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Medeiros D, Polepalli L, Li W, Pozzo-Miller L. Altered activity of mPFC pyramidal neurons and parvalbumin-expressing interneurons during social interactions in a Mecp2 mouse model for Rett syndrome. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.06.606882. [PMID: 39149275 PMCID: PMC11326302 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.06.606882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Social memory impairments in Mecp2 knockout (KO) mice result from altered neuronal activity in the monosynaptic projection from the ventral hippocampus (vHIP) to the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). The hippocampal network is hyperactive in this model for Rett syndrome, and such atypically heightened neuronal activity propagates to the mPFC through this monosynaptic projection, resulting in altered mPFC network activity and social memory deficits. However, the underlying mechanism of cellular dysfunction within this projection between vHIP pyramidal neurons (PYR) and mPFC PYRs and parvalbumin interneurons (PV-IN) resulting in social memory impairments in Mecp2 KO mice has yet to be elucidated. We confirmed social memory (but not sociability) deficits in Mecp2 KO mice using a new 4-chamber social memory arena, designed to minimize the impact of the tethering to optical fibers required for simultaneous in vivo fiber photometry of Ca2+-sensor signals during social interactions. mPFC PYRs of wildtype (WT) mice showed increases in Ca2+ signal amplitude during explorations of a novel toy mouse and interactions with both familiar and novel mice, while PYRs of Mecp2 KO mice showed smaller Ca2+ signals during interactions only with live mice. On the other hand, mPFC PV-INs of Mecp2 KO mice showed larger Ca2+ signals during interactions with a familiar cage-mate compared to those signals in PYRs, a difference absent in the WT mice. These observations suggest atypically heightened inhibition and impaired excitation in the mPFC network of Mecp2 KO mice during social interactions, potentially driving their deficit in social memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Destynie Medeiros
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Likhitha Polepalli
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Lucas Pozzo-Miller
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
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Oleksiak CR, Plas SL, Carriaga D, Vasudevan K, Maren S, Moscarello JM. Ventral hippocampus mediates inter-trial responding in signaled active avoidance. Behav Brain Res 2024; 470:115071. [PMID: 38806099 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.115071] [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: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
The hippocampus has a central role in regulating contextual processes in memory. We have shown that pharmacological inactivation of ventral hippocampus (VH) attenuates the context-dependence of signaled active avoidance (SAA) in rats. Here, we explore whether the VH mediates intertrial responses (ITRs), which are putative unreinforced avoidance responses that occur between trials. First, we examined whether VH inactivation would affect ITRs. Male rats underwent SAA training and subsequently received intra-VH infusions of saline or muscimol before retrieval tests in the training context. Rats that received muscimol performed significantly fewer ITRs, but equivalent avoidance responses, compared to controls. Next, we asked whether chemogenetic VH activation would increase ITR vigor. In male and female rats expressing excitatory (hM3Dq) DREADDs, systemic CNO administration produced a robust ITR increase that was not due to nonspecific locomotor effects. Then, we examined whether chemogenetic VH activation potentiated ITRs in an alternate (non-training) test context and found it did. Finally, to determine if context-US associations mediate ITRs, we exposed rats to the training context for three days after SAA training to extinguish the context. Rats submitted to context extinction did not show a reliable decrease in ITRs during a retrieval test, suggesting that context-US associations are not responsible for ITRs. Collectively, these results reveal an important role for the VH in context-dependent ITRs during SAA. Further work is required to explore the neural circuits and associative basis for these responses, which may be underlie pathological avoidance that occurs in humans after threat has passed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecily R Oleksiak
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA; Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA
| | - Samantha L Plas
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA; Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA
| | - Denise Carriaga
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, TX 78539
| | - Krithika Vasudevan
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA; Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA
| | - Stephen Maren
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA; Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA
| | - Justin M Moscarello
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA; Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA.
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Stephan M, Papiol S, Zhang M, Song J, Frommeyer SM, Haupt H, Jensen N, Kannaiyan N, Gupta R, Schuler P, Picklmann P, McCarthy M, Schulte E, Landen M, Falkai P, Scheuss V, Schulze T, Zhang W, Rossner MJ. Modulation of Neuronal Excitability and Plasticity by BHLHE41 Conveys Lithium Non-Responsiveness. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.25.605130. [PMID: 39372797 PMCID: PMC11451663 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.25.605130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/08/2024]
Abstract
Many bipolar disorder (BD) patients are non-responsive to lithium. The mechanisms underlying lithium (non-)responsiveness are largely unknown. By using gene-set enrichment analysis methods, we found that core clock gene-sets are significantly associated with lithium response. Among the top hits was BHLHE41 , a modulator of the molecular clock and homeostatic sleep. Since BHLHE41 and its paralog BHLHE40 are functionally redundant, we assessed chronic lithium response in double-knockout mutant mice (DKO). We demonstrated that DKOs are non-responsive to lithium's effect in various behavioral tasks. Cellular assays and patch clamp recordings revealed lowered excitability and reduced lithium-response in prefrontal cortical layer 2/3 DKO neurons and on hippocampal long-term potentiation. Single-cell RNA sequencing identified that lithium deregulated mitochondrial respiration, cation channel and postsynapse associated gene-sets specifically in upper layer excitatory neurons. Our findings show that lithium acts in a highly cell-specific way on neuronal metabolism and excitability and modulates synaptic plasticity depending on BHLHE40/41.
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Hwang H, Jin SW, Lee I. Differential functions of the dorsal and intermediate regions of the hippocampus for optimal goal-directed navigation in VR space. eLife 2024; 13:RP97114. [PMID: 39012807 PMCID: PMC11251721 DOI: 10.7554/elife.97114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Goal-directed navigation requires the hippocampus to process spatial information in a value-dependent manner, but its underlying mechanism needs to be better understood. Here, we investigated whether the dorsal (dHP) and intermediate (iHP) regions of the hippocampus differentially function in processing place and its associated value information. Rats were trained in a place-preference task involving reward zones with different values in a visually rich virtual reality environment where two-dimensional navigation was possible. Rats learned to use distal visual scenes effectively to navigate to the reward zone associated with a higher reward. Inactivation of both dHP and iHP with muscimol altered the efficiency and precision of wayfinding behavior, but iHP inactivation induced more severe damage, including impaired place preference. Our findings suggest that the iHP is more critical for value-dependent navigation toward higher-value goal locations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeri Hwang
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National UniversitySeoulRepublic of Korea
| | - Seung-Woo Jin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - Inah Lee
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National UniversitySeoulRepublic of Korea
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Ge MJ, Chen G, Zhang ZQ, Yu ZH, Shen JX, Pan C, Han F, Xu H, Zhu XL, Lu YP. Chronic restraint stress induces depression-like behaviors and alterations in the afferent projections of medial prefrontal cortex from multiple brain regions in mice. Brain Res Bull 2024; 213:110981. [PMID: 38777132 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2024.110981] [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: 11/19/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) forms output pathways through projection neurons, inversely receiving adjacent and long-range inputs from other brain regions. However, how afferent neurons of mPFC are affected by chronic stress needs to be clarified. In this study, the effects of chronic restraint stress (CRS) on the distribution density of mPFC dendrites/dendritic spines and the projections from the cortex and subcortical brain regions to the mPFC were investigated. METHODS In the present study, C57BL/6 J transgenic (Thy1-YFP-H) mice were subjected to CRS to establish an animal model of depression. The infralimbic (IL) of mPFC was selected as the injection site of retrograde AAV using stereotactic technique. The effects of CRS on dendrites/dendritic spines and afferent neurons of the mPFC IL were investigaed by quantitatively assessing the distribution density of green fluorescent (YFP) positive dendrites/dendritic spines and red fluorescent (retrograde AAV recombinant protein) positive neurons, respectively. RESULTS The results revealed that retrograde tracing virus labeled neurons were widely distributed in ipsilateral and contralateral cingulate cortex (Cg1), second cingulate cortex (Cg2), prelimbic cortex (PrL), infralimbic cortex, medial orbital cortex (MO), and dorsal peduncular cortex (DP). The effects of CRS on the distribution density of mPFC red fluorescence positive neurons exhibited regional differences, ranging from rostral to caudal or from top to bottom. Simultaneously, CRS resulted a decrease in the distribution density of basal, proximal and distal dendrites, as well as an increase in the loss of dendritic spines of the distal dendrites in the IL of mPFC. Furthermore, varying degrees of red retrograde tracing virus fluorescence signals were observed in other cortices, amygdala, hippocampus, septum/basal forebrain, hypothalamus, thalamus, mesencephalon, and brainstem in both ipsilateral and contralateral brain. CRS significantly reduced the distribution density of red fluorescence positive neurons in other cortices, hippocampus, septum/basal forebrain, hypothalamus, and thalamus. Conversely, CRS significantly increased the distribution density of red fluorescence positive neurons in amygdala. CONCLUSION Our results suggest a possible mechanism that CRS leads to disturbances in synaptic plasticity by affecting multiple inputs to the mPFC, which is characterized by a decrease in the distribution density of dendrites/dendritic spines in the IL of mPFC and a reduction in input neurons of multiple cortices to the IL of mPFC as well as an increase in input neurons of amygdala to the IL of mPFC, ultimately causing depression-like behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Jun Ge
- College of Life Science, Anhui Normal University, No. 1 Beijing East Road, Wuhu 241000, China
| | - Geng Chen
- College of Life Science, Anhui Normal University, No. 1 Beijing East Road, Wuhu 241000, China
| | - Zhen-Qiang Zhang
- College of Life Science, Anhui Normal University, No. 1 Beijing East Road, Wuhu 241000, China
| | - Zong-Hao Yu
- College of Life Science, Anhui Normal University, No. 1 Beijing East Road, Wuhu 241000, China
| | - Jun-Xian Shen
- College of Life Science, Anhui Normal University, No. 1 Beijing East Road, Wuhu 241000, China
| | - Chuan Pan
- College of Life Science, Anhui Normal University, No. 1 Beijing East Road, Wuhu 241000, China
| | - Fei Han
- College of Life Science, Anhui Normal University, No. 1 Beijing East Road, Wuhu 241000, China
| | - Hui Xu
- College of Life Science, Anhui Normal University, No. 1 Beijing East Road, Wuhu 241000, China; Anhui College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 18 Wuxiashan West Road, Wuhu 241002, China
| | - Xiu-Ling Zhu
- College of Life Science, Anhui Normal University, No. 1 Beijing East Road, Wuhu 241000, China; Department of Anatomy, Wannan Medical College, No. 22 Wenchang West Road, Wuhu 241002, China
| | - Ya-Ping Lu
- College of Life Science, Anhui Normal University, No. 1 Beijing East Road, Wuhu 241000, China.
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Long X, Deng B, Shen R, Yang L, Chen L, Ran Q, Du X, Zhang SJ. Border cells without theta rhythmicity in the medial prefrontal cortex. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2321614121. [PMID: 38857401 PMCID: PMC11194599 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2321614121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is a key brain structure for higher cognitive functions such as decision-making and goal-directed behavior, many of which require awareness of spatial variables including one's current position within the surrounding environment. Although previous studies have reported spatially tuned activities in mPFC during memory-related trajectory, the spatial tuning of mPFC network during freely foraging behavior remains elusive. Here, we reveal geometric border or border-proximal representations from the neural activity of mPFC ensembles during naturally exploring behavior, with both allocentric and egocentric boundary responses. Unlike most of classical border cells in the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) discharging along a single wall, a large majority of border cells in mPFC fire particularly along four walls. mPFC border cells generate new firing fields to external insert, and remain stable under darkness, across distinct shapes, and in novel environments. In contrast to hippocampal theta entrainment during spatial working memory tasks, mPFC border cells rarely exhibited theta rhythmicity during spontaneous locomotion behavior. These findings reveal spatially modulated activity in mPFC, supporting local computation for cognitive functions involving spatial context and contributing to a broad spatial tuning property of cortical circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyang Long
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing400037, China
| | - Bin Deng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing400037, China
| | - Rui Shen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing400037, China
| | - Lin Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing400037, China
| | - Liping Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing400037, China
| | - Qingxia Ran
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing400037, China
| | - Xin Du
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing400037, China
| | - Sheng-Jia Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing400037, China
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Tudi A, Yao M, Tang F, Zhou J, Li A, Gong H, Jiang T, Li X. Subregion preference in the long-range connectome of pyramidal neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex. BMC Biol 2024; 22:95. [PMID: 38679719 PMCID: PMC11057135 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01880-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is involved in complex functions containing multiple types of neurons in distinct subregions with preferential roles. The pyramidal neurons had wide-range projections to cortical and subcortical regions with subregional preferences. Using a combination of viral tracing and fluorescence micro-optical sectioning tomography (fMOST) in transgenic mice, we systematically dissected the whole-brain connectomes of intratelencephalic (IT) and pyramidal tract (PT) neurons in four mPFC subregions. RESULTS IT and PT neurons of the same subregion projected to different target areas while receiving inputs from similar upstream regions with quantitative differences. IT and PT neurons all project to the amygdala and basal forebrain, but their axons target different subregions. Compared to subregions in the prelimbic area (PL) which have more connections with sensorimotor-related regions, the infralimbic area (ILA) has stronger connections with limbic regions. The connection pattern of the mPFC subregions along the anterior-posterior axis showed a corresponding topological pattern with the isocortex and amygdala but an opposite orientation correspondence with the thalamus. CONCLUSIONS By using transgenic mice and fMOST imaging, we obtained the subregional preference whole-brain connectomes of IT and pyramidal tract PT neurons in the mPFC four subregions. These results provide a comprehensive resource for directing research into the complex functions of the mPFC by offering anatomical dissections of the different subregions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayizuohere Tudi
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Mei Yao
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Feifang Tang
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiandong Zhou
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Anan Li
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- HUST-Suzhou Institute for Brainsmatics, JITRI, Suzhou, China
| | - Hui Gong
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- HUST-Suzhou Institute for Brainsmatics, JITRI, Suzhou, China
| | - Tao Jiang
- HUST-Suzhou Institute for Brainsmatics, JITRI, Suzhou, China.
| | - Xiangning Li
- HUST-Suzhou Institute for Brainsmatics, JITRI, Suzhou, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Digital Medical Engineering, School of Biomedical Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou, China.
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Oleksiak CR, Plas SL, Carriaga D, Vasudevan K, Maren S, Moscarello JM. Ventral hippocampus mediates inter-trial responding in signaled active avoidance. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.18.585627. [PMID: 38562746 PMCID: PMC10983994 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.18.585627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The hippocampus has a central role in regulating contextual processes in memory. We have shown that pharmacological inactivation of ventral hippocampus (VH) attenuates the context-dependence of signaled active avoidance (SAA) in rats. Here, we explore whether the VH mediates intertrial responses (ITRs), which are putative unreinforced avoidance responses that occur between trials. First, we examined whether VH inactivation would affect ITRs. Male rats underwent SAA training and subsequently received intra-VH infusions of saline or muscimol before retrieval tests in the training context. Rats that received muscimol performed significantly fewer ITRs, but equivalent avoidance responses, compared to controls. Next, we asked whether chemogenetic VH activation would increase ITR vigor. In male and female rats expressing excitatory (hM3Dq) DREADDs, systemic CNO administration produced a robust ITR increase that was not due to nonspecific locomotor effects. Then, we examined whether chemogenetic VH activation potentiated ITRs in an alternate (non-training) test context and found it did. Finally, to determine if context-US associations mediate ITRs, we exposed rats to the training context for three days after SAA training to extinguish the context. Rats submitted to context extinction did not show a reliable decrease in ITRs during a retrieval test, suggesting that context-US associations are not responsible for ITRs. Collectively, these results reveal an important role for the VH in context-dependent ITRs during SAA. Further work is required to explore the neural circuits and associative basis for these responses, which may be underlie pathological avoidance that occurs in humans after threat has passed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecily R. Oleksiak
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845
| | - Samantha L. Plas
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845
| | - Denise Carriaga
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, TX 78539
| | - Krithika Vasudevan
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845
| | - Stephen Maren
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845
| | - Justin M. Moscarello
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845
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Bakoyiannis I, Ducourneau EG, N'diaye M, Fermigier A, Ducroix-Crepy C, Bosch-Bouju C, Coutureau E, Trifilieff P, Ferreira G. Obesogenic diet induces circuit-specific memory deficits in mice. eLife 2024; 13:e80388. [PMID: 38436653 PMCID: PMC10911750 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Obesity is associated with neurocognitive dysfunction, including memory deficits. This is particularly worrisome when obesity occurs during adolescence, a maturational period for brain structures critical for cognition. In rodent models, we recently reported that memory impairments induced by obesogenic high-fat diet (HFD) intake during the periadolescent period can be reversed by chemogenetic manipulation of the ventral hippocampus (vHPC). Here, we used an intersectional viral approach in HFD-fed male mice to chemogenetically inactivate specific vHPC efferent pathways to nucleus accumbens (NAc) or medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) during memory tasks. We first demonstrated that HFD enhanced activation of both pathways after training and that our chemogenetic approach was effective in normalizing this activation. Inactivation of the vHPC-NAc pathway rescued HFD-induced deficits in recognition but not location memory. Conversely, inactivation of the vHPC-mPFC pathway restored location but not recognition memory impairments produced by HFD. Either pathway manipulation did not affect exploration or anxiety-like behaviour. These findings suggest that HFD intake throughout adolescence impairs different types of memory through overactivation of specific hippocampal efferent pathways and that targeting these overactive pathways has therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Bakoyiannis
- University of Bordeaux, INRAE, Bordeaux INP, NutriNeuro, UMR 1286, F-33077BordeauxFrance
| | - Eva Gunnel Ducourneau
- University of Bordeaux, INRAE, Bordeaux INP, NutriNeuro, UMR 1286, F-33077BordeauxFrance
| | - Mateo N'diaye
- University of Bordeaux, INRAE, Bordeaux INP, NutriNeuro, UMR 1286, F-33077BordeauxFrance
| | - Alice Fermigier
- University of Bordeaux, INRAE, Bordeaux INP, NutriNeuro, UMR 1286, F-33077BordeauxFrance
| | - Celine Ducroix-Crepy
- University of Bordeaux, INRAE, Bordeaux INP, NutriNeuro, UMR 1286, F-33077BordeauxFrance
| | - Clementine Bosch-Bouju
- University of Bordeaux, INRAE, Bordeaux INP, NutriNeuro, UMR 1286, F-33077BordeauxFrance
| | | | - Pierre Trifilieff
- University of Bordeaux, INRAE, Bordeaux INP, NutriNeuro, UMR 1286, F-33077BordeauxFrance
| | - Guillaume Ferreira
- University of Bordeaux, INRAE, Bordeaux INP, NutriNeuro, UMR 1286, F-33077BordeauxFrance
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10
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Hockley A, Malmierca MS. Auditory processing control by the medial prefrontal cortex: A review of the rodent functional organisation. Hear Res 2024; 443:108954. [PMID: 38271895 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2024.108954] [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: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Afferent inputs from the cochlea transmit auditory information to the central nervous system, where information is processed and passed up the hierarchy, ending in the auditory cortex. Through these brain pathways, spectral and temporal features of sounds are processed and sent to the cortex for perception. There are also many mechanisms in place for modulation of these inputs, with a major source of modulation being based in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Neurons of the rodent mPFC receive input from the auditory cortex and other regions such as thalamus, hippocampus and basal forebrain, allowing them to encode high-order information about sounds such as context, predictability and valence. The mPFC then exerts control over auditory perception via top-down modulation of the central auditory pathway, altering perception of and responses to sounds. The result is a higher-order control of auditory processing that produces such characteristics as deviance detection, attention, avoidance and fear conditioning. This review summarises connections between mPFC and the primary auditory pathway, responses of mPFC neurons to auditory stimuli, how mPFC outputs shape the perception of sounds, and how changes to these systems during hearing loss and tinnitus may contribute to these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Hockley
- Cognitive and Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Institute of Neuroscience of Castilla y León, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain; Department of Cell Biology and Pathology, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain; Institute for Biomedical Research of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.
| | - M S Malmierca
- Cognitive and Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Institute of Neuroscience of Castilla y León, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain; Department of Cell Biology and Pathology, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain; Institute for Biomedical Research of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
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11
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Thomas CMP, Bouton ME, Green JT. Chemogenetic inhibition of the ventral hippocampus but not its direct projection to the prelimbic cortex attenuates context-specific operant responding. Front Behav Neurosci 2024; 18:1310478. [PMID: 38385002 PMCID: PMC10879379 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2024.1310478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Previous work has demonstrated the importance of the prelimbic cortex (PL) in contextual control of operant behavior. However, the associated neural circuitry responsible for providing contextual information to the PL is not well understood. In Pavlovian fear conditioning the ventral hippocampus (vH) and its projection to the PL have been shown to be important in supporting the effects of context on learning. The present experiments used chemogenetic inhibition of the direct vH-PL projection or the vH to determine involvement in expression of context-specific operant behavior. Rats were injected with an inhibitory DREADD (hM4Di) or mCherry-only into the vH, and subsequently trained to perform a lever press response for a food pellet in a distinct context. The DREADD ligand clozapine-n-oxide (CNO) was then delivered directly into the PL (experiment 1) and then systemically (experiment 2) prior to tests of the response in the training context as well as an equally familiar but untrained context. vH (systemic CNO) but not vH-PL (intra-PL CNO) inhibition was found to attenuate operant responding in its acquisition context. A third experiment, using the same rats, showed that chemogenetic inhibition of vH also reduced Pavlovian contextual fear. The present results suggest that multisynapatic connections between the vH and PL may be responsible for integration of contextual information with operant behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Callum M. P. Thomas
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Mark E. Bouton
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - John T. Green
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
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12
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Piquet R, Faugère A, Parkes SL. A hippocampo-cortical pathway detects changes in the validity of an action as a predictor of reward. Curr Biol 2024; 34:24-35.e4. [PMID: 38101404 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.11.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Much research has been dedicated to understanding the psychological and neural bases of goal-directed action, yet the relationship between context and goal-directed action is not well understood. Here, we used excitotoxic lesions, chemogenetics, and circuit-specific manipulations to demonstrate the role of the ventral hippocampus (vHPC) in contextual learning that supports sensitivity to action-outcome contingencies, a hallmark of goal-directed action. We found that chemogenetic inhibition of the ventral, but not dorsal, hippocampus attenuated sensitivity to instrumental contingency degradation. We then tested the hypothesis that this deficit was due to an inability to discern the relative validity of the action compared with the context as a predictor of reward. Using latent inhibition and Pavlovian context conditioning, we confirm that degradation of action-outcome contingencies relies on intact context-outcome learning and show that this learning is dependent on vHPC. Finally, we show that chemogenetic inhibition of vHPC terminals in the medial prefrontal cortex also impairs both instrumental contingency degradation and context-outcome learning. These results implicate a hippocampo-cortical pathway in adapting to changes in instrumental contingencies and indicate that the psychological basis of this deficit is an inability to learn the predictive value of the context. Our findings contribute to a broader understanding of the neural bases of goal-directed action and its contextual regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Piquet
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, INCIA, UMR 5287, 33000 Bordeaux, France
| | | | - Shauna L Parkes
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, INCIA, UMR 5287, 33000 Bordeaux, France.
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13
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Sohn J. Synaptic configuration and reconfiguration in the neocortex are spatiotemporally selective. Anat Sci Int 2024; 99:17-33. [PMID: 37837522 PMCID: PMC10771605 DOI: 10.1007/s12565-023-00743-5] [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] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
Brain computation relies on the neural networks. Neurons extend the neurites such as dendrites and axons, and the contacts of these neurites that form chemical synapses are the biological basis of signal transmissions in the central nervous system. Individual neuronal outputs can influence the other neurons within the range of the axonal spread, while the activities of single neurons can be affected by the afferents in their somatodendritic fields. The morphological profile, therefore, binds the functional role each neuron can play. In addition, synaptic connectivity among neurons displays preference based on the characteristics of presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons. Here, the author reviews the "spatial" and "temporal" connection selectivity in the neocortex. The histological description of the neocortical circuitry depends primarily on the classification of cell types, and the development of gene engineering techniques allows the cell type-specific visualization of dendrites and axons as well as somata. Using genetic labeling of particular cell populations combined with immunohistochemistry and imaging at a subcellular spatial resolution, we revealed the "spatial selectivity" of cortical wirings in which synapses are non-uniformly distributed on the subcellular somatodendritic domains in a presynaptic cell type-specific manner. In addition, cortical synaptic dynamics in learning exhibit presynaptic cell type-dependent "temporal selectivity": corticocortical synapses appear only transiently during the learning phase, while learning-induced new thalamocortical synapses persist, indicating that distinct circuits may supervise learning-specific ephemeral synapse and memory-specific immortal synapse formation. The selectivity of spatial configuration and temporal reconfiguration in the neural circuitry may govern diverse functions in the neocortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaerin Sohn
- Department of Systematic Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
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14
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Brockway ET, Simon S, Drew MR. Ventral hippocampal projections to infralimbic cortex and basolateral amygdala are differentially activated by contextual fear and extinction recall. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2023; 205:107832. [PMID: 37757953 PMCID: PMC10919432 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2023.107832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Fear and extinction learning are thought to generate distinct and competing memory representations in the hippocampus. How these memory representations modulate the expression of appropriate behavioral responses remains unclear. To investigate this question, we used cholera toxin B subunit to retrolabel ventral hippocampal (vHPC) neurons projecting to the infralimbic cortex (IL) and basolateral amygdala (BLA) and then quantified c-Fos immediate early gene activity within these populations following expression of either contextual fear recall or contextual fear extinction recall. Fear recall was associated with increased c-Fos expression in vHPC projections to the BLA, whereas extinction recall was associated with increased activity in vHPC projections to IL. A control experiment was performed to confirm that the apparent shift in projection neuron activity was associated with extinction learning rather than mere context exposure. Overall, results indicate that hippocampal contextual fear and extinction memory representations differentially activate vHPC projections to IL and BLA. These findings suggest that hippocampal memory representations orchestrate appropriate behavioral responses through selective activation of projection pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma T Brockway
- Center for Learning and Memory, Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Sarah Simon
- Center for Learning and Memory, Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Michael R Drew
- Center for Learning and Memory, Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
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15
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Bakoyiannis I, Ducourneau EG, Parkes SL, Ferreira G. Pathway specific interventions reveal the multiple roles of ventral hippocampus projections in cognitive functions. Rev Neurosci 2023; 34:825-838. [PMID: 37192533 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2023-0009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Since the 1950s study of Scoville and Milner on the case H.M., the hippocampus has attracted neuroscientists' attention. The hippocampus has been traditionally divided into dorsal and ventral parts, each of which projects to different brain structures and mediates various functions. Despite a predominant interest in its dorsal part in animal models, especially regarding episodic-like and spatial cognition, recent data highlight the role of the ventral hippocampus (vHPC), as the main hippocampal output, in cognitive processes. Here, we review recent studies conducted in rodents that have used advanced in vivo functional techniques to specifically monitor and manipulate vHPC efferent pathways and delineate the roles of these specific projections in learning and memory processes. Results highlight that vHPC projections to basal amygdala are implicated in emotional memory, to nucleus accumbens in social memory and instrumental actions and to prefrontal cortex in all the above as well as in object-based memory. Some of these hippocampal projections also modulate feeding and anxiety-like behaviours providing further evidence that the "one pathway-one function" view is outdated and future directions are proposed to better understand the role of hippocampal pathways and shed further light on its connectivity and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Bakoyiannis
- University of Bordeaux, INRAE, Bordeaux INP, NutriNeuro, UMR 1286, F-33077 Bordeaux, France
| | - Eva-Gunnel Ducourneau
- University of Bordeaux, INRAE, Bordeaux INP, NutriNeuro, UMR 1286, F-33077 Bordeaux, France
| | - Shauna L Parkes
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, INCIA, UMR 5287, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Guillaume Ferreira
- University of Bordeaux, INRAE, Bordeaux INP, NutriNeuro, UMR 1286, F-33077 Bordeaux, France
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16
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Piquet R, Faugère A, Parkes SL. Contribution of dorsal versus ventral hippocampus to the hierarchical modulation of goal-directed actions in rats. Eur J Neurosci 2023; 58:3737-3750. [PMID: 37697949 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Adaptive behaviour often necessitates that animals learn about events in a manner that is specific to a particular context or environment. These hierarchical organisations allow the animal to decide which action is the most appropriate when faced with ambiguous or conflicting possibilities. This study examined the role of hippocampus in enabling animals to use the context to guide action selection. We used a hierarchical instrumental outcome devaluation task in which male rats learn that the context provides information about the unique action-outcome relations that are in effect. We first confirmed that rats encode and use hierarchical context-(action-outcome) relations. We then show that chemogenetic inhibition of ventral hippocampus impairs both the encoding and retrieval of these associations, while inhibition of dorsal hippocampus impairs only the retrieval. Importantly, neither dorsal nor ventral hippocampus was required for goal-directed behaviour per se as these impairments only emerged when rats were forced to use the context to identify the current action-outcome relationships. These findings are discussed with respect to the role of the hippocampus and its broader circuitry in the contextual modulation of goal-directed behaviour and the importance of hierarchical associations in flexible behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Piquet
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, INCIA, UMR 5287, Bordeaux, France
| | | | - Shauna L Parkes
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, INCIA, UMR 5287, Bordeaux, France
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17
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Tang Y, Yan Y, Mao J, Ni J, Qing H. The hippocampus associated GABAergic neural network impairment in early-stage of Alzheimer's disease. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 86:101865. [PMID: 36716975 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.101865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the commonest neurodegenerative disease with slow progression. Pieces of evidence suggest that the GABAergic system is impaired in the early stage of AD, leading to hippocampal neuron over-activity and further leading to memory and cognitive impairment in patients with AD. However, the precise impairment mechanism of the GABAergic system on the pathogenesis of AD is still unclear. The impairment of neural networks associated with the GABAergic system is tightly associated with AD. Therefore, we describe the roles played by hippocampus-related GABAergic circuits and their impairments in AD neuropathology. In addition, we give our understand on the process from GABAergic circuit impairment to cognitive and memory impairment, since recent studies on astrocyte in AD plays an important role behind cognition dysfunction caused by GABAergic circuit impairment, which helps better understand the GABAergic system and could open up innovative AD therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanhong Tang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Yan Yan
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Jian Mao
- Zhengzhou Tobacco Institute of China National Tobacco Company, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Junjun Ni
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Hong Qing
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; Department of Biology, Shenzhen MSU-BIT University, Shenzhen 518172, China.
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18
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Hanganu-Opatz IL, Klausberger T, Sigurdsson T, Nieder A, Jacob SN, Bartos M, Sauer JF, Durstewitz D, Leibold C, Diester I. Resolving the prefrontal mechanisms of adaptive cognitive behaviors: A cross-species perspective. Neuron 2023; 111:1020-1036. [PMID: 37023708 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) enables a staggering variety of complex behaviors, such as planning actions, solving problems, and adapting to new situations according to external information and internal states. These higher-order abilities, collectively defined as adaptive cognitive behavior, require cellular ensembles that coordinate the tradeoff between the stability and flexibility of neural representations. While the mechanisms underlying the function of cellular ensembles are still unclear, recent experimental and theoretical studies suggest that temporal coordination dynamically binds prefrontal neurons into functional ensembles. A so far largely separate stream of research has investigated the prefrontal efferent and afferent connectivity. These two research streams have recently converged on the hypothesis that prefrontal connectivity patterns influence ensemble formation and the function of neurons within ensembles. Here, we propose a unitary concept that, leveraging a cross-species definition of prefrontal regions, explains how prefrontal ensembles adaptively regulate and efficiently coordinate multiple processes in distinct cognitive behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ileana L Hanganu-Opatz
- Institute of Developmental Neurophysiology, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, Hamburg Center of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Thomas Klausberger
- Center for Brain Research, Division of Cognitive Neurobiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Torfi Sigurdsson
- Institute of Neurophysiology, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Andreas Nieder
- Animal Physiology Unit, Institute of Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Simon N Jacob
- Translational Neurotechnology Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Marlene Bartos
- Institute for Physiology I, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Jonas-Frederic Sauer
- Institute for Physiology I, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Daniel Durstewitz
- Department of Theoretical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health & Faculty of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian Leibold
- Faculty of Biology, Bernstein Center Freiburg, BrainLinks-BrainTools, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Ilka Diester
- Optophysiology - Optogenetics and Neurophysiology, IMBIT // BrainLinks-BrainTools, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
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19
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Kenna M, Marek R, Sah P. Insights into the encoding of memories through the circuitry of fear. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2023; 80:102712. [PMID: 37003106 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2023.102712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Associative learning induces physical changes to a network of cells, known as the memory engram. Fear is widely used as a model to understand the circuit motifs that underpin associative memories. Recent advances suggest that the distinct circuitry engaged by different conditioned stimuli (e.g. tone vs. context) can provide insights into what information is being encoded in the fear engram. Moreover, as the fear memory matures, the circuitry engaged indicates how information is remodelled after learning and hints at potential mechanisms for consolidation. Finally, we propose that the consolidation of fear memories involves plasticity of engram cells through coordinated activity between brain regions, and the inherent characteristics of the circuitry may mediate this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Kenna
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Roger Marek
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Pankaj Sah
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
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20
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Nath M, Bhardwaj SK, Srivastava LK, Wong TP. Altered excitatory and decreased inhibitory transmission in the prefrontal cortex of male mice with early developmental disruption to the ventral hippocampus. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:865-880. [PMID: 35297476 PMCID: PMC9890473 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac107] [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: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Ventral hippocampal (vHPC)-prefrontal cortical (PFC) pathway dysfunction is a core neuroimaging feature of schizophrenia. However, mechanisms underlying impaired connectivity within this pathway remain poorly understood. The vHPC has direct projections to the PFC that help shape its maturation. Here, we wanted to investigate the effects of early developmental vHPC perturbations on long-term functional PFC organization. Using whole-cell recordings to assess PFC cellular activity in transgenic male mouse lines, we show early developmental disconnection of vHPC inputs, by excitotoxic lesion or cell-specific ablations, impairs pyramidal cell firing output and produces a persistent increase in excitatory and decrease in inhibitory synaptic inputs onto pyramidal cells. We show this effect is specific to excitatory vHPC projection cell ablation. We further identify PV-interneurons as a source of deficit in inhibitory transmission. We find PV-interneurons are reduced in density, show a reduced ability to sustain high-frequency firing, and show deficits in excitatory inputs that emerge over time. We additionally show differences in vulnerabilities to early developmental vHPC disconnection, wherein PFC PV-interneurons but not pyramidal cells show deficits in NMDA receptor-mediated current. Our results highlight mechanisms by which the PFC adapts to early developmental vHPC perturbations, providing insights into schizophrenia circuit pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moushumi Nath
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada.,Basic Neuroscience Division, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Sanjeev K Bhardwaj
- Basic Neuroscience Division, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Lalit K Srivastava
- Basic Neuroscience Division, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A1, Canada
| | - Tak Pan Wong
- Basic Neuroscience Division, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A1, Canada
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21
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Manoocheri K, Carter AG. Rostral and caudal basolateral amygdala engage distinct circuits in the prelimbic and infralimbic prefrontal cortex. eLife 2022; 11:e82688. [PMID: 36476757 PMCID: PMC9803354 DOI: 10.7554/elife.82688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Connections from the basolateral amygdala (BLA) to medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) regulate memory and emotion and become disrupted in neuropsychiatric disorders. The diverse roles attributed to interactions between the BLA and PFC may reflect multiple circuits nested within a wider network. To examine these circuits, we first used retrograde and anterograde anatomy to show that the rostral BLA (rBLA) and caudal BLA (cBLA) differentially project to prelimbic (PL) and infralimbic (IL) subregions of the mouse PFC. Using ex vivo whole-cell recordings and optogenetics, we then assessed which neuronal subtypes are targeted, showing that rBLA preferentially drives layer 2 (L2) cortico-amygdalar (CA) neurons in PL, whereas cBLA drives layer 5 (L5) pyramidal tract (PT) neurons in IL. We next combined in vivo silicon probe recordings and optogenetics to confirm that cBLA mainly influences IL L5, whereas rBLA primarily activates PL L2, but also evokes polysynaptic activity in PL L5. Lastly, we used soma-tagged optogenetics to explore the local circuits linking superficial and deep layers of PL, showing how rBLA can engage L2 CA neurons to impact L5 PT neuron activity. Together, our findings delineate how subregions of the BLA target distinct networks within the PFC and differentially influence output from PL and IL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasra Manoocheri
- Center for Neural Science, New York UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Adam G Carter
- Center for Neural Science, New York UniversityNew YorkUnited States
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22
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Liu Y, Jia S, Wang J, Wang D, Zhang X, Liu H, Zhou F, Zhang Z, Li Q, Dong H, Zhong H. Endocannabinoid signaling regulates post-operative delirium through glutamatergic mediodorsal thalamus-prelimbic prefrontal cortical projection. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:1036428. [PMID: 36533179 PMCID: PMC9752096 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.1036428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 10/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Post-operative delirium (POD), a common post-operative complication that affects up to 73. 5% of surgical patients, could prolong hospital stays, triple mortality rates, cause long-term cognitive decline and dementia, and boost medical expenses. However, the underlying mechanisms, especially the circuit mechanisms of POD remain largely unclear. Previous studies demonstrated that cannabis use might cause delirium-like behavior through the endocannabinoid system (eCBs), a widely distributed retrograde presynaptic neuromodulator system. We also found that the prelimbic (PrL) and intralimbic (IL) prefrontal cortex, a crucial hub for cognition and emotion, was involved in the eCBs-associated general anesthesia recovery. Objectives The present study aimed to investigate the role of eCBs in POD development, and further clarify its neuronal specificity and circuit specificity attributed to POD. Methods According to a previous study, 2 h of 1.4% isoflurane anesthesia and simple laparotomy were conducted to establish the POD model in C57/BL6 mice aged 8-12 weeks. A battery of behavioral tests, including the buried food, open field, and Y maze tests, were performed at 24 h before anesthesia and surgery (AS) and 6 and 9 h after AS. The behavioral results were calculated as a composite Z score for the POD assessment. To explore the dynamics of eCBs and their effect on POD regulation, an endocannabinoid (eCB) sensor was microinjected into the PrL, and the antagonists (AM281 and hemopressin) and agonist (nabilone) of type 1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1R), were administered systemically or locally (into PrL). Chemogenetics, combined Cre-loxP and Flp-FRT system, were employed in mutant mice for neuronal specificity and circuit specificity observation. Results After AS, the composite Z score significantly increased at 6 and 9 but not at 24 h, whereas blockade of CB1R systemically and intra-PrL could specifically decrease the composite Z score at 6 and 9 h after AS. Results of fiber photometry further confirmed that the activity of eCB in the PrL was enhanced by AS, especially in the Y maze test at 6 h post-operatively. Moreover, the activation of glutamatergic neurons in the PrL could reduce the composite Z score, which could be significantly reversed by exogenous cannabinoid (nabilone) at 6 and 9 h post-operatively. However, activation of GABAergic neurons only decreased composite Z score at 9 h post-operatively, with no response to nabilone application. Further study revealed the glutamatergic projection from mediodorsal thalamus (MD) to PrL glutamatergic neurons, but not hippocampus (HIP)-PrL circuit, was in charge of the effect of eCBs on POD. Conclusion Our study firstly demonstrated the involvement of eCBs in the POD pathogenesis and further revealed that the eCBs may regulate POD through the specific MDglu-PrLglu circuit. These findings not only partly revealed the molecular and circuit mechanisms of POD, but also provided an applicable candidate for the clinical prevention and treatment of POD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Haixing Zhong
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
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23
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Plexin-A1 expression in the inhibitory neurons of infralimbic cortex regulates the specificity of fear memory in male mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:1220-1230. [PMID: 34508226 PMCID: PMC9018853 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01177-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Maintaining appropriate levels of fear memory specificity is crucial for individual's survival and mental health, whereas overgeneralized fear commonly occurs in neuropsychiatric disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating fear memory specificity remain poorly understood. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is considered as a key brain region in fear memory regulation. Previous transcriptomic studies have identified that plexin-A1, a transmembrane receptor critical for axon development, was downregulated in the mPFC after fear memory training. In this study, we identified that learning-induced downregulation of the mRNA and protein levels of plexin-A1 specifically occurred in the inhibitory but not excitatory neurons in the infralimbic cortex (IL) of mPFC. Further studies of plexin-A1 by virus-mediated over-expression of functional mutants selectively in the IL inhibitory neurons revealed the critical roles of plexin-A1 for regulating memory specificity and anxiety. Moreover, our findings revealed that plexin-A1 regulated the distribution of glutamic acid decarboxylase 67, a GABA synthetase, which in turn modulated the activity of IL and its downstream brain regions. Collectively, our findings elucidate the molecular modifier of IL inhibitory neurons in regulating memory specificity and anxiety, and provide candidates for developing therapeutic strategies for the prevention or treatment of a series of fear generalization-related neuropsychiatric disorders.
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24
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Joffe ME, Maksymetz J, Luschinger JR, Dogra S, Ferranti AS, Luessen DJ, Gallinger IM, Xiang Z, Branthwaite H, Melugin PR, Williford KM, Centanni SW, Shields BC, Lindsley CW, Calipari ES, Siciliano CA, Niswender CM, Tadross MR, Winder DG, Conn PJ. Acute restraint stress redirects prefrontal cortex circuit function through mGlu 5 receptor plasticity on somatostatin-expressing interneurons. Neuron 2022; 110:1068-1083.e5. [PMID: 35045338 PMCID: PMC8930582 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.12.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Inhibitory interneurons orchestrate prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity, but we have a limited understanding of the molecular and experience-dependent mechanisms that regulate synaptic plasticity across PFC microcircuits. We discovered that mGlu5 receptor activation facilitates long-term potentiation at synapses from the basolateral amygdala (BLA) onto somatostatin-expressing interneurons (SST-INs) in mice. This plasticity appeared to be recruited during acute restraint stress, which induced intracellular calcium mobilization within SST-INs and rapidly potentiated postsynaptic strength onto SST-INs. Restraint stress and mGlu5 receptor activation each augmented BLA recruitment of SST-IN phasic feedforward inhibition, shunting information from other excitatory inputs, including the mediodorsal thalamus. Finally, studies using cell-type-specific mGlu5 receptor knockout mice revealed that mGlu5 receptor function in SST-expressing cells is necessary for restraint stress-induced changes to PFC physiology and related behaviors. These findings provide new insights into interneuron-specific synaptic plasticity mechanisms and suggest that SST-IN microcircuits may be promising targets for treating stress-induced psychiatric diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max E Joffe
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA; Translational Neuroscience Program, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - James Maksymetz
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Joseph R Luschinger
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Shalini Dogra
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Anthony S Ferranti
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Deborah J Luessen
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Isabel M Gallinger
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Zixiu Xiang
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Hannah Branthwaite
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Patrick R Melugin
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Kellie M Williford
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Samuel W Centanni
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Brenda C Shields
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Craig W Lindsley
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Erin S Calipari
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Cody A Siciliano
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Colleen M Niswender
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Michael R Tadross
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Danny G Winder
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - P Jeffrey Conn
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
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25
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Dickson CR, Holmes GL, Barry JM. Dynamic θ Frequency Coordination within and between the Prefrontal Cortex-Hippocampus Circuit during Learning of a Spatial Avoidance Task. eNeuro 2022; 9:ENEURO.0414-21.2022. [PMID: 35396256 PMCID: PMC9034755 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0414-21.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
θ-Scale coordination of prelimbic medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) local field potentials (LFPs) and its influence via direct or indirect projections to the ventral hippocampus (vHC) and dorsal hippocampus (dHC) during spatial learning remains poorly understood. We hypothesized that θ frequency coordination dynamics within and between the mPFC, dHC, and vHC would be predetermined by the level of connectivity rather than reflecting differing circuit throughput relationships depending on cognitive demands. Moreover, we hypothesized that coherence levels would not change during learning of a complex spatial avoidance task. Adult male rats were bilaterally implanted with EEG electrodes and LFPs recorded in each structure. Contrary to predictions, θ coherence averaged across "Early" or "Late" training sessions in the mPFC-HC, mPFC-mPFC, and HC-HC increased as a function of task learning. Coherence levels were also highest between the indirectly connected mPFC-dHC circuit, particularly during early training. Although mPFC postacquisition coherence remained higher with dHC than vHC, dynamic mPFC coherence patterns with both hippocampal poles across avoidance epochs were similar. In the 3 s before avoidance, a regional temporal sequence of transitory coherence peaks emerged between the mPFC-mPFC, the mPFC-HC, and then dHC-dHC. During this sequence, coherence within θ bandwidth fluctuated between epochs at distinct subfrequencies, suggesting frequency-specific roles for the propagation of task-relevant processing. On a second timescale, coherence frequency within and between the mPFC and hippocampal septotemporal axis change as a function of avoidance learning and cognitive demand. The results support a role for θ coherence subbandwidths, and specifically an 8- to 9-Hz mPFC θ signal, for generating and processing qualitatively different types of information in the organization of spatial avoidance behavior in the mPFC-HC circuit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conor R Dickson
- Epilepsy Development and Cognition Group, Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont, Larner College of Medicine, Burlington 05405, VT
| | - Gregory L Holmes
- Epilepsy Development and Cognition Group, Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont, Larner College of Medicine, Burlington 05405, VT
| | - Jeremy M Barry
- Epilepsy Development and Cognition Group, Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont, Larner College of Medicine, Burlington 05405, VT
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26
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Xu Y, Ning Y, Zhao Y, Peng Y, Luo F, Zhou Y, Li P. Caffeine Functions by Inhibiting Dorsal and Ventral Hippocampal Adenosine 2A Receptors to Modulate Memory and Anxiety, Respectively. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:807330. [PMID: 35185566 PMCID: PMC8847668 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.807330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
As a nonspecific antagonist of the adenosine A2A receptor (A2AR), caffeine enhances learning and improves memory impairment. Simultaneously, the consumption of caffeine correlates with a feeling of anxiety. The hippocampus is functionally differentiated along its dorsal/ventral axis and plays a crucial role both in memory and anxiety. Whether caffeine exerts its regulation by inhibiting A2ARs in different subregions of the hippocampus is still unknown. In the present study, we found that after chronic intake of drinking water containing caffeine (1 g/L, 3 weeks), mice exhibited aggravated anxiety-like behavior and enhanced memory function. Tissue-specific, functional disruption of dorsal hippocampal A2ARs by the CRE-LoxP system prevented the memory-enhancing effect of caffeine, while selective disruption of ventral hippocampal A2ARs blocked the impact of caffeine on anxiety. These results, together with the enhanced memory of dorsal hippocampus A2AR knockout mice and greater anxiety-like behavior of ventral hippocampus A2AR knockout mice without caffeine, indicates a dissociation between the roles of ventral and dorsal hippocampal A2A receptors in caffeine’s effects on anxiety-like and memory-related behavioral measures, respectively. Furthermore, optogenetic activation of dorsal or ventral hippocampal A2ARs reversed the behavioral alterations caused by drinking caffeine, leading to impaired memory or decreased anxiety-like behaviors, respectively. Taken together, our findings suggest that the memory- and anxiety-enhancing effects of caffeine are related to the differential effects of inhibiting A2ARs in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yawei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Department of Army Occupational Disease, The Molecular Biology Center, Burn and Combined Injury, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Yalei Ning
- State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Department of Army Occupational Disease, The Molecular Biology Center, Burn and Combined Injury, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Department of Army Occupational Disease, The Molecular Biology Center, Burn and Combined Injury, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Yan Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Department of Army Occupational Disease, The Molecular Biology Center, Burn and Combined Injury, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Fen Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Department of Army Occupational Disease, The Molecular Biology Center, Burn and Combined Injury, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Yuanguo Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Department of Army Occupational Disease, The Molecular Biology Center, Burn and Combined Injury, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Ping Li
- State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Department of Army Occupational Disease, The Molecular Biology Center, Burn and Combined Injury, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
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27
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Topographically organized representation of space and context in the medial prefrontal cortex. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:2117300119. [PMID: 35121665 PMCID: PMC8833199 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2117300119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The neocortex is composed of areas with specialized functions (e.g., sensory versus associational). Despite this functional diversity, emerging evidence suggests that the encoding of space might be a universal feature of cortical circuits. Here, we identified a gradient of spatial tuning depth along the dorsoventral axis. A complex topography of spatial tuning properties might support a division of labor among medial prefrontal cortical subnetworks to support local circuit computation relevant for the execution of context-dependent behavioral outcomes. Spatial tuning of neocortical pyramidal cells has been observed in diverse cortical regions and is thought to rely primarily on input from the hippocampal formation. Despite the well-studied hippocampal place code, many properties of the neocortical spatial tuning system are still insufficiently understood. In particular, it has remained unclear how the topography of direct anatomical connections from hippocampus to neocortex affects spatial tuning depth, and whether the dynamics of spatial coding in the hippocampal output region CA1, such as remapping in novel environments, is transmitted to the neocortex. Using mice navigating through virtual environments, we addressed these questions in the mouse medial prefrontal cortex, which receives direct input from the hippocampus. We found a rapidly emerging prefrontal representation of space in the absence of task rules, which discriminates familiar from novel environments and is reinstated upon reexposure to the same familiar environment. Topographical analysis revealed a dorsoventral gradient in the representation of the own position, which runs opposite to the innervation density of hippocampal inputs. Jointly, these results reveal a dynamically emerging and topographically organized prefrontal place code during spontaneous locomotion.
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28
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Mack NR, Deng SX, Yang SS, Shu YS, Gao WJ. Prefrontal Cortical Control of Anxiety: Recent Advances. Neuroscientist 2022:10738584211069071. [PMID: 35086369 PMCID: PMC9869286 DOI: 10.1177/10738584211069071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Dysfunction in the prefrontal cortex is commonly implicated in anxiety disorders, but the mechanisms remain unclear. Approach-avoidance conflict tasks have been extensively used in animal research to better understand how changes in neural activity within the prefrontal cortex contribute to avoidance behaviors, which are believed to play a major role in the maintenance of anxiety disorders. In this article, we first review studies utilizing in vivo electrophysiology to reveal the relationship between changes in neural activity and avoidance behavior in rodents. We then review recent studies that take advantage of optical and genetic techniques to test the unique contribution of specific prefrontal cortex circuits and cell types to the control of anxiety-related avoidance behaviors. This new body of work reveals that behavior during approach-avoidance conflict is dynamically modulated by individual cell types, distinct neural pathways, and specific oscillatory frequencies. The integration of these different pathways, particularly as mediated by interactions between excitatory and inhibitory neurons, represents an exciting opportunity for the future of understanding anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy R. Mack
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19129
| | - Sui-Xin Deng
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Translational Brain Research, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Sha-Sha Yang
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19129
| | - You-Sheng Shu
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Translational Brain Research, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China,Corresponding author: You-Sheng Shu, Ph.D., Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Translational Brain Research, Fudan University, 131 Dong’an Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200032, China, ; Wen-Jun Gao, M.D., Ph.D.,
| | - Wen-Jun Gao
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19129,Corresponding author: You-Sheng Shu, Ph.D., Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Translational Brain Research, Fudan University, 131 Dong’an Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200032, China, ; Wen-Jun Gao, M.D., Ph.D.,
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29
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Sánchez-Bellot C, AlSubaie R, Mishchanchuk K, Wee RWS, MacAskill AF. Two opposing hippocampus to prefrontal cortex pathways for the control of approach and avoidance behaviour. Nat Commun 2022; 13:339. [PMID: 35039510 PMCID: PMC8763938 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-27977-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The decision to either approach or avoid a potentially threatening environment is thought to rely upon the coordinated activity of heterogeneous neural populations in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC). However, how this circuitry is organized to flexibly promote both approach or avoidance at different times has remained elusive. Here, we show that the hippocampal projection to PFC is composed of two parallel circuits located in the superficial or deep pyramidal layers of the CA1/subiculum border. These circuits have unique upstream and downstream connectivity, and are differentially active during approach and avoidance behaviour. The superficial population is preferentially connected to widespread PFC inhibitory interneurons, and its activation promotes exploration; while the deep circuit is connected to PFC pyramidal neurons and fast spiking interneurons, and its activation promotes avoidance. Together this provides a mechanism for regulation of behaviour during approach avoidance conflict: through two specialized, parallel circuits that allow bidirectional hippocampal control of PFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candela Sánchez-Bellot
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, Gower St, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Rawan AlSubaie
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, Gower St, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Karyna Mishchanchuk
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, Gower St, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Ryan W S Wee
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, Gower St, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Andrew F MacAskill
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, Gower St, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
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30
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Jefferson T, Kelly CJ, Martina M. Differential Rearrangement of Excitatory Inputs to the Medial Prefrontal Cortex in Chronic Pain Models. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 15:791043. [PMID: 35002635 PMCID: PMC8738091 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.791043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain patients suffer a disrupted quality of life not only from the experience of pain itself, but also from comorbid symptoms such as depression, anxiety, cognitive impairment, and sleep disturbances. The heterogeneity of these symptoms support the idea of a major involvement of the cerebral cortex in the chronic pain condition. Accordingly, abundant evidence shows that in chronic pain the activity of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a brain region that is critical for executive function and working memory, is severely impaired. Excitability of the mPFC depends on the integrated effects of intrinsic excitability and excitatory and inhibitory inputs. The main extracortical sources of excitatory input to the mPFC originate in the thalamus, hippocampus, and amygdala, which allow the mPFC to integrate multiple information streams necessary for cognitive control of pain including sensory information, context, and emotional salience. Recent techniques, such as optogenetic methods of circuit dissection, have made it possible to tease apart the contributions of individual circuit components. Here we review the synaptic properties of these main glutamatergic inputs to the rodent mPFC, how each is altered in animal models of chronic pain, and how these alterations contribute to pain-associated mPFC deactivation. By understanding the contributions of these individual circuit components, we strive to understand the broad spectrum of chronic pain and comorbid pathologies, how they are generated, and how they might be alleviated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor Jefferson
- Department of Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | | | - Marco Martina
- Department of Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
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31
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Spero V, Paladini MS, Brivio P, Riva MA, Calabrese F, Molteni R. Altered responsiveness of the antioxidant system in chronically stressed animals: modulation by chronic lurasidone treatment. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2022; 239:2547-2557. [PMID: 35459959 PMCID: PMC9294027 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-022-06140-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Although the occurrence of stressful events is very common during life, their impact may be different depending on the experience severity and duration. Specifically, acute challenges may trigger adaptive responses and even improve the individual's performance. However, such a physiological positive coping can only take place if the underlying molecular mechanisms are properly functioning. Indeed, if these systems are compromised by genetic factors or previous adverse conditions, the response set in motion by an acute challenge may be maladaptive and even cause the insurgence or the relapse of stress-related psychiatric disorders. OBJECTIVES On these bases, we evaluated in the rat brain the role of the antioxidant component of the redox machinery on the acute stress responsiveness and its modulation by potential detrimental or beneficial events. METHODS The expression of several antioxidant enzymes was assessed in different brain areas of adult male rats exposed to acute stress 3 weeks after a chronic immobilization paradigm with or without a concomitant treatment with the antipsychotic lurasidone. RESULTS The acute challenge was able to trigger a marked antioxidant response that, despite the washout period, was impaired by the previous adverse experience and restored by lurasidone in an anatomical-specific manner. CONCLUSIONS We found that a working antioxidant machinery takes part in acute stress response and may be differentially affected by other experiences. Given the essential role of stress responsiveness in almost every life process, the identification of the underlying mechanisms and their potential pharmacological modulation add further translational value to our data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vittoria Spero
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Via Vanvitelli 32, 20129 Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Serena Paladini
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Via Vanvitelli 32, 20129 Milan, Italy ,Present Address: Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science; Brain and Spinal Injury Center, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Paola Brivio
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Andrea Riva
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Calabrese
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133, Milan, Italy.
| | - Raffaella Molteni
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Via Vanvitelli 32, 20129 Milan, Italy
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32
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Graham K, Spruston N, Bloss EB. Hippocampal and thalamic afferents form distinct synaptic microcircuits in the mouse infralimbic frontal cortex. Cell Rep 2021; 37:109837. [PMID: 34686328 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109837] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The selection of goal-directed behaviors is supported by neural circuits located within the frontal cortex. Frontal cortical afferents arise from multiple brain areas, yet the cell-type-specific targeting of these inputs is unclear. Here, we use monosynaptic retrograde rabies mapping to examine the distribution of afferent neurons targeting distinct classes of local inhibitory interneurons and excitatory projection neurons in mouse infralimbic frontal cortex. Interneurons expressing parvalbumin, somatostatin, or vasoactive intestinal peptide receive a large proportion of inputs from the hippocampus, while interneurons expressing neuron-derived neurotrophic factor receive a large proportion of inputs from thalamic regions. A similar dichotomy is present among the four different excitatory projection neurons. These results show a prominent bias among long-range hippocampal and thalamic afferent systems in their targeting to specific sets of frontal cortical neurons. Moreover, they suggest the presence of two distinct local microcircuits that control how different inputs govern frontal cortical information processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kourtney Graham
- The Jackson Laboratory, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
| | - Nelson Spruston
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Erik B Bloss
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA; The Jackson Laboratory, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA.
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33
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Beerens S, Vroman R, Webster JF, Wozny C. Probing subicular inputs to the medial prefrontal cortex. iScience 2021; 24:102856. [PMID: 34381980 PMCID: PMC8333156 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102856] [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: 04/03/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The hippocampal formation is anatomically and functionally divided into a dorsal and a ventral part, being involved in processing cognitive tasks and emotional stimuli, respectively. The ventral subiculum as part of the hippocampal formation projects to the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), but only very little is known about connections arising from the dorsal SUB (dSUB). Here, we investigate the dSUB to mPFC connectivity in acute brain slices using electrophysiology and optogenetics. We show that the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is the main target of dorsal subicular projections to the mPFC, with no preference between excitatory or inhibitory neurons. In addition to superficial neurons in the ACC, the prelimbic and infralimbic PFC are also targeted by subicular fibers. Thus, these novel region- and layer-specific connections between the dSUB and the prefrontal cortices challenge existing anatomical data and refine the hippocampocortical wiring diagram.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanne Beerens
- Strathclyde Institute for Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
| | - Rozan Vroman
- Strathclyde Institute for Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
| | - Jack F. Webster
- Strathclyde Institute for Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
| | - Christian Wozny
- Strathclyde Institute for Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
- MSH Medical School Hamburg, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University, Hamburg, Germany
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34
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Bae JW, Jeong H, Yoon YJ, Bae CM, Lee H, Paik SB, Jung MW. Parallel processing of working memory and temporal information by distinct types of cortical projection neurons. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4352. [PMID: 34272368 PMCID: PMC8285375 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24565-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
It is unclear how different types of cortical projection neurons work together to support diverse cortical functions. We examined the discharge characteristics and inactivation effects of intratelencephalic (IT) and pyramidal tract (PT) neurons-two major types of cortical excitatory neurons that project to cortical and subcortical structures, respectively-in the deep layer of the medial prefrontal cortex in mice performing a delayed response task. We found stronger target-dependent firing of IT than PT neurons during the delay period. We also found the inactivation of IT neurons, but not PT neurons, impairs behavioral performance. In contrast, PT neurons carry more temporal information than IT neurons during the delay period. Our results indicate a division of labor between IT and PT projection neurons in the prefrontal cortex for the maintenance of working memory and for tracking the passage of time, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung Won Bae
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Huijeong Jeong
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Korea
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Young Ju Yoon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Chan Mee Bae
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Korea
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Hyeonsu Lee
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Se-Bum Paik
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Korea
- Program of Brain and Cognitive Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Min Whan Jung
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Korea.
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon, Korea.
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35
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Yang SS, Mack NR, Shu Y, Gao WJ. Prefrontal GABAergic Interneurons Gate Long-Range Afferents to Regulate Prefrontal Cortex-Associated Complex Behaviors. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:716408. [PMID: 34322002 PMCID: PMC8313241 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.716408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Prefrontal cortical GABAergic interneurons (INs) and their innervations are essential for the execution of complex behaviors such as working memory, social behavior, and fear expression. These behavior regulations are highly dependent on primary long-range afferents originating from the subcortical structures such as mediodorsal thalamus (MD), ventral hippocampus (vHPC), and basolateral amygdala (BLA). In turn, the regulatory effects of these inputs are mediated by activation of parvalbumin-expressing (PV) and/or somatostatin expressing (SST) INs within the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Here we review how each of these long-range afferents from the MD, vHPC, or BLA recruits a subset of the prefrontal interneuron population to exert precise control of specific PFC-dependent behaviors. Specifically, we first summarize the anatomical connections of different long-range inputs formed on prefrontal GABAergic INs, focusing on PV versus SST cells. Next, we elaborate on the role of prefrontal PV- and SST- INs in regulating MD afferents-mediated cognitive behaviors. We also examine how prefrontal PV- and SST- INs gate vHPC afferents in spatial working memory and fear expression. Finally, we discuss the possibility that prefrontal PV-INs mediate fear conditioning, predominantly driven by the BLA-mPFC pathway. This review will provide a broad view of how multiple long-range inputs converge on prefrontal interneurons to regulate complex behaviors and novel future directions to understand how PFC controls different behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sha-Sha Yang
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States,Institute for Translational Brain Research, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Nancy R. Mack
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Yousheng Shu
- Institute for Translational Brain Research, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wen-Jun Gao
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States,*Correspondence: Wen-Jun Gao,
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36
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Ma L, Wang J, Ge J, Wang Y, Zhang W, Du Y, Luo J, Li Y, Wang F, Fan G, Chen R, Yao B, Zhao Z, Guo ML, Kim WK, Chai Y, Chen JF. Reversing neural circuit and behavior deficit in mice exposed to maternal inflammation by Zika virus. EMBO Rep 2021; 22:e51978. [PMID: 34232545 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202051978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy is linked to various developmental brain disorders. Infants who are asymptomatic at birth might have postnatal neurocognitive complications. However, animal models recapitulating these neurocognitive phenotypes are lacking, and the circuit mechanism underlying behavioral abnormalities is unknown. Here, we show that ZIKV infection during mouse pregnancy induces maternal immune activation (MIA) and leads to autistic-like behaviors including repetitive self-grooming and impaired social memory in offspring. In the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), ZIKV-affected offspring mice exhibit excitation and inhibition imbalance and increased cortical activity. This could be explained by dysregulation of inhibitory neurons and synapses, and elevated neural activity input from mPFC-projecting ventral hippocampus (vHIP) neurons. We find structure alterations in the synaptic connections and pattern of vHIP innervation of mPFC neurons, leading to hyperconnectivity of the vHIP-mPFC pathway. Decreasing the activity of mPFC-projecting vHIP neurons with a chemogenetic strategy rescues social memory deficits in ZIKV offspring mice. Our studies reveal a hyperconnectivity of vHIP to mPFC projection driving social memory deficits in mice exposed to maternal inflammation by ZIKV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Ma
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jianlong Ge
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yuan Wang
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yuanning Du
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jun Luo
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, CA, USA.,College of Stomatology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yangping Li
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Feng Wang
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Guoping Fan
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Rong Chen
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Bing Yao
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Zhen Zhao
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ming-Lei Guo
- Department of Pathology and Anatomy, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, USA
| | - Woong-Ki Kim
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Cell Biology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, USA
| | - Yang Chai
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jian-Fu Chen
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, CA, USA
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37
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Bittar TP, Labonté B. Functional Contribution of the Medial Prefrontal Circuitry in Major Depressive Disorder and Stress-Induced Depressive-Like Behaviors. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:699592. [PMID: 34234655 PMCID: PMC8257081 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.699592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite decades of research on the neurobiology of major depressive disorder (MDD), the mechanisms underlying its expression remain unknown. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a hub region involved in emotional processing and stress response elaboration, is highly impacted in MDD patients and animal models of chronic stress. Recent advances showed alterations in the morphology and activity of mPFC neurons along with profound changes in their transcriptional programs. Studies at the circuitry level highlighted the relevance of deciphering the contributions of the distinct prefrontal circuits in the elaboration of adapted and maladapted behavioral responses in the context of chronic stress. Interestingly, MDD presents a sexual dimorphism, a feature recognized in the molecular field but understudied on the circuit level. This review examines the recent literature and summarizes the contribution of the mPFC circuitry in the expression of MDD in males and females along with the morphological and functional alterations that change the activity of these neuronal circuits in human MDD and animal models of depressive-like behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thibault P. Bittar
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Benoit Labonté
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
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38
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Banks PJ, Bashir ZI. NMDARs in prefrontal cortex - Regulation of synaptic transmission and plasticity. Neuropharmacology 2021; 192:108614. [PMID: 34022178 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In this review we consider the various roles played by N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) located on pyramidal neurones in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). We focus on recent data from our lab that has investigated how NMDARs contribute to ongoing synaptic transmission in a frequency dependent manner, the plasticity of NMDARs and how this impacts their contribution to synaptic transmission, and finally consider how NMDARs contribute to plasticity induced by synchronous activation of two separate inputs to mPFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul J Banks
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, University of Bristol, Bristol BS81TD, UK
| | - Zafar I Bashir
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, University of Bristol, Bristol BS81TD, UK.
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39
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Anastasiades PG, Carter AG. Circuit organization of the rodent medial prefrontal cortex. Trends Neurosci 2021; 44:550-563. [PMID: 33972100 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2021.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) orchestrates higher brain function and becomes disrupted in many mental health disorders. The rodent medial PFC (mPFC) possesses an enormous variety of projection neurons and interneurons. These cells are engaged by long-range inputs from other brain regions involved in cognition, motivation, and emotion. They also communicate in the local network via specific connections between excitatory and inhibitory cells. In this review, we describe the cellular diversity of the rodent mPFC, the impact of long-range afferents, and the specificity of local microcircuits. We highlight similarities with and differences between other cortical areas, illustrating how the circuit organization of the mPFC may give rise to its unique functional roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul G Anastasiades
- Department of Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Dorothy Hodgkin Building, Whitson Street, Bristol BS1 3NY, UK
| | - Adam G Carter
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003, USA.
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40
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Untangling the cortico-thalamo-cortical loop: cellular pieces of a knotty circuit puzzle. Nat Rev Neurosci 2021; 22:389-406. [PMID: 33958775 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-021-00459-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Functions of the neocortex depend on its bidirectional communication with the thalamus, via cortico-thalamo-cortical (CTC) loops. Recent work dissecting the synaptic connectivity in these loops is generating a clearer picture of their cellular organization. Here, we review findings across sensory, motor and cognitive areas, focusing on patterns of cell type-specific synaptic connections between the major types of cortical and thalamic neurons. We outline simple and complex CTC loops, and note features of these loops that appear to be general versus specialized. CTC loops are tightly interlinked with local cortical and corticocortical (CC) circuits, forming extended chains of loops that are probably critical for communication across hierarchically organized cerebral networks. Such CTC-CC loop chains appear to constitute a modular unit of organization, serving as scaffolding for area-specific structural and functional modifications. Inhibitory neurons and circuits are embedded throughout CTC loops, shaping the flow of excitation. We consider recent findings in the context of established CTC and CC circuit models, and highlight current efforts to pinpoint cell type-specific mechanisms in CTC loops involved in consciousness and perception. As pieces of the connectivity puzzle fall increasingly into place, this knowledge can guide further efforts to understand structure-function relationships in CTC loops.
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41
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Park G, Ryu C, Kim S, Jeong SJ, Koo JW, Lee YS, Kim SJ. Social isolation impairs the prefrontal-nucleus accumbens circuit subserving social recognition in mice. Cell Rep 2021; 35:109104. [PMID: 33979617 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Although medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is known to play important roles in social behaviors, how early social experiences affect the mPFC and its subcortical circuit remains unclear. We report that mice singly housed (SH) for 8 weeks after weaning show a social recognition deficit, even after 4 weeks of resocialization. In SH mice, prefrontal infralimbic (IL) neurons projecting to the shell region of nucleus accumbens (NAcSh) show decreased excitability compared with group-housed (GH) mice. NAcSh-projecting IL neurons are activated when GH mice encounter a familiar conspecific, which is not observed in SH mice. Chemogenetic inhibition of NAcSh-projecting IL neurons in normal mice impairs social recognition without affecting social preference, whereas activation of these neurons reverses social recognition deficit in SH mice. Our findings demonstrate that early social experience critically affects mPFC IL-NAcSh projection, the activation of which is required for social recognition by encoding information for social familiarity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaeun Park
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
| | - Changhyeon Ryu
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea; Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
| | - Soobin Kim
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
| | - Se Jin Jeong
- Emotion, Cognition & Behavior Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41062, Korea
| | - Ja Wook Koo
- Emotion, Cognition & Behavior Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41062, Korea; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu 42988, Korea
| | - Yong-Seok Lee
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea; Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea.
| | - Sang Jeong Kim
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea; Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea.
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42
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Banks PJ, Warburton EC, Bashir ZI. Plasticity in Prefrontal Cortex Induced by Coordinated Synaptic Transmission Arising from Reuniens/Rhomboid Nuclei and Hippocampus. Cereb Cortex Commun 2021; 2:tgab029. [PMID: 34296174 PMCID: PMC8152950 DOI: 10.1093/texcom/tgab029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The nucleus reuniens and rhomboid nuclei of the thalamus (ReRh) are reciprocally connected to a range of higher order cortices including hippocampus (HPC) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). The physiological function of ReRh is well predicted by requirement for interactions between mPFC and HPC, including associative recognition memory, spatial navigation, and working memory. Although anatomical and electrophysiological evidence suggests ReRh makes excitatory synapses in mPFC there is little data on the physiological properties of these projections, or whether ReRh and HPC target overlapping cell populations and, if so, how they interact. We demonstrate in ex vivo mPFC slices that ReRh and HPC afferent inputs converge onto more than two-thirds of layer 5 pyramidal neurons, show that ReRh, but not HPC, undergoes marked short-term plasticity during theta frequency transmission, and that HPC, but not ReRh, afferents are subject to neuromodulation by acetylcholine acting via muscarinic receptor M2. Finally, we demonstrate that pairing HPC followed by ReRh (but not pairing ReRh followed by HPC) at theta frequency induces associative, NMDA receptor dependent synaptic plasticity in both inputs to mPFC. These data provide vital physiological phenotypes of the synapses of this circuit and provide a novel mechanism for HPC-ReRh-mPFC encoding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul J Banks
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
| | - E Clea Warburton
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Zafar I Bashir
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
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43
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Khastkhodaei Z, Muthuraman M, Yang JW, Groppa S, Luhmann HJ. Functional and directed connectivity of the cortico-limbic network in mice in vivo. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 226:685-700. [PMID: 33442810 PMCID: PMC7981333 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02202-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Higher cognitive processes and emotional regulation depend on densely interconnected telencephalic and limbic areas. Central structures of this cortico-limbic network are ventral hippocampus (vHC), medial prefrontal cortex (PFC), basolateral amygdala (BLA) and nucleus accumbens (NAC). Human and animal studies have revealed both anatomical and functional alterations in specific connections of this network in several psychiatric disorders. However, it is often not clear whether functional alterations within these densely interconnected brain areas are caused by modifications in the direct pathways, or alternatively through indirect interactions. We performed multi-site extracellular recordings of spontaneous activity in three different brain regions to study the functional connectivity in the BLA-NAC-PFC-vHC network of the lightly anesthetized mouse in vivo. We show that BLA, NAC, PFC and vHC are functionally connected in distinct frequency bands and determined the influence of a third brain region on this connectivity. In addition to describing mutual synchronicity, we determined the strength of functional connectivity for each region in the BLA-NAC-PFC-vHC network. We find a region-specificity in the strength of feedforward and feedback connections for each region in its interaction with other areas in the network. Our results provide insights into functional and directed connectivity in the cortico-limbic network of adult wild-type mice, which may be helpful to further elucidate the pathophysiological changes of this network in psychiatric disorders and to develop target-specific therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeinab Khastkhodaei
- Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Muthuraman Muthuraman
- Section of Movement Disorders and Neurostimulation, Biomedical Statistics and MULTIMODAL Signal Processing Unit, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jenq-Wei Yang
- Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Sergiu Groppa
- Section of Movement Disorders and Neurostimulation, Biomedical Statistics and MULTIMODAL Signal Processing Unit, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Heiko J Luhmann
- Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany.
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44
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Ferraris M, Cassel JC, Pereira de Vasconcelos A, Stephan A, Quilichini PP. The nucleus reuniens, a thalamic relay for cortico-hippocampal interaction in recent and remote memory consolidation. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 125:339-354. [PMID: 33631314 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.02.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The consolidation of declarative memories is believed to occur mostly during sleep and involves a dialogue between two brain regions, the hippocampus and the medial prefrontal cortex. The information encoded during experience by neuronal assemblies is replayed during sleep leading to the progressive strengthening and integration of the memory trace in the prefrontal cortex. The gradual transfer of information from the hippocampus to the medial prefrontal cortex for long-term storage requires the synchronization of cortico-hippocampal networks by different oscillations, like ripples, spindles, and slow oscillations. Recent studies suggest the involvement of a third partner, the nucleus reuniens, in memory consolidation. Its bidirectional connections with the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex place the reuniens in a key position to relay information between the two structures. Indeed, many topical works reveal the original role that the nucleus reuniens occupies in different recent and remote memories consolidation. This review aimed to examine these contributions, as well as its functional embedment in this complex memory network, and provide some insights on the possible mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maëva Ferraris
- Aix Marseille Univ, INSERM, INS, Inst Neurosci Syst, Marseille, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Cassel
- Laboratoire De Neurosciences Cognitives Et Adaptatives, Université De Strasbourg, F-67000, Strasbourg, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Anne Pereira de Vasconcelos
- Laboratoire De Neurosciences Cognitives Et Adaptatives, Université De Strasbourg, F-67000, Strasbourg, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Aline Stephan
- Laboratoire De Neurosciences Cognitives Et Adaptatives, Université De Strasbourg, F-67000, Strasbourg, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
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45
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Wang J, John Y, Barbas H. Pathways for Contextual Memory: The Primate Hippocampal Pathway to Anterior Cingulate Cortex. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:1807-1826. [PMID: 33207365 PMCID: PMC7869091 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is one of the few prefrontal areas that receives robust direct hippocampal terminations. This pathway may enable current context and past experience to influence goal-directed actions and emotional regulation by prefrontal cortices. We investigated the still ill-understood organization of the pathway from anterior hippocampus to ACC (A24a, A25, A32) to identify laminar termination patterns and their postsynaptic excitatory and inhibitory targets from system to synapse in rhesus monkeys. The densest hippocampal terminations targeted posterior A25, a region that is involved in affective and autonomic regulation. Hippocampal terminations innervated mostly excitatory neurons (~90%), suggesting strong excitatory effects. Among the smaller fraction of inhibitory targets, hippocampal terminations in A25 preferentially innervated calretinin neurons, a pattern that differs markedly from rodents. Further, hippocampal terminations innervated spines with D1 receptors, particularly in the deep layers of A25, where D1 receptors are enriched in comparison with the upper layers. The proximity of hippocampal terminations to D1 receptors may enable dopamine to enhance information transfer from the hippocampus to A25 and contribute to dopaminergic influence downstream on goal-directed action and emotional control by prefrontal cortices, in processes that may be disrupted by excessive dopamine release during uncontrollable stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyi Wang
- Department of Health Sciences, Neural Systems Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Yohan John
- Department of Health Sciences, Neural Systems Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Helen Barbas
- Department of Health Sciences, Neural Systems Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University and School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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46
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Qin C, Bian XL, Wu HY, Xian JY, Cai CY, Lin YH, Zhou Y, Kou XL, Chang L, Luo CX, Zhu DY. Dorsal Hippocampus to Infralimbic Cortex Circuit is Essential for the Recall of Extinction Memory. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:1707-1718. [PMID: 33188393 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder subjects usually show impaired recall of extinction memory, leading to extinguished fear relapses. However, little is known about the neural mechanisms underlying the impaired recall of extinction memory. We show here that the activity of dorsal hippocampus (dHPC) to infralimbic (IL) cortex circuit is essential for the recall of fear extinction memory in male mice. There were functional neural projections from the dHPC to IL. Using optogenetic manipulations, we observed that silencing the activity of dHPC-IL circuit inhibited recall of extinction memory while stimulating the activity of dHPC-IL circuit facilitated recall of extinction memory. "Impairment of extinction consolidation caused by" conditional deletion of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2) in the IL prevented the dHPC-IL circuit-mediated recall of extinction memory. Moreover, silencing the dHPC-IL circuit abolished the effect of intra-IL microinjection of ERK enhancer on the recall of extinction memory. Together, we identify a dHPC to IL circuit that mediates the recall of extinction memory, and our data suggest that the dysfunction of dHPC-IL circuit and/or impaired extinction consolidation may contribute to extinguished fear relapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Qin
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Xin-Lan Bian
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Hai-Yin Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Jia-Yun Xian
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Cheng-Yun Cai
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Yu-Hui Lin
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Ying Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Xiao-Lin Kou
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Lei Chang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Chun-Xia Luo
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
- Department of Pharmacology, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Dong-Ya Zhu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
- Institution of Stem Cells and Neuroregeneration, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
- Department of Pharmacology, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangzhou 510000, China
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Anastasiades PG, Collins DP, Carter AG. Mediodorsal and Ventromedial Thalamus Engage Distinct L1 Circuits in the Prefrontal Cortex. Neuron 2021; 109:314-330.e4. [PMID: 33188733 PMCID: PMC7855187 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.10.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Interactions between the thalamus and prefrontal cortex (PFC) play a critical role in cognitive function and arousal. Here, we use anatomical tracing, electrophysiology, optogenetics, and 2-photon Ca2+ imaging to determine how ventromedial (VM) and mediodorsal (MD) thalamus target specific cell types and subcellular compartments in layer 1 (L1) of mouse PFC. We find thalamic inputs make distinct connections in L1, where VM engages neuron-derived neurotrophic factor (NDNF+) cells in L1a and MD drives vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP+) cells in L1b. These separate populations of L1 interneurons participate in different inhibitory networks in superficial layers by targeting either parvalbumin (PV+) or somatostatin (SOM+) interneurons. NDNF+ cells also inhibit the apical dendrites of L5 pyramidal tract (PT) cells to suppress action potential (AP)-evoked Ca2+ signals. Lastly, NDNF+ cells mediate a unique form of thalamus-evoked inhibition at PT cells, selectively blocking VM-evoked dendritic Ca2+ spikes. Together, our findings reveal how two thalamic nuclei differentially communicate with the PFC through distinct L1 micro-circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul G Anastasiades
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - David P Collins
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Adam G Carter
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003, USA.
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48
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Papp M, Gruca P, Lason M, Litwa E, Solecki W, Willner P. AMPA receptors mediate the pro-cognitive effects of electrical and optogenetic stimulation of the medial prefrontal cortex in antidepressant non-responsive Wistar-Kyoto rats. J Psychopharmacol 2020; 34:1418-1430. [PMID: 33200659 PMCID: PMC7708672 DOI: 10.1177/0269881120967857] [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] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The chronic mild stress (CMS) procedure is a widely used animal model of depression, and its application in Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats has been validated as a model of antidepressant-refractory depression. While not responding to chronic treatment with antidepressant drugs, WKY rats do respond to acute deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). In antidepressant-responsive strains there is evidence suggesting a role for AMPA subtype of glutamate receptor in the action mechanism of both antidepressants and DBS. METHODS Animals were subjected to CMS for 6 to 8 weeks; sucrose intake was monitored weekly and novel object recognition (NOR) test was conducted following recovery from CMS. Wistars were treated chronically with venlafaxine (VEN), while WKY were treated acutely with either DBS, optogenetic stimulation (OGS) of virally-transduced (AAV5-hSyn-ChR2-EYFP) mPFC or ventral hippocampus, or acute intra-mPFC injection of the AMPA receptor positive allosteric modulator CX-516. The AMPA receptor antagonist NBQX was administered, at identical sites in mPFC, immediately following the exposure trial in the NOR. RESULTS Sucrose intake and NOR were suppressed by CMS, and restored by VEN in Wistars and by DBS, OGS, or CX-516 in WKY. However, OGS of the ventral hippocampal afferents to mPFC was ineffective. A low dose of NBQX selectively blocked the procognitive effect of VEN, DBS and OGS. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that activation of AMPA receptors in the mPFC represents a common pathway for the antidepressant effects of both conventional (VEN) and novel (DBS, OGS) antidepressant modalities, in both antidepressant responsive (Wistar) and antidepressant-resistant (WKY) rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariusz Papp
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland,Mariusz Papp, Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smetna Street, Krakow, 31-343, Poland.
| | - Piotr Gruca
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Magdalena Lason
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Ewa Litwa
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Wojciech Solecki
- Department of Neurobiology and Neuropsychology, Institute of Applied Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Paul Willner
- Department of Psychology, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
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Mechanisms associated with the antidepressant-like effects of L-655,708. Neuropsychopharmacology 2020; 45:2289-2298. [PMID: 32688367 PMCID: PMC7785005 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-0772-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Previous research has demonstrated that selective modulation of hippocampal transmission by systemic administration of an α5-GABAA receptor negative allosteric modulator, L-655,708, reproduces the sustained antidepressant-like (AD-like) effect of R,S-ketamine in the absence of any psychotomimetic or abuse-related effects. Pharmacological, electrophysiological (whole-cell patch clamp), and behavioral approaches were used to examine the mechanisms by which L-655,708 produces plasticity within the hippocampus that accounts for its sustained AD-like effect in rats. Inhibitors of either transcription or translation prevented the sustained AD-like effect of L-655,708. Unlike R,S-ketamine, L-655,708 did not cause an increase in the phosphorylation of the receptor for BDNF, TrkB, in the ventral hippocampus (vHipp) 30 or 60 min after its administration nor did administration of the TrkB inhibitor, K252a, directly into the vHipp, block the sustained AD-like effect of L-655,708. Similar to previous results with R,S-ketamine, administration of L-655,709 increased levels of GluA1 in the mPFC and, blockade of such receptors by direct administration of NBQX into the mPFC blocked the sustained AD-like effect of L-655,708. Patch-clamp recordings of ventral CA1 pyramidal cells 24 h after a single systemic administration of L-655,708 revealed a significant increase in input resistance, which resulted in an approximately two-fold increase in action potential frequency. These experiments indicate that the sustained AD-like effects of L-655,708 require protein synthesis and plasticity of GluA1 glutamate receptors in the mPFC. The drug also caused changes in GABAA receptor gating properties in the vHipp with resultant changes in ventral CA1 that indirectly increases neuronal excitability. Such effects likely contribute to its sustained AD-like activity.
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50
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Canetta S, Teboul E, Holt E, Bolkan SS, Padilla-Coreano N, Gordon JA, Harrison NL, Kellendonk C. Differential Synaptic Dynamics and Circuit Connectivity of Hippocampal and Thalamic Inputs to the Prefrontal Cortex. Cereb Cortex Commun 2020; 1:tgaa084. [PMID: 33381761 PMCID: PMC7750130 DOI: 10.1093/texcom/tgaa084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) integrates inputs from multiple subcortical regions including the mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus (MD) and the ventral hippocampus (vHPC). How the mPFC differentially processes these inputs is not known. One possibility is that these two inputs target discreet populations of mPFC cells. Alternatively, individual prefrontal cells could receive convergent inputs but distinguish between both inputs based on synaptic differences, such as communication frequency. To address this, we utilized a dual wavelength optogenetic approach to stimulate MD and vHPC inputs onto single, genetically defined mPFC neuronal subtypes. Specifically, we compared the convergence and synaptic dynamics of both inputs onto mPFC pyramidal cells, and parvalbumin (PV)- and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-expressing interneurons. We found that all individual pyramidal neurons in layer 2/3 of the mPFC receive convergent input from both MD and vHPC. In contrast, PV neurons receive input biased from the MD, while VIP cells receive input biased from the vHPC. Independent of the target, MD inputs transferred information more reliably at higher frequencies (20 Hz) than vHPC inputs. Thus, MD and vHPC projections converge functionally onto mPFC pyramidal cells, but both inputs are distinguished by frequency-dependent synaptic dynamics and preferential engagement of discreet interneuron populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Canetta
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.,Division of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Eric Teboul
- Division of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Emma Holt
- Division of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Scott S Bolkan
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.,Division of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA.,Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Nancy Padilla-Coreano
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.,Division of Integrative Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA.,Department of Systems Neuroscience, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Joshua A Gordon
- National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Neil L Harrison
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.,Department of Anesthesiology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Christoph Kellendonk
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.,Division of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA.,Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
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