bodily states and mediate attention to environmental cues. The central nucleus and anterior amygdaloid area are longitudinally tied with the inferior parietal lobule, known for a role in bodily awareness and social attention. These population-level amygdala-brain plasticity regimes in turn are linked with unique collections of phenotypes, ranging from social status and employment to sleep habits and risk taking. The obtained structural plasticity findings motivate hypotheses about the specific functions of distinct amygdala nuclei in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karam Ghanem
- The Neuro - Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, School of Computer Science, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
- Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Karin Saltoun
- The Neuro - Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, School of Computer Science, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Aparna Suvrathan
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Department of Pediatrics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience (BRaIN) Research Program, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Bogdan Draganski
- LREN, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Neurology Department, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Danilo Bzdok
- The Neuro - Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, School of Computer Science, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
- Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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Lin L, Huang P, Cheng Y, Jiang S, Zhang J, Li M, Zheng J, Pan X, Wang Y. Brain white matter changes and their associations with non-motor dysfunction in orthostatic hypotension in α-synucleinopathy: A NODDI study. CNS Neurosci Ther 2024; 30:e14712. [PMID: 38615364 PMCID: PMC11016347 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14712] [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: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The specific non-motor symptoms associated with α-synucleinopathies, including orthostatic hypotension (OH), cognitive impairment, and emotional abnormalities, have been a subject of ongoing controversy over the mechanisms underlying the development of a vicious cycle among them. The distinct structural alterations in white matter (WM) in patients with α-synucleinopathies experiencing OH, alongside their association with other non-motor symptoms, remain unexplored. This study employs axial diffusivity and density imaging (NODDI) to investigate WM damage specific to α-synucleinopathies with concurrent OH, delivering fresh evidence to supplement our understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms and pathological rationales behind the occurrence of a spectrum of non-motor functional impairments in α-synucleinopathies. METHODS This study recruited 49 individuals diagnosed with α-synucleinopathies, stratified into an α-OH group (n = 24) and an α-NOH group (without OH, n = 25). Additionally, 17 healthy controls were included for supine and standing blood pressure data collection, as well as neuropsychological assessments. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was utilized for the calculation of NODDI parameters, and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) were employed to explore differential clusters. The fibers covered by these clusters were defined as regions of interest (ROI) for the extraction of NODDI parameter values and the analysis of their correlation with neuropsychological scores. RESULTS The TBSS analysis unveiled specific cerebral regions exhibiting disparities within the α-OH group as compared to both the α-NOH group and the healthy controls. These differences were evident in clusters that indicated a decrease in the acquisition of the neurite density index (NDI), a reduction in the orientation dispersion index (ODI), and an increase in the isotropic volume fraction (FISO) (p < 0.05). The extracted values from these ROIs demonstrated significant correlations with clinically assessed differences in supine and standing blood pressure, overall cognitive scores, and anxiety-depression ratings (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Patients with α-synucleinopathies experiencing OH exhibit distinctive patterns of microstructural damage in the WM as revealed by the NODDI model, and there is a correlation with the onset and progression of non-motor functional impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Lin
- Department of Neurology, Center for Cognitive NeurologyFujian Medical University Union HospitalFuzhou CityChina
- Fujian Institute of GeriatricsFujian Medical University Union HospitalFuzhou CityChina
- Institute of Clinical NeurologyFujian Medical UniversityFuzhou CityChina
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular NeurologyFujian Medical UniversityFuzhou CityChina
| | - Peilin Huang
- Department of Neurology, Center for Cognitive NeurologyFujian Medical University Union HospitalFuzhou CityChina
- Fujian Institute of GeriatricsFujian Medical University Union HospitalFuzhou CityChina
- Institute of Clinical NeurologyFujian Medical UniversityFuzhou CityChina
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular NeurologyFujian Medical UniversityFuzhou CityChina
| | - Yingzhe Cheng
- Department of Neurology, Center for Cognitive NeurologyFujian Medical University Union HospitalFuzhou CityChina
- Fujian Institute of GeriatricsFujian Medical University Union HospitalFuzhou CityChina
- Institute of Clinical NeurologyFujian Medical UniversityFuzhou CityChina
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular NeurologyFujian Medical UniversityFuzhou CityChina
| | - Shaofan Jiang
- Department of RadiologyFujian Medical University Union HospitalFuzhou CityChina
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Intelligent Imaging and Precision Radiotherapy for TumorsFujian Medical UniversityFuzhou CityChina
| | - Jiejun Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Center for Cognitive NeurologyFujian Medical University Union HospitalFuzhou CityChina
- Fujian Institute of GeriatricsFujian Medical University Union HospitalFuzhou CityChina
- Institute of Clinical NeurologyFujian Medical UniversityFuzhou CityChina
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular NeurologyFujian Medical UniversityFuzhou CityChina
- Center for GeriatricsHainan General HospitalHainanChina
| | - Man Li
- Department of Neurology, Center for Cognitive NeurologyFujian Medical University Union HospitalFuzhou CityChina
- Fujian Institute of GeriatricsFujian Medical University Union HospitalFuzhou CityChina
- Institute of Clinical NeurologyFujian Medical UniversityFuzhou CityChina
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular NeurologyFujian Medical UniversityFuzhou CityChina
| | - Jiahao Zheng
- Department of Neurology, Center for Cognitive NeurologyFujian Medical University Union HospitalFuzhou CityChina
- Fujian Institute of GeriatricsFujian Medical University Union HospitalFuzhou CityChina
- Institute of Clinical NeurologyFujian Medical UniversityFuzhou CityChina
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular NeurologyFujian Medical UniversityFuzhou CityChina
| | - Xiaodong Pan
- Department of Neurology, Center for Cognitive NeurologyFujian Medical University Union HospitalFuzhou CityChina
- Fujian Institute of GeriatricsFujian Medical University Union HospitalFuzhou CityChina
- Institute of Clinical NeurologyFujian Medical UniversityFuzhou CityChina
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular NeurologyFujian Medical UniversityFuzhou CityChina
| | - Yanping Wang
- Department of EndocrinologyFujian Medical University Union HospitalFuzhou CityChina
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Wolff M, Halassa MM. The mediodorsal thalamus in executive control. Neuron 2024; 112:893-908. [PMID: 38295791 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.01.002] [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: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Executive control, the ability to organize thoughts and action plans in real time, is a defining feature of higher cognition. Classical theories have emphasized cortical contributions to this process, but recent studies have reinvigorated interest in the role of the thalamus. Although it is well established that local thalamic damage diminishes cognitive capacity, such observations have been difficult to inform functional models. Recent progress in experimental techniques is beginning to enrich our understanding of the anatomical, physiological, and computational substrates underlying thalamic engagement in executive control. In this review, we discuss this progress and particularly focus on the mediodorsal thalamus, which regulates the activity within and across frontal cortical areas. We end with a synthesis that highlights frontal thalamocortical interactions in cognitive computations and discusses its functional implications in normal and pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Wolff
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, INCIA, UMR 5287, 33000 Bordeaux, France.
| | - Michael M Halassa
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
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Méndez JC, Perry BAL, Premereur E, Pelekanos V, Ramadan T, Mitchell AS. Variable cardiac responses in rhesus macaque monkeys after discrete mediodorsal thalamus manipulations. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16913. [PMID: 37805650 PMCID: PMC10560229 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42752-4] [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: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The control of some physiological parameters, such as the heart rate, is known to have a role in cognitive and emotional processes. Cardiac changes are also linked to mental health issues and neurodegeneration. Thus, it is not surprising that many of the brain structures typically associated with cognition and emotion also comprise a circuit-the central automatic network-responsible for the modulation of cardiovascular output. The mediodorsal thalamus (MD) is involved in higher cognitive processes and is also known to be connected to some of the key neural structures that regulate cardiovascular function. However, it is unclear whether the MD has any role in this circuitry. Here, we show that discrete manipulations (microstimulation during anaesthetized functional neuroimaging or localized cytotoxin infusions) to either the magnocellular or the parvocellular MD subdivisions led to observable and variable changes in the heart rate of female and male rhesus macaque monkeys. Considering the central positions that these two MD subdivisions have in frontal cortico-thalamocortical circuits, our findings suggest that MD contributions to autonomic regulation may interact with its identified role in higher cognitive processes, representing an important physiological link between cognition and emotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos Méndez
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter, College House, St Luke's Campus, Heavitree Road, Exeter, EX1 2LU, UK
| | - Brook A L Perry
- Medical Research Council Brain Network Dynamics Unit, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TH, UK
| | - Elsie Premereur
- Laboratory for Neuro- and Psychophysiology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Tamara Ramadan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Anna S Mitchell
- Department of Psychology, Speech and Hearing, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, 8041, New Zealand.
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Yazdanbakhsh A, Barbas H, Zikopoulos B. Sleep spindles in primates: Modeling the effects of distinct laminar thalamocortical connectivity in core, matrix, and reticular thalamic circuits. Netw Neurosci 2023; 7:743-768. [PMID: 37397882 PMCID: PMC10312265 DOI: 10.1162/netn_a_00311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Sleep spindles are associated with the beginning of deep sleep and memory consolidation and are disrupted in schizophrenia and autism. In primates, distinct core and matrix thalamocortical (TC) circuits regulate sleep spindle activity through communications that are filtered by the inhibitory thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN); however, little is known about typical TC network interactions and the mechanisms that are disrupted in brain disorders. We developed a primate-specific, circuit-based TC computational model with distinct core and matrix loops that can simulate sleep spindles. We implemented novel multilevel cortical and thalamic mixing, and included local thalamic inhibitory interneurons, and direct layer 5 projections of variable density to TRN and thalamus to investigate the functional consequences of different ratios of core and matrix node connectivity contribution to spindle dynamics. Our simulations showed that spindle power in primates can be modulated based on the level of cortical feedback, thalamic inhibition, and engagement of model core versus matrix, with the latter having a greater role in spindle dynamics. The study of the distinct spatial and temporal dynamics of core-, matrix-, and mix-generated sleep spindles establishes a framework to study disruption of TC circuit balance underlying deficits in sleep and attentional gating seen in autism and schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arash Yazdanbakhsh
- Computational Neuroscience and Vision Lab, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Helen Barbas
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston, MA, USA
- Neural Systems Laboratory, Program in Human Physiology, Department of Health Sciences, College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (Sargent College), Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Basilis Zikopoulos
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Human Systems Neuroscience Laboratory, Program in Human Physiology, Department of Health Sciences, College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (Sargent College), Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
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García-Cabezas MÁ, Pérez-Santos I, Cavada C. Stereotaxic cutting of post-mortem human brains for neuroanatomical studies. Front Neuroanat 2023; 17:1176351. [PMID: 37274837 PMCID: PMC10232747 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2023.1176351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Stereotaxis is widely used in clinical neurosurgery, neuroradiosurgery, and neuroimaging. Yet, maps of brain structures obtained from post-mortem human brains are not usually presented in known stereotaxic coordinates. Post-mortem brain data given in stereotaxic coordinates would facilitate comparisons with in vivo human neuroimages and would also facilitate intra and inter-experiment comparisons. In this article, we present a crafted instrument for stereotaxic cutting of post-mortem human brain hemispheres. The instrument consists of a transparent methacrylate plate facing a mirror, four legs, and lateral regularly spaced columns permitting the insertion of large knives in-between the columns. This instrument can be built in any laboratory to obtain human brain slabs in the stereotaxic space of Talairach and Tournoux. We explain in detail the procedure for stereotaxic cutting of human brain hemispheres in the coronal plane, as well as the basis for calculating stereotaxic coordinates of histological sections obtained following the stereotaxic cutting protocol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Ángel García-Cabezas
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Ph.D. Program in Neuroscience Cajal-UAM, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Neural Systems Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Isabel Pérez-Santos
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Ph.D. Program in Neuroscience Cajal-UAM, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Cavada
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Ph.D. Program in Neuroscience Cajal-UAM, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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Ahmed N, Paré D. The Basolateral Amygdala Sends a Mixed (GABAergic and Glutamatergic) Projection to the Mediodorsal Thalamic Nucleus. J Neurosci 2023; 43:2104-2115. [PMID: 36788026 PMCID: PMC10039751 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1924-22.2022] [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: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The medial prefrontal cortex receives converging inputs from the mediodorsal thalamic nucleus (MD) and basolateral amygdala (BLA). Although many studies reported that the BLA also projects to MD, there is conflicting evidence regarding this projection, with some data suggesting that it originates from GABAergic or glutamatergic neurons. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the neurotransmitter used by MD-projecting BLA cells in male and female rats. We first examined whether BLA cells retrogradely labeled by Fast Blue infusions in MD are immunopositive for multiple established markers of BLA interneurons. A minority of MD-projecting BLA cells expressed somatostatin (∼22%) or calretinin (∼11%) but not other interneuronal markers, suggesting that BLA neurons projecting to MD not only include glutamatergic cells, but also long-range GABAergic neurons. Second, we examined the responses of MD cells to optogenetic activation of BLA axons using whole-cell recordings in vitro Consistent with our immunohistochemical findings, among responsive MD cells, light stimuli typically elicited isolated EPSPs (73%) or IPSPs (27%) as well as coincident EPSPs and IPSPs (11%). Indicating that these IPSPs were monosynaptic, light-evoked EPSPs and IPSPs had the same latency and the IPSPs persisted in the presence of ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonists. Overall, our results indicate that the BLA sends a mixed, glutamatergic-GABAergic projection to MD, which likely influences coordination of activity between BLA, MD, and medial prefrontal cortex. An important challenge for future studies will be to examine the connections formed by MD-projecting glutamatergic and GABAergic BLA cells with each other and other populations of BLA cells.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The mediodorsal thalamic nucleus (MD) and basolateral amygdala (BLA) send convergent projections to the medial prefrontal cortex. Although many studies reported that the BLA also projects to MD, there is conflicting evidence as to whether this projection is glutamatergic or GABAergic. By combining tract tracing, immunohistochemistry, optogenetics, and patch clamp recordings in vitro, we found that BLA neurons projecting to MD not only include glutamatergic cells, but also long-range GABAergic neurons. Differential recruitment of these two contingents of cells likely influences coordination of activity between the BLA, MD, and medial prefrontal cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nowrin Ahmed
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey 07102
| | - Denis Paré
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey 07102
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Venkataraman A, Dias BG. Expanding the canon: An inclusive neurobiology of thalamic and subthalamic fear circuits. Neuropharmacology 2023; 226:109380. [PMID: 36572176 PMCID: PMC9984284 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Appropriate expression of fear in the face of threats in the environment is essential for survival. The sustained expression of fear in the absence of threat signals is a central pathological feature of trauma- and anxiety-related disorders. Our understanding of the neural circuitry that controls fear inhibition coalesces around the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. By discussing thalamic and sub-thalamic influences on fear-related learning and expression in this review, we suggest a more inclusive neurobiological framework that expands our canonical view of fear. First, we visit how fear-related learning and expression is influenced by the aforementioned canonical brain regions. Next, we review emerging data that shed light on new roles for thalamic and subthalamic nuclei in fear-related learning and expression. Then, we highlight how these neuroanatomical hubs can modulate fear via integration of sensory and salient stimuli, gating information flow and calibrating behavioral responses, as well as maintaining and updating memory representations. Finally, we propose that the presence of this thalamic and sub-thalamic neuroanatomy in parallel with the tripartite prefrontal cortex-amygdala-hippocampus circuit allows for dynamic modulation of information based on interoceptive and exteroceptive signals. This article is part of the Special Issue on "Fear, Anxiety and PTSD".
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Affiliation(s)
- Archana Venkataraman
- Department of Cellular & Molecular Pharmacology, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Brian George Dias
- Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Division of Endocrinology, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Developmental Neuroscience and Neurogenetics Program, The Saban Research Institute, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
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10
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Pérez-Santos I, García-Cabezas MÁ, Cavada C. Mapping the primate thalamus: systematic approach to analyze the distribution of subcortical neuromodulatory afferents. Brain Struct Funct 2023:10.1007/s00429-023-02619-w. [PMID: 36890350 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-023-02619-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023]
Abstract
Neuromodulatory afferents to thalamic nuclei are key for information transmission and thus play critical roles in sensory, motor, and limbic processes. Over the course of the last decades, diverse attempts have been made to map and describe subcortical neuromodulatory afferents to the primate thalamus, including axons using acetylcholine, serotonin, dopamine, noradrenaline, adrenaline, and histamine. Our group has been actively involved in this endeavor. The published descriptions on neuromodulatory afferents to the primate thalamus have been made in different laboratories and are not fully comparable due to methodological divergences (for example, fixation procedures, planes of cutting, techniques used to detect the afferents, different criteria for identification of thalamic nuclei…). Such variation affects the results obtained. Therefore, systematic methodological and analytical approaches are much needed. The present article proposes reproducible methodological and terminological frameworks for primate thalamic mapping. We suggest the use of standard stereotaxic planes to produce and present maps of the primate thalamus, as well as the use of the Anglo-American school terminology (vs. the German school terminology) for identification of thalamic nuclei. Finally, a public repository of the data collected under agreed-on frameworks would be a useful tool for looking up and comparing data on the structure and connections of primate thalamic nuclei. Important and agreed-on efforts are required to create, manage, and fund a unified and homogeneous resource of data on the primate thalamus. Likewise, a firm commitment of the institutions to preserve experimental brain material is much needed because neuroscience work with non-human primates is becoming increasingly rare, making earlier material still more valuable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Pérez-Santos
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Calle Arzobispo Morcillo 4, 28029, Madrid, Spain.,PhD Program in Neuroscience, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid-Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel Ángel García-Cabezas
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Calle Arzobispo Morcillo 4, 28029, Madrid, Spain.,PhD Program in Neuroscience, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid-Cajal, Madrid, Spain.,Neural Systems Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Carmen Cavada
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Calle Arzobispo Morcillo 4, 28029, Madrid, Spain. .,PhD Program in Neuroscience, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid-Cajal, Madrid, Spain.
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Zeisler ZR, London L, Janssen WG, Fredericks JM, Elorette C, Fujimoto A, Zhan H, Russ BE, Clem RL, Hof PR, Stoll FM, Rudebeck PH. High-throughput sequencing of macaque basolateral amygdala projections reveals dissociable connectional motifs with frontal cortex. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.18.524407. [PMID: 36711708 PMCID: PMC9882200 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.18.524407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The basolateral amygdala (BLA) projects widely across the macaque frontal cortex1-4, and amygdalo-frontal projections are critical for optimal emotional responding5 and decision-making6. Yet, little is known about the single-neuron architecture of these projections: namely, whether single BLA neurons project to multiple parts of the frontal cortex. Here, we use MAPseq7 to determine the projection patterns of over 3000 macaque BLA neurons. We found that one-third of BLA neurons have two or more distinct targets in parts of frontal cortex and of subcortical structures. Further, we reveal non-random structure within these branching patterns such that neurons with four targets are more frequently observed than those with two or three, indicative of widespread networks. Consequently, these multi-target single neurons form distinct networks within medial and ventral frontal cortex consistent with their known functions in regulating mood and decision-making. Additionally, we show that branching patterns of single neurons shape functional networks in the brain as assessed by fMRI-based functional connectivity. These results provide a neuroanatomical basis for the role of the BLA in coordinating brain-wide responses to valent stimuli8 and highlight the importance of high-resolution neuroanatomical data for understanding functional networks in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary R Zeisler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029
| | - Liza London
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029
| | - William G Janssen
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029
- Microscopy and Advanced Bioimaging CoRE, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029
| | - J Megan Fredericks
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029
| | - Catherine Elorette
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029
| | - Atsushi Fujimoto
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029
| | - Huiqing Zhan
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Rd, Syosset, NY 11791
| | - Brian E Russ
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029
- Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, 10 Orangeburg, NY 10962
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University at Langone, One, 8 Park Ave, New York, NY 10016
| | - Roger L Clem
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029
| | - Patrick R Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029
| | - Frederic M Stoll
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029
| | - Peter H Rudebeck
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029
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12
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Del Rey NLG, García-Cabezas MÁ. Cytology, architecture, development, and connections of the primate striatum: Hints for human pathology. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 176:105945. [PMID: 36481436 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Degeneration of neurons and circuits across the striatum shows stereotyped time-course and spatial topography patterns that are distinct for Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, or the Tauopathies. These patterns of neurodegeneration in humans have not yet been systematically related to developmental, connectional, cellular, and chemical factors studied in human and non-human primates, that may underlie potential differences in selective vulnerability across striatal sectors. Relating primate anatomy to human pathology could provide new venues for identifying molecular, cellular, and connectional factors linked to the degeneration of striatal neurons and circuits. This review describes and summarizes several developmental, cellular, structural, and connectional features of the primate striatum in relation to patterns of neurodegeneration in the striatum of humans and of non-human primate models. We review (1) the types of neurons in the primate striatum, (2) the cyto-, myelo-, and chemoarchitecture of the primate striatum, (3) the developmental origin of the striatum in light of modern patterning studies, (4) the organization of corticostriatal projections in relation to cortical types, and (5) the topography and time-course of neuron loss, glial reaction, and protein aggregation induced by neurodegenerative diseases in humans and in non-human primate models across striatal sectors and their corresponding cortical areas. We summarize current knowledge about key aspects of primate striatal anatomy and human pathology and indicate knowledge gaps that should be addressed in future studies. We aim to identify factors for selective vulnerability to neurodegeneration of striatal neurons and circuits and obtain hints that could help elucidate striatal pathology in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia López-González Del Rey
- PhD Program in Neuroscience UAM-Cajal; Madrid, Spain; HM CINAC (Centro Integral de Neurociencias Abarca Campal). Hospital Universitario HM Puerta del Sur. HM Hospitales. Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel Ángel García-Cabezas
- PhD Program in Neuroscience UAM-Cajal; Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Anatomía, Histología y Neurociencia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid; Madrid, Spain.
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13
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Rolls ET, Deco G, Huang CC, Feng J. Human amygdala compared to orbitofrontal cortex connectivity, and emotion. Prog Neurobiol 2023; 220:102385. [PMID: 36442728 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2022.102385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex have been implicated in emotion. To understand these regions better in humans, their effective connectivity with 360 cortical regions was measured in 171 humans from the Human Connectome Project, and complemented with functional connectivity and diffusion tractography. The human amygdala has effective connectivity from few cortical regions compared to the orbitofrontal cortex: primarily from auditory cortex A5 and the related superior temporal gyrus and temporal pole regions; the piriform (olfactory) cortex; the lateral orbitofrontal cortex 47m; somatosensory cortex; the hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, perirhinal cortex, and parahippocampal TF; and from the cholinergic nucleus basalis. The amygdala has effective connectivity to the hippocampus, entorhinal and perirhinal cortex; to the temporal pole; and to the lateral orbitofrontal cortex. The orbitofrontal cortex has effective connectivity from gustatory, olfactory, and temporal visual, auditory and pole cortex, and to the pregenual anterior and posterior cingulate cortex, hippocampal system, and prefrontal cortex, and provides for rewards and punishers to be used in reported emotions, and memory and navigation to goals. Given the paucity of amygdalo-neocortical connectivity in humans, it is proposed that the human amygdala is involved primarily in autonomic and conditioned responses via brainstem connectivity, rather than in reported (declarative) emotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edmund T Rolls
- Oxford Centre for Computational Neuroscience, Oxford, UK; Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK; Institute of Science and Technology for Brain Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Gustavo Deco
- Center for Brain and Cognition, Computational Neuroscience Group, Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Roc Boronat 138, Barcelona, 08018, Spain Brain and Cognition, Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain; Institució Catalana de la Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Passeig Lluís Companys 23, Barcelona 08010, Spain
| | - Chu-Chung Huang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (Ministry of Education), School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianfeng Feng
- Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK; Institute of Science and Technology for Brain Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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14
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Perry BAL, Mendez JC, Mitchell AS. Cortico-thalamocortical interactions for learning, memory and decision-making. J Physiol 2023; 601:25-35. [PMID: 35851953 PMCID: PMC10087288 DOI: 10.1113/jp282626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The thalamus and cortex are interconnected both functionally and anatomically and share a common developmental trajectory. Interactions between the mediodorsal thalamus (MD) and different parts of the prefrontal cortex are essential in cognitive processes, such as learning and adaptive decision-making. Cortico-thalamocortical interactions involving other dorsal thalamic nuclei, including the anterior thalamus and pulvinar, also influence these cognitive processes. Our work, and that of others, indicates a crucial influence of these interdependent cortico-thalamocortical neural networks that contributes actively to the processing of information within the cortex. Each of these thalamic nuclei also receives potent subcortical inputs that are likely to provide additional influences on their regulation of cortical activity. Here, we highlight our current neuroscientific research aimed at establishing when cortico-MD thalamocortical neural network communication is vital within the context of a rapid learning and memory discrimination task. We are collecting evidence of MD-prefrontal cortex neural network communication in awake, behaving male rhesus macaques. Given the prevailing evidence, further studies are needed to identify both broad and specific mechanisms that govern how the MD, anterior thalamus and pulvinar cortico-thalamocortical interactions support learning, memory and decision-making. Current evidence shows that the MD (and the anterior thalamus) are crucial for frontotemporal communication, and the pulvinar is crucial for frontoparietal communication. Such work is crucial to advance our understanding of the neuroanatomical and physiological bases of these brain functions in humans. In turn, this might offer avenues to develop effective treatment strategies to improve the cognitive deficits often observed in many debilitating neurological disorders and diseases and in neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brook A L Perry
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Juan Carlos Mendez
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Anna S Mitchell
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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15
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Medalla M, Chang W, Ibañez S, Guillamon-Vivancos T, Nittmann M, Kapitonava A, Busch SE, Moore TL, Rosene DL, Luebke JI. Layer-specific pyramidal neuron properties underlie diverse anterior cingulate cortical motor and limbic networks. Cereb Cortex 2022; 32:2170-2196. [PMID: 34613380 PMCID: PMC9113240 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The laminar cellular and circuit mechanisms by which the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) exerts flexible control of motor and affective information for goal-directed behavior have not been elucidated. Using multimodal tract-tracing, in vitro patch-clamp recording and computational approaches in rhesus monkeys (M. mulatta), we provide evidence that specialized motor and affective network dynamics can be conferred by layer-specific biophysical and structural properties of ACC pyramidal neurons targeting two key downstream structures -the dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) and the amygdala (AMY). AMY-targeting neurons exhibited significant laminar differences, with L5 more excitable (higher input resistance and action potential firing rates) than L3 neurons. Between-pathway differences were found within L5, with AMY-targeting neurons exhibiting greater excitability, apical dendritic complexity, spine densities, and diversity of inhibitory inputs than PMd-targeting neurons. Simulations using a pyramidal-interneuron network model predict that these layer- and pathway-specific single-cell differences contribute to distinct network oscillatory dynamics. L5 AMY-targeting networks are more tuned to slow oscillations well-suited for affective and contextual processing timescales, while PMd-targeting networks showed strong beta/gamma synchrony implicated in rapid sensorimotor processing. These findings are fundamental to our broad understanding of how layer-specific cellular and circuit properties can drive diverse laminar activity found in flexible behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Medalla
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Wayne Chang
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Sara Ibañez
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Teresa Guillamon-Vivancos
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | - Mathias Nittmann
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- University of South Florida, Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Anastasia Kapitonava
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Silas E Busch
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Tara L Moore
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Douglas L Rosene
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Jennifer I Luebke
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
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16
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Kenwood MM, Kalin NH, Barbas H. The prefrontal cortex, pathological anxiety, and anxiety disorders. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:260-275. [PMID: 34400783 PMCID: PMC8617307 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01109-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Anxiety is experienced in response to threats that are distal or uncertain, involving changes in one's subjective state, autonomic responses, and behavior. Defensive and physiologic responses to threats that involve the amygdala and brainstem are conserved across species. While anxiety responses typically serve an adaptive purpose, when excessive, unregulated, and generalized, they can become maladaptive, leading to distress and avoidance of potentially threatening situations. In primates, anxiety can be regulated by the prefrontal cortex (PFC), which has expanded in evolution. This prefrontal expansion is thought to underlie primates' increased capacity to engage high-level regulatory strategies aimed at coping with and modifying the experience of anxiety. The specialized primate lateral, medial, and orbital PFC sectors are connected with association and limbic cortices, the latter of which are connected with the amygdala and brainstem autonomic structures that underlie emotional and physiological arousal. PFC pathways that interface with distinct inhibitory systems within the cortex, the amygdala, or the thalamus can regulate responses by modulating neuronal output. Within the PFC, pathways connecting cortical regions are poised to reduce noise and enhance signals for cognitive operations that regulate anxiety processing and autonomic drive. Specialized PFC pathways to the inhibitory thalamic reticular nucleus suggest a mechanism to allow passage of relevant signals from thalamus to cortex, and in the amygdala to modulate the output to autonomic structures. Disruption of specific nodes within the PFC that interface with inhibitory systems can affect the negative bias, failure to regulate autonomic arousal, and avoidance that characterize anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaux M Kenwood
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
- Neuroscience Training Program at University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, USA
| | - Ned H Kalin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
- Neuroscience Training Program at University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, USA
- Wisconsin National Primate Center, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Helen Barbas
- Neural Systems Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
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17
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Roseboom PH, Mueller SAL, Oler JA, Fox AS, Riedel MK, Elam VR, Olsen ME, Gomez JL, Boehm MA, DiFilippo AH, Christian BT, Michaelides M, Kalin NH. Evidence in primates supporting the use of chemogenetics for the treatment of human refractory neuropsychiatric disorders. Mol Ther 2021; 29:3484-3497. [PMID: 33895327 PMCID: PMC8636156 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2021.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-human primate (NHP) models are essential for developing and translating new treatments that target neural circuit dysfunction underlying human psychopathology. As a proof-of-concept for treating neuropsychiatric disorders, we used a NHP model of pathological anxiety to investigate the feasibility of decreasing anxiety by chemogenetically (DREADDs [designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs]) reducing amygdala neuronal activity. Intraoperative MRI surgery was used to infect dorsal amygdala neurons with AAV5-hSyn-HA-hM4Di in young rhesus monkeys. In vivo microPET studies with [11C]-deschloroclozapine and postmortem autoradiography with [3H]-clozapine demonstrated selective hM4Di binding in the amygdala, and neuronal expression of hM4Di was confirmed with immunohistochemistry. Additionally, because of its high affinity for DREADDs, and its approved use in humans, we developed an individualized, low-dose clozapine administration strategy to induce DREADD-mediated amygdala inhibition. Compared to controls, clozapine selectively decreased anxiety-related freezing behavior in the human intruder paradigm in hM4Di-expressing monkeys, while coo vocalizations and locomotion were unaffected. These results are an important step in establishing chemogenetic strategies for patients with refractory neuropsychiatric disorders in which amygdala alterations are central to disease pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick H Roseboom
- Department of Psychiatry and the HealthEmotions Research Institute, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53719, USA.
| | - Sascha A L Mueller
- Department of Psychiatry and the HealthEmotions Research Institute, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53719, USA
| | - Jonathan A Oler
- Department of Psychiatry and the HealthEmotions Research Institute, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53719, USA
| | - Andrew S Fox
- Department of Psychology and the California National Primate Research Center, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Marissa K Riedel
- Department of Psychiatry and the HealthEmotions Research Institute, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53719, USA
| | - Victoria R Elam
- Department of Psychiatry and the HealthEmotions Research Institute, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53719, USA
| | - Miles E Olsen
- Department of Psychiatry and the HealthEmotions Research Institute, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53719, USA
| | - Juan L Gomez
- Biobehavioral Imaging and Molecular Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Matthew A Boehm
- Biobehavioral Imaging and Molecular Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Alexandra H DiFilippo
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Bradley T Christian
- Department of Psychiatry and the HealthEmotions Research Institute, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53719, USA; Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Michael Michaelides
- Biobehavioral Imaging and Molecular Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Ned H Kalin
- Department of Psychiatry and the HealthEmotions Research Institute, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53719, USA
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18
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Han MJ, Park CU, Kang S, Kim B, Nikolaidis A, Milham MP, Hong SJ, Kim SG, Baeg E. Mapping functional gradients of the striatal circuit using simultaneous microelectric stimulation and ultrahigh-field fMRI in non-human primates. Neuroimage 2021; 236:118077. [PMID: 33878384 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have significantly enhanced our understanding of the striatal system of both humans and non-human primates (NHP) over the last few decades. However, its circuit-level functional anatomy remains poorly understood, partly because in-vivo fMRI cannot directly perturb a brain system and map its casual input-output relationship. Also, routine 3T fMRI has an insufficient spatial resolution. We performed electrical microstimulation (EM) of the striatum in lightly-anesthetized NHPs while simultaneously mapping whole-brain activation, using contrast-enhanced fMRI at ultra-high-field 7T. By stimulating multiple positions along the striatum's main (dorsal-to-ventral) axis, we revealed its complex functional circuit concerning mutually connected subsystems in both cortical and subcortical areas. Indeed, within the striatum, there were distinct brain activation patterns across different stimulation sites. Specifically, dorsal stimulation revealed a medial-to-lateral elongated shape of activation in upper caudate and putamen areas, whereas ventral stimulation evoked areas confined to the medial and lower caudate. Such dorsoventral gradients also appeared in neocortical and thalamic activations, indicating consistent embedding profiles of the striatal system across the whole brain. These findings reflect different forms of within-circuit and inter-regional neuronal connectivity between the dorsal and ventromedial striatum. These patterns both shared and contrasted with previous anatomical tract-tracing and in-vivo resting-state fMRI studies. Our approach of combining microstimulation and whole-brain fMRI mapping in NHPs provides a unique opportunity to integrate our understanding of a targeted brain area's meso- and macro-scale functional systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Jun Han
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Suwon, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Chan-Ung Park
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangyun Kang
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Byounghoon Kim
- Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Aki Nikolaidis
- Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - Michael P Milham
- Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York, NY, United States; Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - Seok Jun Hong
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Suwon, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea,; Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - Seong-Gi Kim
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Suwon, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea,.
| | - Eunha Baeg
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Suwon, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea,.
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19
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Pérez-Santos I, Palomero-Gallagher N, Zilles K, Cavada C. Distribution of the Noradrenaline Innervation and Adrenoceptors in the Macaque Monkey Thalamus. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:4115-4139. [PMID: 34003210 PMCID: PMC8328208 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Noradrenaline (NA) in the thalamus has important roles in physiological, pharmacological, and pathological neuromodulation. In this work, a complete characterization of NA axons and Alpha adrenoceptors distributions is provided. NA axons, revealed by immunohistochemistry against the synthesizing enzyme and the NA transporter, are present in all thalamic nuclei. The most densely innervated ones are the midline nuclei, intralaminar nuclei (paracentral and parafascicular), and the medial sector of the mediodorsal nucleus (MDm). The ventral motor nuclei and most somatosensory relay nuclei receive a moderate NA innervation. The pulvinar complex receives a heterogeneous innervation. The lateral geniculate nucleus (GL) has the lowest NA innervation. Alpha adrenoceptors were analyzed by in vitro quantitative autoradiography. Alpha-1 receptor densities are higher than Alpha-2 densities. Overall, axonal densities and Alpha adrenoceptor densities coincide; although some mismatches were identified. The nuclei with the highest Alpha-1 values are MDm, the parvocellular part of the ventral posterior medial nucleus, medial pulvinar, and midline nuclei. The nucleus with the lowest Alpha-1 receptor density is GL. Alpha-2 receptor densities are highest in the lateral dorsal, centromedian, medial and inferior pulvinar, and midline nuclei. These results suggest a role for NA in modulating thalamic involvement in consciousness, limbic, cognitive, and executive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Pérez-Santos
- Departamento de Anatomía, Histología y Neurociencia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Calle Arzobispo Morcillo 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Nicola Palomero-Gallagher
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany.,C. & O. Vogt Institute for Brain Research, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Karl Zilles
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany.,C. & O. Vogt Institute for Brain Research, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.,JARA-BRAIN, Jülich-Aachen Research Alliance, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Carmen Cavada
- Departamento de Anatomía, Histología y Neurociencia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Calle Arzobispo Morcillo 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain
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20
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Perry BAL, Lomi E, Mitchell AS. Thalamocortical interactions in cognition and disease: the mediodorsal and anterior thalamic nuclei. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 130:162-177. [PMID: 34216651 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.05.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The mediodorsal thalamus (MD) and anterior thalamic nuclei (ATN) are two adjacent brain nodes that support our ability to make decisions, learn, update information, form and retrieve memories, and find our way around. The MD and PFC work in partnerships to support cognitive processes linked to successful learning and decision-making, while the ATN and extended hippocampal system together coordinate the encoding and retrieval of memories and successful spatial navigation. Yet, while these distinctions may appear to be segregated, both the MD and ATN together support our higher cognitive functions as they regulate and are influenced by interconnected fronto-temporal neural networks and subcortical inputs. Our review focuses on recent studies in animal models and in humans. This evidence is re-shaping our understanding of the importance of MD and ATN cortico-thalamocortical pathways in influencing complex cognitive functions. Given the evidence from clinical settings and neuroscience research labs, the MD and ATN should be considered targets for effective treatments in neuropsychiatric diseases and disorders and neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brook A L Perry
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Oxford University, The Tinsley Building, Mansfield Road, OX1 3SR, United Kingdom
| | - Eleonora Lomi
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Oxford University, The Tinsley Building, Mansfield Road, OX1 3SR, United Kingdom
| | - Anna S Mitchell
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Oxford University, The Tinsley Building, Mansfield Road, OX1 3SR, United Kingdom.
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21
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Wolff M, Morceau S, Folkard R, Martin-Cortecero J, Groh A. A thalamic bridge from sensory perception to cognition. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 120:222-235. [PMID: 33246018 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The ability to adapt to dynamic environments requires tracking multiple signals with variable sensory salience and fluctuating behavioral relevance. This complex process requires integrative crosstalk between sensory and cognitive brain circuits. Functional interactions between cortical and thalamic regions are now considered essential for both sensory perception and cognition but a clear account of the functional link between sensory and cognitive circuits is currently lacking. This review aims to document how thalamic nuclei may effectively act as a bridge allowing to fuse perceptual and cognitive events into meaningful experiences. After highlighting key aspects of thalamocortical circuits such as the classic first-order/higher-order dichotomy, we consider the role of the thalamic reticular nucleus from directed attention to cognition. We next summarize research relying on Pavlovian learning paradigms, showing that both first-order and higher-order thalamic nuclei contribute to associative learning. Finally, we propose that modulator inputs reaching all thalamic nuclei may be critical for integrative purposes when environmental signals are computed. Altogether, the thalamus appears as the bridge linking perception, cognition and possibly affect.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Wolff
- CNRS, INCIA, UMR 5287, Bordeaux, France; University of Bordeaux, INCIA, UMR 5287, Bordeaux, France.
| | - S Morceau
- CNRS, INCIA, UMR 5287, Bordeaux, France; University of Bordeaux, INCIA, UMR 5287, Bordeaux, France
| | - R Folkard
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical Biophysics, Heidelberg University, INF 326, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - J Martin-Cortecero
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical Biophysics, Heidelberg University, INF 326, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - A Groh
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical Biophysics, Heidelberg University, INF 326, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
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22
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Joyce MKP, García-Cabezas MÁ, John YJ, Barbas H. Serial Prefrontal Pathways Are Positioned to Balance Cognition and Emotion in Primates. J Neurosci 2020; 40:8306-8328. [PMID: 32989097 PMCID: PMC7577604 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0860-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2020] [Revised: 07/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The delicate balance among primate prefrontal networks is necessary for homeostasis and behavioral flexibility. Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) is associated with cognition, while the most ventromedial subgenual cingulate area 25 (A25) is associated with emotion and emotional expression. Yet A25 is weakly connected with dlPFC, and it is unknown how the two regions communicate. In rhesus monkeys of both sexes, we investigated how these functionally distinct areas may interact through pregenual anterior cingulate area 32 (A32), which is strongly connected with both. We found that dlPFC innervated the deep layers of A32, while A32 innervated all layers of A25, mostly targeting spines of excitatory neurons. Approximately 20% of A32 terminations formed synapses on inhibitory neurons in A25, notably the powerful parvalbumin inhibitory neurons in the deep layers, and the disinhibitory calretinin neurons in the superficial layers. By innervating distinct inhibitory microenvironments in laminar compartments, A32 is positioned to tune activity in columns of A25. The circuitry of the sequential pathway indicates that when dlPFC is engaged, A32 can dampen A25 output through the parvalbumin inhibitory microsystem in the deep layers of A25. A32 thus may flexibly recruit or reduce activity in A25 to maintain emotional equilibrium, a process that is disrupted in depression. Moreover, pyramidal neurons in A25 had a heightened density of NMDARs, which are the targets of novel rapid-acting antidepressants. Pharmacologic antagonism of NMDARs in patients with depression may reduce excitability in A25, mimicking the effects of the neurotypical serial pathway identified here.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The anterior cingulate is a critical hub in prefrontal networks through connections with functionally distinct areas. Dorsolateral and polar prefrontal areas that are associated with complex cognition are connected with the anterior cingulate in a pattern that allows them to indirectly control downstream activity from the anterior cingulate to the subgenual cingulate, which is associated with heightened activity and negative affect in depression. This set of pathways provides a circuit mechanism for emotional regulation, with the anterior cingulate playing a balancing role for integration of cognitive and emotional processes. Disruption of these pathways may perturb network function and the ability to regulate cognitive and affective processes based on context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Kate P Joyce
- Neural Systems Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
| | - Miguel Ángel García-Cabezas
- Neural Systems Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
- Department of Anatomy, Histology, and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain 28029
| | - Yohan J John
- Neural Systems Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
| | - Helen Barbas
- Neural Systems Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
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23
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Charvet CJ. Closing the gap from transcription to the structural connectome enhances the study of connections in the human brain. Dev Dyn 2020; 249:1047-1061. [PMID: 32562584 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2020] [Revised: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain is composed of a complex web of networks but we have yet to map the structural connections of the human brain in detail. Diffusion MR imaging is a high-throughput method that relies on the principle of diffusion to reconstruct tracts (ie, pathways) across the brain. Although diffusion MR tractography is an exciting method to explore the structural connectivity of the brain in development and across species, the tractography has at times led to questionable interpretations. There are at present few if any alternative methods to trace structural pathways in the human brain. Given these limitations and the potential of diffusion MR imaging to map the human connectome, it is imperative that we develop new approaches to validate neuroimaging techniques. I discuss our recent studies integrating neuroimaging with transcriptional and anatomical variation across humans and other species over the course of development and in adulthood. Developing a novel framework to harness the potential of diffusion MR tractography provides new and exciting opportunities to study the evolution of developmental mechanisms generating variation in connections and bridge the gap between model systems to humans.
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24
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Wells AM, García-Cabezas MÁ, Barbas H. Topological atlas of the hypothalamus in adult rhesus monkey. Brain Struct Funct 2020; 225:1777-1803. [PMID: 32556476 PMCID: PMC7321918 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02093-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The prosomeric model explains the embryological development of the central nervous system (CNS) shared by all vertebrates as a Bauplan. As a primary event, the early neural plate is patterned by intersecting longitudinal plates and transverse segments, forming a mosaic of progenitor units. The hypothalamus is specified by three prosomeres (hp1, hp2, and the acroterminal domain) of the secondary prosencephalon with corresponding alar and basal plate parts, which develop apart from the diencephalon. Mounting evidence suggests that progenitor units within alar and basal plate parts of hp1 and hp2 give rise to distinct hypothalamic nuclei, which preserve their relative invariant positioning (topology) in the adult brain. Nonetheless, the principles of the prosomeric model have not been applied so far to the hypothalamus of adult primates. We parcellated hypothalamic nuclei in adult rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) using various stains to view architectonic boundaries. We then analyzed the topological relations of hypothalamic nuclei and adjacent hypothalamic landmarks with homology across rodent and primate species to trace the origin of adult hypothalamic nuclei to the alar or basal plate components of hp1 and hp2. We generated a novel atlas of the hypothalamus of the adult rhesus monkey with developmental ontologies for each hypothalamic nucleus. The result is a systematic reinterpretation of the adult hypothalamus whose prosomeric ontology can be used to study relationships between the hypothalamus and other regions of the CNS. Further, our atlas may serve as a tool to predict causal patterns in physiological and pathological pathways involving the hypothalamus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Marie Wells
- Graduate Medical Sciences, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Health Sciences, Neural Systems Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | | | - Helen Barbas
- Department of Health Sciences, Neural Systems Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
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