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Noftz WA, Echols EE, Beebe NL, Mellott JG, Schofield BR. Differential cholinergic innervation of lemniscal versus non-lemniscal regions of the inferior colliculus. J Chem Neuroanat 2024; 139:102443. [PMID: 38914378 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2024.102443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
The inferior colliculus (IC), a midbrain hub for integration of auditory information, receives dense cholinergic input that could modulate nearly all aspects of hearing. A key step in understanding cholinergic modulation is to identify the source(s) and termination patterns of cholinergic input. These issues have not been addressed for the IC in mice, an increasingly important model for study of hearing. We examined cholinergic inputs to the IC in adult male and female mice. We used retrograde tracing and immunochemistry to identify three sources of cholinergic innervation of the mouse IC: the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPT), the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDT) and the lateral paragigantocellular nucleus (LPGi). We then used Cre-dependent labeling of cholinergic neurons in normal-hearing ChAT-Cre mice to selectively label the cholinergic projections to the IC from each of the cholinergic sources. Labeling of cholinergic projections from the PPT and LDT revealed cholinergic axons and boutons terminating throughout the IC, with the ipsilateral projection being denser. Electron microscopic examination showed that these cholinergic axons can form traditional synaptic junctions with IC neurons. In separate experiments, selective labeling of cholinergic projections from the LPGi revealed bilateral projections to the IC. The LPGi axons exhibited relatively equal densities on ipsilateral and contralateral sides, but on both sides the terminations were largely restricted to the non-lemniscal regions of the IC (i.e., the dorsal cortex, lateral cortex and intercollicular tegmentum). We conclude first that cholinergic axons can form traditional synapses in the IC. In addition, lemniscal and non-lemniscal regions of the IC receive different patterns of cholinergic innervation. The lemniscal IC (IC central nucleus) is innervated by cholinergic neurons in the PPT and the LDT whereas the non-lemniscal "shell" areas of the IC are innervated by the PPT and LDT and by cholinergic neurons in the LPGi. DATA AVAILABILITY: Data will be made available on request.
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Affiliation(s)
- William A Noftz
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University Hospitals Hearing Research Center at NEOMED, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH 44272, USA
| | - Emily E Echols
- Department of Biology, University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA
| | - Nichole L Beebe
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University Hospitals Hearing Research Center at NEOMED, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH 44272, USA
| | - Jeffrey G Mellott
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University Hospitals Hearing Research Center at NEOMED, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH 44272, USA
| | - Brett R Schofield
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University Hospitals Hearing Research Center at NEOMED, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH 44272, USA.
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2
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Nuiten SA, de Gee JW, Zantvoord JB, Fahrenfort JJ, van Gaal S. Pharmacological Elevation of Catecholamine Levels Improves Perceptual Decisions, But Not Metacognitive Insight. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0019-24.2024. [PMID: 39029953 PMCID: PMC11287790 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0019-24.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Perceptual decisions are often accompanied by a feeling of decision confidence. Where the parietal cortex is known for its crucial role in shaping such perceptual decisions, metacognitive evaluations are thought to additionally rely on the (pre)frontal cortex. Because of this supposed neural differentiation between these processes, perceptual and metacognitive decisions may be divergently affected by changes in internal (e.g., attention, arousal) and external (e.g., task and environmental demands) factors. Although intriguing, causal evidence for this hypothesis remains scarce. Here, we investigated the causal effect of two neuromodulatory systems on behavioral and neural measures of perceptual and metacognitive decision-making. Specifically, we pharmacologically elevated levels of catecholamines (with atomoxetine) and acetylcholine (with donepezil) in healthy adult human participants performing a visual discrimination task in which we gauged decision confidence, while electroencephalography was measured. Where cholinergic effects were not robust, catecholaminergic enhancement improved perceptual sensitivity, while at the same time leaving metacognitive sensitivity unaffected. Neurally, catecholaminergic elevation did not affect sensory representations of task-relevant visual stimuli but instead enhanced well-known decision signals measured over the centroparietal cortex, reflecting the accumulation of sensory evidence over time. Crucially, catecholaminergic enhancement concurrently impoverished neural markers measured over the frontal cortex linked to the formation of metacognitive evaluations. Enhanced catecholaminergic neuromodulation thus improves perceptual but not metacognitive decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stijn A Nuiten
- Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Brain & Cognition, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry (UPK), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jan Willem de Gee
- Amsterdam Brain & Cognition, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jasper B Zantvoord
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC location AMC, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Johannes J Fahrenfort
- Institute for Brain and Behavior Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Experimental and Applied Psychology - Cognitive Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Simon van Gaal
- Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Brain & Cognition, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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3
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Zaborszky L, Varsanyi P, Alloway K, Chavez C, Gielow M, Gombkoto P, Kondo H, Nadasdy Z. Functional architecture of the forebrain cholinergic system in rodents. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4504727. [PMID: 38947053 PMCID: PMC11213185 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4504727/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
The basal forebrain cholinergic system (BFCS) participates in functions that are global across the brain, such as sleep-wake cycles, but also participates in capacities that are more behaviorally and anatomically specific, including sensory perception. To better understand the underlying organization principles of the BFCS, more and higher quality anatomical data and analysis is needed. Here, we created a "virtual Basal Forebrain", combining data from numerous rats with cortical retrograde tracer injections into a common 3D reference coordinate space and developed a "spatial density correlation" methodology to analyze patterns in BFCS cortical projection targets, revealing that the BFCS is organized into three principal networks: somatosensory-motor, auditory, and visual. Within each network, clusters of cholinergic cells with increasing complexity innervate cortical targets. These networks represent hierarchically organized building blocks that may enable the BFCS to coordinate spatially selective signaling, including parallel modulation of multiple functionally interconnected yet diverse groups of cortical areas.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Peter Gombkoto
- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH Zurich)
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4
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Jedrasiak-Cape I, Rybicki-Kler C, Brooks I, Ghosh M, Brennan EK, Kailasa S, Ekins TG, Rupp A, Ahmed OJ. Cell-type-specific cholinergic control of granular retrosplenial cortex with implications for angular velocity coding across brain states. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.04.597341. [PMID: 38895393 PMCID: PMC11185600 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.04.597341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Cholinergic receptor activation enables the persistent firing of cortical pyramidal neurons, providing a key cellular basis for theories of spatial navigation involving working memory, path integration, and head direction encoding. The granular retrosplenial cortex (RSG) is important for spatially-guided behaviors, but how acetylcholine impacts RSG neurons is unknown. Here, we show that a transcriptomically, morphologically, and biophysically distinct RSG cell-type - the low-rheobase (LR) neuron - has a very distinct expression profile of cholinergic muscarinic receptors compared to all other neighboring excitatory neuronal subtypes. LR neurons do not fire persistently in response to cholinergic agonists, in stark contrast to all other principal neuronal subtypes examined within the RSG and across midline cortex. This lack of persistence allows LR neuron models to rapidly compute angular head velocity (AHV), independent of cholinergic changes seen during navigation. Thus, LR neurons can consistently compute AHV across brain states, highlighting the specialized RSG neural codes supporting navigation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chloe Rybicki-Kler
- Dept. of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Isla Brooks
- Dept. of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Megha Ghosh
- Dept. of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Ellen K.W. Brennan
- Dept. of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Sameer Kailasa
- Dept. of Mathematics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Tyler G. Ekins
- Dept. of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Alan Rupp
- Dept. of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Omar J. Ahmed
- Dept. of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
- Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
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5
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Özçete ÖD, Banerjee A, Kaeser PS. Mechanisms of neuromodulatory volume transmission. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02608-3. [PMID: 38789677 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02608-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
A wealth of neuromodulatory transmitters regulate synaptic circuits in the brain. Their mode of signaling, often called volume transmission, differs from classical synaptic transmission in important ways. In synaptic transmission, vesicles rapidly fuse in response to action potentials and release their transmitter content. The transmitters are then sensed by nearby receptors on select target cells with minimal delay. Signal transmission is restricted to synaptic contacts and typically occurs within ~1 ms. Volume transmission doesn't rely on synaptic contact sites and is the main mode of monoamines and neuropeptides, important neuromodulators in the brain. It is less precise than synaptic transmission, and the underlying molecular mechanisms and spatiotemporal scales are often not well understood. Here, we review literature on mechanisms of volume transmission and raise scientific questions that should be addressed in the years ahead. We define five domains by which volume transmission systems can differ from synaptic transmission and from one another. These domains are (1) innervation patterns and firing properties, (2) transmitter synthesis and loading into different types of vesicles, (3) architecture and distribution of release sites, (4) transmitter diffusion, degradation, and reuptake, and (5) receptor types and their positioning on target cells. We discuss these five domains for dopamine, a well-studied monoamine, and then compare the literature on dopamine with that on norepinephrine and serotonin. We include assessments of neuropeptide signaling and of central acetylcholine transmission. Through this review, we provide a molecular and cellular framework for volume transmission. This mechanistic knowledge is essential to define how neuromodulatory systems control behavior in health and disease and to understand how they are modulated by medical treatments and by drugs of abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Özge D Özçete
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Aditi Banerjee
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Pascal S Kaeser
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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6
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Chakraborty S, Lee SK, Arnold SM, Haast RAM, Khan AR, Schmitz TW. Focal acetylcholinergic modulation of the human midcingulo-insular network during attention: Meta-analytic neuroimaging and behavioral evidence. J Neurochem 2024; 168:397-413. [PMID: 37864501 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15990] [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: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
The basal forebrain cholinergic neurons provide acetylcholine to the cortex via large projections. Recent molecular imaging work in humans indicates that the cortical cholinergic innervation is not uniformly distributed, but rather may disproportionately innervate cortical areas relevant to supervisory attention. In this study, we therefore reexamined the spatial relationship between acetylcholinergic modulation and attention in the human cortex using meta-analytic strategies targeting both pharmacological and non-pharmacological neuroimaging studies. We found that pharmaco-modulation of acetylcholine evoked both increased activity in the anterior cingulate and decreased activity in the opercular and insular cortex. In large independent meta-analyses of non-pharmacological neuroimaging research, we demonstrate that during attentional engagement these cortical areas exhibit (1) task-related co-activation with the basal forebrain, (2) task-related co-activation with one another, and (3) spatial overlap with dense cholinergic innervations originating from the basal forebrain, as estimated by multimodal positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Finally, we provide meta-analytic evidence that pharmaco-modulation of acetylcholine also induces a speeding of responses to targets with no apparent tradeoff in accuracy. In sum, we demonstrate in humans that acetylcholinergic modulation of midcingulo-insular hubs of the ventral attention/salience network via basal forebrain afferents may coordinate selection of task relevant information, thereby facilitating cognition and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudesna Chakraborty
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Western Institute for Neuroscience, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sun Kyun Lee
- Western Institute for Neuroscience, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sarah M Arnold
- Western Institute for Neuroscience, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Roy A M Haast
- Western Institute for Neuroscience, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- CRMBM, CNRS UMR 7339, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Ali R Khan
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Western Institute for Neuroscience, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Taylor W Schmitz
- Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Western Institute for Neuroscience, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada
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7
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McDonald AJ. Functional neuroanatomy of basal forebrain projections to the basolateral amygdala: Transmitters, receptors, and neuronal subpopulations. J Neurosci Res 2024; 102:e25318. [PMID: 38491847 PMCID: PMC10948038 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25318] [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: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
The projections of the basal forebrain (BF) to the hippocampus and neocortex have been extensively studied and shown to be important for higher cognitive functions, including attention, learning, and memory. Much less is known about the BF projections to the basolateral nuclear complex of the amygdala (BNC), although the cholinergic innervation of this region by the BF is actually far more robust than that of cortical areas. This review will focus on light and electron microscopic tract-tracing and immunohistochemical (IHC) studies, many of which were published in the last decade, that have analyzed the relationship of BF inputs and their receptors to specific neuronal subtypes in the BNC in order to better understand the anatomical substrates of BF-BNC circuitry. The results indicate that BF inputs to the BNC mainly target the basolateral nucleus of the BNC (BL) and arise from cholinergic, GABAergic, and perhaps glutamatergic BF neurons. Cholinergic inputs mainly target dendrites and spines of pyramidal neurons (PNs) that express muscarinic receptors (MRs). MRs are also expressed by cholinergic axons, as well as cortical and thalamic axons that synapse with PN dendrites and spines. BF GABAergic axons to the BL also express MRs and mainly target BL interneurons that contain parvalbumin. It is suggested that BF-BL circuitry could be very important for generating rhythmic oscillations known to be critical for emotional learning. BF cholinergic inputs to the BNC might also contribute to memory formation by activating M1 receptors located on PN dendritic shafts and spines that also express NMDA receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Joseph McDonald
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
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Abraham MN, Nedeljkovic-Kurepa A, Fernandes TD, Yaipen O, Brewer MR, Leisman DE, Taylor MD, Deutschman CS. M1 cholinergic signaling in the brain modulates cytokine levels and splenic cell sub-phenotypes following cecal ligation and puncture. Mol Med 2024; 30:22. [PMID: 38317082 PMCID: PMC10845657 DOI: 10.1186/s10020-024-00787-x] [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: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The contribution of the central nervous system to sepsis pathobiology is incompletely understood. In previous studies, administration of endotoxin to mice decreased activity of the vagus anti-inflammatory reflex. Treatment with the centrally-acting M1 muscarinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptor (M1AChR) attenuated this endotoxin-mediated change. We hypothesize that decreased M1AChR-mediated activity contributes to inflammation following cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), a mouse model of sepsis. METHODS In male C57Bl/6 mice, we quantified basal forebrain cholinergic activity (immunostaining), hippocampal neuronal activity, serum cytokine/chemokine levels (ELISA) and splenic cell subtypes (flow cytometry) at baseline, following CLP and following CLP in mice also treated with the M1AChR agonist xanomeline. RESULTS At 48 h. post-CLP, activity in basal forebrain cells expressing choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) was half of that observed at baseline. Lower activity was also noted in the hippocampus, which contains projections from ChAT-expressing basal forebrain neurons. Serum levels of TNFα, IL-1β, MIP-1α, IL-6, KC and G-CSF were higher post-CLP than at baseline. Post-CLP numbers of splenic macrophages and inflammatory monocytes, TNFα+ and ILβ+ neutrophils and ILβ+ monocytes were higher than baseline while numbers of central Dendritic Cells (cDCs), CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were lower. When, following CLP, mice were treated with xanomeline activity in basal forebrain ChAT-expressing neurons and in the hippocampus was significantly higher than in untreated animals. Post-CLP serum concentrations of TNFα, IL-1β, and MIP-1α, but not of IL-6, KC and G-CSF, were significantly lower in xanomeline-treated mice than in untreated mice. Post-CLP numbers of splenic neutrophils, macrophages, inflammatory monocytes and TNFα+ neutrophils also were lower in xanomeline-treated mice than in untreated animals. Percentages of IL-1β+ neutrophils, IL-1β+ monocytes, cDCs, CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells were similar in xanomeline-treated and untreated post-CLP mice. CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that M1AChR-mediated responses modulate CLP-induced alterations in serum levels of some, but not all, cytokines/chemokines and affected splenic immune response phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mabel N Abraham
- Department of Pediatrics, Cohen Children's Medical Center, Northwell Health, New Hyde Park, New York, USA
- Sepsis Research Laboratories, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Room 3140, 350 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY, 11030, USA
| | - Ana Nedeljkovic-Kurepa
- Department of Pediatrics, Cohen Children's Medical Center, Northwell Health, New Hyde Park, New York, USA
- Sepsis Research Laboratories, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Room 3140, 350 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY, 11030, USA
| | - Tiago D Fernandes
- Department of Pediatrics, Cohen Children's Medical Center, Northwell Health, New Hyde Park, New York, USA
- Sepsis Research Laboratories, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Room 3140, 350 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY, 11030, USA
| | - Omar Yaipen
- Department of Pediatrics, Cohen Children's Medical Center, Northwell Health, New Hyde Park, New York, USA
- Sepsis Research Laboratories, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Room 3140, 350 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY, 11030, USA
| | - Mariana R Brewer
- Department of Pediatrics, Cohen Children's Medical Center, Northwell Health, New Hyde Park, New York, USA
- Sepsis Research Laboratories, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Room 3140, 350 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY, 11030, USA
- Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA
| | - Daniel E Leisman
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
| | - Matthew D Taylor
- Department of Pediatrics, Cohen Children's Medical Center, Northwell Health, New Hyde Park, New York, USA
- Sepsis Research Laboratories, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Room 3140, 350 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY, 11030, USA
- Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA
| | - Clifford S Deutschman
- Department of Pediatrics, Cohen Children's Medical Center, Northwell Health, New Hyde Park, New York, USA.
- Sepsis Research Laboratories, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Room 3140, 350 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY, 11030, USA.
- Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA.
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Neyhart E, Zhou N, Munn BR, Law RG, Smith C, Mridha ZH, Blanco FA, Li G, Li Y, McGinley MJ, Shine JM, Reimer J. Cortical acetylcholine dynamics are predicted by cholinergic axon activity and behavior state. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.11.14.567116. [PMID: 38352527 PMCID: PMC10862699 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.14.567116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
Even under spontaneous conditions and in the absence of changing environmental demands, awake animals alternate between increased or decreased periods of alertness. These changes in brain state can occur rapidly, on a timescale of seconds, and neuromodulators such as acetylcholine (ACh) are thought to play an important role in driving these spontaneous state transitions. Here, we perform the first simultaneous imaging of ACh sensors and GCaMP-expressing axons in vivo, to examine the spatiotemporal properties of cortical ACh activity and release during spontaneous changes in behavioral state. We observed a high correlation between simultaneously recorded basal forebrain axon activity and neuromodulator sensor fluorescence around periods of locomotion and pupil dilation. Consistent with volume transmission of ACh, increases in axon activity were accompanied by increases in local ACh levels that fell off with the distance from the nearest axon. GRAB-ACh fluorescence could be accurately predicted from axonal activity alone, providing the first validation that neuromodulator axon activity is a reliable proxy for nearby neuromodulator levels. Deconvolution of fluorescence traces allowed us to account for the kinetics of the GRAB-ACh sensor and emphasized the rapid clearance of ACh for smaller transients outside of running periods. Finally, we trained a predictive model of ACh fluctuations from the combination of pupil size and running speed; this model performed better than using either variable alone, and generalized well to unseen data. Overall, these results contribute to a growing understanding of the precise timing and spatial characteristics of cortical ACh during fast brain state transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Neyhart
- Neuroscience Department, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Na Zhou
- Neuroscience Department, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Brandon R Munn
- Brain and Mind Centre, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Australia
- Complex Systems Group, School of Physics, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Australia
| | - Robert G Law
- Neuroscience Department, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Cameron Smith
- Neuroscience Department, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Zakir H Mridha
- Neuroscience Department, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Francisco A Blanco
- Neuroscience Department, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Guochuan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yulong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Matthew J McGinley
- Neuroscience Department, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - James M Shine
- Brain and Mind Centre, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Australia
- Complex Systems Group, School of Physics, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Australia
| | - Jacob Reimer
- Neuroscience Department, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
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10
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Huang S, Wu SJ, Sansone G, Ibrahim LA, Fishell G. Layer 1 neocortex: Gating and integrating multidimensional signals. Neuron 2024; 112:184-200. [PMID: 37913772 PMCID: PMC11180419 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.09.041] [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: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Layer 1 (L1) of the neocortex acts as a nexus for the collection and processing of widespread information. By integrating ascending inputs with extensive top-down activity, this layer likely provides critical information regulating how the perception of sensory inputs is reconciled with expectation. This is accomplished by sorting, directing, and integrating the complex network of excitatory inputs that converge onto L1. These signals are combined with neuromodulatory afferents and gated by the wealth of inhibitory interneurons that either are embedded within L1 or send axons from other cortical layers. Together, these interactions dynamically calibrate information flow throughout the neocortex. This review will primarily focus on L1 within the primary sensory cortex and will use these insights to understand L1 in other cortical areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuhan Huang
- Harvard Medical School, Blavatnik Institute, Department of Neurobiology, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Sherry Jingjing Wu
- Harvard Medical School, Blavatnik Institute, Department of Neurobiology, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Giulia Sansone
- Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Leena Ali Ibrahim
- Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
| | - Gord Fishell
- Harvard Medical School, Blavatnik Institute, Department of Neurobiology, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
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11
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Yang Y, Booth V, Zochowski M. Acetylcholine facilitates localized synaptic potentiation and location specific feature binding. Front Neural Circuits 2023; 17:1239096. [PMID: 38033788 PMCID: PMC10684311 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2023.1239096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Forebrain acetylcholine (ACh) signaling has been shown to drive attention and learning. Recent experimental evidence of spatially and temporally constrained cholinergic signaling has sparked interest to investigate how it facilitates stimulus-induced learning. We use biophysical excitatory-inhibitory (E-I) multi-module neural network models to show that external stimuli and ACh signaling can mediate spatially constrained synaptic potentiation patterns. The effects of ACh on neural excitability are simulated by varying the conductance of a muscarinic receptor-regulated hyperpolarizing slow K+ current (m-current). Each network module consists of an E-I network with local excitatory connectivity and global inhibitory connectivity. The modules are interconnected with plastic excitatory synaptic connections, that change via a spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) rule. Our results indicate that spatially constrained ACh release influences the information flow represented by network dynamics resulting in selective reorganization of inter-module interactions. Moreover the information flow depends on the level of synchrony in the network. For highly synchronous networks, the more excitable module leads firing in the less excitable one resulting in strengthening of the outgoing connections from the former and weakening of its incoming synapses. For networks with more noisy firing patterns, activity in high ACh regions is prone to induce feedback firing of synchronous volleys and thus strengthening of the incoming synapses to the more excitable region and weakening of outgoing synapses. Overall, these results suggest that spatially and directionally specific plasticity patterns, as are presumed necessary for feature binding, can be mediated by spatially constrained ACh release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihao Yang
- Department of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Victoria Booth
- Departments of Mathematics and Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Michal Zochowski
- Department of Physics and Biophysics Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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12
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Sullere S, Kunczt A, McGehee DS. A cholinergic circuit that relieves pain despite opioid tolerance. Neuron 2023; 111:3414-3434.e15. [PMID: 37734381 PMCID: PMC10843525 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.08.017] [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: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Chronic pain is a tremendous burden for afflicted individuals and society. Although opioids effectively relieve pain, significant adverse outcomes limit their utility and efficacy. To investigate alternate pain control mechanisms, we explored cholinergic signaling in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG), a critical nexus for descending pain modulation. Biosensor assays revealed that pain states decreased acetylcholine release in vlPAG. Activation of cholinergic projections from the pedunculopontine tegmentum to vlPAG relieved pain, even in opioid-tolerant conditions, through ⍺7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). Activating ⍺7 nAChRs with agonists or stimulating endogenous acetylcholine inhibited vlPAG neuronal activity through Ca2+ and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPAR⍺)-dependent signaling. In vivo 2-photon imaging revealed that chronic pain induces aberrant excitability of vlPAG neuronal ensembles and that ⍺7 nAChR-mediated inhibition of these cells relieves pain, even after opioid tolerance. Finally, pain relief through these cholinergic mechanisms was not associated with tolerance, reward, or withdrawal symptoms, highlighting its potential clinical relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivang Sullere
- Committee on Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Alissa Kunczt
- Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Daniel S McGehee
- Committee on Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
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13
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Asokan MM, Watanabe Y, Kimchi EY, Polley DB. Potentiation of cholinergic and corticofugal inputs to the lateral amygdala in threat learning. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113167. [PMID: 37742187 PMCID: PMC10879743 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113167] [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: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The amygdala, cholinergic basal forebrain, and higher-order auditory cortex (HO-AC) regulate brain-wide plasticity underlying auditory threat learning. Here, we perform multi-regional extracellular recordings and optical measurements of acetylcholine (ACh) release to characterize the development of discriminative plasticity within and between these brain regions as mice acquire and recall auditory threat memories. Spiking responses are potentiated for sounds paired with shock (CS+) in the lateral amygdala (LA) and optogenetically identified corticoamygdalar projection neurons, although not in neighboring HO-AC units. Spike- or optogenetically triggered local field potentials reveal enhanced corticofugal-but not corticopetal-functional coupling between HO-AC and LA during threat memory recall that is correlated with pupil-indexed memory strength. We also note robust sound-evoked ACh release that rapidly potentiates for the CS+ in LA but habituates across sessions in HO-AC. These findings highlight a distributed and cooperative plasticity in LA inputs as mice learn to reappraise neutral stimuli as possible threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meenakshi M Asokan
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Division of Medical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
| | - Yurika Watanabe
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Eyal Y Kimchi
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Daniel B Polley
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Division of Medical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
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14
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Abraham MN, Nedeljkovic-Kurepa A, Fernandes T, Yaipen O, Brewer MR, Taylor MD, Deutschman C. M1 Cholinergic Signaling Modulates Cytokine Levels and Splenocyte Sub-Phenotypes Following Cecal Ligation and Puncture. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3353062. [PMID: 37886474 PMCID: PMC10602092 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3353062/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Background The contribution of the central nervous system to sepsis pathobiology is incompletely understood. In previous studies, administration of endotoxin to mice decreased activity of the vagus anti-inflammatory reflex. Treatment with the centrally-acting M1/M4 muscarinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptor (M1/M4AChR) attenuated this endotoxin-mediated change. We hypothesize that decreased M1/M4AChR-mediated activity contributes to inflammation following cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), a mouse model of sepsis. Methods Basal forebrain cholinergic activity (immunostaining), serum cytokine/chemokine levels (ELISA) and splenocyte subtypes (flow cytometry) were examined at baseline and following CLP in male C57BL/6 male mice. Rersults At 48hrs. post-CLP, activity in basal forebrain cells expressing choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) was half of that observed at baseline. Lower activity was also noted in the hippocampus, which contains projections from ChAT-expressing basal forebrain neurons. Serum levels of TNFα, IL-1β, MIP-1α, IL-6, KC and G-CSF were higher post-CLP than at baseline. Post-CLP numbers of splenic macrophages and inflammatory monocytes, TNFa+ and ILb+ neutrophils and ILb+ monocytes were higher than baseline while numbers of central Dendritic Cells (cDCs), CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were lower. When, following CLP, mice were treated with xanomeline, a central-acting M1AChR agonist, activity in basal forebrain ChAT-expressing neurons and in the hippocampus was significantly higher than in untreated animals. Post-CLP serum concentrations of TNFα, IL-1β, and MIP-1α, but not of IL-6, KC and G-CSF, were significantly lower in xanomline-treated mice than in untreated mice. Post-CLP numbers of splenic neutrophils, macrophages, inflammatory monocytes and TNFα+ neutrophils also were lower in xanomeline-treated mice than in untreated animals. The effects of CLP on percentages of IL-1β+ neutrophils, IL-1β+ monocytes, cDCs, CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells were similar in xanomeline - treated and untreated post-CLP mice. Conclusion Our findings indicate that M1/M4AChR-mediated responses modulate CLP-induced alterations in the distribution of some, but not all, leukocyte phenotypes and certain cytokines and chemokines.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Omar Yaipen
- Northwell Health Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research
| | | | | | - Clifford Deutschman
- Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine at Hofstra University: Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell
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15
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Dávila G, Torres-Prioris MJ, López-Barroso D, Berthier ML. Turning the Spotlight to Cholinergic Pharmacotherapy of the Human Language System. CNS Drugs 2023; 37:599-637. [PMID: 37341896 PMCID: PMC10374790 DOI: 10.1007/s40263-023-01017-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
Even though language is essential in human communication, research on pharmacological therapies for language deficits in highly prevalent neurodegenerative and vascular brain diseases has received little attention. Emerging scientific evidence suggests that disruption of the cholinergic system may play an essential role in language deficits associated with Alzheimer's disease and vascular cognitive impairment, including post-stroke aphasia. Therefore, current models of cognitive processing are beginning to appraise the implications of the brain modulator acetylcholine in human language functions. Future work should be directed further to analyze the interplay between the cholinergic system and language, focusing on identifying brain regions receiving cholinergic innervation susceptible to modulation with pharmacotherapy to improve affected language domains. The evaluation of language deficits in pharmacological cholinergic trials for Alzheimer's disease and vascular cognitive impairment has thus far been limited to coarse-grained methods. More precise, fine-grained language testing is needed to refine patient selection for pharmacotherapy to detect subtle deficits in the initial phases of cognitive decline. Additionally, noninvasive biomarkers can help identify cholinergic depletion. However, despite the investigation of cholinergic treatment for language deficits in Alzheimer's disease and vascular cognitive impairment, data on its effectiveness are insufficient and controversial. In the case of post-stroke aphasia, cholinergic agents are showing promise, particularly when combined with speech-language therapy to promote trained-dependent neural plasticity. Future research should explore the potential benefits of cholinergic pharmacotherapy in language deficits and investigate optimal strategies for combining these agents with other therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guadalupe Dávila
- Cognitive Neurology and Aphasia Unit, Centro de Investigaciones Médico-Sanitarias, University of Malaga, Marqués de Beccaria 3, 29010, Malaga, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Malaga-IBIMA, Malaga, Spain
- Department of Psychobiology and Methodology of Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Speech Therapy, University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain
- Language Neuroscience Research Laboratory, Faculty of Psychology and Speech Therapy, University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain
| | - María José Torres-Prioris
- Cognitive Neurology and Aphasia Unit, Centro de Investigaciones Médico-Sanitarias, University of Malaga, Marqués de Beccaria 3, 29010, Malaga, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Malaga-IBIMA, Malaga, Spain
- Department of Psychobiology and Methodology of Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Speech Therapy, University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain
- Language Neuroscience Research Laboratory, Faculty of Psychology and Speech Therapy, University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain
| | - Diana López-Barroso
- Cognitive Neurology and Aphasia Unit, Centro de Investigaciones Médico-Sanitarias, University of Malaga, Marqués de Beccaria 3, 29010, Malaga, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Malaga-IBIMA, Malaga, Spain
- Department of Psychobiology and Methodology of Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Speech Therapy, University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain
- Language Neuroscience Research Laboratory, Faculty of Psychology and Speech Therapy, University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain
| | - Marcelo L Berthier
- Cognitive Neurology and Aphasia Unit, Centro de Investigaciones Médico-Sanitarias, University of Malaga, Marqués de Beccaria 3, 29010, Malaga, Spain.
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Malaga-IBIMA, Malaga, Spain.
- Language Neuroscience Research Laboratory, Faculty of Psychology and Speech Therapy, University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain.
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16
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Berry AS, Harrison TM. New perspectives on the basal forebrain cholinergic system in Alzheimer's disease. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 150:105192. [PMID: 37086935 PMCID: PMC10249144 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/24/2023]
Abstract
The basal forebrain cholinergic system (BFCS) has long been implicated in age-related cognitive changes and the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Limitations of cholinergic interventions helped to inspire a shift away from BFCS in AD research. A resurgence in interest in the BFCS following methodological and analytical advances has resulted in a call for the BFCS to be examined in novel frameworks. We outline the basic structure and function of the BFCS, its role in supporting cognitive and affective function, and its vulnerability to aging and AD. We consider the BFCS in the context of the amyloid hypothesis and evolving concepts in AD research: resilience and resistance to pathology, selective neuronal vulnerability, trans-synaptic pathology spread and sleep health. We highlight 1) the potential role of the BFCS in cognitive resilience, 2) recent work refining understanding about the selective vulnerability of BFCS to AD, 3) BFCS connectivity that suggests it is related to tau spreading and neurodegeneration and 4) the gap between BFCS involvement in AD and sleep-wake cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Theresa M Harrison
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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17
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Orlando IF, Shine JM, Robbins TW, Rowe JB, O'Callaghan C. Noradrenergic and cholinergic systems take centre stage in neuropsychiatric diseases of ageing. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 149:105167. [PMID: 37054802 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
Noradrenergic and cholinergic systems are among the most vulnerable brain systems in neuropsychiatric diseases of ageing, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Lewy body dementia, and progressive supranuclear palsy. As these systems fail, they contribute directly to many of the characteristic cognitive and psychiatric symptoms. However, their contribution to symptoms is not sufficiently understood, and pharmacological interventions targeting noradrenergic and cholinergic systems have met with mixed success. Part of the challenge is the complex neurobiology of these systems, operating across multiple timescales, and with non-linear changes across the adult lifespan and disease course. We address these challenges in a detailed review of the noradrenergic and cholinergic systems, outlining their roles in cognition and behaviour, and how they influence neuropsychiatric symptoms in disease. By bridging across levels of analysis, we highlight opportunities for improving drug therapies and for pursuing personalised medicine strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella F Orlando
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Australia
| | - James M Shine
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Australia
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute and Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
| | - James B Rowe
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, University of Cambridge, CB2 0SZ, United Kingdom
| | - Claire O'Callaghan
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Australia.
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18
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Zhu F, Elnozahy S, Lawlor J, Kuchibhotla KV. The cholinergic basal forebrain provides a parallel channel for state-dependent sensory signaling to auditory cortex. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:810-819. [PMID: 36973512 PMCID: PMC10625791 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01289-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Cholinergic basal forebrain (CBF) signaling exhibits multiple timescales of activity with classic slow signals related to brain and behavioral states and fast, phasic signals reflecting behavioral events, including movement, reinforcement and sensory-evoked responses. However, it remains unknown whether sensory cholinergic signals target the sensory cortex and how they relate to local functional topography. Here we used simultaneous two-channel, two-photon imaging of CBF axons and auditory cortical neurons to reveal that CBF axons send a robust, nonhabituating and stimulus-specific sensory signal to the auditory cortex. Individual axon segments exhibited heterogeneous but stable tuning to auditory stimuli allowing stimulus identity to be decoded from population activity. However, CBF axons displayed no tonotopy and their frequency tuning was uncoupled from that of nearby cortical neurons. Chemogenetic suppression revealed the auditory thalamus as a major source of auditory information to the CBF. Finally, slow fluctuations in cholinergic activity modulated the fast, sensory-evoked signals in the same axons, suggesting that a multiplexed combination of fast and slow signals is projected from the CBF to the auditory cortex. Taken together, our work demonstrates a noncanonical function of the CBF as a parallel channel for state-dependent sensory signaling to the sensory cortex that provides repeated representations of a broad range of sound stimuli at all points on the tonotopic map.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangchen Zhu
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sarah Elnozahy
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jennifer Lawlor
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kishore V Kuchibhotla
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins Medical Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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19
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Zheng J, Zhu H, Zhao Z, Du M, Wang Z, Lan L, Zhang J. Vesicular acetylcholine transporter in the basal forebrain improves cognitive impairment in chronic cerebral hypoperfusion rats by modulating theta oscillations in the hippocampus. Neurosci Lett 2023; 807:137281. [PMID: 37120008 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137281] [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: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Abstract
The cholinergic transmission in the medial septum and ventral limb of the diagonal band of broca (MS/VDB)-hippocampal circuit and its associated theta oscillations play a crucial role in chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH)-related cognitive impairment. However, the contribution and mechanism of the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT), a vital protein that regulates acetylcholine (ACh) release, in CCH-related cognitive impairment are not well understood. To investigate this, we established a rat model of CCH by performing 2-vessel occlusion (2-VO) and overexpressed VAChT in the MS/VDB via stereotaxic injection of adeno-associated virus (AAV). We evaluated the cognitive function of the rats using the Morris Water Maze (MWM) and Novel Object Recognition Test (NOR). We employed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Western blot (WB), and immunohistochemistry (IHC) to assess hippocampal cholinergic levels. We also conducted in vivo local field potentials (LFPs) recording experiments to evaluate changes in hippocampal theta oscillations and synchrony. Our findings showed that VAChT overexpression shortened the escape latency in the hidden platform test, increased swimming time in the platform quadrant in probe trains, and increased the recognition index (RI) in NOR. Moreover, VAChT overexpression increased hippocampal cholinergic levels, improved theta oscillations, and improved the synchrony of theta oscillations between CA1 and CA3 in CCH rats. These results suggest that VAChT plays a protective role in CCH-induced cognitive deficits by regulating cholinergic transmission in the MS/VDB-hippocampal circuit and promoting hippocampal theta oscillations. Therefore, VAChT could be a promising therapeutic target for treating CCH-related cognitive impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Zheng
- Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, No.169, Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071, Hubei, China; Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, No.169, Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Hong Zhu
- Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, No.169, Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071, Hubei, China; Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, No.169, Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Zhenyu Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, No.169, Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071, Hubei, China; Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, No.169, Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Miaoyu Du
- Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, No.169, Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071, Hubei, China; Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, No.169, Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Zhitian Wang
- Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, No.169, Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071, Hubei, China; Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, No.169, Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Liuyi Lan
- Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, No.169, Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071, Hubei, China; Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, No.169, Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Junjian Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, No.169, Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071, Hubei, China; Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, No.169, Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071, Hubei, China.
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20
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Kwapiszewski JT, Rivera-Perez LM, Roberts MT. Cholinergic Boutons are Distributed Along the Dendrites and Somata of VIP Neurons in the Inferior Colliculus. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 2023; 24:181-196. [PMID: 36627519 PMCID: PMC10121979 DOI: 10.1007/s10162-022-00885-9] [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: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Cholinergic signaling shapes sound processing and plasticity in the inferior colliculus (IC), the midbrain hub of the central auditory system, but how cholinergic terminals contact and influence individual neuron types in the IC remains largely unknown. Using pharmacology and electrophysiology, we recently found that acetylcholine strongly excites VIP neurons, a class of glutamatergic principal neurons in the IC, by activating α3β4* nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). Here, we confirm and extend these results using tissue from mice of both sexes. First, we show that mRNA encoding α3 and β4 nAChR subunits is expressed in many neurons throughout the IC, including most VIP neurons, suggesting that these subunits, which are rare in the brain, are important mediators of cholinergic signaling in the IC. Next, by combining fluorescent labeling of VIP neurons and immunofluorescence against the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT), we show that individual VIP neurons in the central nucleus of the IC (ICc) are contacted by a large number of cholinergic boutons. Cholinergic boutons were distributed adjacent to the somata and along the full length of the dendritic arbors of VIP neurons, positioning cholinergic signaling to affect synaptic computations arising throughout the somatodendritic compartments of VIP neurons. In addition, cholinergic boutons were occasionally observed in close apposition to dendritic spines on VIP neurons, raising the possibility that cholinergic signaling also modulates presynaptic release onto VIP neurons. Together, these results strengthen the evidence that cholinergic signaling exerts widespread influence on auditory computations performed by VIP neurons and other neurons in the IC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia T Kwapiszewski
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, MI, Ann Arbor, 48109, USA
| | - Luis M Rivera-Perez
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, MI, Ann Arbor, 48109, USA
| | - Michael T Roberts
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, MI, Ann Arbor, 48109, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Pharmacology, University of Michigan, MI, Ann Arbor, 48109, USA.
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21
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Differential Regulation of Prelimbic and Thalamic Transmission to the Basolateral Amygdala by Acetylcholine Receptors. J Neurosci 2023; 43:722-735. [PMID: 36535767 PMCID: PMC9899087 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2545-21.2022] [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: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The amygdalar anterior basolateral nucleus (BLa) plays a vital role in emotional behaviors. This region receives dense cholinergic projections from basal forebrain which are critical in regulating neuronal activity in BLa. Cholinergic signaling in BLa has also been shown to modulate afferent glutamatergic inputs to this region. However, these studies, which have used cholinergic agonists or prolonged optogenetic stimulation of cholinergic fibers, may not reflect the effect of physiological acetylcholine release in the BLa. To better understand these effects of acetylcholine, we have used electrophysiology and optogenetics in male and female mouse brain slices to examine cholinergic regulation of afferent BLa input from cortex and midline thalamic nuclei. Phasic ACh release evoked by single pulse stimulation of cholinergic terminals had a biphasic effect on transmission at cortical input, producing rapid nicotinic receptor-mediated facilitation followed by slower mAChR-mediated depression. In contrast, at this same input, sustained ACh elevation through application of the cholinesterase inhibitor physostigmine suppressed glutamatergic transmission through mAChRs only. This suppression was not observed at midline thalamic nuclei inputs to BLa. In agreement with this pathway specificity, the mAChR agonist, muscarine more potently suppressed transmission at inputs from prelimbic cortex than thalamus. Muscarinic inhibition at prelimbic cortex input required presynaptic M4 mAChRs, while at thalamic input it depended on M3 mAChR-mediated stimulation of retrograde endocannabinoid signaling. Muscarinic inhibition at both pathways was frequency-dependent, allowing only high-frequency activity to pass. These findings demonstrate complex cholinergic regulation of afferent input to BLa that is pathway-specific and frequency-dependent.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Cholinergic modulation of the basolateral amygdala regulates formation of emotional memories, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Here, we show, using mouse brain slices, that ACh differentially regulates afferent transmission to the BLa from cortex and midline thalamic nuclei. Fast, phasic ACh release from a single optical stimulation biphasically regulates glutamatergic transmission at cortical inputs through nicotinic and muscarinic receptors, suggesting that cholinergic neuromodulation can serve precise, computational roles in the BLa. In contrast, sustained ACh elevation regulates cortical input through muscarinic receptors only. This muscarinic regulation is pathway-specific with cortical input inhibited more strongly than midline thalamic nuclei input. Specific targeting of these cholinergic receptors may thus provide a therapeutic strategy to bias amygdalar processing and regulate emotional memory.
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22
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Adedara AO, Otenaike TA, Olabiyi AA, Adedara IA, Abolaji AO. Neurotoxic and behavioral deficit in Drosophila melanogaster co-exposed to rotenone and iron. Metab Brain Dis 2023; 38:349-360. [PMID: 36308588 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-022-01104-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to environmental toxicants has been linked with the onset of different neurodegenerative diseases in animals and humans. Here, we evaluated the toxic effects of co-exposure to iron and rotenone at low concentrations in Drosophila melanogaster. Adult wild-type flies were orally exposed to rotenone (50.0 µM) and ferrous sulfate (FeSO4; 1.0 and 10.0 µM) through the diet for 10 days. Thereafter, we evaluated markers of oxidative damage (Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2), Nitric Oxide (NO), Protein Carbonyl, and malondialdehyde (MDA)), antioxidant status (catalase, Glutathione S-Transferase (GST), Total Thiol (T-SH) and Non-protein Thiol (NPSH), neurotransmission (monoamine oxidase; MAO and acetylcholinesterase, AChE) and mitochondrial respiration. The results indicated that flies fed rotenone and FeSO4 had impaired locomotion, reduced survival rate, and AChE activity with a corresponding increase in MAO activity when compared with the control (p < 0.05). Furthermore, rotenone and FeSO4 significantly decreased the antioxidant status with a concurrent accumulation of NO, MDA, and H2O2. Additionally, the activity of complex 1 and mitochondria bioenergetic capacity was compromised in the flies. These findings suggest that the combination of rotenone and FeSO4 elicited a possible synergistic toxic response in the flies and therefore provided further insights on the use of D. melanogaster in toxicological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adeola O Adedara
- Drosophila Research and Training Centre, A2 Ajao Dental Street, Salami Somade Estate, Basorun, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Molecular Drug Metabolism and Toxicology Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Programa de Pos-Graduaçao em Bioquímica Toxicologica, Centro de Ciencias Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil
| | - Titilayomi A Otenaike
- Drosophila Research and Training Centre, A2 Ajao Dental Street, Salami Somade Estate, Basorun, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Ayodeji A Olabiyi
- Programa de Pos-Graduaçao em Bioquímica Toxicologica, Centro de Ciencias Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Nigeria
| | - Isaac A Adedara
- Molecular Drug Metabolism and Toxicology Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Amos O Abolaji
- Drosophila Research and Training Centre, A2 Ajao Dental Street, Salami Somade Estate, Basorun, Ibadan, Nigeria.
- Molecular Drug Metabolism and Toxicology Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
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Basal Forebrain Chemogenetic Inhibition Converts the Attentional Control Mode of Goal-Trackers to That of Sign-Trackers. eNeuro 2022; 9:ENEURO.0418-22.2022. [PMID: 36635246 PMCID: PMC9794377 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0418-22.2022] [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: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Sign tracking versus goal tracking in rats indicate vulnerability and resistance, respectively, to Pavlovian cue-evoked addictive drug taking and relapse. Here, we tested hypotheses predicting that the opponent cognitive-behavioral styles indexed by sign tracking versus goal tracking include variations in attentional performance which differentially depend on basal forebrain projection systems. Pavlovian Conditioned Approach (PCA) testing was used to identify male and female sign-trackers (STs) and goal-trackers (GTs), as well as rats with an intermediate phenotype (INTs). Upon reaching asymptotic performance in an operant task requiring the detection of visual signals (hits) as well as the reporting of signal absence for 40 min per session, GTs scored more hits than STs, and hit rates across all phenotypes correlated with PCA scores. STs missed relatively more signals than GTs specifically during the last 15 min of a session. Chemogenetic inhibition of the basal forebrain decreased hit rates in GTs but was without effect in STs. Moreover, the decrease in hits in GTs manifested solely during the last 15 min of a session. Transfection efficacy in the horizontal limb of the diagonal band (HDB), but not substantia innominate (SI) or nucleus basalis of Meynert (nbM), predicted the behavioral efficacy of chemogenetic inhibition in GTs. Furthermore, the total subregional transfection space, not transfection of just cholinergic neurons, correlated with performance effects. These results indicate that the cognitive-behavioral phenotype indexed by goal tracking, but not sign tracking, depends on activation of the basal forebrain-frontal cortical projection system and associated biases toward top-down or model-based performance.
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Bohnen NI, Roytman S, Kanel P, Müller MLTM, Scott PJH, Frey KA, Albin RL, Koeppe RA. Progression of regional cortical cholinergic denervation in Parkinson's disease. Brain Commun 2022; 4:fcac320. [PMID: 36569603 PMCID: PMC9772878 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcac320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Cortical cholinergic deficits contribute to cognitive decline and other deficits in Parkinson's disease. Cross-sectional imaging studies suggest a stereotyped pattern of posterior-to-anterior cortical cholinergic denervation accompanying disease progression in Parkinson's disease. We used serial acetylcholinesterase PET ligand imaging to characterize the trajectory of regional cholinergic synapse deficits in Parkinson's disease, testing the hypothesis of posterior-to-anterior progression of cortical cholinergic deficits. The 16 Parkinson's disease subjects (4 females/12 males; mean age: 64.4 ± 6.7 years; disease duration: 5.5 ± 4.2 years; Hoehn & Yahr stage: 2.3 ± 0.6 at entry) completed serial 11C-methyl-4-piperidinyl propionate acetylcholinesterase PET scans over a 4-8 year period (median 5 years). Three-dimensional stereotactic cortical surface projections and volume-of-interest analyses were performed. Cholinergic synapse integrity was assessed by the magnitude, k 3, of acetylcholinesterase hydrolysis of 11C-methyl-4-piperidinyl propionate. Based on normative data, we generated Z-score maps for both the k 3 and the k 1 parameters, the latter as a proxy for regional cerebral blood flow. Compared with control subjects, baseline scans showed predominantly posterior cortical k 3 deficits in Parkinson's disease subjects. Interval change analyses showed evidence of posterior-to-anterior progression of cholinergic cortical deficits in the posterior cortices. In frontal cortices, an opposite gradient of anterior-to-posterior progression of cholinergic deficits was found. The topography of k 3 changes exhibited regionally specific disconnection from k 1 changes. Interval-change analysis based on k 3/k 1 ratio images (k 3 adjustment for regional cerebral blood flow changes) showed interval reductions (up to 20%) in ventral frontal, anterior cingulate and Brodmann area 6 cortices. In contrast, interval k 3 reductions in the posterior cortices, especially Brodmann areas 17-19, were largely proportional to k 1 changes. Our results partially support the hypothesis of progressive posterior-to-cortical cholinergic denervation in Parkinson's disease. This pattern appears characteristic of posterior cortices. In frontal cortices, an opposite pattern of anterior-to-posterior progression of cholinergic deficits was found. The progressive decline of posterior cortical acetylcholinesterase activity was largely proportional to declining regional cerebral blood flow, suggesting that posterior cortical cholinergic synapse deficits are part of a generalized loss of synapses. The disproportionate decline in regional frontal cortical acetylcholinesterase activity relative to regional cerebral blood flow suggests preferential loss or dysregulation of cholinergic synapses in these regions. Our observations suggest that cortical cholinergic synapse vulnerability in Parkinson's disease is mediated by both diffuse processes affecting cortical synapses and processes specific to subpopulations of cortical cholinergic afferents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolaas I Bohnen
- Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Neurology Service and GRECC, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA
- Morris K. Udall Center of Excellence for Parkinson’s Disease Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Parkinson’s Foundation Research Center of Excellence, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Stiven Roytman
- Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Prabesh Kanel
- Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Morris K. Udall Center of Excellence for Parkinson’s Disease Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Parkinson’s Foundation Research Center of Excellence, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Martijn L T M Müller
- Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Parkinson Consortium, Critical Path Institute, Tucson, AZ 85718, USA
| | - Peter J H Scott
- Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Kirk A Frey
- Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Morris K. Udall Center of Excellence for Parkinson’s Disease Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Roger L Albin
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Neurology Service and GRECC, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA
- Morris K. Udall Center of Excellence for Parkinson’s Disease Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Parkinson’s Foundation Research Center of Excellence, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Robert A Koeppe
- Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Morris K. Udall Center of Excellence for Parkinson’s Disease Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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Chebolu S, Dayan P, Lloyd K. Vigilance, arousal, and acetylcholine: Optimal control of attention in a simple detection task. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1010642. [PMID: 36315594 PMCID: PMC9648841 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Paying attention to particular aspects of the world or being more vigilant in general can be interpreted as forms of ‘internal’ action. Such arousal-related choices come with the benefit of increasing the quality and situational appropriateness of information acquisition and processing, but incur potentially expensive energetic and opportunity costs. One implementational route for these choices is widespread ascending neuromodulation, including by acetylcholine (ACh). The key computational question that elective attention poses for sensory processing is when it is worthwhile paying these costs, and this includes consideration of whether sufficient information has yet been collected to justify the higher signal-to-noise ratio afforded by greater attention and, particularly if a change in attentional state is more expensive than its maintenance, when states of heightened attention ought to persist. We offer a partially observable Markov decision-process treatment of optional attention in a detection task, and use it to provide a qualitative model of the results of studies using modern techniques to measure and manipulate ACh in rodents performing a similar task. Paying attention to a stimulus is costly, both in terms of energy and the lost opportunity to pay attention to something else. It is also beneficial, providing more information about its target. Thus, whether and when we pay more or less attention may best be considered as a choice of internal action that responds to this trade-off. Furthermore, measurements and manipulation of the neuromodulator acetylcholine have suggested that it is one of the instruments of attention, providing us with a window onto this choice. Here, we build an abstract model of a task in which an animal must look out for a brief visual stimulus that may or may not occur on each trial. We show that optimal attentional choices in the model depend on many factors, including how likely a signal is to occur across time, the balance between the improvement in information possible by paying greater attention and its increased cost, and whether there are also costs associated with switching between different attentional states. We also show that our model can qualitatively match results from experiments involving acetylcholine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahiti Chebolu
- Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, International Max Planck Research School, Tübingen, Germany
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune, India
| | - Peter Dayan
- Department for Computational Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany
- University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Kevin Lloyd
- Department for Computational Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany
- * E-mail:
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26
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Kopsick JD, Hartzell K, Lazaro H, Nambiar P, Hasselmo ME, Dannenberg H. Temporal dynamics of cholinergic activity in the septo-hippocampal system. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:957441. [PMID: 36092276 PMCID: PMC9452968 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.957441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholinergic projection neurons in the medial septum and diagonal band of Broca are the major source of cholinergic modulation of hippocampal circuit functions that support neural coding of location and running speed. Changes in cholinergic modulation are known to correlate with changes in brain states, cognitive functions, and behavior. However, whether cholinergic modulation can change fast enough to serve as a potential speed signal in hippocampal and parahippocampal cortices and whether the temporal dynamics in such a signal depend on the presence of visual cues remain unknown. In this study, we use a fiber-photometric approach to quantify the temporal dynamics of cholinergic activity in freely moving mice as a function of the animal's movement speed and visual cues. We show that the population activity of cholinergic neurons in the medial septum and diagonal band of Broca changes fast enough to be aligned well with changes in the animal's running speed and is strongly and linearly correlated to the logarithm of the animal's running speed. Intriguingly, the cholinergic modulation remains strongly and linearly correlated to the speed of the animal's neck movements during periods of stationary activity. Furthermore, we show that cholinergic modulation is unaltered during darkness. Lastly, we identify rearing, a stereotypic behavior where the mouse stands on its hindlimbs to scan the environment from an elevated perspective, is associated with higher cholinergic activity than expected from neck movements on the horizontal plane alone. Taken together, these data show that temporal dynamics in the cholinergic modulation of hippocampal circuits are fast enough to provide a potential running speed signal in real-time. Moreover, the data show that cholinergic modulation is primarily a function of the logarithm of the animal's movement speed, both during locomotion and during stationary activity, with no significant interaction with visual inputs. These data advance our understanding of temporal dynamics in cholinergic modulation of hippocampal circuits and their functions in the context of neural coding of location and running speed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey D. Kopsick
- Department of Bioengineering, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States,Interdisciplinary Program for Neuroscience, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States
| | - Kyle Hartzell
- Department of Bioengineering, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States
| | - Hallie Lazaro
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Pranav Nambiar
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Michael E. Hasselmo
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Holger Dannenberg
- Department of Bioengineering, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States,Interdisciplinary Program for Neuroscience, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States,*Correspondence: Holger Dannenberg,
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27
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Almeida VN, Radanovic M. Semantic processing and neurobiology in Alzheimer's disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment. Neuropsychologia 2022; 174:108337. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Davidson PSR, Karpov G, Giguère L, Castro AW, Tremblay F. Older adults' episodic memory is related to a neurophysiological marker of brain cholinergic activity. Exp Brain Res 2022; 240:2269-2276. [PMID: 35907032 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-022-06420-9] [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: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Episodic memory is vulnerable to aging and may be influenced by age-related decline in the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. We probed this relation using a novel, minimally invasive transcranial magnetic stimulation marker of brain acetylcholine: short-latency afferent inhibition (SAI). We used neuropsychological testing to construct a composite score of episodic memory in N = 19 community-dwelling older adults, and stratified older adults into Higher- (N = 9) versus Lower-memory (N = 10) groups before SAI. The Higher-memory group showed significantly stronger SAI than the Lower-memory group, indicating an association between higher brain acetylcholine levels and better episodic memory. The two memory groups were equivalent in the potential confounds of age, education, mood, subjective sleep quality, and executive function. These data converge with others to suggest that episodic memory is related to acetylcholine in older adults. This relation should be further investigated, especially with pharmacology and neuroimaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick S R Davidson
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
- Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
| | - Galit Karpov
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | | | - Alex W Castro
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - François Tremblay
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- School of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
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29
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Freezing revisited: coordinated autonomic and central optimization of threat coping. Nat Rev Neurosci 2022; 23:568-580. [PMID: 35760906 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-022-00608-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Animals have sophisticated mechanisms for coping with danger. Freezing is a unique state that, upon threat detection, allows evidence to be gathered, response possibilities to be previsioned and preparations to be made for worst-case fight or flight. We propose that - rather than reflecting a passive fear state - the particular somatic and cognitive characteristics of freezing help to conceal overt responses, while optimizing sensory processing and action preparation. Critical for these functions are the neurotransmitters noradrenaline and acetylcholine, which modulate neural information processing and also control the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system. However, the interactions between autonomic systems and the brain during freezing, and the way in which they jointly coordinate responses, remain incompletely explored. We review the joint actions of these systems and offer a novel computational framework to describe their temporally harmonized integration. This reconceptualization of freezing has implications for its role in decision-making under threat and for psychopathology.
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Donovan E, Avila C, Klausner S, Parikh V, Fenollar-Ferrer C, Blakely RD, Sarter M. Disrupted Choline Clearance and Sustained Acetylcholine Release In Vivo by a Common Choline Transporter Coding Variant Associated with Poor Attentional Control in Humans. J Neurosci 2022; 42:3426-3444. [PMID: 35232764 PMCID: PMC9034784 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1334-21.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Transport of choline via the neuronal high-affinity choline transporter (CHT; SLC5A7) is essential for cholinergic terminals to synthesize and release acetylcholine (ACh). In humans, we previously demonstrated an association between a common CHT coding substitution (rs1013940; Ile89Val) and reduced attentional control as well as attenuated frontal cortex activation. Here, we used a CRISPR/Cas9 approach to generate mice expressing the I89V substitution and assessed, in vivo, CHT-mediated choline transport, and ACh release. Relative to wild-type (WT) mice, CHT-mediated clearance of choline in male and female mice expressing one or two Val89 alleles was reduced by over 80% in cortex and over 50% in striatum. Choline clearance in CHT Val89 mice was further reduced by neuronal inactivation. Deficits in ACh release, 5 and 10 min after repeated depolarization at a low, behaviorally relevant frequency, support an attenuated reloading capacity of cholinergic neurons in mutant mice. The density of CHTs in total synaptosomal lysates and neuronal plasma-membrane-enriched fractions was not impacted by the Val89 variant, indicating a selective impact on CHT function. When challenged with a visual disruptor to reveal attentional control mechanisms, Val89 mice failed to adopt a more conservative response bias. Structural modeling revealed that Val89 may attenuate choline transport by altering conformational changes of CHT that support normal transport rates. Our findings support the view that diminished sustained cholinergic signaling capacity underlies perturbed attentional performance in individuals expressing CHT Val89. The CHT Val89 mouse serves as a valuable model to study heritable risk for cognitive disorders arising from cholinergic dysfunction.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Acetylcholine (ACh) signaling depends on the functional capacity of the neuronal choline transporter (CHT). Previous research demonstrated that humans expressing the common CHT coding variant Val89 exhibit attentional vulnerabilities and attenuated fronto-cortical activation during attention. Here, we find that mice engineered to express the Val89 variant exhibit reduced CHT-mediated choline clearance and a diminished capacity to sustain ACh release. Additionally, Val89 mice lack cognitive flexibility in response to an attentional challenge. These findings provide a mechanistic and cognitive framework for interpreting the attentional phenotype associated with the human Val89 variant and establish a model that permits a more invasive interrogation of CNS effects as well as the development of therapeutic strategies for those, including Val89 carriers, with presynaptic cholinergic perturbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eryn Donovan
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Cassandra Avila
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Sarah Klausner
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Vinay Parikh
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122
| | - Cristina Fenollar-Ferrer
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Section of Human Genetics, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Randy D Blakely
- Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute and Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida 33458
| | - Martin Sarter
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience Program and Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
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31
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Bohnen NI, Yarnall AJ, Weil RS, Moro E, Moehle MS, Borghammer P, Bedard MA, Albin RL. Cholinergic system changes in Parkinson's disease: emerging therapeutic approaches. Lancet Neurol 2022; 21:381-392. [PMID: 35131038 PMCID: PMC8985079 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(21)00377-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
In patients with Parkinson's disease, heterogeneous cholinergic system changes can occur in different brain regions. These changes correlate with a range of clinical features, both motor and non-motor, that are refractory to dopaminergic therapy, and can be conceptualised within a systems-level framework in which nodal deficits can produce circuit dysfunctions. The topographies of cholinergic changes overlap with neural circuitries involved in sleep and cognitive, motor, visuo-auditory perceptual, and autonomic functions. Cholinergic deficits within cognition network hubs predict cognitive deficits better than do total brain cholinergic changes. Postural instability and gait difficulties are associated with cholinergic system changes in thalamic, caudate, limbic, neocortical, and cerebellar nodes. Cholinergic system deficits can involve also peripheral organs. Hypercholinergic activity of mesopontine cholinergic neurons in people with isolated rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behaviour disorder, as well as in the hippocampi of cognitively normal patients with Parkinson's disease, suggests early compensation during the prodromal and early stages of Parkinson's disease. Novel pharmacological and neurostimulation approaches could target the cholinergic system to treat motor and non-motor features of Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolaas I Bohnen
- Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Neurology Service, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; VA Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Ann Arbor VAMC, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Alison J Yarnall
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Rimona S Weil
- Dementia Research Centre, University College London, London, UK
| | - Elena Moro
- Division of Neurology, CHU of Grenoble, Grenoble, France; Grenoble Alpes University, and INSERM u1216, Grenoble, France
| | - Mark S Moehle
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Per Borghammer
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Marc-André Bedard
- Cognitive Pharmacology Research Unit, UQAM, Montreal, QC, Canada; McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada; Research Centre for Studies in Aging, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Roger L Albin
- VA Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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32
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Khalighinejad N, Manohar S, Husain M, Rushworth MFS. Complementary roles of serotonergic and cholinergic systems in decisions about when to act. Curr Biol 2022; 32:1150-1162.e7. [PMID: 35150603 PMCID: PMC8926843 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.01.042] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Decision-making not only involves deciding about which action to choose but when and whether to initiate an action in the first place. Macaque monkeys tracked number of dots on a screen and could choose when to make a response. The longer the animals waited before responding, the more dots appeared on the screen and the higher the probability of reward. Monkeys waited longer before making a response when a trial’s value was less than the environment’s average value. Recordings of brain activity with fMRI revealed that activity in dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN)—a key source of serotonin (5-HT)—tracked average value of the environment. By contrast, activity in the basal forebrain (BF)—an important source of acetylcholine (ACh)—was related to decision time to act as a function of immediate and recent past context. Interactions between DRN and BF and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), another region with action initiation-related activity, occurred as a function of the decision time to act. Next, we performed two psychopharmacological studies. Manipulating systemic 5-HT by citalopram prolonged the time macaques waited to respond for a given opportunity. This effect was more evident during blocks with long inter-trial intervals (ITIs) where good opportunities were sparse. Manipulating systemic acetylcholine (ACh) by rivastigmine reduced the time macaques waited to respond given the immediate and recent past context, a pattern opposite to the effect observed with 5-HT. These findings suggest complementary roles for serotonin/DRN and acetylcholine/BF in decisions about when to initiate an action. Both immediate context and wider environment influence decisions about when to act DRN and 5-HT mediate the influence of wider environment BF and ACh mediate the influence of immediate context
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Affiliation(s)
- Nima Khalighinejad
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Sanjay Manohar
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Masud Husain
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Matthew F S Rushworth
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Cholinergic systems, attentional-motor integration, and cognitive control in Parkinson's disease. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2022; 269:345-371. [PMID: 35248201 PMCID: PMC8957710 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2022.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Dysfunction and degeneration of CNS cholinergic systems is a significant component of multi-system pathology in Parkinson's disease (PD). We review the basic architecture of human CNS cholinergic systems and the tools available for studying changes in human cholinergic systems. Earlier post-mortem studies implicated abnormalities of basal forebrain corticopetal cholinergic (BFCC) and pedunculopontine-laterodorsal tegmental (PPN-LDT) cholinergic projections in cognitive deficits and gait-balance deficits, respectively. Recent application of imaging methods, particularly molecular imaging, allowed more sophisticated correlation of clinical features with regional cholinergic deficits. BFCC projection deficits correlate with general and domain specific cognitive deficits, particularly for attentional and executive functions. Detailed analyses suggest that cholinergic deficits within the salience and cingulo-opercular task control networks, including both neocortical, thalamic, and striatal nodes, are a significant component of cognitive deficits in non-demented PD subjects. Both BFCC and PPN-LDT cholinergic projection systems, and striatal cholinergic interneuron (SChI), abnormalities are implicated in PD gait-balance disorders. In the context of experimental studies, these results indicate that disrupted attentional functions of BFCC and PPN-LDT cholinergic systems underlie impaired gait-balance functions. SChI dysfunction likely impairs intra-striatal integration of attentional and motor information. Thalamic and entorhinal cortex cholinergic deficits may impair multi-sensory integration. Overt degeneration of CNS systems may be preceded by increased activity of cholinergic neurons compensating for nigrostriatal dopaminergic deficits. Subsequent dysfunction and degeneration of cholinergic systems unmasks and exacerbates functional deficits secondary to dopaminergic denervation. Research on CNS cholinergic systems dysfunctions in PD requires a systems-level approach to understanding PD pathophysiology.
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Eickhoff S, Franzen L, Korda A, Rogg H, Trulley VN, Borgwardt S, Avram M. The Basal Forebrain Cholinergic Nuclei and Their Relevance to Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:909961. [PMID: 35873225 PMCID: PMC9299093 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.909961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The basal forebrain cholinergic nuclei (BFCN) provide the main cholinergic input to prefrontal cortices, the hippocampi, and amygdala. These structures are highly relevant for the regulation and maintenance of many cognitive functions, such as attention and memory. In vivo neuroimaging studies reported alterations of the cholinergic system in psychotic disorders. Particularly, a downregulation of nicotinic and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors has been found. Crucially, such alterations in neurotransmission have been associated with cognitive impairments and positive and negative symptoms. Recent pharmacological studies support these findings, as they demonstrated an association between the manipulation of cholinergic transmission and an attenuation in symptom severity. Targeting acetylcholine receptors has therefore become a focus for the development of novel psychopharmacological drugs. However, many open questions remain. For instance, it remains elusive what causes such alterations in neurotransmission. While evidence supports the idea that BFCN structural integrity is altered in schizophrenia, it remains to be determined whether this is also present in other psychotic disorders. Furthermore, it is unclear when throughout the course of the disorder these alterations make their appearance and whether they reflect changes in the BFCN alone or rather aberrant interactions between the BFCN and other brain areas. In this review, the specific role of the BFCN and their projections are discussed from a neuroimaging perspective and with a focus on psychotic disorders alongside future directions. These directions set the stage for the development of new treatment targets for psychotic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Eickhoff
- Translational Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Leon Franzen
- Translational Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Alexandra Korda
- Translational Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Helena Rogg
- Translational Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Valerie-Noelle Trulley
- Translational Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Stefan Borgwardt
- Translational Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Mihai Avram
- Translational Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
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Avram M, Grothe MJ, Meinhold L, Leucht C, Leucht S, Borgwardt S, Brandl F, Sorg C. Lower cholinergic basal forebrain volumes link with cognitive difficulties in schizophrenia. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:2320-2329. [PMID: 34188186 PMCID: PMC8580980 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01070-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
A potential pathophysiological mechanism of cognitive difficulties in schizophrenia is a dysregulated cholinergic system. Particularly, the cholinergic basal forebrain nuclei (BFCN), the source of cortical cholinergic innervation, support multiple cognitive functions, ranging from attention to decision-making. We hypothesized that BFCN structural integrity is altered in schizophrenia and associated with patients' attentional deficits. We assessed gray matter (GM) integrity of cytoarchitectonically defined BFCN region-of-interest in 72 patients with schizophrenia and 73 healthy controls, matched for age and gender, from the COBRE open-source database, via structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based volumetry. MRI-derived measures of GM integrity (i.e., volumes) were linked with performance on a symbol coding task (SCT), a paper-pencil-based metric that assesses attention, by correlation and mediation analysis. To assess the replicability of findings, we repeated the analyses in an independent dataset comprising 26 patients with schizophrenia and 24 matched healthy controls. BFCN volumes were lower in patients (t(139)=2.51, p = 0.01) and significantly associated with impaired SCT performance (r = 0.31, p = 0.01). Furthermore, lower BFCN volumes mediated the group difference in SCT performance. When including global GM volumes, which were lower in patients, as covariates-of-no-interest, these findings disappeared, indicating that schizophrenia did not have a specific effect on BFCN relative to other regional volume changes. We replicated these findings in the independent cohort, e.g., BFCN volumes were lower in patients and mediated patients' impaired SCT performance. Results demonstrate lower BFCN volumes in schizophrenia, which link with patients' attentional deficits. Data suggest that a dysregulated cholinergic system might contribute to cognitive difficulties in schizophrenia via impaired BFCN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihai Avram
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Schleswig Holstein University Hospital, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, 23538, Germany.
| | - Michel J. Grothe
- grid.414816.e0000 0004 1773 7922Unidad de Trastornos del Movimiento, Servicio de Neurología y Neurofisiología Clínica, Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, 41013 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Lena Meinhold
- grid.6936.a0000000123222966TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, 81675 Germany
| | - Claudia Leucht
- grid.6936.a0000000123222966Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, 81675 Germany
| | - Stefan Leucht
- grid.6936.a0000000123222966Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, 81675 Germany
| | - Stefan Borgwardt
- grid.4562.50000 0001 0057 2672Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Schleswig Holstein University Hospital, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, 23538 Germany
| | - Felix Brandl
- grid.6936.a0000000123222966TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, 81675 Germany ,grid.6936.a0000000123222966Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, 81675 Germany ,grid.6936.a0000000123222966Department of Neuroradiology, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, 81675 Germany
| | - Christian Sorg
- grid.6936.a0000000123222966TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, 81675 Germany ,grid.6936.a0000000123222966Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, 81675 Germany ,grid.6936.a0000000123222966Department of Neuroradiology, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, 81675 Germany
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Robert B, Kimchi EY, Watanabe Y, Chakoma T, Jing M, Li Y, Polley DB. A functional topography within the cholinergic basal forebrain for encoding sensory cues and behavioral reinforcement outcomes. eLife 2021; 10:e69514. [PMID: 34821218 PMCID: PMC8654357 DOI: 10.7554/elife.69514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Basal forebrain cholinergic neurons (BFCNs) project throughout the cortex to regulate arousal, stimulus salience, plasticity, and learning. Although often treated as a monolithic structure, the basal forebrain features distinct connectivity along its rostrocaudal axis that could impart regional differences in BFCN processing. Here, we performed simultaneous bulk calcium imaging from rostral and caudal BFCNs over a 1-month period of variable reinforcement learning in mice. BFCNs in both regions showed equivalently weak responses to unconditioned visual stimuli and anticipated rewards. Rostral BFCNs in the horizontal limb of the diagonal band were more responsive to reward omission, more accurately classified behavioral outcomes, and more closely tracked fluctuations in pupil-indexed global brain state. Caudal tail BFCNs in globus pallidus and substantia innominata were more responsive to unconditioned auditory stimuli, orofacial movements, aversive reinforcement, and showed robust associative plasticity for punishment-predicting cues. These results identify a functional topography that diversifies cholinergic modulatory signals broadcast to downstream brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blaise Robert
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear InfirmaryBostonUnited States
| | - Eyal Y Kimchi
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear InfirmaryBostonUnited States
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General HospitalBostonUnited States
| | - Yurika Watanabe
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear InfirmaryBostonUnited States
| | - Tatenda Chakoma
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear InfirmaryBostonUnited States
| | - Miao Jing
- Chinese Institute for Brain ResearchBeijingChina
| | - Yulong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences; PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, BeijingBeijingChina
| | - Daniel B Polley
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear InfirmaryBostonUnited States
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
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Ruggiero RN, Rossignoli MT, Marques DB, de Sousa BM, Romcy-Pereira RN, Lopes-Aguiar C, Leite JP. Neuromodulation of Hippocampal-Prefrontal Cortical Synaptic Plasticity and Functional Connectivity: Implications for Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:732360. [PMID: 34707481 PMCID: PMC8542677 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.732360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The hippocampus-prefrontal cortex (HPC-PFC) pathway plays a fundamental role in executive and emotional functions. Neurophysiological studies have begun to unveil the dynamics of HPC-PFC interaction in both immediate demands and long-term adaptations. Disruptions in HPC-PFC functional connectivity can contribute to neuropsychiatric symptoms observed in mental illnesses and neurological conditions, such as schizophrenia, depression, anxiety disorders, and Alzheimer's disease. Given the role in functional and dysfunctional physiology, it is crucial to understand the mechanisms that modulate the dynamics of HPC-PFC communication. Two of the main mechanisms that regulate HPC-PFC interactions are synaptic plasticity and modulatory neurotransmission. Synaptic plasticity can be investigated inducing long-term potentiation or long-term depression, while spontaneous functional connectivity can be inferred by statistical dependencies between the local field potentials of both regions. In turn, several neurotransmitters, such as acetylcholine, dopamine, serotonin, noradrenaline, and endocannabinoids, can regulate the fine-tuning of HPC-PFC connectivity. Despite experimental evidence, the effects of neuromodulation on HPC-PFC neuronal dynamics from cellular to behavioral levels are not fully understood. The current literature lacks a review that focuses on the main neurotransmitter interactions with HPC-PFC activity. Here we reviewed studies showing the effects of the main neurotransmitter systems in long- and short-term HPC-PFC synaptic plasticity. We also looked for the neuromodulatory effects on HPC-PFC oscillatory coordination. Finally, we review the implications of HPC-PFC disruption in synaptic plasticity and functional connectivity on cognition and neuropsychiatric disorders. The comprehensive overview of these impairments could help better understand the role of neuromodulation in HPC-PFC communication and generate insights into the etiology and physiopathology of clinical conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Naime Ruggiero
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavioral Sciences, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Matheus Teixeira Rossignoli
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavioral Sciences, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Danilo Benette Marques
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavioral Sciences, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Bruno Monteiro de Sousa
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Cleiton Lopes-Aguiar
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - João Pereira Leite
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavioral Sciences, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
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38
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Contribution of animal models toward understanding resting state functional connectivity. Neuroimage 2021; 245:118630. [PMID: 34644593 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional connectivity, which reflects the spatial and temporal organization of intrinsic activity throughout the brain, is one of the most studied measures in human neuroimaging research. The noninvasive acquisition of resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) allows the characterization of features designated as functional networks, functional connectivity gradients, and time-varying activity patterns that provide insight into the intrinsic functional organization of the brain and potential alterations related to brain dysfunction. Functional connectivity, hence, captures dimensions of the brain's activity that have enormous potential for both clinical and preclinical research. However, the mechanisms underlying functional connectivity have yet to be fully characterized, hindering interpretation of rs-fMRI studies. As in other branches of neuroscience, the identification of the neurophysiological processes that contribute to functional connectivity largely depends on research conducted on laboratory animals, which provide a platform where specific, multi-dimensional investigations that involve invasive measurements can be carried out. These highly controlled experiments facilitate the interpretation of the temporal correlations observed across the brain. Indeed, information obtained from animal experimentation to date is the basis for our current understanding of the underlying basis for functional brain connectivity. This review presents a compendium of some of the most critical advances in the field based on the efforts made by the animal neuroimaging community.
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39
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Abstract
Visual processing is dynamically controlled by multiple neuromodulatory molecules that modify the responsiveness of neurons and the strength of the connections between them. In particular, modulatory control of processing in the lateral geniculate nucleus of the thalamus, V1, and V2 will alter the outcome of all subsequent processing of visual information, including the extent to and manner in which individual inputs contribute to perception and decision making and are stored in memory. This review addresses five small-molecule neuromodulators-acetylcholine, dopamine, serotonin, noradrenaline, and histamine-considering the structural basis for their action, and the effects of their release, in the early visual pathway of the macaque monkey. Traditionally, neuromodulators are studied in isolation and in discrete circuits; this review makes a case for considering the joint action of modulatory molecules and differences in modulatory effects across brain areas as a better means of understanding the diverse roles that these molecules serve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita A Disney
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA;
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40
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Cholinergic modulation of sensory processing in awake mouse cortex. Sci Rep 2021; 11:17525. [PMID: 34471145 PMCID: PMC8410938 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-96696-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholinergic modulation of brain activity is fundamental for awareness and conscious sensorimotor behaviours, but deciphering the timing and significance of acetylcholine actions for these behaviours is challenging. The widespread nature of cholinergic projections to the cortex means that new insights require access to specific neuronal populations, and on a time-scale that matches behaviourally relevant cholinergic actions. Here, we use fast, voltage imaging of L2/3 cortical pyramidal neurons exclusively expressing the genetically-encoded voltage indicator Butterfly 1.2, in awake, head-fixed mice, receiving sensory stimulation, whilst manipulating the cholinergic system. Altering muscarinic acetylcholine function re-shaped sensory-evoked fast depolarisation and subsequent slow hyperpolarisation of L2/3 pyramidal neurons. A consequence of this re-shaping was disrupted adaptation of the sensory-evoked responses, suggesting a critical role for acetylcholine during sensory discrimination behaviour. Our findings provide new insights into how the cortex processes sensory information and how loss of acetylcholine, for example in Alzheimer's Disease, disrupts sensory behaviours.
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41
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Yang Y, Gritton H, Sarter M, Aton SJ, Booth V, Zochowski M. Theta-gamma coupling emerges from spatially heterogeneous cholinergic neuromodulation. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1009235. [PMID: 34329297 PMCID: PMC8357148 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Theta and gamma rhythms and their cross-frequency coupling play critical roles in perception, attention, learning, and memory. Available data suggest that forebrain acetylcholine (ACh) signaling promotes theta-gamma coupling, although the mechanism has not been identified. Recent evidence suggests that cholinergic signaling is both temporally and spatially constrained, in contrast to the traditional notion of slow, spatially homogeneous, and diffuse neuromodulation. Here, we find that spatially constrained cholinergic stimulation can generate theta-modulated gamma rhythms. Using biophysically-based excitatory-inhibitory (E-I) neural network models, we simulate the effects of ACh on neural excitability by varying the conductance of a muscarinic receptor-regulated K+ current. In E-I networks with local excitatory connectivity and global inhibitory connectivity, we demonstrate that theta-gamma-coupled firing patterns emerge in ACh modulated network regions. Stable gamma-modulated firing arises within regions with high ACh signaling, while theta or mixed theta-gamma activity occurs at the peripheries of these regions. High gamma activity also alternates between different high-ACh regions, at theta frequency. Our results are the first to indicate a causal role for spatially heterogenous ACh signaling in the emergence of localized theta-gamma rhythmicity. Our findings also provide novel insights into mechanisms by which ACh signaling supports the brain region-specific attentional processing of sensory information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihao Yang
- Department of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Howard Gritton
- Department of Comparative Biosciences and Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Martin Sarter
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Sara J. Aton
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Victoria Booth
- Departments of Mathematics and Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail: (VB); (MZ)
| | - Michal Zochowski
- Department of Physics and Biophysics Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail: (VB); (MZ)
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42
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Gombkoto P, Gielow M, Varsanyi P, Chavez C, Zaborszky L. Contribution of the basal forebrain to corticocortical network interactions. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 226:1803-1821. [PMID: 34021788 PMCID: PMC8203523 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02290-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Basal forebrain (BF) cholinergic neurons provide the cerebral cortex with acetylcholine. Despite the long-established involvement of these cells in sensory processing, attention, and memory, the mechanisms by which cholinergic signaling regulates cognitive processes remain elusive. In this study, we recorded spiking and local field potential data simultaneously from several locations in the BF, and sites in the orbitofrontal and visual cortex in transgenic ChAT-Cre rats performing a visual discrimination task. We observed distinct differences in the fine spatial distributions of gamma coherence values between specific basalo-cortical and cortico-cortical sites that shifted across task phases. Additionally, cholinergic firing induced spatial changes in cortical gamma power, and optogenetic activation of BF increased coherence between specific cortico-cortical sites, suggesting that the cholinergic system contributes to selective modulation of cortico-cortical circuits. Furthermore, the results suggest that cells in specific BF locations are dynamically recruited across behavioral epochs to coordinate interregional cortical processes underlying cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Gombkoto
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, 197 University Avenue, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA
- ETH Zurich Institute of Neuroinformatics, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Matthew Gielow
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, 197 University Avenue, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA
| | - Peter Varsanyi
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, 197 University Avenue, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA
| | - Candice Chavez
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, 197 University Avenue, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA
| | - Laszlo Zaborszky
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, 197 University Avenue, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA.
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Beebe NL, Schofield BR. Cholinergic boutons are closely associated with excitatory cells and four subtypes of inhibitory cells in the inferior colliculus. J Chem Neuroanat 2021; 116:101998. [PMID: 34186203 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2021.101998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Acetylcholine (ACh) is a neuromodulator that has been implicated in multiple roles across the brain, including the central auditory system, where it sets neuronal excitability and gain and affects plasticity. In the cerebral cortex, subtypes of GABAergic interneurons are modulated by ACh in a subtype-specific manner. Subtypes of GABAergic neurons have also begun to be described in the inferior colliculus (IC), a midbrain hub of the auditory system. Here, we used male and female mice (Mus musculus) that express fluorescent protein in cholinergic cells, axons, and boutons to look at the association between ACh and four subtypes of GABAergic IC cells that differ in their associations with extracellular markers, their soma sizes, and their distribution within the IC. We found that most IC cells, including excitatory and inhibitory cells, have cholinergic boutons closely associated with their somas and proximal dendrites. We also found that similar proportions of each of four subtypes of GABAergic cells are closely associated with cholinergic boutons. Whether the different types of GABAergic cells in the IC are differentially regulated remains unclear, as the response of cells to ACh is dependent on which types of ACh receptors are present. Additionally, this study confirms the presence of these four subtypes of GABAergic cells in the mouse IC, as they had previously been identified only in guinea pigs. These results suggest that cholinergic projections to the IC modulate auditory processing via direct effects on a multitude of inhibitory circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nichole L Beebe
- Hearing Research Focus Group, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH, USA; Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA.
| | - Brett R Schofield
- Hearing Research Focus Group, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH, USA; Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA.
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Pancotti L, Topolnik L. Cholinergic Modulation of Dendritic Signaling in Hippocampal GABAergic Inhibitory Interneurons. Neuroscience 2021; 489:44-56. [PMID: 34129910 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Dendrites represent the "reception hub" of the neuron as they collect thousands of different inputs and send a coherent response to the cell body. A considerable portion of these signals, especially in vivo, arises from neuromodulatory sources, which affect dendritic computations and cellular activity. In this context, acetylcholine (ACh) exerts a coordinating role of different brain structures, contributing to goal-driven behaviors and sleep-wake cycles. Specifically, cholinergic neurons from the medial septum-diagonal band of Broca complex send numerous projections to glutamatergic principal cells and GABAergic inhibitory neurons in the hippocampus, differentially entraining them during network oscillations. Interneurons display abundant expression of cholinergic receptors and marked responses to stimulation by ACh. Nonetheless, the precise localization of ACh inputs is largely unknown, and evidence for cholinergic modulation of interneuronal dendritic signaling remains elusive. In this article, we review evidence that suggests modulatory effects of ACh on dendritic computations in three hippocampal interneuron subtypes: fast-spiking parvalbumin-positive (PV+) cells, somatostatin-expressing (SOM+) oriens lacunosum moleculare cells and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-expressing (VIP+) interneuron-selective interneurons. We consider the distribution of cholinergic receptors on these interneurons, including information about their specific somatodendritic location, and discuss how the action of these receptors can modulate dendritic Ca2+ signaling and activity of interneurons. The implications of ACh-dependent Ca2+ signaling for dendritic plasticity are also discussed. We propose that cholinergic modulation can shape the dendritic integration and plasticity in interneurons in a cell type-specific manner, and the elucidation of these mechanisms will be required to understand the contribution of each cell type to large-scale network activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Pancotti
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Bio-informatics, Laval University, Canada; Neuroscience Axis, CRCHUQ, Laval University, Canada
| | - Lisa Topolnik
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Bio-informatics, Laval University, Canada; Neuroscience Axis, CRCHUQ, Laval University, Canada.
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45
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Stone TW. Relationships and Interactions between Ionotropic Glutamate Receptors and Nicotinic Receptors in the CNS. Neuroscience 2021; 468:321-365. [PMID: 34111447 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Although ionotropic glutamate receptors and nicotinic receptors for acetylcholine (ACh) have usually been studied separately, they are often co-localized and functionally inter-dependent. The objective of this review is to survey the evidence for interactions between the two receptor families and the mechanisms underlying them. These include the mutual regulation of subunit expression, which change the NMDA:AMPA response balance, and the existence of multi-functional receptor complexes which make it difficult to distinguish between individual receptor sites, especially in vivo. This is followed by analysis of the functional relationships between the receptors from work on transmitter release, cellular electrophysiology and aspects of behavior where these can contribute to understanding receptor interactions. It is clear that nicotinic receptors (nAChRs) on axonal terminals directly regulate the release of glutamate and other neurotransmitters, α7-nAChRs generally promoting release. Hence, α7-nAChR responses will be prevented not only by a nicotinic antagonist, but also by compounds blocking the indirectly activated glutamate receptors. This accounts for the apparent anticholinergic activity of some glutamate antagonists, including the endogenous antagonist kynurenic acid. The activation of presynaptic nAChRs is by the ambient levels of ACh released from pre-terminal synapses, varicosities and glial cells, acting as a 'volume neurotransmitter' on synaptic and extrasynaptic sites. In addition, ACh and glutamate are released as CNS co-transmitters, including 'cholinergic' synapses onto spinal Renshaw cells. It is concluded that ACh should be viewed primarily as a modulator of glutamatergic neurotransmission by regulating the release of glutamate presynaptically, and the location, subunit composition, subtype balance and sensitivity of glutamate receptors, and not primarily as a classical fast neurotransmitter. These conclusions and caveats should aid clarification of the sites of action of glutamate and nicotinic receptor ligands in the search for new centrally-acting drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor W Stone
- The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FY, UK; Institute of Neuroscience, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK.
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46
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Neurophysiological basis of the N400 deflection, from Mismatch Negativity to Semantic Prediction Potentials and late positive components. Int J Psychophysiol 2021; 166:134-150. [PMID: 34097935 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2021.06.001] [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: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The first theoretical model on the neurophysiological basis of the N400: the deflection reflects layer I dendritic plateaus on a preparatory state of synaptic integration that precedes layer V somatic burst firing for conscious identification of the higher-order features of the stimulus (a late positive shift). Plateaus ensue from apical disinhibition by vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-positive interneurons (VIPs) through suppression of Martinotti cells, opening the gates for glutamatergic feedback to trigger dendritic regenerative potentials. Cholinergic transients contribute to these dynamics directly, holding a central role in the N400 deflection. The stereotypical timing of the (frontal) glutamatergic feedback and the accompanying cholinergic transients account for the enigmatic "invariability" of the peak latency in the face of a gamut of different stimuli and paradigms. The theoretical postulations presented here may bring about unprecedented level of detail for the N400 deflection to be used in the study of schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease and other higher-order pathologies. The substrates of a late positive component, the Mismatch Negativity and the Semantic Prediction Potentials are also surveyed.
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Smart K, Naganawa M, Baldassarri SR, Nabulsi N, Ropchan J, Najafzadeh S, Gao H, Navarro A, Barth V, Esterlis I, Cosgrove KP, Huang Y, Carson RE, Hillmer AT. PET Imaging Estimates of Regional Acetylcholine Concentration Variation in Living Human Brain. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:2787-2798. [PMID: 33442731 PMCID: PMC8355478 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa387] [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: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Acetylcholine (ACh) has distinct functional roles in striatum compared with cortex, and imbalance between these systems may contribute to neuropsychiatric disease. Preclinical studies indicate markedly higher ACh concentrations in the striatum. The goal of this work was to leverage positron emission tomography (PET) imaging estimates of drug occupancy at cholinergic receptors to explore ACh variation across the human brain, because these measures can be influenced by competition with endogenous neurotransmitter. PET scans were analyzed from healthy human volunteers (n = 4) and nonhuman primates (n = 2) scanned with the M1-selective radiotracer [11C]LSN3172176 in the presence of muscarinic antagonist scopolamine, and human volunteers (n = 10) scanned with the α4β2* nicotinic ligand (-)-[18F]flubatine during nicotine challenge. In all cases, occupancy estimates within striatal regions were consistently lower (M1/scopolamine human scans, 31 ± 3.4% occupancy in striatum, 43 ± 2.9% in extrastriatal regions, p = 0.0094; nonhuman primate scans, 42 ± 26% vs. 69 ± 28%, p < 0.0001; α4β2*/nicotine scans, 67 ± 15% vs. 74 ± 16%, p = 0.0065), indicating higher striatal ACh concentration. Subject-level measures of these concentration differences were estimated, and whole-brain images of regional ACh concentration gradients were generated. These results constitute the first in vivo estimates of regional variation in ACh concentration in the living brain and offer a novel experimental method to assess potential ACh imbalances in clinical populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Smart
- Yale PET Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Mika Naganawa
- Yale PET Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Stephen R Baldassarri
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Nabeel Nabulsi
- Yale PET Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Jim Ropchan
- Yale PET Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | | | - Hong Gao
- Yale PET Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | | | | | - Irina Esterlis
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Kelly P Cosgrove
- Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Yiyun Huang
- Yale PET Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Richard E Carson
- Yale PET Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Ansel T Hillmer
- Yale PET Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
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Bakker C, Tasker T, Liptrot J, Hart EP, Klaassen ES, Doll RJ, Brown GA, Brown A, Congreve M, Weir M, Marshall FH, Cross DM, Groeneveld GJ, Nathan PJ. Safety, pharmacokinetics and exploratory pro-cognitive effects of HTL0018318, a selective M 1 receptor agonist, in healthy younger adult and elderly subjects: a multiple ascending dose study. ALZHEIMERS RESEARCH & THERAPY 2021; 13:87. [PMID: 33883008 PMCID: PMC8061066 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-021-00816-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Background The cholinergic system and M1 receptor remain an important target for symptomatic treatment of cognitive dysfunction. The selective M1 receptor partial agonist HTL0018318 is under development for the symptomatic treatment of Dementia’s including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). We investigated the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and exploratory pharmacodynamics of multiple doses of HTL0018318 in healthy younger adults and elderly subjects. Methods This randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled study was performed, investigating oral doses of 15–35 mg/day HTL0018318 or placebo in 7 cohorts of healthy younger adult (n = 36; 3 cohorts) and elderly (n = 50; 4 cohorts) subjects. Safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic measurements were performed. Pharmacodynamics were assessed using a battery of neurocognitive tasks and electrophysiological biomarkers of synaptic and cognitive functions. Results HTL0018318 was generally well-tolerated in multiple doses up to 35 mg/day and were associated with mild or moderate cholinergic adverse events. There were modest increases in blood pressure and pulse rate when compared to placebo-treated subjects, with tendency for the blood pressure increase to attenuate with repeated dosing. There were no clinically significant observations or changes in blood and urine laboratory measures of safety or abnormalities in the ECGs and 24-h Holter assessments. HTL0018318 plasma exposure was dose-proportional over the range 15–35 mg. Maximum plasma concentrations were achieved after 1–2 h. The apparent terminal half-life of HTL0018318 was 16.1 h (± 4.61) in younger adult subjects and 14.3 h (± 2.78) in elderly subjects at steady state. HTL0018318 over the 10 days of treatment had significant effects on tests of short-term (working) memory (n-back) and learning (Milner maze) with moderate to large effect sizes. Conclusion Multiple doses of HTL0018138 showed well-characterised pharmacokinetics and were safe and generally well-tolerated in the dose range studied. Pro-cognitive effects on short-term memory and learning were demonstrated across the dose range. These data provide encouraging data in support of the development of HTL0018138 for cognitive dysfunction in AD and DLB. Trial registration Netherlands Trial Register identifier NTR5781. Registered on 22 March 2016. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13195-021-00816-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Bakker
- Centre for Human Drug Research (CDHR), Zernikedreef 8, 2333 CL, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Tim Tasker
- Sosei Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Jan Liptrot
- Sosei Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Ellen P Hart
- Centre for Human Drug Research (CDHR), Zernikedreef 8, 2333 CL, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Erica S Klaassen
- Centre for Human Drug Research (CDHR), Zernikedreef 8, 2333 CL, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Robert Jan Doll
- Centre for Human Drug Research (CDHR), Zernikedreef 8, 2333 CL, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Alastair Brown
- Sosei Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Miles Congreve
- Sosei Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Malcolm Weir
- Sosei Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | | | | | - Geert Jan Groeneveld
- Centre for Human Drug Research (CDHR), Zernikedreef 8, 2333 CL, Leiden, The Netherlands. .,Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Pradeep J Nathan
- Sosei Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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49
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Pastor V, Medina JH. Medial prefrontal cortical control of reward- and aversion-based behavioral output: Bottom-up modulation. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 53:3039-3062. [PMID: 33660363 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
How does the brain guide our actions? This is a complex issue, where the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) plays a crucial role. The mPFC is essential for cognitive flexibility and decision making. These functions are related to reward- and aversion-based learning, which ultimately drive behavior. Though, cortical projections and modulatory systems that may regulate those processes in the mPFC are less understood. How does the mPFC regulate approach-avoidance behavior in the case of conflicting aversive and appetitive stimuli? This is likely dependent on the bottom-up neuromodulation of the mPFC projection neurons. In this review, we integrate behavioral-, pharmacological-, and viral-based circuit manipulation data showing the involvement of mPFC dopaminergic, noradrenergic, cholinergic, and serotoninergic inputs in reward and aversion processing. Given that an incorrect balance of reward and aversion value could be a key problem in mental diseases such as substance use disorders, we discuss outstanding questions for future research on the role of mPFC modulation in reward and aversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Pastor
- CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia "Prof. Eduardo De Robertis" (IBCN), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Ciencias Fisiológicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jorge Horacio Medina
- CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia "Prof. Eduardo De Robertis" (IBCN), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires (ITBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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50
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Sethuramanujam S, Matsumoto A, deRosenroll G, Murphy-Baum B, Grosman C, McIntosh JM, Jing M, Li Y, Berson D, Yonehara K, Awatramani GB. Rapid multi-directed cholinergic transmission in the central nervous system. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1374. [PMID: 33654091 PMCID: PMC7925691 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21680-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
In many parts of the central nervous system, including the retina, it is unclear whether cholinergic transmission is mediated by rapid, point-to-point synaptic mechanisms, or slower, broad-scale 'non-synaptic' mechanisms. Here, we characterized the ultrastructural features of cholinergic connections between direction-selective starburst amacrine cells and downstream ganglion cells in an existing serial electron microscopy data set, as well as their functional properties using electrophysiology and two-photon acetylcholine (ACh) imaging. Correlative results demonstrate that a 'tripartite' structure facilitates a 'multi-directed' form of transmission, in which ACh released from a single vesicle rapidly (~1 ms) co-activates receptors expressed in multiple neurons located within ~1 µm of the release site. Cholinergic signals are direction-selective at a local, but not global scale, and facilitate the transfer of information from starburst to ganglion cell dendrites. These results suggest a distinct operational framework for cholinergic signaling that bears the hallmarks of synaptic and non-synaptic forms of transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Akihiro Matsumoto
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience - DANDRITE, Nordic-EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | | | | | - Claudio Grosman
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, 407 S. Goodwin Ave, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - J Michael McIntosh
- George E. Whalen Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Department of Psychiatry; School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Miao Jing
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yulong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - David Berson
- Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Keisuke Yonehara
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience - DANDRITE, Nordic-EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark.
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