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Maslahati T, Schultebraucks K, Galve Gómez M, Hellmann-Regen J, Otte C, Wingenfeld K, Roepke S. Effects of oral contraceptives on intrusive memories: a secondary analysis of two studies using the trauma film paradigm in healthy women. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2023; 14:2282003. [PMID: 38039055 PMCID: PMC10990444 DOI: 10.1080/20008066.2023.2282003] [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: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Women are more likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than men. Recent research suggests an impact of oral contraceptive (OC) intake on PTSD and intrusive memories, a hallmark symptom of PTSD. Although a majority of women use OCs at some point in their lives, the effects on PTSD pathogenesis are only poorly understood.Objective: In the current paper, we aimed to investigate the impact of OC intake on the acquisition and consolidation of intrusive memories in healthy women after watching a trauma film paradigm.Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of a pooled dataset (N = 437) of two previously conducted and published studies investigating the effect of oxytocin on the development of intrusive memories.Results: Women taking OCs showed an attenuated decline of intrusive memories over time after having watched the trauma film compared to naturally cycling women (F(2.75, 1167) = 3.79, p = .03, η p 2 = .01).Conclusion: These findings indicate that the intake of OCs is associated with the development of intrusive memories after a trauma film paradigm. This indication emphasizes the need to further investigate the complex impact of OCs and gonadal hormones on fear learning processes and PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tolou Maslahati
- Clinic for Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katharina Schultebraucks
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA
- Division of Healthcare Delivery Science, Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Milagros Galve Gómez
- Clinic for Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Julian Hellmann-Regen
- Clinic for Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Otte
- Clinic for Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- DZPG (German Center for Mental Health), partner site Berlin, Germany
| | - Katja Wingenfeld
- Clinic for Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- DZPG (German Center for Mental Health), partner site Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Roepke
- Clinic for Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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2
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Colón L, Peru E, Zuloaga DG, Poulos AM. Contributions of gonadal hormones in the sex-specific organization of context fear learning. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0282293. [PMID: 36862730 PMCID: PMC9980802 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
It is widely established that gonadal hormones are fundamental to modulating and organizing the sex-specific nature of reproductive behaviors. Recently we proposed that context fear conditioning (CFC) may emerge in a sex-specific manner organized prior to the pubertal surge of gonadal hormones. Here we sought to determine the necessity of male and female gonadal hormones secreted at critical periods of development upon context fear learning. We tested the organizational hypothesis that neonatal and pubertal gonadal hormones play a permanent role in organizing contextual fear learning. We demonstrate that the postnatal absence of gonadal hormones by neonatal orchiectomy (oRX) in males and ovariectomy (oVX) in females resulted in an attenuation of CFC in adult males and an enhancement of CFC in adult females. In females, the gradual introduction of estrogen before conditioning partially rescued this effect. However, the decrease of CFC in adult males was not rescued by introducing testosterone before conditioning. Next, at a further point in development, preventing the pubertal surge of gonadal hormones by prepubertal oRX in males resulted in a reduction in adult CFC. In contrast, in females, prepubertal oVX did not alter adult CFC. However, the adult introduction of estrogen in prepubertal oVX rats reduced adult CFC. Lastly, the adult-specific deletion of gonadal hormones by adult oRX or oVX alone or replacement of testosterone or estrogen did not alter CFC. Consistent with our hypothesis, we provide initial evidence that gonadal hormones at early periods of development exert a vital role in the organization and development of CFC in male and female rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorianna Colón
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience Research, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, NY, United States of America
| | - Eduardo Peru
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience Research, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, NY, United States of America
| | - Damian G. Zuloaga
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience Research, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, NY, United States of America
| | - Andrew M. Poulos
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience Research, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, NY, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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3
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Bauer EP. Sex differences in fear responses: Neural circuits. Neuropharmacology 2023; 222:109298. [PMID: 36328063 PMCID: PMC11267399 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Women have increased vulnerability to PTSD and anxiety disorders compared to men. Understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of these disorders is critical for identifying risk factors and developing appropriate sex-specific interventions. Despite the clear clinical relevance of an examination of sex differences in fear responses, the vast majority of pre-clinical research on fear learning and memory formation has exclusively used male animals. This review highlights sex differences in context and cued fear conditioning, fear extinction and fear generalization with a focus on the neural circuits underlying these behaviors in rodents. There are mixed reports of behavioral sex differences in context and cued fear conditioning paradigms, which can depend upon the behavioral indices of fear. However, there is greater evidence of differential activation of the hippocampus, amygdalar nuclei and the prefrontal cortical regions in male and female rodents during context and cued fear conditioning. The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), a sexually dimorphic structure, is of particular interest as it differentially contributes to fear responses in males and females. In addition, while the influence of the estrous cycle on different phases of fear conditioning is delineated, the clearest modulatory effect of estrogen is on fear extinction processes. Examining the variability in neural responses and behavior in both sexes should increase our understanding of how that variability contributes to the neurobiology of affective disorders. This article is part of the Special Issue on 'Fear, anxiety and PTSD'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth P Bauer
- Departments of Biology and Neuroscience & Behavior, Barnard College of Columbia University, 3009 Broadway, New York, NY, 10027, United States.
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4
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Bartholomew ME, Rozalski V, Richards A, Gurdock J, Thornton M, Fee C, Lipshitz SL, Metzler TJ, Neylan TC, Inslicht SS. Impact of hormonal contraceptives on sex differences in fear conditioning and fear extinction in PTSD. Learn Mem 2022; 29:332-339. [PMID: 36206397 PMCID: PMC9488024 DOI: 10.1101/lm.053597.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Sex differences in the neurobiological mechanisms involved in fear conditioning and extinction have been suggested to contribute to differential vulnerability for the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in women compared with men. Reproductive hormones, such as estradiol, have been shown to facilitate fear conditioning and extinction learning and may explain some of these differences. However, the effect of commonly used hormonal contraceptives on the neurobiological mechanisms of fear conditioning and extinction is poorly understood. A laboratory study was conducted in trauma-exposed men and women with and without full or partial PTSD to examine effects of sex and use of hormonal birth control on fear conditioning, fear extinction learning, and extinction retention. Participants underwent fear conditioning with stimuli that were paired (CS+) or unpaired (CS−) with shock. Extinction learning occurred 72 h later, and extinction retention was tested 1 wk after extinction. Women on hormonal contraceptives (HCs) demonstrated enhanced acquisition of fear conditioning and enhanced extinction of fear as compared with women off hormonal birth control and men. While clinical implications have yet to be determined, these results suggest that hormonal contraceptives may facilitate learning during both fear acquisition and extinction. Understanding the impact of sex and hormones on fear conditioning and extinction processes may lead to new insights into the pathophysiology of PTSD and result in advancements in treatment that may vary by sex.
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5
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Effects of circulating estradiol on physiological, behavioural, and subjective correlates of anxiety: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 138:105682. [PMID: 35123210 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Anxiety-related behaviours as well as the prevalence of anxiety disorders show a large sex difference in humans. Clinical studies in humans as well as behavioural studies in rodents suggest that estradiol may have anxiolytic properties. In line with this, anxiety symptoms fluctuate with estradiol levels along the menstrual cycle. However, the influence of estradiol on subjective, behavioural, as well as physiological correlates of anxiety has never been systematically addressed in humans. We ran a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study (N = 126) to investigate the effects of estradiol on anxiety in men and women. In healthy volunteers, circulating estradiol levels were elevated through estradiol administration over two consecutive days to simulate the rise in estradiol levels around ovulation. Subjective, behavioral, as well as, physiological correlates of anxiety were assessed using a virtual reality elevated plus-maze (EPM). Estradiol treatment reduced the physiological stress response with blunted heart rate response and lower cortisol levels compared to placebo treatment in both sexes. In contrast, respiration frequency was only reduced in women after estradiol treatment. Behavioural measures of anxiety as well as subjective anxiety on the EPM were not affected by estradiol treatment. In general, women showed more avoidance and less approach behavior and reported higher subjective anxiety levels on the EPM than men. These results highlight the limited anxiolytic properties of circulating levels of estradiol in humans, which influence physiological markers of anxiety but not approach and avoidance behaviour or subjective anxiety levels.
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6
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Relationship between Hormonal Modulation and Gastroprotective Activity of Malvidin and Cyanidin Chloride: In Vivo and In Silico Approach. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14030565. [PMID: 35335941 PMCID: PMC8953580 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14030565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Peptic ulcers are lesions that affect the gastrointestinal tract and that can be triggered by external factors such as alcohol use. This study investigated the gastroprotective role of two anthocyanidins, malvidin and cyanidin chloride, in an ethanol-induced gastric ulcer model in male and female mice (ovariectomized and supplemented with 17β-estradiol or not) and aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of anthocyanidins in preventing the formation of lesions and to identify the underlying mechanisms, while considering hormonal differences. Moreover, in silico comparative analysis was performed to predict the properties and biological behaviors of the molecules. We observed that the hormonal status did not interfere with the gastroprotective action of malvidin, although antioxidant mechanisms were modulated differently depending on sex. On the other hand, cyanidin showed gastroprotective activity at different doses, demonstrating that, for the same experimental model, there is a need to adjust the effective dose depending on sex. In silico analysis showed that, despite being structurally similar, the interaction with receptors and target proteins in this study (myeloperoxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and reduced glutathione) differed between the two molecules, which explains the difference observed in in vivo treatments.
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7
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Bozdemir E, Vigil FA, Chun SH, Espinoza L, Bugay V, Khoury SM, Holstein DM, Stoja A, Lozano D, Tunca C, Sprague SM, Cavazos JE, Brenner R, Liston TE, Shapiro MS, Lechleiter JD. Neuroprotective Roles of the Adenosine A 3 Receptor Agonist AST-004 in Mouse Model of Traumatic Brain Injury. Neurotherapeutics 2021; 18:2707-2721. [PMID: 34608616 PMCID: PMC8804149 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-021-01113-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains one of the greatest public health concerns with increasing morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. Our group reported that stimulation of astrocyte mitochondrial metabolism by P2Y1 receptor agonists significantly reduced cerebral edema and reactive gliosis in a TBI model. Subsequent data on the pharmacokinetics (PK) and rapid metabolism of these compounds suggested that neuroprotection was likely mediated by a metabolite, AST-004, which binding data indicated was an adenosine A3 receptor (A3R) agonist. The neuroprotective efficacy of AST-004 was tested in a control closed cortical injury (CCCI) model of TBI in mice. Twenty-four (24) hours post-injury, mice subjected to CCCI and treated with AST-004 (0.22 mg/kg, injected 30 min post-trauma) exhibited significantly less secondary brain injury. These effects were quantified with less cell death (PSVue794 fluorescence) and loss of blood brain barrier breakdown (Evans blue extravasation assay), compared to vehicle-treated TBI mice. TBI-treated mice also exhibited significantly reduced neuroinflammatory markers, glial-fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP, astrogliosis) and ionized Ca2+-binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba1, microgliosis), both at the mRNA (qRT-PCR) and protein (Western blot and immunofluorescence) levels, respectively. Four (4) weeks post-injury, both male and female TBI mice presented a significant reduction in freezing behavior during contextual fear conditioning (after foot shock). AST-004 treatment prevented this TBI-induced impairment in male mice, but did not significantly affect impairment in female mice. Impairment of spatial memory, assessed 24 and 48 h after the initial fear conditioning, was also reduced in AST-004-treated TBI-male mice. Female TBI mice did not exhibit memory impairment 24 and 48 h after contextual fear conditioning and similarly, AST-004-treated female TBI mice were comparable to sham mice. Finally, AST-004 treatments were found to increase in vivo ATP production in astrocytes (GFAP-targeted luciferase activity), consistent with the proposed mechanism of action. These data reveal AST-004 as a novel A3R agonist that increases astrocyte energy production and enhances their neuroprotective efficacy after brain injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eda Bozdemir
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health San Antonio, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - Fabio A. Vigil
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, UT Health San Antonio, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - Sang H. Chun
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health San Antonio, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - Liliana Espinoza
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, UT Health San Antonio, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - Vladislav Bugay
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, UT Health San Antonio, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - Sarah M. Khoury
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health San Antonio, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - Deborah M. Holstein
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health San Antonio, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - Aiola Stoja
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, UT Health San Antonio, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - Damian Lozano
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health San Antonio, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - Ceyda Tunca
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health San Antonio, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - Shane M. Sprague
- Department of Neurosurgery, UT Health San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - Jose E. Cavazos
- Department of Neurology, UT Health San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - Robert Brenner
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, UT Health San Antonio, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - Theodore E. Liston
- Astrocyte Pharmaceuticals Inc, 245 First Street, Suite 1800, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | - Mark S. Shapiro
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, UT Health San Antonio, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - James D. Lechleiter
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health San Antonio, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
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8
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Maenosono R, Nian Y, Iske J, Liu Y, Minami K, Rommel T, Martin F, Abdi R, Azuma H, Rosner BA, Zhou H, Milford E, Elkhal A, Tullius SG. Recipient sex and estradiol levels affect transplant outcomes in an age-specific fashion. Am J Transplant 2021; 21:3239-3255. [PMID: 34050595 PMCID: PMC8924905 DOI: 10.1111/ajt.16611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Sex-specific influences have been shown for a variety of diseases. Whether donor or recipient sex and sex hormone levels impact alloimmune responses remains unclear. In unifactorial and multifactorial analyses of more than 400 000 SRTR listed kidney transplant patients, we found that younger female recipients had an inferior death-censored graft survival that was independent of donor sex. In contrast, graft survival was superior in older female recipients, suggesting the impact of recipient sex hormones over chromosomal sex mismatches. Those clinical changes were delineated in experimental skin and heart transplant models showing a prolongation of graft survival in ovariectomized young female recipients. In contrast, graft survival was comparable in ovariectomized and naïve old female recipients. Young ovariectomized mice showed reduced amounts and a compromised T cell proliferation. Deprivation of female hormones dampened the production of interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-17+ by CD4+ T cells while augmenting systemic counts of Tregs. Increasing estradiol concentrations in vitro promoted the switch of naïve CD4+ T cells into Th1 cells; high physiological estradiol concentrations dampening Th1 responses, promoted Tregs, and prolonged graft survival. Thus, clinical observations demonstrate age-specific graft survival patterns in female recipients. Estrogen levels, in turn, impact the fate of T cell subsets, providing relevant and novel information on age- and sex-specific alloimmunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryoichi Maenosono
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery and Transplant Surgery Research Laboratory, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Urology, Osaka Medical College, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yeqi Nian
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery and Transplant Surgery Research Laboratory, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Kidney Transplantation, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jasper Iske
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery and Transplant Surgery Research Laboratory, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Institute of Transplant Immunology, Integrated Research and Treatment Center Transplantation (IFB-Tx), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany
| | - Yang Liu
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery and Transplant Surgery Research Laboratory, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Institute of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Koichiro Minami
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery and Transplant Surgery Research Laboratory, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Urology, Osaka Medical College, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tabea Rommel
- Medical School, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Friederike Martin
- Department of General-, Visceral- and Transplantation Surgery, Charité-Medical University, Berlin, Germany
| | - Reza Abdi
- Renal Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Haruhito Azuma
- Department of Urology, Osaka Medical College, Osaka, Japan
| | - Bernhard A Rosner
- Department of Medicine, Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Ma., USA
| | - Hao Zhou
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery and Transplant Surgery Research Laboratory, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Edgar Milford
- Renal Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Abdallah Elkhal
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery and Transplant Surgery Research Laboratory, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Stefan G Tullius
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery and Transplant Surgery Research Laboratory, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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9
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Drzewiecki CM, Sellinger EP, Juraska JM. Impact of pubertal onset on region-specific Esr2 expression. J Neuroendocrinol 2021; 33:e13029. [PMID: 34463394 PMCID: PMC8448167 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In female rats, pubertal onset is associated with maturation of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and mPFC-mediated behaviours. These behavioural and anatomical changes are likely a result of the effects of oestrogens at the nuclear oestrogen receptor (ER)β, which is expressed at higher levels than the ERα isoform in the adult mPFC. Researchers have previously quantified ERβ protein and Esr2 RNA in rodents during early postnatal development and adulthood, although an adolescent-specific trajectory of this receptor in the mPFC has not been documented. Given that Esr2 expression can fluctuate in the presence or absence of oestrogens, puberty and the subsequent rise in gonadal hormones could influence levels of ERβ in the adolescent brain. To further explore this, we used RNAscope® technology to quantify the amount of Esr2 mRNA in pre-pubertal adolescent, recently post-pubertal adolescent and adult female rats. We show that Esr2 expression decreases significantly in the mPFC, striatum and motor cortex between pre-pubertal adolescence and adulthood. In the mPFC, this decrease occurs rapidly at pubertal onset, with no significant decrease in Esr2 levels between the recently post-pubertal and adult cohort. By contrast, the striatum and motor cortex had no significant differences in the amount of Esr2 mRNA between pre- and post-pubertal females. Insofar as the amount of Esr2 expression is proportional to functional ERβ, these results suggest ERβ decreases in a region-specific pattern in response to pubertal onset and highlight a role for this receptor in the maturational events that occur in the female rat mPFC at puberty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carly M. Drzewiecki
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820
- Currently at California National Primate Research Center, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, 95616
| | - Elli P. Sellinger
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820
| | - Janice M. Juraska
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, 61820
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10
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Dahir NS, Calder AN, McKinley BJ, Liu Y, Gilbertson TA. Sex differences in fat taste responsiveness are modulated by estradiol. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2021; 320:E566-E580. [PMID: 33427045 PMCID: PMC7988783 DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00331.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Sex as a biological variable has been the focus of increasing interest. Relatively few studies have focused, however, on differences in peripheral taste function between males and females. Nonetheless, there are reports of sex-dependent differences in chemosensitivity in the gustatory system. The involvement of endogenous changes in ovarian hormones has been suggested to account for taste discrepancies. Additionally, whether sex differences exist in taste receptor expression, activation, and subsequent signaling pathways that may contribute to different taste responsiveness is not well understood. In this study, we show the presence of both the nuclear and plasma membrane forms of estrogen receptor (ER) mRNA and protein in mouse taste cells. Furthermore, we provide evidence that estrogen increases taste cell activation during the application of fatty acids, the chemical cue for fat taste, in taste receptor cells. We found that genes important for the transduction pathway of fatty acids vary between males and females and that these differences also exist across the various taste papillae. In vivo support for the effect of estrogens in taste cells was provided by comparing the fatty acid responsiveness in male, intact female, and ovariectomized (OVX) female mice with and without hormone replacement. In general, females detected fatty acids at lower concentrations, and the presence of circulating estrogens increased this apparent fat taste sensitivity. Taken together, these data indicate that increased circulating estrogens in the taste system may play a significant role in physiology and chemosensory cellular activation and, in turn, may alter taste-driven behavior.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Using molecular, cellular, and behavioral analyses, this study shows that sex differences occur in fat taste in a mouse model. Female mice are more responsive to fatty acids, leading to an overall decrease in intake and fatty acid preference. These differences are linked to sex hormones, as estradiol enhances taste cell responsiveness to fatty acids during periods of low circulating estrogen following ovariectomy and in males. Estradiol is ineffective in altering fatty acid signaling during a high-estrogen period and in ovariectomized mice on hormone replacement. Thus, taste receptor cells are a direct target for actions of estrogen, and there are multiple receptors with differing patterns of expression in taste cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naima S Dahir
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
| | - Ashley N Calder
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
| | | | - Yan Liu
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
| | - Timothy A Gilbertson
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
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11
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Taxier LR, Gross KS, Frick KM. Oestradiol as a neuromodulator of learning and memory. Nat Rev Neurosci 2020; 21:535-550. [PMID: 32879508 PMCID: PMC8302223 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-020-0362-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Although hormones such as glucocorticoids have been broadly accepted in recent decades as general neuromodulators of memory processes, sex steroid hormones such as the potent oestrogen 17β-oestradiol have been less well recognized by the scientific community in this capacity. The predominance of females in studies of oestradiol and memory and the general (but erroneous) perception that oestrogens are 'female' hormones have probably prevented oestradiol from being more widely considered as a key memory modulator in both sexes. Indeed, although considerable evidence supports a crucial role for oestradiol in regulating learning and memory in females, a growing body of literature indicates a similar role in males. This Review discusses the mechanisms of oestradiol signalling and provides an overview of the effects of oestradiol on spatial, object recognition, social and fear memories. Although the primary focus is on data collected in females, effects of oestradiol on memory in males will be discussed, as will sex differences in the molecular mechanisms that regulate oestrogenic modulation of memory, which may have important implications for the development of future cognitive therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa R Taxier
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Kellie S Gross
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Karyn M Frick
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
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12
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Robison LS, Gannon OJ, Thomas MA, Salinero AE, Abi-Ghanem C, Poitelon Y, Belin S, Zuloaga KL. Role of sex and high-fat diet in metabolic and hypothalamic disturbances in the 3xTg-AD mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. J Neuroinflammation 2020; 17:285. [PMID: 32993686 PMCID: PMC7526387 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-020-01956-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hypothalamic dysfunction occurs early in the clinical course of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), likely contributing to disturbances in feeding behavior and metabolic function that are often observed years prior to the onset of cognitive symptoms. Late-life weight loss and low BMI are associated with increased risk of dementia and faster progression of disease. However, high-fat diet and metabolic disease (e.g., obesity, type 2 diabetes), particularly in mid-life, are associated with increased risk of AD, as well as exacerbated AD pathology and behavioral deficits in animal models. In the current study, we explored possible relationships between hypothalamic function, diet/metabolic status, and AD. Considering the sex bias in AD, with women representing two-thirds of AD patients, we sought to determine whether these relationships vary by sex. Methods WT and 3xTg-AD male and female mice were fed a control (10% fat) or high-fat (HF 60% fat) diet from ~ 3–7 months of age, then tested for metabolic and hypothalamic disturbances. Results On control diet, male 3xTg-AD mice displayed decreased body weight, reduced fat mass, hypoleptinemia, and mild systemic inflammation, as well as increased expression of gliosis- and inflammation-related genes in the hypothalamus (Iba1, GFAP, TNF-α, IL-1β). In contrast, female 3xTg-AD mice on control diet displayed metabolic disturbances opposite that of 3xTg-AD males (increased body and fat mass, impaired glucose tolerance). HF diet resulted in expected metabolic alterations across groups (increased body and fat mass; glucose intolerance; increased plasma insulin and leptin, decreased ghrelin; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease-related pathology). HF diet resulted in the greatest weight gain, adiposity, and glucose intolerance in 3xTg-AD females, which were associated with markedly increased hypothalamic expression of GFAP and IL-1β, as well as GFAP labeling in several hypothalamic nuclei that regulate energy balance. In contrast, HF diet increased diabetes markers and systemic inflammation preferentially in AD males but did not exacerbate hypothalamic inflammation in this group. Conclusions These findings provide further evidence for the roles of hypothalamic and metabolic dysfunction in AD, which in the 3xTg-AD mouse model appears to be dependent on both sex and diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa S Robison
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, MC-136, Albany, NY, 12208, USA
| | - Olivia J Gannon
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, MC-136, Albany, NY, 12208, USA
| | - Melissa A Thomas
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, MC-136, Albany, NY, 12208, USA
| | - Abigail E Salinero
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, MC-136, Albany, NY, 12208, USA
| | - Charly Abi-Ghanem
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, MC-136, Albany, NY, 12208, USA
| | - Yannick Poitelon
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, MC-136, Albany, NY, 12208, USA
| | - Sophie Belin
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, MC-136, Albany, NY, 12208, USA
| | - Kristen L Zuloaga
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, MC-136, Albany, NY, 12208, USA.
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13
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Drzewiecki CM, Willing J, Juraska JM. Influences of age and pubertal status on number and intensity of perineuronal nets in the rat medial prefrontal cortex. Brain Struct Funct 2020; 225:2495-2507. [PMID: 32914251 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02137-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is a late developing region of the cortex, and its protracted maturation during adolescence may confer a period of plasticity. Closure of critical, or sensitive, periods in sensory cortices coincides with perineuronal net (PNN) expression, leading to enhanced inhibitory function and synaptic stabilization. PNN density has been found to increase across adolescence in the male rat medial PFC (mPFC). Here, we examined both male and female rats at four time points spanning adolescent development to stereologically quantify the number and intensity of PNNs in the mPFC. Additionally, because puberty coincides with broad behavioral and neuroanatomical changes, we collected tissue from age-matched pre- and post-pubertal siblings within a litter. Results indicate that both males and females show an increase in the total number and intensity of mPFC PNNs between postnatal day (P) 30 and P60. As we have previously found, white matter under the mPFC also increased at the same time. Male puberty did not affect PNNs, while female pubertal onset led to an abrupt decrease in the total number of PNNs that persisted through mid-adolescence before increasing at P60. Despite the change in PNN number, the intensity of female PNNs was not affected by puberty. Thus, though males and females show increases in mPFC PNNs during adolescence, the pubertal decrease in the number of PNNs in female rats may indicate a difference in the pattern of maximal plasticity between the sexes during adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carly M Drzewiecki
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA
| | - Jari Willing
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 603 E Daniel St, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA.,Department of Psychology, Bowling Green State University, 822 E Merry Ave, Bowling Green, OH, 43403, USA
| | - Janice M Juraska
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA. .,Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 603 E Daniel St, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA.
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14
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Krentzel AA, Proaño S, Patisaul HB, Meitzen J. Temporal and bidirectional influences of estradiol on voluntary wheel running in adult female and male rats. Horm Behav 2020; 120:104694. [PMID: 31978389 PMCID: PMC7117976 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The sex steroid hormone 17β-estradiol (estradiol) regulates animal behavior as both a non-rapid hormone signal and as a rapid-acting neuromodulator. By practical necessity, estradiol's divergent temporal actions on rodent behavior are typically studied singularly and in one sex. We hypothesized that estradiol simultaneously acts through both temporal mechanisms to sex-specifically modulate a single behavior; and furthermore, that estradiol action in one temporal domain may regulate action in another. To test this hypothesis, we utilized one of the most robust rat behaviors exhibiting sex differences and estradiol-responsiveness, voluntary wheel running. Adult female and male rats were gonadectomized and exposed to daily repeated estradiol benzoate (EB) injections. Estradiol-sensitive running behavior was continually assessed in both the rapid and non-rapid temporal domains. We found that in female rats, estradiol rapidly decreased voluntary wheel running, but only after prior daily EB injections, supporting the hypothesis that non-rapid estradiol action influences rapid estradiol actions. Males exhibited a similar but less robust response, demonstrating sex-responsiveness. This rapid estradiol-induced decrease in running contrasted to non-rapid estradiol action which overall increased running in both sexes, revealing a bidirectional nature of estradiol's temporal influence. Non-rapid estradiol action also demonstrated sex-responsiveness, as a higher dose of EB was required to induce increased running in males compared to females. These findings indicate that estradiol rapidly, non-rapidly, and bidirectionally modulates wheel running in a sex-responsive manner, and that rapid estradiol action is modulated by non-rapid estradiol action. Overall, these data illustrate estradiol as a pleiotropic sex-responsive neuromodulator of a single behavior across temporal domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda A Krentzel
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America; W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America.
| | - Stephanie Proaño
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America; W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
| | - Heather B Patisaul
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America; W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America; Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
| | - John Meitzen
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America; W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America; Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America; Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
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15
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Pittig A, Wong AH, Glück VM, Boschet JM. Avoidance and its bi-directional relationship with conditioned fear: Mechanisms, moderators, and clinical implications. Behav Res Ther 2020; 126:103550. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2020.103550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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16
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Zhou XD, Yang XJ, Zheng Y, Qin ZS, Sha W, Chen G, Zhang ZJ. Jie-Yu Pill, A Proprietary Herbal Medicine, Ameliorates Mood Disorder-Like Behavior and Cognitive Impairment in Estrogen-Deprived Mice Exposed to Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress: Implication for a Potential Therapy of Menopause Syndrome. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:579995. [PMID: 33329121 PMCID: PMC7673394 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.579995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Jie-Yu Pill (JYP) is a proprietary herbal medicine initially developed to treat menstrual mood disorders. This study sought to determine whether JYP could alleviate menopausal psychiatric symptoms in ovariectomized (OVX) mice, an animal model of estrogen deprivation, exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) and the underlying mechanisms in comparison with estrogen therapy. The OVX+CUMS mice were treated with 0.3 mg/kg estradiol (E2), 2.5 g/kg or 5 g/kg JYP for 36 days, and tested in multiple behavioral paradigms. Serum, uterus, and brain tissues were collected for the measurement of hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian axis (HPO) and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis hormones, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate, neurotrophins, and estrogen receptors. JYP and E2 had comparable efficacy in reducing anxiety- and depression-like behavior and cognitive impairment of the OVX+CUMS mice. E2 strikingly increased ratio of uterus to body weight of the OVX+CUMS mice, but JYP did not. Both agents suppressed HPO-axis upstream hormones, inhibited HPA-axis hyperactivity by reinstating hypothalamic GABA, restored hippocampal and prefrontal glutamate contents and its receptor expression in the OVX+CUMS mice. While JYP and E2 protected against decreases in hippocampal and prefrontal neurotrophins and estrogen receptors of the OVX+CUMS mice, unlike E2, JYP had no significant effects on these biomarkers in the uterus. These results suggest that JYP has comparable efficacy in ameliorating mood disorder-like behavior and cognitive impairment induced by a combination of estrogen deprivation and chronic stress in association with certain differential uterus-brain mechanisms compared to estrogen therapy. JYP may be a potential therapy for menopause-associated psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi-Dan Zhou
- Li Ka Shing (LKS) Faculty of Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xin-Jing Yang
- Li Ka Shing (LKS) Faculty of Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yu Zheng
- Li Ka Shing (LKS) Faculty of Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Zong-Shi Qin
- Li Ka Shing (LKS) Faculty of Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wei Sha
- Department of Research and Development, Henan Taifeng Biological Technology Corporation Limited, Kaifeng, China
| | - Gang Chen
- Interdisciplinary Institute for Personalized Medicine in Brain Disorders, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhang-Jin Zhang
- Li Ka Shing (LKS) Faculty of Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Department of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
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17
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Hammoud MZ, Foa EB, Milad MR. Oestradiol, threat conditioning and extinction, post-traumatic stress disorder, and prolonged exposure therapy: A common link. J Neuroendocrinol 2020; 32:e12800. [PMID: 31595559 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Revised: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The accumulating evidence regarding the impact of estradiol on learning and memory synergized studies to examine its influence on enhancing animal's ability to quell fear and anxiety. In this review, we first provide a foundational platform regarding the impact of oestradiol on cellular mechanisms of learning and memory and we review recent advances from rodent and human data showing that oestrogen enhances extinction learning across species. We then propose clinical application to these data. We discuss the potential role of oestradiol variance on the aetiology, maintenance and treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. Specifically, we argue that the use of oestradiol as an adjunct to prolonged exposure (PE) therapy for PTSD may provide a new treatment approach for enhancing the efficacy of PE in women with PTSD. This could advance our understanding of the mechanisms of PTSD and help tailor sex-specific treatments for this disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mira Z Hammoud
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Edna B Foa
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mohammed R Milad
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
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18
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Seligowski AV, Hurly J, Mellen E, Ressler KJ, Ramikie TS. Translational studies of estradiol and progesterone in fear and PTSD. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2020; 11:1723857. [PMID: 32158516 PMCID: PMC7048196 DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2020.1723857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Revised: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Translational models of fear have greatly informed our understanding of PTSD and its underlying fear circuitry. One of the most replicated findings in the field is the two-fold higher PTSD incidence in females compared to males. While sociocultural factors play a role, the most robust biological influencers to date are gonadal hormones, such as estradiol and progesterone, which fluctuate across the menstrual cycle. Among studies that account for these hormones, most do so in isolation or collect both and only report one. Variation in study findings suggests that the ratio between these two hormones (the P/E ratio) may be an important and missing variable to further understand gonadal hormone influences on fear. Here we review cross-species examinations of fear and PTSD, within the contexts of estradiol and progesterone as well as P/E ratios that were calculated based on extant literature. We then provide recommendations for best practices in assay methods and reporting to improve research on the P/E ratio in fear and PTSD. Ultimately, greater understanding of this important variable will advance efforts to characterize gonadal hormone influences on fear learning processes in humans and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia V Seligowski
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Jordyn Hurly
- McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA.,Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Kerry J Ressler
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Teniel S Ramikie
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
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19
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Bakhti-Suroosh A, Nesil T, Lynch WJ. Tamoxifen Blocks the Development of Motivational Features of an Addiction-Like Phenotype in Female Rats. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:253. [PMID: 31780909 PMCID: PMC6856674 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Women become addicted sooner after initiating cocaine use as compared to men. Preclinical studies reveal a similar vulnerability in females, with findings from ovariectomized rats suggesting that estradiol mediates the enhanced vulnerability. However, since ovariectomy depletes not only estradiol, but all ovarian hormones, its role in a physiological context is not clear. Thus, the goal of this study was to determine the role of estradiol in the development of an addiction-like phenotype in ovary-intact females treated chronically with the selective estrogen receptor (ER) modulator tamoxifen. We hypothesized that tamoxifen, by antagonizing ERs, would block the development of an addiction-like phenotype as defined by an enhanced motivation for cocaine (assessed under a progressive-ratio schedule), and a heightened vulnerability to relapse (assessed under an extinction/cue-induced reinstatement procedure). Effects were examined following extended access cocaine self-administration (24-h/day; 4-discrete trials/h; 1.5 mg/kg/infusion) and 14-days of abstinence, conditions optimized for inducing an addiction-like phenotype. As predicted, motivation for cocaine was increased following extended-access self-administration and protracted abstinence in the vehicle (sesame oil) and no-injection control groups, but not in the tamoxifen group indicating that ER signaling is critical for the development of this feature of an addiction-like phenotype. Surprisingly, the increase in motivation for cocaine following abstinence was also attenuated in the vehicle group as compared to no-injection controls suggesting that oil/injections also affected its development. Contrary to our hypothesis, tamoxifen did not decrease vulnerability to relapse as this group responded at similar levels during initial extinction sessions and cue-induced reinstatement testing as compared to controls. Tamoxifen did, however, impair extinction learning as this group took longer to extinguish as compared to controls. Taken together, these findings indicate that estradiol is critical for the extinction of drug-associated cues and the development of motivational features of addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anousheh Bakhti-Suroosh
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Tanseli Nesil
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Wendy J Lynch
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
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20
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Ravi M, Stevens JS, Michopoulos V. Neuroendocrine pathways underlying risk and resilience to PTSD in women. Front Neuroendocrinol 2019; 55:100790. [PMID: 31542288 PMCID: PMC6876844 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2019.100790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Women are twice as likely than men to suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While women have increased exposure to traumatic events of many types and have greater prevalence of comorbid psychiatric disorders compared to men, these differences do not account for the overall sex difference in the prevalence of PTSD. The current review summarizes significant findings that implicate the role of estradiol, progesterone, and allopregnanolone in female risk for PTSD symptoms and dysregulation of fear psychophysiology that is cardinal to PTSD. We also discuss how these steroid hormones influence the stress axis and neural substrates critical for the regulation of fear responses. Understanding the role of ovarian steroid hormones in risk and resilience for trauma-related adverse mental health outcomes across the lifespan in women has important translational, clinical, and intergenerational implications for mitigating the consequences of trauma exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghna Ravi
- Emory University Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Jennifer S Stevens
- Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Vasiliki Michopoulos
- Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Atlanta, GA, United States; Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, United States.
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