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Antunes GF, Campos ACP, Martins DDO, Gouveia FV, Rangel Junior MJ, Pagano RL, Martinez RCR. Unravelling the Role of Habenula Subnuclei on Avoidance Response: Focus on Activation and Neuroinflammation. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10693. [PMID: 37445871 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms responsible for anxiety disorders is a major challenge. Avoidance behavior is an essential feature of anxiety disorders. The two-way avoidance test is a preclinical model with two distinct subpopulations-the good and poor performers-based on the number of avoidance responses presented during testing. It is believed that the habenula subnuclei could be important for the elaboration of avoidance response with a distinct pattern of activation and neuroinflammation. The present study aimed to shed light on the habenula subnuclei signature in avoidance behavior, evaluating the pattern of neuronal activation using FOS expression and astrocyte density using GFAP immunoreactivity, and comparing control, good and poor performers. Our results showed that good performers had a decrease in FOS immunoreactivity (IR) in the superior part of the medial division of habenula (MHbS) and an increase in the marginal part of the lateral subdivision of lateral habenula (LHbLMg). Poor performers showed an increase in FOS in the basal part of the lateral subdivision of lateral habenula (LHbLB). Considering the astroglial immunoreactivity, the poor performers showed an increase in GFAP-IR in the inferior portion of the medial complex (MHbl), while the good performers showed a decrease in the oval part of the lateral part of the lateral complex (LHbLO) in comparison with the other groups. Taken together, our data suggest that specific subdivisions of the MHb and LHb have different activation patterns and astroglial immunoreactivity in good and poor performers. This study could contribute to understanding the neurobiological mechanisms responsible for anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Flavia Venetucci Gouveia
- Division of Neuroscience, Hospital Sírio-Libanês, Sao Paulo 01308-060, Brazil
- Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Miguel José Rangel Junior
- Centro Universitário de Santa Fé do Sul, Santa Fé do Sul 15775-000, Brazil
- Medical School, Universidade Brasil, Fernandópolis 15600-000, Brazil
| | - Rosana Lima Pagano
- Division of Neuroscience, Hospital Sírio-Libanês, Sao Paulo 01308-060, Brazil
| | - Raquel Chacon Ruiz Martinez
- Division of Neuroscience, Hospital Sírio-Libanês, Sao Paulo 01308-060, Brazil
- Laboratorios de Investigação Médica-LIM/23, Institute of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 05508-900, Brazil
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Wang J, Zhou T, Liu F, Huang Y, Xiao Z, Qian Y, Zhou W. Influence of gut microbiota on resilience and its possible mechanisms. Int J Biol Sci 2023; 19:2588-2598. [PMID: 37215996 PMCID: PMC10197883 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.82362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Excessive stress leads to disruptions of the central nervous system. Individuals' responses to stress and trauma differ from person to person. Some may develop various neuropsychiatric disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, and anxiety disorders, while others may successfully adapt to the same stressful events. These two neural phenotypes are called susceptibility and resilience. Previous studies have suggested resilience/susceptibility as a complex, non-specific systemic response involving central and peripheral systems. Emerging research of mechanisms underlying resilience is mostly focussing on the physiological adaptation of specific brain circuits, neurovascular impairment of the blood-brain barrier, the role of innate and adaptive factors of the immune system, and the dysbiosis of gut microbiota. In accordance with the microbiota-gut-brain axis hypothesis, the gut microbiome directly influences the interface between the brain and the periphery to affect neuronal function. This review explored several up-to-date studies on the role of gut microbiota implicated in stressful events-related resilience/susceptibility. We mainly focus on the changes in behavior and neuroimaging characteristics, involved brain regions and circuits, the blood-brain barrier, the immune system, and epigenetic modifications, which contribute to stress-induced resilience and susceptibility. The perspective of the gut-brain axis could help to understand the mechanisms underlying resilience and the discovery of biomarkers may lead to new research directions and therapeutic interventions for stress-induced neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianhui Wang
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Ting Zhou
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, China
| | - Feng Liu
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Yan Huang
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Zhiyong Xiao
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Yan Qian
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, China
| | - Wenxia Zhou
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing 100850, China
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3
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Decreased sensitivity to antidepressant drugs in Wistar Hannover rats submitted to two animal models of depression. Acta Neuropsychiatr 2023; 35:35-49. [PMID: 36101010 DOI: 10.1017/neu.2022.24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The Wistar Hannover rat (WHR) is a strain commonly used for toxicity studies but rarely used in studies investigating depression neurobiology. In this study, we aimed to characterise the behavioural responses of WHR to acute and repeated antidepressant treatments upon exposure to the forced swim test (FST) or learned helplessness (LH) test. WHR were subjected to forced swimming pre-test and test with antidepressant administration (imipramine, fluoxetine, or escitalopram) at 0, 5 h and 23 h after pre-test. WHR displayed high immobility in the test compared to unstressed controls (no pre-swim) and failed to respond to the antidepressants tested. The effect of acute and repeated treatment (imipramine, fluoxetine, escitalopram or s-ketamine) was then tested in animals not previously exposed to pre-test. Only imipramine (20 mg/kg, 7 days) and s-ketamine (acute) reduced the immobility time in the test. To further investigate the possibility that the WHR were less responsive to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, the effect of repeated treatment with fluoxetine (20 mg/kg, 7 days) was investigated in the LH model. The results demonstrated that fluoxetine failed to reduce the number of escape failures in two different protocols. These data suggest that the WHR do not respond to the conventional antidepressant treatment in the FST or the LH. Only s-ketamine and repeated imipramine were effective in WHR in a modified FST protocol. Altogether, these results indicate that WHR may be an interesting tool to investigate the mechanisms associated with the resistance to antidepressant drugs and identify more effective treatments.
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Durieux L, Herbeaux K, Borcuk C, Hildenbrand C, Andry V, Goumon Y, Barbelivien A, Mathis C, Bataglia D, Majchrzak M, Lecourtier L. Functional brain-wide network mapping during acute stress exposure in rats: Interaction between the lateral habenula and cortical, amygdalar, hypothalamic and monoaminergic regions. Eur J Neurosci 2022; 56:5154-5176. [PMID: 35993349 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Upon stress exposure, a broad network of structures comes into play in order to provide adequate responses and restore homeostasis. It has been known for decades that the main structures engaged during the stress response are the medial prefrontal cortex, the amygdala, the hippocampus, the hypothalamus, the monoaminergic systems (noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin) and the periaqueductal gray. The lateral habenula (LHb) is an epithalamic structure directly connected to prefrontal cortical areas and to the amygdala, whereas it functionally interacts with the hippocampus. Also, it is a main modulator of monoaminergic systems. The LHb is activated upon exposure to basically all types of stressors, suggesting it is also involved in the stress response. However, it remains unknown if and how the LHb functionally interacts with the broad stress response network. In the current study we performed in rats a restraint stress procedure followed by immunohistochemical staining of the c-Fos protein throughout the brain. Using graph theory-based functional connectivity analyses, we confirm the principal hubs of the stress network (e.g., prefrontal cortex, amygdala and periventricular hypothalamus) and show that the LHb is engaged during stress exposure in close interaction with the medial prefrontal cortex, the lateral septum and the medial habenula. In addition, we performed DREADD-induced LHb inactivation during the same restraint paradigm in order to explore its consequences on the stress response network. This last experiment gave contrasting results as the DREADD ligand alone, clozapine-N-oxide, was able to modify the network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Durieux
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France
| | - Karine Herbeaux
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France
| | - Christopher Borcuk
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France
| | - Cécile Hildenbrand
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France
| | - Virginie Andry
- CNRS UPR3212, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.,Mass Spectrometry Facilities of the CNRS UPR3212, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Strasbourg, France
| | - Yannick Goumon
- CNRS UPR3212, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.,Mass Spectrometry Facilities of the CNRS UPR3212, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Strasbourg, France
| | - Alexandra Barbelivien
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France
| | - Chantal Mathis
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France
| | - Demian Bataglia
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France.,University of Strasbourg Institute for Advanced Studies (USIAS), Strasbourg, France.,Université d'Aix-Marseille, Inserm, Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes (INS) UMR-S 1106, Marseille, France
| | - Monique Majchrzak
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France
| | - Lucas Lecourtier
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France
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5
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Chronic mild stress paradigm as a rat model of depression: facts, artifacts, and future perspectives. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2022; 239:663-693. [PMID: 35072761 PMCID: PMC8785013 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-05982-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE The chronic mild stress (CMS) paradigm was first described almost 40 years ago and has become a widely used model in the search for antidepressant drugs for major depression disorder (MDD). It has resulted in the publication of almost 1700 studies in rats alone. Under the original CMS procedure, the expression of an anhedonic response, a key symptom of depression, was seen as an essential feature of both the model and a depressive state. The prolonged exposure of rodents to unpredictable/uncontrollable mild stressors leads to a reduction in the intake of palatable liquids, behavioral despair, locomotor inhibition, anxiety-like changes, and vegetative (somatic) abnormalities. Many of the CMS studies do not report these patterns of behaviors, and they often fail to include consistent molecular, neuroanatomical, and physiological phenotypes of CMS-exposed animals. OBJECTIVES To critically review the CMS studies in rats so that conceptual and methodological flaws can be avoided in future studies. RESULTS Analysis of the literature supports the validity of the CMS model and its impact on the field. However, further improvements could be achieved by (i) the stratification of animals into 'resilient' and 'susceptible' cohorts within the CMS animals, (ii) the use of more refined protocols in the sucrose test to mitigate physiological and physical artifacts, and (iii) the systematic evaluation of the non-specific effects of CMS and implementation of appropriate adjustments within the behavioral tests. CONCLUSIONS We propose methodological revisions and the use of more advanced behavioral tests to refine the rat CMS paradigm, which offers a valuable tool for developing new antidepressant medications.
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6
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Bhatnagar S. Rethinking stress resilience. Trends Neurosci 2021; 44:936-945. [PMID: 34711401 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2021.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Resilience to stressful life events has received considerable attention in both clinical and preclinical studies. A number of neural substrates have been identified as putatively mediating resilience to stress. However, there remains considerable diversity in how resilience is defined and studied. This article aims to examine how resilience is defined and conceptualized in social psychology, public health, and related fields, to better inform the understanding of stress resilience in the neurobiological context, and to differentiate resilience from other patterns of response to stressful experiences. An understanding of resilience through the lens of clinical and applied sciences is likely to lead to the identification of more robust and reproducible neural substrates, though many challenges remain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seema Bhatnagar
- Stress Neurobiology Center, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, The Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 3615 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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7
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What Do the Animal Studies of Stress Resilience Teach Us? Cells 2021; 10:cells10071630. [PMID: 34209787 PMCID: PMC8306023 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-lasting stress factors, both biological and psychological, are commonly accepted as the main cause of depressive disorders. Several animal models, using various stressful stimuli, have been used to find biochemical and molecular alterations that could help us understand the etiopathogenesis of depression. However, recent sophisticated studies indicate that the most frequently used animal models of stress only capture a portion of the molecular features associated with complex human disorders. On the other hand, some of these models generate groups of animals resilient to stress. Studies of the mechanisms of stress resilience bring us closer to understanding the process of adapting to aversive stimuli and the differences between stress-susceptible vs. resilient phenotypes. Especially interesting in this context is the chronic mild stress (CMS) experimental paradigm, most often using rats. Studies using this animal model have revealed that biochemical (e.g., the dopamine D2 receptor) and molecular (e.g., microRNA) alterations are dynamic (i.e., depend on stress duration, 2 vs. 7 weeks) and much more pronounced in stress-resilient than stress-susceptible groups of animals. We strongly suggest that studies aimed at understanding the molecular and biochemical mechanisms of depression must consider these dynamics. A good candidate to serve as a biomarker in such studies might be serum microRNA, since it can be obtained relatively easily from living individuals at various time points.
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Tapocik JD, Schank JR, Mitchell JR, Damazdic R, Mayo CL, Brady D, Pincus AB, King CE, Heilig M, Elmer GI. Live predator stress in adolescence results in distinct adult behavioral consequences and dorsal diencephalic brain activation patterns. Behav Brain Res 2021; 400:113028. [PMID: 33309751 PMCID: PMC8056471 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.113028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to traumatic events during childhood increases the risk of adult psychopathology, including anxiety, depression, alcohol use disorders and their co-morbidity. Early life trauma also results in increased symptom complexity, treatment resistance and poor treatment outcomes. The purpose of this study was to establish a novel rodent model of adolescent stress, based on an ethologically relevant life-threatening event, live predator exposure. Rats were exposed to a live predator for 10 min. at three different time points (postnatal day (PND)31, 46 and 61). Adult depression-, anxiety-like behaviors and ethanol consumption were characterized well past the last acute stress event (two weeks). Behavioral profiles across assessments were developed to characterize individual response to adolescent stress. CNS activation patterns in separate groups of subjects were characterized after the early (PND31) and last predator exposure (PND61). Subjects exposed to live-predator adolescent stress generally exhibited less exploratory behavior, less propensity to venture into open spaces, a decreased preference for sweet solutions and decreased ethanol consumption in a two-bottle preference test. Additional studies demonstrated blunted cortisol response and CNS activation patterns suggestive of habenula, rostromedial tegmental (RMTg), dorsal raphe and central amygdala involvement in mediating the adult consequences of adolescent stress. Thus, adolescent stress in the form of live-predator exposure results in significant adult behavioral and neurobiological disturbances. Childhood trauma, its impact on neurodevelopment and the subsequent development of mood disorders is a pervasive theme in mental illness. Improving animal models and our neurobiological understanding of the symptom domains impacted by trauma could significantly improve treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- J D Tapocik
- Lab. of Clinical and Translational Studies, NIAAA, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20817, United States
| | - J R Schank
- Lab. of Clinical and Translational Studies, NIAAA, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20817, United States
| | - J R Mitchell
- Department of Psychology, Colby College, Waterville, ME, 04901, United States
| | - R Damazdic
- Lab. of Clinical and Translational Studies, NIAAA, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20817, United States
| | - C L Mayo
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21228, United States
| | - D Brady
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21228, United States
| | - A B Pincus
- Lab. of Clinical and Translational Studies, NIAAA, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20817, United States
| | - C E King
- Lab. of Clinical and Translational Studies, NIAAA, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20817, United States
| | - M Heilig
- Lab. of Clinical and Translational Studies, NIAAA, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20817, United States
| | - G I Elmer
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21228, United States; Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States.
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Zhao Y, Coulson EJ, Su X, Zhang J, Sha B, Xu H, Deng Y, Chen Y, Cao J, Wang Y, Wang S. Identification of 14-3-3 epsilon as a regulator of the neural apoptotic pathway for chronic-stress-induced depression. iScience 2021; 24:102043. [PMID: 33537655 PMCID: PMC7840470 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Major depression is a prevalent and long-lasting psychiatric illness with severe functional impairment and high suicide rate. We have previously shown that the ventrolateral orbital cortex (VLO) plays a key role in the stress responses in mice, but the underlying mechanisms remains unclear. Here, we used proteomic method to identify differentially expressed proteins in VLO of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) mice. Of 4,953 quantified proteins, 45 proteins were differentially expressed following CUMS. The integrated pathway analyses identified 14-3-3ε and TrkB signaling as differentially downregulated in association with stress-induced depressive-like behaviors. 14-3-3ε overexpression in VLO relieved the depressive-like behaviors by rescue of Bad-mediated apoptosis. Moreover, treatment with the 14-3-3ε stabilizer FC-A precluded neuronal apoptotic signaling in VLO of depressed mice. Because 14-3-3ε provides significant protection against chronic stress, boosting 14-3-3ε expression, pharmacological stabilization of 14-3-3s (e.g. with FC-A) is identified as an exciting therapeutic target for major depression. Novel screening of chronic mild stress-induced depression phenotypes in mice Proteomics identify 14-3-3ε as a key modulator of depressive behaviors in VLO 14-3-3ε partially reversed depressive behaviors through neural apoptotic pathway 14-3-3ε stabilizer FC-A ameliorates depression phenotypes after chronic mild stress
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhao
- Institute of Basic Medicine Science & Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, China
| | - Elizabeth J Coulson
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Queensland Brain Institute, the University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Xingli Su
- Institute of Basic Medicine Science & Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, China
| | - Junfeng Zhang
- Institute of Basic Medicine Science & Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, China
| | - Baoyong Sha
- Institute of Basic Medicine Science & Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, China
| | - Hao Xu
- Institute of Basic Medicine Science & Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, China
| | - Yating Deng
- Institute of Basic Medicine Science & Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, China
| | - Yulong Chen
- Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Ischemic Cardiovascular Disease, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, China
| | - Jian Cao
- Institute of Basic Medicine Science & Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, China
| | - Yunpeng Wang
- College of Forensic Science, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China
| | - Shuang Wang
- Institute of Basic Medicine Science & Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, China
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London E, Wester JC, Bloyd M, Bettencourt S, McBain CJ, Stratakis CA. Loss of habenular Prkar2a reduces hedonic eating and increases exercise motivation. JCI Insight 2020; 5:141670. [PMID: 33141766 PMCID: PMC7714411 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.141670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The habenula (Hb) is a bilateral, evolutionarily conserved epithalamic structure connecting forebrain and midbrain structures that has gained attention for its roles in depression, addiction, rewards processing, and motivation. Of its 2 major subdivisions, the medial Hb (MHb) and lateral Hb (LHb), MHb circuitry and function are poorly understood relative to those of the LHb. Prkar2a codes for cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) regulatory subunit IIα (RIIα), a component of the PKA holoenzyme at the center of one of the major cell-signaling pathways conserved across systems and species. Type 2 regulatory subunits (RIIα, RIIβ) determine the subcellular localization of PKA, and unlike other PKA subunits, Prkar2a has minimal brain expression except in the MHb. We previously showed that RIIα-knockout (RIIα-KO) mice resist diet-induced obesity. In the present study, we report that RIIα-KO mice have decreased consumption of palatable, “rewarding” foods and increased motivation for voluntary exercise. Prkar2a deficiency led to decreased habenular PKA enzymatic activity and impaired dendritic localization of PKA catalytic subunits in MHb neurons. Reexpression of Prkar2a in the Hb rescued this phenotype, confirming differential roles for Prkar2a in regulating the drives for palatable foods and voluntary exercise. Our findings show that in the MHb decreased PKA signaling and dendritic PKA activity decrease motivation for palatable foods, while enhancing the motivation for exercise, a desirable combination of behaviors. Decreased habenular PKA signaling and altered localization of PKA catalytic subunits in medial habenula dendrites caused by Prkar2a deletion led to increased voluntary running and decreased sucrose solution intake in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jason C Wester
- Section on Cellular and Synaptic Physiology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | - Chris J McBain
- Section on Cellular and Synaptic Physiology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Stanisavljević A, Perić I, Gass P, Inta D, Lang UE, Borgwardt S, Filipović D. Fluoxetine modulates neuronal activity in stress-related limbic areas of adult rats subjected to the chronic social isolation. Brain Res Bull 2020; 163:95-108. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2020.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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12
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Giacobbo BL, Doorduin J, Moraga-Amaro R, Nazario LR, Schildt A, Bromberg E, Dierckx RAJO, de Vries EFJ. Chronic harmine treatment has a delayed effect on mobility in control and socially defeated rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:1595-1606. [PMID: 32088835 PMCID: PMC7239822 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05483-2] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Depression is characterized by behavioral, cognitive and physiological changes, imposing a major burden on the overall wellbeing of the patient. Some evidence indicates that social stress, changes in growth factors (e.g., brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)), and neuroinflammation are involved in the development and progression of the disease. The monoamine oxidase A inhibitor drug harmine was suggested to have both antidepressant and anti-inflammatory properties and may, therefore, be a potential candidate for treatment of depression. AIM The goal of this study was to assess the effects of harmine on behavior, brain BDNF levels, and microglia activation in control rats and a rat model of social stress. MATERIAL AND METHODS Rats were submitted to 5 consecutive days of repeated social defeat (RSD) or control conditions. Animals were treated daily with harmine (15 mg/kg) or vehicle from day 3 until the end of the experiment. To assess the effects of harmine treatment on behavior, the sucrose preference test (SPT) was performed on days 1, 6, and 15, the open field test (OFT) on days 6 and 14, and the novel object recognition test (NOR) on day 16. Brain microgliosis was assessed using [11C]PBR-28 PET on day 17. Animals were terminated on day 17, and BDNF protein concentrations in the hippocampus and frontal cortex were analyzed using ELISA. RESULTS RSD significantly decreased bodyweight and increased anxiety and anhedonia-related parameters in the OFT and SPT on day 6, but these behavioral effects were not observed anymore on day 14/15. Harmine treatment caused a significant reduction in bodyweight gain in both groups, induced anhedonia in the SPT on day 6, and significantly reduced the mobility and exploratory behavior of the animals in the OFT mainly on day 14. PET imaging and the NOR test did not show any significant effects on microglia activation and memory, respectively. BDNF protein concentrations in the hippocampus and frontal cortex were not significantly affected by either RSD or harmine treatment. DISCUSSION Harmine was not able to reverse the acute effects of RSD on anxiety and anhedonia and even aggravated the effect of RSD on bodyweight loss. Moreover, harmine treatment caused unexpected side effects on general locomotion, both in RSD and control animals, but did not influence glial activation status and BDNF concentrations in the brain. In this model, RSD-induced stress was not strong enough to induce long-term effects on the behavior, neuroinflammation, or BDNF protein concentration. Thus, the efficacy of harmine treatment on these delayed parameters needs to be further evaluated in more severe models of chronic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Lima Giacobbo
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713, GZ, Groningen, the Netherlands
- Laboratory of Biology and Nervous System Development, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Janine Doorduin
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713, GZ, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Rodrigo Moraga-Amaro
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713, GZ, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Luiza Reali Nazario
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713, GZ, Groningen, the Netherlands
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Psychopharmacology, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Anna Schildt
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713, GZ, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Elke Bromberg
- Laboratory of Biology and Nervous System Development, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq), Brasília, Brazil
| | - Rudi A J O Dierckx
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713, GZ, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Erik F J de Vries
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713, GZ, Groningen, the Netherlands.
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Melnick I, Krishtal OA, Colmers WF. Integration of energy homeostasis and stress by parvocellular neurons in rat hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus. J Physiol 2020; 598:1073-1092. [PMID: 31952096 DOI: 10.1113/jp279387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS Central regulation of energy homeostasis and stress are believed to be reciprocally regulated, i.e. excessive food intake suppresses, while prolonged hunger exacerbates, stress responses in vivo. This relationship may be mediated by neuroendocrine parvocellular corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus that receive both stress- and feeding-related input. We find that hunger strongly and selectively potentiates, while re-feeding suppresses, a cellular analogue of a stress response induced by acute glucopenia in CRH neurons in rat hypothalamic slices. Neuronal activation in response to glucopenia was mediated synaptically, via the relative enhancement of glutamate over GABA input. These results illustrate how acute stress responses may be initiated in vivo and show that it is reciprocally integrated with energy balance via local hypothalamic mechanisms acting at the level of CRH neurons and their afferent terminals. ABSTRACT Increased food intake is a common response to help cope with stress, implying the existence of a previously postulated but imperfectly understood, inverse relationship between the regulation of feeding and stress. We have identified components of the neural circuitry that can integrate these homeostatic responses. Prior fasting (∼24 h) potentiates, and re-feeding suppresses, excitatory responses to acute glucopenia in about half of the corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH)-expressing, putatively neurosecretory, stress-related neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus studied. Glucoprivation stress ex vivo resulted from a preferential relative increase in excitatory (glutamatergic) over inhibitory (GABAergic) inputs. Putative preautonomic cells were less sensitive to fasting, and showed a predominant inhibition to acute glucopenia. We conclude that hunger may sensitize hypothalamic stress responses by acting via local mechanisms, at the level of CRH neurons and their presynaptic inputs. Those mechanisms involve neither presynaptic ATP-sensitive potassium channels nor postsynaptic ATP levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Melnick
- Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology, Bogomoletz str 4, Kiev, 01024, Ukraine
| | - Oleg A Krishtal
- Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology, Bogomoletz str 4, Kiev, 01024, Ukraine
| | - William F Colmers
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6G 2H7
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Planchez B, Surget A, Belzung C. Animal models of major depression: drawbacks and challenges. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2019; 126:1383-1408. [PMID: 31584111 PMCID: PMC6815270 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-019-02084-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 217] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Major depression is a leading contributor to the global burden of disease. This situation is mainly related to the chronicity and/or recurrence of the disorder, and to poor response to antidepressant therapy. Progress in this area requires valid animal models. Current models are based either on manipulating the environment to which rodents are exposed (during the developmental period or adulthood) or biological underpinnings (i.e. gene deletion or overexpression of candidate genes, targeted lesions of brain areas, optogenetic control of specific neuronal populations, etc.). These manipulations can alter specific behavioural and biological outcomes that can be related to different symptomatic and pathophysiological dimensions of major depression. However, animal models of major depression display substantial shortcomings that contribute to the lack of innovative pharmacological approaches in recent decades and which hamper our capabilities to investigate treatment-resistant depression. Here, we discuss the validity of these models, review putative models of treatment-resistant depression, major depression subtypes and recurrent depression. Furthermore, we identify future challenges regarding new paradigms such as those proposing dimensional rather than categorical approaches to depression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Catherine Belzung
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, Tours, France.
- UMR 1253, iBrain, UFR Sciences et Techniques, Parc Grandmont, 37200, Tours, France.
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15
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Lguensat A, Bentefour Y, Bennis M, Ba-M'hamed S, Garcia R. Susceptibility and Resilience to PTSD-Like Symptoms in Mice Are Associated with Opposite Dendritic Changes in the Prelimbic and Infralimbic Cortices Following Trauma. Neuroscience 2019; 418:166-176. [PMID: 31487540 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is triggered by exposure to traumatic events, but not everyone who experiences trauma develops this disorder. Like humans, PTSD-like symptoms develop in some laboratory rodents (susceptible individuals), while others express less or no symptoms (resilient individuals). Here, considering (i) the putative causal role of fear conditioning in PTSD development and (ii) the involvement of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in the regulation of conditioned fear response, we tested whether trauma-associated changes in the mPFC may discriminate stress-resilient from stress-susceptible mice. From data on avoidance behavior (as a major symptom), we found that trauma-exposed mice displayed a bimodal distribution in their step-through latency, with low avoider (stress-resilient) individuals and high avoider (stress-susceptible) individuals. Dendrites of Golgi-Cox-stained neurons were analyzed in two parts of the mPFC: the prelimbic (PrL) and infralimbic (IL) areas. In the resilient phenotype, the total number of dendrites decreased in the PrL and increased in the IL; however, it decreased only in the IL in the susceptible phenotype compared to controls. These findings demonstrate that the type of post-trauma morphological changes in the mPFC is associated with susceptibility or resilience to trauma-related symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asmae Lguensat
- Laboratoire de Pharmacologie, Neurobiologie et Comportement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique, URAC 37, Cadi Ayyad Université, Marrakech, Maroc; Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, UMR7289, Aix-Marseille Université & Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Marseille, France
| | - Yassine Bentefour
- Laboratoire de Pharmacologie, Neurobiologie et Comportement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique, URAC 37, Cadi Ayyad Université, Marrakech, Maroc
| | - Mohamed Bennis
- Laboratoire de Pharmacologie, Neurobiologie et Comportement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique, URAC 37, Cadi Ayyad Université, Marrakech, Maroc
| | - Saadia Ba-M'hamed
- Laboratoire de Pharmacologie, Neurobiologie et Comportement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique, URAC 37, Cadi Ayyad Université, Marrakech, Maroc
| | - René Garcia
- Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, UMR7289, Aix-Marseille Université & Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Marseille, France.
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Molina SJ, Buján GE, Rodriguez Gonzalez M, Capani F, Gómez-Casati ME, Guelman LR. Exposure of Developing Male Rats to One or Multiple Noise Sessions and Different Housing Conditions: Hippocampal Thioredoxin Changes and Behavioral Alterations. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:182. [PMID: 31456671 PMCID: PMC6700388 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure of developing rats to noise has shown to induce hippocampal-related behavioral alterations that were prevented after a week of housing in an enriched environment. However, neither the effect of repeated exposures nor its impact on key endogenous antioxidants had been studied yet. Thus, the aim of the present work was to reveal novel data about hippocampal oxidative state through the measurement of possible age-related differences in the levels of hippocampal thioredoxins in rats exposed to noise at different developmental ages and subjected to different schemes and housing conditions. In addition, the possibility that oxidative changes could underlie hippocampal-related behavioral changes was also analyzed. Developing male Wistar rats were exposed to noise for 2 h, either once or for 5 days. Upon weaning, some animals were transferred to an enriched cage for 1 week, whereas others were kept in standard cages. One week later, auditory and behavioral assessments, as well as measurement of hippocampal thioredoxin, were performed. Whereas no changes in the auditory function were observed, significant behavioral differences were found, that varied according to the age, scheme of exposure and housing condition. In addition, a significant increase in Trx-1 levels was found in all noise-exposed groups housed in standard cages. Housing animals in an enriched environment for 1 week was effective in preventing most of these changes. These findings suggest that animals become less susceptible to undergo behavioral alterations after repeated exposure to an environmental challenge, probably due to the ability of adaptation to an unfavorable condition. Moreover, it could be hypothesized that damage to younger individuals could be more easily prevented by a housing manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Jazmín Molina
- Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos (CEFyBO, UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Medicina, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gustavo Ezequiel Buján
- Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos (CEFyBO, UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Medicina, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Facultad de Medicina, Cátedra de Farmacología, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Francisco Capani
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas (ININCA, UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | | | - Laura Ruth Guelman
- Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos (CEFyBO, UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Medicina, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Facultad de Medicina, Cátedra de Farmacología, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Habenular connectivity may predict treatment response in depressed psychiatric inpatients. J Affect Disord 2019; 242:211-219. [PMID: 30195174 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.08.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Revised: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The habenula (Hb) is a small midbrain structure that signals negative events and may play a major role in the etiology of psychiatric disorders including depression. The lateral Hb has three major efferent connections: serotonergic raphe nuclei, noradrenergic locus coeruleus, and dopaminergic ventral tegmental area/substantia nigra compacta. We wanted to test whether Hb connectivity may be important to predict treatment outcomes in depression patients. METHODS We studied whether habenular connectivity at admission into a psychiatric clinic can predict treatment response. We used an inpatient sample (N = 175) to assess habenular connectivity (diffusion tensor imaging and resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) between the Hb and its targets) close to admission. In addition, we obtained the Patient Health Questionnaire-depression module (PHQ-9) close to admission and at discharge. Inpatients in the study entered the clinic with at least moderately severe depression (score 15 and up). Inpatients considered treatment resistant had scores of 9 or more at discharge. RESULTS Compared to responders, treatment non-responders had lower fractional anisotropy in the right Hb afferent fibers and lower RSFC between right Hb and median raphe, but higher RSFC between left Hb and locus coeruleus. A logistic regression model was significantly different from chance, and explained 27.7% of the variance in treatment resistance (sensitivity = 75%; specificity = 71.9%). DISCUSSION The anatomical and functional connectivity of the Hb may be a predictor of treatment success in psychiatric populations. Limitations include the Hb small size and the limited time (5 min) of resting state data obtained.
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Richter-Levin G, Stork O, Schmidt MV. Animal models of PTSD: a challenge to be met. Mol Psychiatry 2019; 24:1135-1156. [PMID: 30816289 PMCID: PMC6756084 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-018-0272-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2017] [Revised: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Recent years have seen increased interest in psychopathologies related to trauma exposure. Specifically, there has been a growing awareness to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in part due to terrorism, climate change-associated natural disasters, the global refugee crisis, and increased violence in overpopulated urban areas. However, notwithstanding the increased awareness to the disorder, the increasing number of patients, and the devastating impact on the lives of patients and their families, the efficacy of available treatments remains limited and highly unsatisfactory. A major scientific effort is therefore devoted to unravel the neural mechanisms underlying PTSD with the aim of paving the way to developing novel or improved treatment approaches and drugs to treat PTSD. One of the major scientific tools used to gain insight into understanding physiological and neuronal mechanisms underlying diseases and for treatment development is the use of animal models of human diseases. While much progress has been made using these models in understanding mechanisms of conditioned fear and fear memory, the gained knowledge has not yet led to better treatment options for PTSD patients. This poor translational outcome has already led some scientists and pharmaceutical companies, who do not in general hold opinions against animal models, to propose that those models should be abandoned. Here, we critically examine aspects of animal models of PTSD that may have contributed to the relative lack of translatability, including the focus on the exposure to trauma, overlooking individual and sex differences, and the contribution of risk factors. Based on findings from recent years, we propose research-based modifications that we believe are required in order to overcome some of the shortcomings of previous practice. These modifications include the usage of animal models of PTSD which incorporate risk factors and of the behavioral profiling analysis of individuals in a sample. These modifications are aimed to address factors such as individual predisposition and resilience, thus taking into consideration the fact that only a fraction of individuals exposed to trauma develop PTSD. We suggest that with an appropriate shift of practice, animal models are not only a valuable tool to enhance our understanding of fear and memory processes, but could serve as effective platforms for understanding PTSD, for PTSD drug development and drug testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gal Richter-Levin
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel. .,The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel. .,Psychology Department, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
| | - Oliver Stork
- 0000 0001 1018 4307grid.5807.aDepartment of Genetics & Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany ,grid.452320.2Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Mathias V. Schmidt
- 0000 0000 9497 5095grid.419548.5Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
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Browne CA, Hammack R, Lucki I. Dysregulation of the Lateral Habenula in Major Depressive Disorder. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2018; 10:46. [PMID: 30581384 PMCID: PMC6292991 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2018.00046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical and preclinical evidence implicates hyperexcitability of the lateral habenula (LHb) in the development of psychiatric disorders including major depressive disorder (MDD). This discrete epithalamic nucleus acts as a relay hub linking forebrain limbic structures with midbrain aminergic centers. Central to reward processing, learning and goal directed behavior, the LHb has emerged as a critical regulator of the behaviors that are impaired in depression. Stress-induced activation of the LHb produces depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors, anhedonia and aversion in preclinical studies. Moreover, deep brain stimulation of the LHb in humans has been shown to alleviate chronic unremitting depression in treatment resistant depression. The diverse neurochemical processes arising in the LHb that underscore the emergence and treatment of MDD are considered in this review, including recent optogenetic studies that probe the anatomical connections of the LHb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline A Browne
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Robert Hammack
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Irwin Lucki
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
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Xu C, Sun Y, Cai X, You T, Zhao H, Li Y, Zhao H. Medial Habenula-Interpeduncular Nucleus Circuit Contributes to Anhedonia-Like Behavior in a Rat Model of Depression. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:238. [PMID: 30356828 PMCID: PMC6189744 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The habenula is a nuclear complex composed of the lateral habenula (LHb) and medial habenula (MHb), two distinct structures. Much progress has been made to emphasize the role of the LHb in the pathogenesis of depression. In contrast, relatively less research has focused on the MHb. However, in recent years, the role of the MHb has begun to gain increasing attention. The MHb connects to the interpeduncular nucleus (IPN) both morphologically and functionally. The MHb-IPN pathway plays an important role in regulating higher brain functions, including cognition, reward, and decision making. It indicates a role of the MHb in the pathogenesis of depression. Thus, we investigated the role of the MHb-IPN pathway in depression. MHb metabolic activity was increased in the chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-exposed rat model of depression. MHb lesions in the CUMS-exposed rats reversed anhedonia-like behavior, as observed in the sucrose preference test, and significantly downregulated the elevated metabolic activity of the IPN. Substance P (SP)-containing neurons of the MHb were found to innervate the IPN and to be the main source of SP in the IPN. SP content of IPN tissue of the CUMS-exposed rats was increased and MHb lesions reversed this change. In the in vitro experiment, firing rate recordings showed that SP perfusion increased the activity of IPN neurons. Our results suggest that hyperactivity of the MHb-IPN circuit is involved in the anhedonia-like behavior of depression, and that SP mediates the effect of the MHb on IPN neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunpeng Xu
- Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yanfei Sun
- Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xuewei Cai
- Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Tingting You
- Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Hongzhe Zhao
- Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Hua Zhao
- Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
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Sampedro-Piquero P, Álvarez-Suárez P, Begega A. Coping with Stress During Aging: The Importance of a Resilient Brain. Curr Neuropharmacol 2018; 16:284-296. [PMID: 28925881 PMCID: PMC5843980 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x15666170915141610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2017] [Revised: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 01/01/1970] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Resilience is the ability to achieve a positive outcome when we are in the face of adversity. It supposes an active resistance to adversity by coping mechanisms in which genetic, molecular, neural and environmental factors are involved. Resilience has been usually studied in early ages and few is known about it during aging. METHODS In this review, we will address the age-related changes in the brain mechanisms involved in regulating the stress response. Furthermore, using the EE paradigm, we analyse the resilient potential of this intervention and its neurobiological basis. In this case, we will focus on identifying the characteristics of a resilient brain (modifications in HPA structure and function, neurogenesis, specific neuron types, glia, neurotrophic factors, nitric oxide synthase or microRNAs, among others). RESULTS The evidence suggests that a healthy lifestyle has a crucial role to promote a resilient brain during aging. Along with the behavioral changes described, a better regulation of HPA axis, enhanced levels of postmitotic type-3 cells or changes in GABAergic neurotransmission are some of the brain mechanisms involved in resilience. CONCLUSION Future research should identify different biomarkers that increase the resistance to develop mood disorders and based on this knowledge, develop new potential therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- P. Sampedro-Piquero
- Departamento de Psicobiología y Metodología de las CC, Facultad de Psicología, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Universidad de Málaga, Spain
| | - P. Álvarez-Suárez
- Institute of Neuroscience of the Principality of Asturias (INEUROPA), Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Spain
| | - A. Begega
- Institute of Neuroscience of the Principality of Asturias (INEUROPA), Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Spain
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Thorsell A, Mathé AA. Neuropeptide Y in Alcohol Addiction and Affective Disorders. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2017; 8:178. [PMID: 28824541 PMCID: PMC5534438 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2017.00178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2016] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuropeptide Y (NPY), a neuropeptide highly conserved throughout evolution, is present at high levels in the central nervous system (CNS), as well as in peripheral tissues such as the gut and cardiovascular system. The peptide exerts its effects via multiple receptor subtypes, all belonging to the G-protein-coupled receptor superfamily. Of these subtypes, the Y1 and the Y2 are the most thoroughly characterized, followed by the Y5 subtype. NPY and its receptors have been shown to be of importance in central regulation of events underlying, for example, affective disorders, drug/alcohol use disorders, and energy homeostasis. Furthermore, within the CNS, NPY also affects sleep regulation and circadian rhythm, memory function, tissue growth, and plasticity. The potential roles of NPY in the etiology and pathophysiology of mood and anxiety disorders, as well as alcohol use disorders, have been extensively studied. This focus was prompted by early indications for an involvement of NPY in acute responses to stress, and, later, also data pointing to a role in alterations within the CNS during chronic, or repeated, exposure to adverse events. These functions of NPY, in addition to the peptide's regulation of disease states, suggest that modulation of the activity of the NPY system via receptor agonists/antagonists may be a putative treatment mechanism in affective disorders as well as alcohol use disorders. In this review, we present an overview of findings with regard to the NPY system in relation to anxiety and stress, acute as well as chronic; furthermore we discuss post-traumatic stress disorder and, in part depression. In addition, we summarize findings on alcohol use disorders and related behaviors. Finally, we briefly touch upon genetic as well as epigenetic mechanisms that may be of importance for NPY function and regulation. In conclusion, we suggest that modulation of NPY-ergic activity within the CNS, via ligands aimed at different receptor subtypes, may be attractive targets for treatment development for affective disorders, as well as for alcohol use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Thorsell
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- *Correspondence: Annika Thorsell,
| | - Aleksander A. Mathé
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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