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Potegal M. How it ends: A review of behavioral and psychological phenomena, physiological processes and neural circuits in the termination of aggression in other animals and anger in people. Behav Brain Res 2024; 456:114676. [PMID: 37739229 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
More is known about aggression initiation and persistence in other animals, and anger in people, than about their cessation. This review summarizes knowledge of relevant factors in aggression, mostly in vertebrates, and anger termination in people. The latency, probability and intensity of offensive aggression in mice is controlled by activity in a neuronal subpopulation in ventromedial hypothalamus [VMH]. This activity instantiates an aggressive state termed angriffsbereitschaft ["attack-readiness"]. Fighting in many species is broken into bouts with interbout breaks due to fatigue and/or signals from dorsal raphe to VMH. Eventually, losers decide durations and outcomes of fighting by transitioning to submission or flight. Factors reducing angriffsbereitschaft and triggering these defeat behaviors could include metabolic costs, e.g., lactate accumulation and glucose depletion detected by the hypothalamus, central fatigue perhaps sensed by the Salience Network [insula and anterior cingulate gyrus] and pain of injuries, the latter insufficiently blunted by opioid and non-opioid stress analgesia and transduced by anterior VMH neurons. Winners' angriffsbereitschaft continue for awhile, as indicated by post-victory attacks and, perhaps, triumph displays of some species, including humans. In longer term situations, sensory and/or response habituation of aggression may explain the "Dear enemy" tolerance of competitive neighbors. Prolonged satiation of predatory behavior could involve habenula-regulated reduction of dopaminergic reward in nucleus accumbens. Termination of human anger involves at least three processes, metaphorically termed decay, quenching and catharsis. Hypothesized neural mechanisms include anger diminution by negative feedback from accumbens to anterior cingulate and/or activity in the Salience Network that controls anger's "accumulation/offset" phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Potegal
- University of Minnesota, United States.
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2
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Bartsch CJ, Jacobs JT, Mojahed N, Qasem E, Smith M, Caldwell O, Aaflaq S, Nordman JC. Visualizing traumatic stress-induced structural plasticity in a medial amygdala pathway using mGRASP. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1313635. [PMID: 38098941 PMCID: PMC10720331 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1313635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic stress has been shown to contribute to persistent behavioral changes, yet the underlying neural pathways are not fully explored. Structural plasticity, a form of long-lasting neural adaptability, offers a plausible mechanism. To scrutinize this, we used the mGRASP imaging technique to visualize synaptic modifications in a pathway formed between neurons of the posterior ventral segment of the medial amygdala and ventrolateral segment of the ventromedial hypothalamus (MeApv-VmHvl), areas we previously showed to be involved in stress-induced excessive aggression. We subjected mice (7-8 weeks of age) to acute stress through foot shocks, a reliable and reproducible form of traumatic stress, and compared synaptic changes to control animals. Our data revealed an increase in synapse formation within the MeApv-VmHvl pathway post-stress as evidenced by an increase in mGRASP puncta and area. Chemogenetic inhibition of CaMKIIα-expressing neurons in the MeApv during the stressor led to reduced synapse formation, suggesting that the structural changes were driven by excitatory activity. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms, we administered the NMDAR antagonist MK-801, which effectively blocked the stress-induced synaptic changes. These findings suggest a strong link between traumatic stress and enduring structural changes in an MeApv-VmHvl neural pathway. Furthermore, our data point to NMDAR-dependent mechanisms as key contributors to these synaptic changes. This structural plasticity could offer insights into persistent behavioral consequences of traumatic stress, such as symptoms of PTSD and social deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jacob C. Nordman
- Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Carbondale, IL, United States
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3
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Bartsch CJ, Aaflaq S, Jacobs JT, Smith M, Summa F, Skinner S, Qasem E, Thompson R, Li Z, Nordman JC. A single dose of ketamine enhances early life stress-induced aggression with no effect on fear memory, anxiety-like behavior, or depression-like behavior in mice. Behav Neurosci 2023; 137:281-288. [PMID: 37326523 PMCID: PMC10694802 DOI: 10.1037/bne0000560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic that has been shown to have antidepressant effects in humans and has been proposed as a potential treatment for mood disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder and aggression. However, previous studies from our lab and others have demonstrated that ketamine's effects are highly context- and dose-dependent. In a recent study, we found that 10 mg/kg ketamine could exacerbate the effects of early life stress on excessive aggression in mice. To further investigate, the effect of ketamine on moods, such as fear, anxiety, depression, and aggression, we used a mouse model of early life stress, involving chronic social isolation followed by acute traumatic stress in the form of noncontingent, unpredictable foot shock during adolescence. We find this is necessary to induce long-lasting excessive aggression in a novel environment. Seven- to eight-week-old socially isolated mice were given IP injections of 10 mg/kg ketamine 30 min before being subjected to foot shock and then assessed 7 days later for changes in sociability, aggression, mobility, anxiety-like behavior, and depression-like behavior. The results show that ketamine selectively increases long-lasting aggression in mice exposed to foot shock, but does not affect mood-related behaviors or locomotion. These findings suggest that during early life stress, ketamine may exert its effects by specifically targeting aggression brain circuitry that is distinct from brain circuits responsible for nonaggressive social or emotional behaviors. Therefore, while ketamine may be a promising treatment for various mood disorders, caution should be exercised when using ketamine to treat disorders associated with early life stress. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlyn J Bartsch
- Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
| | - Sophia Aaflaq
- Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
| | - Jessica T Jacobs
- Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
| | - Molly Smith
- Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
| | - Fletcher Summa
- Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
| | - Savannah Skinner
- Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
| | - Elana Qasem
- Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
| | - Rylee Thompson
- Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
| | - Zheng Li
- Section on Synapse Development and Plasticity, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health
| | - Jacob C Nordman
- Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
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4
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Wang Z, Yueh H, Chau M, Veenstra-VanderWeele J, O'Reilly KC. Circuits underlying social function and dysfunction. Autism Res 2023; 16:1268-1288. [PMID: 37458578 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Substantial advances have been made toward understanding the genetic and environmental risk factors for autism, a neurodevelopmental disorder with social impairment as a core feature. In combination with optogenetic and chemogenetic tools to manipulate neural circuits in vivo, it is now possible to use model systems to test how specific neural circuits underlie social function and dysfunction. Here, we review the literature that has identified circuits associated with social interest (sociability), social reward, social memory, dominance, and aggression, and we outline a preliminary roadmap of the neural circuits driving these social behaviors. We highlight the neural circuitry underlying each behavioral domain, as well as develop an interactive map of how these circuits overlap across domains. We find that some of the circuits underlying social behavior are general and are involved in the control of multiple behavioral aspects, whereas other circuits appear to be specialized for specific aspects of social behavior. Our overlapping circuit map therefore helps to delineate the circuits involved in the various domains of social behavior and to identify gaps in knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziwen Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Hannah Yueh
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Mirabella Chau
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kally C O'Reilly
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
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5
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Fritz M, Soravia SM, Dudeck M, Malli L, Fakhoury M. Neurobiology of Aggression-Review of Recent Findings and Relationship with Alcohol and Trauma. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12030469. [PMID: 36979161 PMCID: PMC10044835 DOI: 10.3390/biology12030469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Aggression can be conceptualized as any behavior, physical or verbal, that involves attacking another person or animal with the intent of causing harm, pain or injury. Because of its high prevalence worldwide, aggression has remained a central clinical and public safety issue. Aggression can be caused by several risk factors, including biological and psychological, such as genetics and mental health disorders, and socioeconomic such as education, employment, financial status, and neighborhood. Research over the past few decades has also proposed a link between alcohol consumption and aggressive behaviors. Alcohol consumption can escalate aggressive behavior in humans, often leading to domestic violence or serious crimes. Converging lines of evidence have also shown that trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) could have a tremendous impact on behavior associated with both alcohol use problems and violence. However, although the link between trauma, alcohol, and aggression is well documented, the underlying neurobiological mechanisms and their impact on behavior have not been properly discussed. This article provides an overview of recent advances in understanding the translational neurobiological basis of aggression and its intricate links to alcoholism and trauma, focusing on behavior. It does so by shedding light from several perspectives, including in vivo imaging, genes, receptors, and neurotransmitters and their influence on human and animal behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Fritz
- School of Health and Social Sciences, AKAD University of Applied Sciences, 70191 Stuttgart, Germany
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, BKH Günzburg, Lindenallee 2, 89312 Günzburg, Germany
| | - Sarah-Maria Soravia
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, BKH Günzburg, Lindenallee 2, 89312 Günzburg, Germany
| | - Manuela Dudeck
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, BKH Günzburg, Lindenallee 2, 89312 Günzburg, Germany
| | - Layal Malli
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut P.O. Box 13-5053, Lebanon
| | - Marc Fakhoury
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut P.O. Box 13-5053, Lebanon
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6
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Bohne P, Volkmann A, Schwarz MK, Mark MD. Deletion of the P/Q-Type Calcium Channel from Serotonergic Neurons Drives Male Aggression in Mice. J Neurosci 2022; 42:6637-6653. [PMID: 35853721 PMCID: PMC9410759 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0204-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggressive behavior is one of the most conserved social interactions in nature and serves as a crucial evolutionary trait. Serotonin (5-HT) plays a key role in the regulation of our emotions, such as anxiety and aggression, but which molecules and mechanisms in the serotonergic system are involved in violent behavior are still unknown. In this study, we show that deletion of the P/Q-type calcium channel selectively from serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nuclei (DRN) augments aggressive behavior in male mice, while anxiety is not affected. These mice demonstrated increased induction of the immediate early gene c-fos and in vivo serotonergic firing activity in the DRN. The ventrolateral part of the ventromedial hypothalamus is also a prominent region of the brain mediating aggression. We confirmed a monosynaptic projection from the DRN to the ventrolateral part of the ventromedial hypothalamus, and silencing these projections with an inhibitory designer receptor exclusively activated by a designer drug effectively reduced aggressive behavior. Overall, our findings show that deletion of the P/Q-type calcium channel from DRN neurons is sufficient to induce male aggression in mice and regulating its activity may serve as a therapeutic approach to treat violent behavior.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In this study, we show that P/Q-type calcium channel is mediating aggression in serotonergic neurons from the dorsal raphe nucleus via monosynaptic projections to the ventrolateral part of the ventromedial hypothalamus. More importantly, silencing these projections reduced aggressive behavior in mice and may serve as a therapeutic approach for treating aggression in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Bohne
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, D-44780, Germany
| | - Achim Volkmann
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, D-44780, Germany
| | - Martin K Schwarz
- Institute of Experimental Epileptology and Cognition Research, University of Bonn Medical School, Bonn, D-53127, Germany
| | - Melanie D Mark
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, D-44780, Germany
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7
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Takahashi A, Durand-de Cuttoli R, Flanigan ME, Hasegawa E, Tsunematsu T, Aleyasin H, Cherasse Y, Miya K, Okada T, Keino-Masu K, Mitsui K, Li L, Patel V, Blitzer RD, Lazarus M, Tanaka KF, Yamanaka A, Sakurai T, Ogawa S, Russo SJ. Lateral habenula glutamatergic neurons projecting to the dorsal raphe nucleus promote aggressive arousal in mice. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4039. [PMID: 35864121 PMCID: PMC9304121 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31728-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) is known to control aggressive behavior in mice. Here, we found that glutamatergic projections from the lateral habenula (LHb) to the DRN were activated in male mice that experienced pre-exposure to a rival male mouse ("social instigation") resulting in heightened intermale aggression. Both chemogenetic and optogenetic suppression of the LHb-DRN projection blocked heightened aggression after social instigation in male mice. In contrast, inhibition of this pathway did not affect basal levels of aggressive behavior, suggesting that the activity of the LHb-DRN projection is not necessary for the expression of species-typical aggressive behavior, but required for the increase of aggressive behavior resulting from social instigation. Anatomical analysis showed that LHb neurons synapse on non-serotonergic DRN neurons that project to the ventral tegmental area (VTA), and optogenetic activation of the DRN-VTA projection increased aggressive behaviors. Our results demonstrate that the LHb glutamatergic inputs to the DRN promote aggressive arousal induced by social instigation, which contributes to aggressive behavior by activating VTA-projecting non-serotonergic DRN neurons as one of its potential targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aki Takahashi
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neurobiology, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan.
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan.
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Brain & Body Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
| | - Romain Durand-de Cuttoli
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Brain & Body Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Meghan E Flanigan
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Brain & Body Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA
| | - Emi Hasegawa
- Department of Molecular Behavioral Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan
| | - Tomomi Tsunematsu
- Super-network Brain Physiology, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8577, Japan
- Advanced Interdisciplinary Research Division, Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8578, Japan
- Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Saitama, 332-0012, Japan
| | - Hossein Aleyasin
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Brain & Body Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Yoan Cherasse
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan
| | - Ken Miya
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan
- Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan
| | - Takuya Okada
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan
| | - Kazuko Keino-Masu
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan
| | - Koshiro Mitsui
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neurobiology, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan
- Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan
| | - Long Li
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Brain & Body Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Vishwendra Patel
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences and Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Robert D Blitzer
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences and Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Michael Lazarus
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan
| | - Kenji F Tanaka
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Akihiro Yamanaka
- Department of Neuroscience II, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-8601, Japan
| | - Takeshi Sakurai
- Department of Molecular Behavioral Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan
| | - Sonoko Ogawa
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan
| | - Scott J Russo
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Brain & Body Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
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8
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Baleisyte A, Schneggenburger R, Kochubey O. Stimulation of medial amygdala GABA neurons with kinetically different channelrhodopsins yields opposite behavioral outcomes. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110850. [PMID: 35613578 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The medial amygdala (MeA) receives pheromone information about conspecifics and has crucial functions in social behaviors. A previous study showed that activation of GABA neurons in the postero-dorsal MeA (MeApd) with channelrhodopsin-2H134R (ChR2) stimulates inter-male aggression. When performing these experiments using the faster channelrhodopsinH134R,E123T (ChETA), we find the opposite behavioral outcome. A systematic comparison between the two channelrhodopsin variants reveals that optogenetic activation of MeApd GABA neurons with ChETA suppresses aggression, whereas activation under ChR2 increases aggression. Although the mechanism for this paradoxical difference is not understood, we observe that activation of MeApd GABA neurons with ChR2 causes larger plateau depolarizations, smaller action potentials, and larger local inhibition than with ChETA. Thus, the channelrhodopsin variant used for in vivo optogenetic experiments can radically influence the behavioral outcome. Future work should continue to study the role of specific sub-populations of MeApd GABA neurons in aggression control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aiste Baleisyte
- Laboratory of Synaptic Mechanisms, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ralf Schneggenburger
- Laboratory of Synaptic Mechanisms, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Olexiy Kochubey
- Laboratory of Synaptic Mechanisms, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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9
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Nordman JC, Bartsch CJ, Li Z. Opposing effects of NMDA receptor antagonists on early life stress-induced aggression in mice. Aggress Behav 2022; 48:365-373. [PMID: 35122262 DOI: 10.1002/ab.22022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Rates of childhood trauma are high amongst violent offenders who frequently recidivate. Few clinical options are available to treat excessive and recurring violent aggression associated with childhood trauma. Those that do exist are largely ineffective and often replete with side effects. One promising pharmacological target is the glutamate binding N-methyl- d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR). Clinically available NMDAR antagonists have proven successful in mitigating violent and aggressive behavior associated with a host of psychiatric diseases and have both immediate and long-term effects on nervous system function and behavior. This study examined the impact of three NMDAR antagonists on long-lasting aggression brought on by early-life stress: MK-801, memantine, and ketamine. We find that social isolation early in adolescence followed by acute traumatic stress in the form of noncontingent foot shock (FS) late in adolescence works in tandem to promote long-lasting excessive aggression in mice when measured 1 week later. Systemic injections of MK-801 and memantine 30 min before FS suppressed the long-lasting attack behavior induced by our early life stress induction protocol. Systemic injections of ketamine, on the other hand, significantly enhanced the long-lasting attack behavior when injected before FS. These findings indicate that MK-801, memantine, and ketamine have distinct and opposing effects on early life stress-induced aggression, suggesting these drugs may be mechanistically distinct. This study identifies memantine as a promising pharmacological treatment for aggressive behavior associated with early life stress and demonstrates the need for greater care when using glutamate receptor antagonists to treat aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob C. Nordman
- Department of Physiology Southern Illinois University School of Medicine Carbondale Illinois USA
| | - Caitlyn J. Bartsch
- Department of Physiology Southern Illinois University Carbondale Illinois USA
| | - Zheng Li
- Section on Synapse Development and Plasticity National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health Bethesda Maryland USA
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10
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Noto T, Zhou G, Yang Q, Lane G, Zelano C. Human Primary Olfactory Amygdala Subregions Form Distinct Functional Networks, Suggesting Distinct Olfactory Functions. Front Syst Neurosci 2021; 15:752320. [PMID: 34955769 PMCID: PMC8695617 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2021.752320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Three subregions of the amygdala receive monosynaptic projections from the olfactory bulb, making them part of the primary olfactory cortex. These primary olfactory areas are located at the anterior-medial aspect of the amygdala and include the medial amygdala (MeA), cortical amygdala (CoA), and the periamygdaloid complex (PAC). The vast majority of research on the amygdala has focused on the larger basolateral and basomedial subregions, which are known to be involved in implicit learning, threat responses, and emotion. Fewer studies have focused on the MeA, CoA, and PAC, with most conducted in rodents. Therefore, our understanding of the functions of these amygdala subregions is limited, particularly in humans. Here, we first conducted a review of existing literature on the MeA, CoA, and PAC. We then used resting-state fMRI and unbiased k-means clustering techniques to show that the anatomical boundaries of human MeA, CoA, and PAC accurately parcellate based on their whole-brain resting connectivity patterns alone, suggesting that their functional networks are distinct, relative both to each other and to the amygdala subregions that do not receive input from the olfactory bulb. Finally, considering that distinct functional networks are suggestive of distinct functions, we examined the whole-brain resting network of each subregion and speculated on potential roles that each region may play in olfactory processing. Based on these analyses, we speculate that the MeA could potentially be involved in the generation of rapid motor responses to olfactory stimuli (including fight/flight), particularly in approach/avoid contexts. The CoA could potentially be involved in olfactory-related reward processing, including learning and memory of approach/avoid responses. The PAC could potentially be involved in the multisensory integration of olfactory information with other sensory systems. These speculations can be used to form the basis of future studies aimed at clarifying the olfactory functions of these under-studied primary olfactory areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Torben Noto
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Guangyu Zhou
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Qiaohan Yang
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Gregory Lane
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Christina Zelano
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
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11
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Zha X, Xu XH. Neural circuit mechanisms that govern inter-male attack in mice. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:7289-7307. [PMID: 34687319 PMCID: PMC11072497 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03956-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Individuals of many species fight with conspecifics to gain access to or defend critical resources essential for survival and reproduction. Such intraspecific fighting is evolutionarily selected for in a species-, sex-, and environment-dependent manner when the value of resources secured exceeds the cost of fighting. One such example is males fighting for chances to mate with females. Recent advances in new tools open up ways to dissect the detailed neural circuit mechanisms that govern intraspecific, particularly inter-male, aggression in the model organism Mus musculus (house mouse). By targeting and functional manipulating genetically defined populations of neurons and their projections, these studies reveal a core neural circuit that controls the display of reactive male-male attacks in mice, from sensory detection to decision making and action selection. Here, we summarize these critical results. We then describe various modulatory inputs that route into the core circuit to afford state-dependent and top-down modulation of inter-male attacks. While reviewing these exciting developments, we note that how the inter-male attack circuit converges or diverges with neural circuits that mediate other forms of social interactions remain not fully understood. Finally, we emphasize the importance of combining circuit, pharmacological, and genetic analysis when studying the neural control of aggression in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Zha
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Xiao-Hong Xu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
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12
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Anger management: Mechanisms of glutamate receptor-mediated synaptic plasticity underlying animal aggression. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2021; 142:106120. [PMID: 34823006 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2021.106120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Excessive and recurring violent aggression is a serious concern for society and a symptom of many psychiatric diseases. Substance abuse, attack experience, and social and traumatic stress increase vulnerability to developing this type of aggression. Glutamate receptors are an intriguing target for long-term treatment. This review will assess the importance of glutamate receptors and glutamatergic pathways in aggression, focusing on the role of glutamate receptor-mediated synaptic plasticity in experience-dependent long-lasting aggression. By synthesizing what is known about glutamatergic systems in aggression, it is hoped more effective treatments can be developed.
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13
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Raam T, Hong W. Organization of neural circuits underlying social behavior: A consideration of the medial amygdala. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2021; 68:124-136. [PMID: 33940499 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2021.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The medial amygdala (MeA) is critical for the expression of a broad range of social behaviors, and is also connected to many other brain regions that mediate those same behaviors. Here, we summarize recent advances toward elucidating mechanisms that enable the MeA to regulate a diversity of social behaviors, and also consider what role the MeA plays within the broader network of regions that orchestrate social sensorimotor transformations. We outline the molecular, anatomical, and electrophysiological features of the MeA that segregate distinct social behaviors, propose experimental strategies to disambiguate sensory representations from behavioral function in the context of a social interaction, and consider to what extent MeA function may overlap with other regions mediating similar behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara Raam
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Weizhe Hong
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
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14
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Herrero MJ, Wang L, Hernandez-Pineda D, Banerjee P, Matos HY, Goodrich M, Panigrahi A, Smith NA, Corbin JG. Sex-Specific Social Behavior and Amygdala Proteomic Deficits in Foxp2 +/- Mutant Mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:706079. [PMID: 34421555 PMCID: PMC8374433 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.706079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In humans, mutations in the transcription factor encoding gene, FOXP2, are associated with language and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), the latter characterized by deficits in social interactions. However, little is known regarding the function of Foxp2 in male or female social behavior. Our previous studies in mice revealed high expression of Foxp2 within the medial subnucleus of the amygdala (MeA), a limbic brain region highly implicated in innate social behaviors such as mating, aggression, and parental care. Here, using a comprehensive panel of behavioral tests in male and female Foxp2 +/- heterozygous mice, we investigated the role Foxp2 plays in MeA-linked innate social behaviors. We reveal significant deficits in olfactory processing, social interaction, mating, aggressive, and parental behaviors. Interestingly, some of these deficits are displayed in a sex-specific manner. To examine the consequences of Foxp2 loss of function specifically in the MeA, we conducted a proteomic analysis of microdissected MeA tissue. This analyses revealed putative sex differences expression of a host of proteins implicated in neuronal communication, connectivity, and dopamine signaling. Consistent with this, we discovered that MeA Foxp2-lineage cells were responsive to dopamine with differences between males and females. Thus, our findings reveal a central and sex-specific role for Foxp2 in social behavior and MeA function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Jesus Herrero
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Li Wang
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
- *Correspondence: Li Wang Joshua G. Corbin
| | - David Hernandez-Pineda
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Payal Banerjee
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Heidi Y. Matos
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Meredith Goodrich
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Aswini Panigrahi
- Center for Cancer and Immunology Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Nathan Anthony Smith
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Joshua G. Corbin
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
- *Correspondence: Li Wang Joshua G. Corbin
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