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Liu E, Pang K, Liu M, Tan X, Hang Z, Mu S, Han W, Yue Q, Comai S, Sun J. Activation of Kv7 channels normalizes hyperactivity of the VTA-NAcLat circuit and attenuates methamphetamine-induced conditioned place preference and sensitization in mice. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:5183-5194. [PMID: 37604975 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02218-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
The brain circuit projecting from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to the nucleus accumbens lateral shell (NAcLat) has a key role in methamphetamine (MA) addiction. As different dopamine (DA) neuron subpopulations in the VTA participate in different neuronal circuits, it is a challenge to isolate these DA neuron subtypes. Using retrograde tracing and Patch-seq, we isolated DA neurons in the VTA-NAcLat circuit in MA-treated mice and performed gene expression profiling. Among the differentially expressed genes, KCNQ genes were dramatically downregulated. KCNQ genes encode Kv7 channel proteins, which modulate neuronal excitability. Injection of both the Kv7.2/3 agonist ICA069673 and the Kv7.4 agonist fasudil into the VTA attenuated MA-induced conditioned place preference and locomotor sensitization and decreased neuronal excitability. Increasing Kv7.2/3 activity decreased neural oscillations, synaptic plasticity and DA release in the VTA-NacLat circuit in MA-treated mice. Furthermore, overexpression of only Kv7.3 channels in the VTA-NacLat circuit was sufficient to attenuate MA-induced reward behavior and decrease VTA neuron excitability. Activation of Kv7 channels in the VTA may become a novel treatment strategy for MA abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Shandong University School of Basic Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Kunkun Pang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Shandong University School of Basic Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Department of Ultrasound, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Min Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Shandong University School of Basic Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Xu Tan
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Shandong University School of Basic Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Zhaofang Hang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Shandong University School of Basic Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Shouhong Mu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Shandong University School of Basic Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Weikai Han
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Shandong University School of Basic Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Qingwei Yue
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Shandong University School of Basic Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Stefano Comai
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Jinhao Sun
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Shandong University School of Basic Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China.
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Geisler CE, Hayes MR. Metabolic hormone action in the VTA: Reward-directed behavior and mechanistic insights. Physiol Behav 2023; 268:114236. [PMID: 37178855 PMCID: PMC10330780 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Dysfunctional signaling in midbrain reward circuits perpetuates diseases characterized by compulsive overconsumption of rewarding substances such as substance abuse, binge eating disorder, and obesity. Ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopaminergic activity serves as an index for how rewarding stimuli are perceived and triggers behaviors necessary to obtain future rewards. The evolutionary linking of reward with seeking and consuming palatable foods ensured an organism's survival, and hormone systems that regulate appetite concomitantly developed to regulate motivated behaviors. Today, these same mechanisms serve to regulate reward-directed behavior around food, drugs, alcohol, and social interactions. Understanding how hormonal regulation of VTA dopaminergic output alters motivated behaviors is essential to leveraging therapeutics that target these hormone systems to treat addiction and disordered eating. This review will outline our current understanding of the mechanisms underlying VTA action of the metabolic hormones ghrelin, glucagon-like peptide-1, amylin, leptin, and insulin to regulate behavior around food and drugs of abuse, highlighting commonalities and differences in how these five hormones ultimately modulate VTA dopamine signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline E Geisler
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Matthew R Hayes
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Mortazavi L, Hynes TJ, Chernoff CS, Ramaiah S, Brodie HG, Russell B, Hathaway BA, Kaur S, Winstanley CA. D 2/3 Agonist during Learning Potentiates Cued Risky Choice. J Neurosci 2023; 43:979-992. [PMID: 36623876 PMCID: PMC9908318 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1459-22.2022] [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: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Impulse control and/or gambling disorders can be triggered by dopamine agonist therapies used to treat Parkinson's disease, but the cognitive and neurobiological mechanisms underlying these adverse effects are unknown. Recent data show that adding win-paired sound and light cues to the rat gambling task (rGT) potentiates risky decision-making and impulsivity via the dopamine system, and that changing dopaminergic tone has a greater influence on behavior while subjects are learning task contingencies. Dopamine agonist therapy may therefore be potentiating risk-taking by amplifying the behavioral impact of gambling-related cues on novel behavior. Here, we show that ropinirole treatment in male rats transiently increased motor impulsivity but robustly and progressively increased choice of the high-risk/high-reward options when administered during acquisition of the cued but not uncued rGT. Early in training, ropinirole increased win-stay behavior after large unlikely wins on the cued rGT, indicative of enhanced model-free learning, which mediated the drug's effect on later risk preference. Ex vivo cFos imaging showed that both chronic ropinirole and the addition of win-paired cues suppressed the activity of dopaminergic midbrain neurons. The ratio of midbrain:prefrontal cFos+ neurons was lower in animals with suboptimal choice patterns and tended to predict risk preference across all rats. Network analyses further suggested that ropinirole induced decoupling of the dopaminergic cells of the VTA and nucleus accumbens but only when win-paired cues were present. Frontostriatal activity uninformed by the endogenous dopaminergic teaching signal therefore appeared to perpetuate risky choice, and ropinirole exaggerated this disconnect in synergy with reward-paired cues.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT D2/3 receptor agonists, used to treat Parkinson's disease, can cause gambling disorder through an unknown mechanism. Ropinirole increased risky decision-making in rats, but only when wins were paired with casino-inspired sounds and lights. This was mediated by increased win-stay behavior after large unlikely wins early in learning, indicating enhanced model-free learning. cFos imaging showed that ropinirole suppressed activity of midbrain dopamine neurons, an effect that was mimicked by the addition of win-paired cues. The degree of risky choice rats exhibited was uniquely predicted by the ratio of midbrain dopamine:PFC activity. Depriving the PFC of the endogenous dopaminergic teaching signal may therefore drive risky decision-making on-task, and ropinirole acts synergistically with win-paired cues to amplify this.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leili Mortazavi
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Tristan J Hynes
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Chloe S Chernoff
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Shrishti Ramaiah
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Hannah G Brodie
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Brittney Russell
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Brett A Hathaway
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Sukhbir Kaur
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Catharine A Winstanley
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
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Estrous Cycle Mediates Midbrain Neuron Excitability Altering Social Behavior upon Stress. J Neurosci 2023; 43:736-748. [PMID: 36549906 PMCID: PMC9899085 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1504-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The estrous cycle is a potent modulator of neuron physiology. In rodents, in vivo ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine (DA) activity has been shown to fluctuate across the estrous cycle. Although the behavioral effect of fluctuating sex steroids on the reward circuit is well studied in response to drugs of abuse, few studies have focused on the molecular adaptations in the context of stress and motivated social behaviors. We hypothesized that estradiol fluctuations across the estrous cycle acts on the dopaminergic activity of the VTA to alter excitability and stress response. We used whole-cell slice electrophysiology of VTA DA neurons in naturally cycling, adult female C57BL/6J mice to characterize the effects of the estrous cycle and the role of 17β-estradiol on neuronal activity. We show that the estrous phase alters the effect of 17β-estradiol on excitability in the VTA. Behaviorally, the estrous phase during a series of acute variable social stressors modulates subsequent reward-related behaviors. Pharmacological inhibition of estrogen receptors in the VTA before stress during diestrus mimics the stress susceptibility found during estrus, whereas increased potassium channel activity in the VTA before stress reverses stress susceptibility found during estrus as assessed by social interaction behavior. This study identifies one possible potassium channel mechanism underlying the increased DA activity during estrus and reveals estrogen-dependent changes in neuronal function. Our findings demonstrate that the estrous cycle and estrogen signaling changes the physiology of DA neurons resulting in behavioral differences when the reward circuit is challenged with stress.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The activity of the ventral tegmental area encodes signals of stress and reward. Dopaminergic activity has been found to be regulated by both local synaptic inputs as well as inputs from other brain regions. Here, we provide evidence that cycling sex steroids also play a role in modulating stress sensitivity of dopaminergic reward behavior. Specifically, we reveal a correlation of ionic activity with estrous phase, which influences the behavioral response to stress. These findings shed new light on how estrous cycle may influence dopaminergic activity primarily during times of stress perturbation.
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La Barbera L, Nobili A, Cauzzi E, Paoletti I, Federici M, Saba L, Giacomet C, Marino R, Krashia P, Melone M, Keller F, Mercuri NB, Viscomi MT, Conti F, D’Amelio M. Upregulation of Ca 2+-binding proteins contributes to VTA dopamine neuron survival in the early phases of Alzheimer's disease in Tg2576 mice. Mol Neurodegener 2022; 17:76. [PMID: 36434727 PMCID: PMC9700939 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-022-00580-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent clinical and experimental studies have highlighted the involvement of Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) dopamine (DA) neurons for the early pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). We have previously described a progressive and selective degeneration of these neurons in the Tg2576 mouse model of AD, long before amyloid-beta plaque formation. The degenerative process in DA neurons is associated with an autophagy flux impairment, whose rescue can prevent neuronal loss. Impairments in autophagy can be the basis for accumulation of damaged mitochondria, leading to disturbance in calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis, and to functional and structural deterioration of DA neurons. METHODS In Tg2576 mice, we performed amperometric recordings of DA levels and analysis of dopaminergic fibers in the Nucleus Accumbens - a major component of the ventral striatum precociously affected in AD patients - together with retrograde tracing, to identify the most vulnerable DA neuron subpopulations in the VTA. Then, we focused on these neurons to analyze mitochondrial integrity and Apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) localization by electron and confocal microscopy, respectively. Stereological cell count was also used to evaluate degeneration of DA neuron subpopulations containing the Ca2+-binding proteins Calbindin-D28K and Calretinin. The expression levels for these proteins were analyzed by western blot and confocal microscopy. Lastly, using electrophysiology and microfluorometry we analyzed VTA DA neuron intrinsic properties and cytosolic free Ca2+ levels. RESULTS We found a progressive degeneration of mesolimbic DA neurons projecting to the ventral striatum, located in the paranigral nucleus and parabrachial pigmented subnucleus of the VTA. At the onset of degeneration (3 months of age), the vulnerable DA neurons in the Tg2576 accumulate damaged mitochondria, while AIF translocates from the mitochondria to the nucleus. Although we describe an age-dependent loss of the DA neurons expressing Calbindin-D28K or Calretinin, we observed that the remaining cells upregulate the levels of Ca2+-binding proteins, and the free cytosolic levels of Ca2+ in these neurons are significantly decreased. Coherently, TUNEL-stained Tg2576 DA neurons express lower levels of Calbindin-D28K when compared with non-apoptotic cells. CONCLUSION Overall, our results suggest that the overexpression of Ca2+-binding proteins in VTA DA neurons might be an attempt of cells to survive by increasing their ability to buffer free Ca2+. Exploring strategies to overexpress Ca2+-binding proteins could be fundamental to reduce neuronal suffering and improve cognitive and non-cognitive functions in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livia La Barbera
- grid.9657.d0000 0004 1757 5329Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy ,grid.417778.a0000 0001 0692 3437Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy
| | - Annalisa Nobili
- grid.9657.d0000 0004 1757 5329Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy ,grid.417778.a0000 0001 0692 3437Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy
| | - Emma Cauzzi
- grid.417778.a0000 0001 0692 3437Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy ,grid.6530.00000 0001 2300 0941Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Ilaria Paoletti
- grid.9657.d0000 0004 1757 5329Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Mauro Federici
- grid.417778.a0000 0001 0692 3437Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy
| | - Luana Saba
- grid.9657.d0000 0004 1757 5329Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy ,grid.417778.a0000 0001 0692 3437Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy
| | - Cecilia Giacomet
- grid.6530.00000 0001 2300 0941Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Ramona Marino
- grid.9657.d0000 0004 1757 5329Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Paraskevi Krashia
- grid.417778.a0000 0001 0692 3437Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy ,grid.9657.d0000 0004 1757 5329Department of Sciences and Technologies for Humans and Environment, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Marcello Melone
- grid.7010.60000 0001 1017 3210Section of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Università Politecnica delle Marche (UNIVPM), 60020 Ancona, Italy ,Center for Neurobiology of Aging, IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Ricovero e Cura Anziani (INRCA), 60020 Ancona, Italy
| | - Flavio Keller
- grid.9657.d0000 0004 1757 5329Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Nicola Biagio Mercuri
- grid.417778.a0000 0001 0692 3437Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy ,grid.6530.00000 0001 2300 0941Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Viscomi
- grid.8142.f0000 0001 0941 3192Department of Life Science and Public Health; Section of Histology and Embryology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy ,grid.414603.4Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli”, IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Fiorenzo Conti
- grid.7010.60000 0001 1017 3210Section of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Università Politecnica delle Marche (UNIVPM), 60020 Ancona, Italy ,Center for Neurobiology of Aging, IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Ricovero e Cura Anziani (INRCA), 60020 Ancona, Italy ,grid.7010.60000 0001 1017 3210Foundation for Molecular Medicine, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60020 Ancona, Italy
| | - Marcello D’Amelio
- grid.9657.d0000 0004 1757 5329Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy ,grid.417778.a0000 0001 0692 3437Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy
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Limoges A, Yarur HE, Tejeda HA. Dynorphin/kappa opioid receptor system regulation on amygdaloid circuitry: Implications for neuropsychiatric disorders. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 16:963691. [PMID: 36276608 PMCID: PMC9579273 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.963691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Amygdaloid circuits are involved in a variety of emotional and motivation-related behaviors and are impacted by stress. The amygdala expresses several neuromodulatory systems, including opioid peptides and their receptors. The Dynorphin (Dyn)/kappa opioid receptor (KOR) system has been implicated in the processing of emotional and stress-related information and is expressed in brain areas involved in stress and motivation. Dysregulation of the Dyn/KOR system has also been implicated in various neuropsychiatric disorders. However, there is limited information about the role of the Dyn/KOR system in regulating amygdala circuitry. Here, we review the literature on the (1) basic anatomy of the amygdala, (2) functional regulation of synaptic transmission by the Dyn/KOR system, (3) anatomical architecture and function of the Dyn/KOR system in the amygdala, (4) regulation of amygdala-dependent behaviors by the Dyn/KOR system, and (5) future directions for the field. Future work investigating how the Dyn/KOR system shapes a wide range of amygdala-related behaviors will be required to increase our understanding of underlying circuitry modulation by the Dyn/KOR system. We anticipate that continued focus on the amygdala Dyn/KOR system will also elucidate novel ways to target the Dyn/KOR system to treat neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Limoges
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, Bethesda, MD, United States
- NIH-Columbia University Individual Graduate Partnership Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Hector E. Yarur
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Hugo A. Tejeda
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, Bethesda, MD, United States
- *Correspondence: Hugo A. Tejeda,
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7
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Yin B, Shi Z, Wang Y, Meck WH. Oscillation/Coincidence-Detection Models of Reward-Related Timing in Corticostriatal Circuits. TIMING & TIME PERCEPTION 2022. [DOI: 10.1163/22134468-bja10057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The major tenets of beat-frequency/coincidence-detection models of reward-related timing are reviewed in light of recent behavioral and neurobiological findings. This includes the emphasis on a core timing network embedded in the motor system that is comprised of a corticothalamic-basal ganglia circuit. Therein, a central hub provides timing pulses (i.e., predictive signals) to the entire brain, including a set of distributed satellite regions in the cerebellum, cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus that are selectively engaged in timing in a manner that is more dependent upon the specific sensory, behavioral, and contextual requirements of the task. Oscillation/coincidence-detection models also emphasize the importance of a tuned ‘perception’ learning and memory system whereby target durations are detected by striatal networks of medium spiny neurons (MSNs) through the coincidental activation of different neural populations, typically utilizing patterns of oscillatory input from the cortex and thalamus or derivations thereof (e.g., population coding) as a time base. The measure of success of beat-frequency/coincidence-detection accounts, such as the Striatal Beat-Frequency model of reward-related timing (SBF), is their ability to accommodate new experimental findings while maintaining their original framework, thereby making testable experimental predictions concerning diagnosis and treatment of issues related to a variety of dopamine-dependent basal ganglia disorders, including Huntington’s and Parkinson’s disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Yin
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- School of Psychology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350117, Fujian, China
| | - Zhuanghua Shi
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, 80802 Munich, Germany
| | - Yaxin Wang
- School of Psychology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350117, Fujian, China
| | - Warren H. Meck
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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8
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Reeves KC, Shah N, Muñoz B, Atwood BK. Opioid Receptor-Mediated Regulation of Neurotransmission in the Brain. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:919773. [PMID: 35782382 PMCID: PMC9242007 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.919773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Opioids mediate their effects via opioid receptors: mu, delta, and kappa. At the neuronal level, opioid receptors are generally inhibitory, presynaptically reducing neurotransmitter release and postsynaptically hyperpolarizing neurons. However, opioid receptor-mediated regulation of neuronal function and synaptic transmission is not uniform in expression pattern and mechanism across the brain. The localization of receptors within specific cell types and neurocircuits determine the effects that endogenous and exogenous opioids have on brain function. In this review we will explore the similarities and differences in opioid receptor-mediated regulation of neurotransmission across different brain regions. We discuss how future studies can consider potential cell-type, regional, and neural pathway-specific effects of opioid receptors in order to better understand how opioid receptors modulate brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlin C. Reeves
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Nikhil Shah
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Braulio Muñoz
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Brady K. Atwood
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
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9
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Escobar AP, Meza R, Gonzalez M, Henny P, Andrés ME. Immunolocalization of kappa opioid receptors in the axon initial segment of a group of embryonic mesencephalic dopamine neurons. IBRO Neurosci Rep 2022; 12:411-418. [PMID: 35746971 PMCID: PMC9210487 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2022.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The dopamine mesolimbic system is a major circuit involved in controlling goal-directed behaviors. Dopamine D2 receptors (D2R) and kappa opioid receptors (KOR) are abundant Gi protein-coupled receptors in the mesolimbic system. D2R and KOR share several functions in dopamine mesencephalic neurons, such as regulation of dopamine release and uptake, and firing of dopamine neurons. In addition, KOR and D2R modulate each other functioning. This evidence indicates that both receptors functionally interact, however, their colocalization in the mesostriatal system has not been addressed. Immunofluorescent assays were performed in cultured dopamine neurons and adult mice’s brain tissue to answer this question. We observed that KOR and D2R are present in similar density in dendrites and soma of cultured dopamine neurons, but in a segregated manner. Interestingly, KOR immunolabelling was observed in the first part of the axon, colocalizing with Ankyrin in 20% of cultured dopamine neurons, indicative that KOR is present in the axon initial segment (AIS) of a group of dopaminergic neurons. In the adult brain, KOR and D2R are also segregated in striatal tissue. While the KOR label is in fiber tracts such as the striatal streaks, corpus callosum, and anterior commissure, D2R is located mainly within the striatum and nucleus accumbens, surrounding fiber tracts. D2R is also localized in some fibers that are mostly different from those positives for KOR. In conclusion, KOR and D2R are present in the soma and dendrites of mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons, but KOR is also found in the AIS of a subpopulation of these neurons. KOR and D2R localize in cell bodies of primary cultured TH neurons. In primary cultured TH neurons KOR localizes in axon initial segment. KOR and D2R co-localize in cell bodies of the CPu and NAc.
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10
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Morel C, Montgomery SE, Li L, Durand-de Cuttoli R, Teichman EM, Juarez B, Tzavaras N, Ku SM, Flanigan ME, Cai M, Walsh JJ, Russo SJ, Nestler EJ, Calipari ES, Friedman AK, Han MH. Midbrain projection to the basolateral amygdala encodes anxiety-like but not depression-like behaviors. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1532. [PMID: 35318315 PMCID: PMC8940900 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29155-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are complex diseases, and often co-occur with depression. It is as yet unclear if a common neural circuit controls anxiety-related behaviors in both anxiety-alone and comorbid conditions. Here, utilizing the chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) paradigm that induces singular or combined anxiety- and depressive-like phenotypes in mice, we show that a ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine circuit projecting to the basolateral amygdala (BLA) selectively controls anxiety- but not depression-like behaviors. Using circuit-dissecting ex vivo electrophysiology and in vivo fiber photometry approaches, we establish that expression of anxiety-like, but not depressive-like, phenotypes are negatively correlated with VTA → BLA dopamine neuron activity. Further, our optogenetic studies demonstrate a causal link between such neuronal activity and anxiety-like behaviors. Overall, these data establish a functional role for VTA → BLA dopamine neurons in bi-directionally controlling anxiety-related behaviors not only in anxiety-alone, but also in anxiety-depressive comorbid conditions in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carole Morel
- grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Friedman Brain Institute, Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
| | - Sarah E. Montgomery
- grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Friedman Brain Institute, Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
| | - Long Li
- grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Friedman Brain Institute, Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
| | - Romain Durand-de Cuttoli
- grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Friedman Brain Institute, Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
| | - Emily M. Teichman
- grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Friedman Brain Institute, Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
| | - Barbara Juarez
- grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Friedman Brain Institute, Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.412623.00000 0000 8535 6057Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA USA ,grid.412623.00000 0000 8535 6057Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA USA
| | - Nikos Tzavaras
- grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Microscopy Core, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
| | - Stacy M. Ku
- grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Friedman Brain Institute, Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
| | - Meghan E. Flanigan
- grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Friedman Brain Institute, Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.10698.360000000122483208Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC USA
| | - Min Cai
- grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Friedman Brain Institute, Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
| | - Jessica J. Walsh
- grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Friedman Brain Institute, Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.10698.360000000122483208Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 USA ,grid.10698.360000000122483208Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 USA
| | - Scott J. Russo
- grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Friedman Brain Institute, Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
| | - Eric J. Nestler
- grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Friedman Brain Institute, Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
| | - Erin S. Calipari
- grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Friedman Brain Institute, Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Allyson K. Friedman
- grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Friedman Brain Institute, Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.257167.00000 0001 2183 6649Department of Biological Science, Hunter College at the City University of New York, New York, NY USA
| | - Ming-Hu Han
- grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Friedman Brain Institute, Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.458489.c0000 0001 0483 7922Department of Mental Health and Public Health, Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong China
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11
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Avegno EM, Gilpin NW. Reciprocal midbrain-extended amygdala circuit activity in preclinical models of alcohol use and misuse. Neuropharmacology 2022; 202:108856. [PMID: 34710467 PMCID: PMC8627447 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol dependence is characterized by a shift in motivation to consume alcohol from positive reinforcement (i.e., increased likelihood of future alcohol drinking based on its rewarding effects) to negative reinforcement (i.e., increased likelihood of future alcohol drinking based on alcohol-induced reductions in negative affective symptoms, including but not limited to those experienced during alcohol withdrawal). The neural adaptations that occur during this transition are not entirely understood. Mesolimbic reinforcement circuitry (i.e., ventral tegmental area [VTA] neurons) is activated during early stages of alcohol use, and may be involved in the recruitment of brain stress circuitry (i.e., extended amygdala) during the transition to alcohol dependence, after chronic periods of high-dose alcohol exposure. Here, we review the literature regarding the role of canonical brain reinforcement (VTA) and brain stress (extended amygdala) systems, and the connections between them, in acute, sub-chronic, and chronic alcohol response. Particular emphasis is placed on preclinical models of alcohol use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M Avegno
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA,Department of Alcohol & Drug Center of Excellence, School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA,Corresponding author: Correspondence should be addressed to Elizabeth Avegno, 1901 Perdido St, Room 7205, New Orleans, LA 70112,
| | - Nicholas W Gilpin
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA,Department of Alcohol & Drug Center of Excellence, School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA,Neuroscience Center of Excellence, School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA,Southeast Louisiana VA Healthcare System (SLVHCS), New Orleans, LA
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12
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Dagra A, Miller DR, Lin M, Gopinath A, Shaerzadeh F, Harris S, Sorrentino ZA, Støier JF, Velasco S, Azar J, Alonge AR, Lebowitz JJ, Ulm B, Bu M, Hansen CA, Urs N, Giasson BI, Khoshbouei H. α-Synuclein-induced dysregulation of neuronal activity contributes to murine dopamine neuron vulnerability. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 2021; 7:76. [PMID: 34408150 PMCID: PMC8373893 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-021-00210-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathophysiological damages and loss of function of dopamine neurons precede their demise and contribute to the early phases of Parkinson's disease. The presence of aberrant intracellular pathological inclusions of the protein α-synuclein within ventral midbrain dopaminergic neurons is one of the cardinal features of Parkinson's disease. We employed molecular biology, electrophysiology, and live-cell imaging to investigate how excessive α-synuclein expression alters multiple characteristics of dopaminergic neuronal dynamics and dopamine transmission in cultured dopamine neurons conditionally expressing GCaMP6f. We found that overexpression of α-synuclein in mouse (male and female) dopaminergic neurons altered neuronal firing properties, calcium dynamics, dopamine release, protein expression, and morphology. Moreover, prolonged exposure to the D2 receptor agonist, quinpirole, rescues many of the alterations induced by α-synuclein overexpression. These studies demonstrate that α-synuclein dysregulation of neuronal activity contributes to the vulnerability of dopaminergic neurons and that modulation of D2 receptor activity can ameliorate the pathophysiology. These findings provide mechanistic insights into the insidious changes in dopaminergic neuronal activity and neuronal loss that characterize Parkinson's disease progression with significant therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abeer Dagra
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Douglas R. Miller
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Min Lin
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Adithya Gopinath
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Fatemeh Shaerzadeh
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Sharonda Harris
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Zachary A. Sorrentino
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Jonatan Fullerton Støier
- grid.5254.60000 0001 0674 042XMolecular Neuropharmacology and Genetics Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sophia Velasco
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Janelle Azar
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Adetola R. Alonge
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Joseph J. Lebowitz
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Brittany Ulm
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Mengfei Bu
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Carissa A. Hansen
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Nikhil Urs
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Benoit I. Giasson
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Habibeh Khoshbouei
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
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13
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The gating pore blocker 1-(2,4-xylyl)guanidinium selectively inhibits pacemaking of midbrain dopaminergic neurons. Neuropharmacology 2021; 197:108722. [PMID: 34273387 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Although several ionic mechanisms are known to control rate and regularity of the slow pacemaker in dopamine (DA) neurons, the core mechanism of pacing is controversial. Here we tested the hypothesis that pacemaking of SNc DA neurons is enabled by an unconventional conductance. We found that 1-(2,4-xylyl)guanidinium (XG), an established blocker of gating pore currents, selectively inhibits pacemaking of DA neurons. The compound inhibited all slow pacemaking DA neurons that were tested, both in the substantia nigra pars compacta, and in the ventral tegmental area. Interestingly, bursting behavior was not affected by XG. Furthermore, the drug did not affect fast pacemaking of GABAergic neurons from substantia nigra pars reticulata neurons or slow pacemaking of noradrenergic neurons. In DA neurons, current-clamp analysis revealed that XG did not appear to affect ion channels involved in the action potential. Its inhibitory effect persisted during blockade of all ion channels previously suggested to contribute to pacemaking. RNA sequencing and voltage-clamp recordings yielded no evidence for a gating pore current to underlie the conductance. However, we could isolate a small subthreshold XG-sensitive current, which was carried by both Na+ and Cl- ions. Although the molecular target of XG remains to be defined, these observations represent a step towards understanding pacemaking in DA neurons.
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14
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Nguyen C, Mondoloni S, Le Borgne T, Centeno I, Come M, Jehl J, Solié C, Reynolds LM, Durand-de Cuttoli R, Tolu S, Valverde S, Didienne S, Hannesse B, Fiancette JF, Pons S, Maskos U, Deroche-Gamonet V, Dalkara D, Hardelin JP, Mourot A, Marti F, Faure P. Nicotine inhibits the VTA-to-amygdala dopamine pathway to promote anxiety. Neuron 2021; 109:2604-2615.e9. [PMID: 34242565 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Nicotine stimulates dopamine (DA) neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to establish and maintain reinforcement. Nicotine also induces anxiety through an as yet unknown circuitry. We found that nicotine injection drives opposite functional responses of two distinct populations of VTA DA neurons with anatomically segregated projections: it activates neurons that project to the nucleus accumbens (NAc), whereas it inhibits neurons that project to the amygdala nuclei (Amg). We further show that nicotine mediates anxiety-like behavior by acting on β2-subunit-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors of the VTA. Finally, using optogenetics, we bidirectionally manipulate the VTA-NAc and VTA-Amg pathways to dissociate their contributions to anxiety-like behavior. We show that inhibition of VTA-Amg DA neurons mediates anxiety-like behavior, while their activation prevents the anxiogenic effects of nicotine. These distinct subpopulations of VTA DA neurons with opposite responses to nicotine may differentially drive the anxiogenic and the reinforcing effects of nicotine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Nguyen
- ESPCI, Laboratoire de plasticité du cerveau UMR8249, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Sarah Mondoloni
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Tinaïg Le Borgne
- ESPCI, Laboratoire de plasticité du cerveau UMR8249, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Ines Centeno
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Maxime Come
- ESPCI, Laboratoire de plasticité du cerveau UMR8249, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Joachim Jehl
- ESPCI, Laboratoire de plasticité du cerveau UMR8249, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Clément Solié
- ESPCI, Laboratoire de plasticité du cerveau UMR8249, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Lauren M Reynolds
- ESPCI, Laboratoire de plasticité du cerveau UMR8249, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | | | - Stefania Tolu
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Sébastien Valverde
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Steve Didienne
- ESPCI, Laboratoire de plasticité du cerveau UMR8249, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Bernadette Hannesse
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Jean-François Fiancette
- Neurocentre Magendie, Inserm U1215, Université de Bordeaux, 146 rue Léo Saignat, 33077 Bordeaux, France
| | - Stéphanie Pons
- Institut Pasteur, Unité Neurobiologie intégrative des systèmes cholinergiques, Département de neuroscience, 75724 Paris Cedex, France
| | - Uwe Maskos
- Institut Pasteur, Unité Neurobiologie intégrative des systèmes cholinergiques, Département de neuroscience, 75724 Paris Cedex, France
| | - Véronique Deroche-Gamonet
- Neurocentre Magendie, Inserm U1215, Université de Bordeaux, 146 rue Léo Saignat, 33077 Bordeaux, France
| | - Deniz Dalkara
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Pierre Hardelin
- ESPCI, Laboratoire de plasticité du cerveau UMR8249, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Alexandre Mourot
- ESPCI, Laboratoire de plasticité du cerveau UMR8249, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Fabio Marti
- ESPCI, Laboratoire de plasticité du cerveau UMR8249, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France.
| | - Philippe Faure
- ESPCI, Laboratoire de plasticité du cerveau UMR8249, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France.
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15
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La Barbera L, Vedele F, Nobili A, Krashia P, Spoleti E, Latagliata EC, Cutuli D, Cauzzi E, Marino R, Viscomi MT, Petrosini L, Puglisi-Allegra S, Melone M, Keller F, Mercuri NB, Conti F, D'Amelio M. Nilotinib restores memory function by preventing dopaminergic neuron degeneration in a mouse model of Alzheimer's Disease. Prog Neurobiol 2021; 202:102031. [PMID: 33684513 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2021.102031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
What happens precociously to the brain destined to develop Alzheimer's Disease (AD) still remains to be elucidated and this is one reason why effective AD treatments are missing. Recent experimental and clinical studies indicate that the degeneration of the dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) could be one of the first events occurring in AD. However, the causes of the increased vulnerability of DA neurons in AD are missing. Here, we deeply investigate the physiology of DA neurons in the VTA before, at the onset, and after onset of VTA neurodegeneration. We use the Tg2576 mouse model of AD, overexpressing a mutated form of the human APP, to identify molecular targets that can be manipulated pharmacologically. We show that in Tg2576 mice, DA neurons of the VTA at the onset of degeneration undergo slight but functionally relevant changes in their electrophysiological properties and cell morphology. Importantly, these changes are associated with accumulation of autophagosomes, suggestive of a dysfunctional autophagy, and with enhanced activation of c-Abl, a tyrosine kinase previously implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Chronic treatment of Tg2576 mice with Nilotinib, a validated c-Abl inhibitor, reduces c-Abl phosphorylation, improves autophagy, reduces Aβ levels and - more importantly - prevents degeneration as well as functional and morphological alterations in DA neurons of the VTA. Interestingly, the drug prevents the reduction of DA outflow to the hippocampus and ameliorates hippocampal-related cognitive functions. Our results strive to identify early pathological brain changes in AD, to provide a rational basis for new therapeutic interventions able to slow down the disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livia La Barbera
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Department of Sciences and Technologies for Humans and Environment, University Campus Bio-Medico, 00128, Rome, Italy; Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143, Rome, Italy
| | - Francescangelo Vedele
- Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143, Rome, Italy; Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Annalisa Nobili
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Department of Sciences and Technologies for Humans and Environment, University Campus Bio-Medico, 00128, Rome, Italy; Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143, Rome, Italy
| | - Paraskevi Krashia
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Department of Sciences and Technologies for Humans and Environment, University Campus Bio-Medico, 00128, Rome, Italy; Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143, Rome, Italy.
| | - Elena Spoleti
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Department of Sciences and Technologies for Humans and Environment, University Campus Bio-Medico, 00128, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Debora Cutuli
- Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143, Rome, Italy; Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Emma Cauzzi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Department of Sciences and Technologies for Humans and Environment, University Campus Bio-Medico, 00128, Rome, Italy; School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Ramona Marino
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Department of Sciences and Technologies for Humans and Environment, University Campus Bio-Medico, 00128, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Viscomi
- Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143, Rome, Italy; Department of Life Science and Public Health Section of Histology and Embryology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Petrosini
- Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Marcello Melone
- Section of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Università Politecnica delle Marche (UNIVPM), 60020, Ancona, Italy; Center for Neurobiology of Aging, IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Ricovero e Cura Anziani (INRCA), 60020, Ancona, Italy
| | - Flavio Keller
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Department of Sciences and Technologies for Humans and Environment, University Campus Bio-Medico, 00128, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicola Biagio Mercuri
- Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143, Rome, Italy; Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Fiorenzo Conti
- Section of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Università Politecnica delle Marche (UNIVPM), 60020, Ancona, Italy; Center for Neurobiology of Aging, IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Ricovero e Cura Anziani (INRCA), 60020, Ancona, Italy; Foundation for Molecular Medicine, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60020, Ancona, Italy
| | - Marcello D'Amelio
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Department of Sciences and Technologies for Humans and Environment, University Campus Bio-Medico, 00128, Rome, Italy; Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143, Rome, Italy.
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16
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Doyon WM, Ostroumov A, Ontiveros T, Gonzales RA, Dani JA. Ethanol produces multiple electrophysiological effects on ventral tegmental area neurons in freely moving rats. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e12899. [PMID: 32255261 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12899] [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: 06/08/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Although alcohol (i.e., ethanol) is a major drug of abuse, the acute functional effects of ethanol on the reward circuitry are not well defined in vivo. In freely moving rats, we examined the effect of intravenous ethanol administration on neuronal unit activity in the posterior ventral tegmental area (VTA), a central component of the mesolimbic reward system. VTA units were classified as putative dopamine (DA) neurons, fast-firing GABA neurons, and unidentified neurons based on a combination of electrophysiological properties and DA D2 receptor pharmacological responses. A gradual infusion of ethanol significantly altered the firing rate of DA neurons in a concentration-dependent manner. The majority of DA neurons were stimulated by ethanol and showed enhanced burst firing activity, but a minority was inhibited. Ethanol also increased the proportion of DA neurons that exhibited pacemaker-like firing patterns. In contrast, ethanol mediated a variety of effects in GABA and other unidentified neurons that were distinct from DA neurons, including a nonlinear increase in firing rate, delayed inhibition, and more biphasic activity. These results provide evidence of discrete electrophysiological effects of ethanol on DA neurons compared with other VTA cell types, suggesting a complex role of the VTA in alcohol-induced responses in freely moving animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- William M. Doyon
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA
| | - Alexey Ostroumov
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA
| | - Tiahna Ontiveros
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology University of Texas Austin Texas USA
| | - Rueben A. Gonzales
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology University of Texas Austin Texas USA
| | - John A. Dani
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA
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17
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Ji MJ, Yang J, Gao ZQ, Zhang L, Liu C. The Role of the Kappa Opioid System in Comorbid Pain and Psychiatric Disorders: Function and Implications. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:642493. [PMID: 33716658 PMCID: PMC7943636 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.642493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Both pain and psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety and depression, significantly impact quality of life for the sufferer. The two also share a strong pathological link: chronic pain-induced negative affect drives vulnerability to psychiatric disorders, while patients with comorbid psychiatric disorders tend to experience exacerbated pain. However, the mechanisms responsible for the comorbidity of pain and psychiatric disorders remain unclear. It is well established that the kappa opioid system contributes to depressive and dysphoric states. Emerging studies of chronic pain have revealed the role and mechanisms of the kappa opioid system in pain processing and, in particular, in the associated pathological alteration of affection. Here, we discuss the key findings and summarize compounds acting on the kappa opioid system that are potential candidates for therapeutic strategies against comorbid pain and psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao-Jin Ji
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, School of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Jiao Yang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, School of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Zhi-Qiang Gao
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Liang Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Chao Liu
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, School of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
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18
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Kaski SW, White AN, Gross JD, Siderovski DP. Potential for Kappa-Opioid Receptor Agonists to Engineer Nonaddictive Analgesics: A Narrative Review. Anesth Analg 2021; 132:406-419. [PMID: 33332902 DOI: 10.1213/ane.0000000000005309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
A serious adverse effect of prescription opioid analgesics is addiction, both to these analgesics and to illicit drugs like heroin that also activate the µ-opioid receptor (MOR). Opioid use disorder (OUD) and opioid overdose deaths represent a current American health crisis, and the prescription of opioid analgesics has contributed significantly to this crisis. While prescription opioids are highly effective analgesics, there currently exists no facile way to use them for extended periods without the risk of addiction. If addiction caused by MOR-targeting analgesics could be blocked by blending in a new "antiaddiction" ingredient that does not diminish analgesia and does not introduce its own therapeutically limiting side effects, then continued clinical use of prescription opioids for treating pain could be maintained (or even enhanced) instead of curtailed. In this narrative review, we contextualize this hypothesis, first with a brief overview of the current American opioid addiction crisis. The neurobiology of 2 key receptors in OUD development, MOR and the κ-opioid receptor (KOR), is then discussed to highlight the neuroanatomical features and circuitry in which signal transduction from these receptors lie in opposition-creating opportunities for pharmacological intervention in curtailing the addictive potential of MOR agonism. Prior findings with mixed MOR/KOR agonists are considered before exploring new potential avenues such as biased KOR agonists. New preclinical data are highlighted, demonstrating that the G protein-biased KOR agonist nalfurafine reduces the rewarding properties of MOR-targeting analgesics and enhances MOR-targeting analgesic-induced antinociception. Finally, we discuss the recent discovery that a regulator of G protein signaling (namely, RGS12) is a key component of signaling bias at KOR, presenting another drug discovery target toward identifying a single agent or adjuvant to be added to traditional opioid analgesics that could reduce or eliminate the addictive potential of the latter drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shane W Kaski
- From the Departments of Neuroscience and Behavioral Medicine & Psychiatry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Allison N White
- From the Departments of Neuroscience and Behavioral Medicine & Psychiatry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Joshua D Gross
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - David P Siderovski
- Department of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas
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19
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Driscoll JR, Wallace TL, Mansourian KA, Martin WJ, Margolis EB. Differential Modulation of Ventral Tegmental Area Circuits by the Nociceptin/Orphanin FQ System. eNeuro 2020; 7:ENEURO.0376-19.2020. [PMID: 32747458 PMCID: PMC7840174 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0376-19.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The neuropeptide nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) can be released by stressors and is associated with disorders of emotion regulation and reward processing. N/OFQ and its receptor, NOP, are enriched in dopaminergic pathways, and intra-ventricular agonist delivery decreases dopamine levels in the dorsal striatum, nucleus accumbens (NAc), and ventral tegmental area (VTA). We used whole-cell electrophysiology in acute rat midbrain slices to investigate synaptic actions of N/OFQ. N/OFQ was primarily inhibitory, causing outward currents in both immunocytochemically identified dopaminergic (tyrosine hydroxylase positive (TH(+))) and non-dopaminergic (TH(-)) VTA neurons; effect at 1 μm: 20 ± 4 pA. Surprisingly, this effect was mediated by augmentation of postsynaptic GABAAR currents, unlike the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc), where the N/OFQ-induced outward currents were K+ channel dependent. A smaller population, 17% of all VTA neurons, responded to low concentrations of N/OFQ with inward currents (10 nm: -11 ± 2 pA). Following 100 nm N/OFQ, the response to a second N/OFQ application was markedly diminished in VTA neurons (14 ± 10% of first response) but not in SNc neurons (90 ± 20% of first response). N/OFQ generated outward currents in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC)-projecting VTA neurons, but inward currents in a subset of posterior anterior cingulate cortex (pACC)-projecting VTA neurons. While N/OFQ inhibited NAc-projecting VTA cell bodies, it had little effect on electrically or optogenetically evoked terminal dopamine release in the NAc measured ex vivo with fast scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV). These results extend our understanding of the N/OFQ system in brainstem circuits implicated in many neurobehavioral disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph R Driscoll
- BlackThorn Therapeutics, San Francisco, CA 94103
- UCSF Weill Institute of Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | | | - Kasra A Mansourian
- UCSF Weill Institute of Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | | | - Elyssa B Margolis
- UCSF Weill Institute of Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143
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20
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Di Miceli M, Husson Z, Ruel P, Layé S, Cota D, Fioramonti X, Bosch-Bouju C, Gronier B. In silico Hierarchical Clustering of Neuronal Populations in the Rat Ventral Tegmental Area Based on Extracellular Electrophysiological Properties. Front Neural Circuits 2020; 14:51. [PMID: 32903825 PMCID: PMC7438989 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2020.00051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is a heterogeneous brain region, containing different neuronal populations. During in vivo recordings, electrophysiological characteristics are classically used to distinguish the different populations. However, the VTA is also considered as a region harboring neurons with heterogeneous properties. In the present study, we aimed to classify VTA neurons using in silico approaches, in an attempt to determine if homogeneous populations could be extracted. Thus, we recorded 291 VTA neurons during in vivo extracellular recordings in anesthetized rats. Initially, 22 neurons with high firing rates (>10 Hz) and short-lasting action potentials (AP) were considered as a separate subpopulation, in light of previous studies. To segregate the remaining 269 neurons, presumably dopaminergic (DA), we performed in silico analyses, using a combination of different electrophysiological parameters. These parameters included: (1) firing rate; (2) firing rate coefficient of variation (CV); (3) percentage of spikes in a burst; (4) AP duration; (5) Δt1 duration (i.e., time from initiation of depolarization until end of repolarization); and (6) presence of a notched AP waveform. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering revealed two neuronal populations that differed in their bursting activities. The largest population presented low bursting activities (<17.5% of total spikes in burst), while the remaining neurons presented higher bursting activities (>17.5%). Within non-high-firing neurons, a large heterogeneity was noted concerning AP characteristics. In conclusion, this analysis based on conventional electrophysiological criteria clustered two subpopulations of putative DA VTA neurons that are distinguishable by their firing patterns (firing rates and bursting activities) but not their AP properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Di Miceli
- Pharmacology and Neuroscience Research Group, Leicester School of Pharmacy, De Montfort University, Leicester, United Kingdom.,Laboratoire NutriNeuro, UMR INRAE 1286, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Zoé Husson
- Laboratoire NutriNeuro, UMR INRAE 1286, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.,INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, Physiopathologie de la Plasticité Neuronale, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.,IGF, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Philippe Ruel
- Département de Mathématiques, Lycée Joffre, Académie de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Sophie Layé
- Laboratoire NutriNeuro, UMR INRAE 1286, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Daniela Cota
- INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, Physiopathologie de la Plasticité Neuronale, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Xavier Fioramonti
- Laboratoire NutriNeuro, UMR INRAE 1286, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | | | - Benjamin Gronier
- Pharmacology and Neuroscience Research Group, Leicester School of Pharmacy, De Montfort University, Leicester, United Kingdom
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21
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Green Apple e-Cigarette Flavorant Farnesene Triggers Reward-Related Behavior by Promoting High-Sensitivity nAChRs in the Ventral Tegmental Area. eNeuro 2020; 7:ENEURO.0172-20.2020. [PMID: 32747456 PMCID: PMC7433896 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0172-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
While combustible cigarette smoking has declined, the use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) has increased. ENDS are popular among adolescents, and chemical flavorants are an increasing concern because of the growing use of zero-nicotine flavored e-liquids. Despite this, little is known regarding the effects of ENDS flavorants on vaping-related behavior. Following previous studies demonstrating the green apple flavorant, farnesol, enhances nicotine reward and exhibits rewarding properties without nicotine, this work focuses on the green apple flavorant, farnesene, for its impact on vaping-related behaviors. Using adult C57BL/6J mice, genetically modified to contain fluorescent nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), and farnesene doses of 0.1, 1.0, and 10 mg/kg, we observed farnesene-alone produces reward-related behavior in both male and female mice. We then performed whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology and observed farnesene-induced inward currents in ventral tegmental area (VTA) putative dopamine (pDA) neurons that were blocked by the nAChR antagonist, DhβE. While the amplitudes of farnesene-induced currents are ∼30% of nicotine's efficacy, this indicates the potential for some ENDS flavorants to stimulate nAChR function. Additionally, farnesene enhances nicotine's potency for activating nAChRs on VTA dopamine neurons. This may be because of changes in nAChR stoichiometry as our data suggest a shift toward high-sensitivity α4β2 nAChRs. Consequently, these data show that the green apple flavorant, farnesene, causes reward-related behavior without nicotine through changes in nAChR stoichiometry that results in an enhanced effect of nicotine on VTA dopamine neurons. These results demonstrate the importance of future investigations into ENDS flavorants and their effects on vaping-related behaviors.
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22
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Collins AL, Saunders BT. Heterogeneity in striatal dopamine circuits: Form and function in dynamic reward seeking. J Neurosci Res 2020; 98:1046-1069. [PMID: 32056298 PMCID: PMC7183907 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The striatal dopamine system has long been studied in the context of reward learning, motivation, and movement. Given the prominent role dopamine plays in a variety of adaptive behavioral states, as well as diseases like addiction, it is essential to understand the full complexity of dopamine neurons and the striatal systems they target. A growing number of studies are uncovering details of the heterogeneity in dopamine neuron subpopulations. Here, we review that work to synthesize current understanding of dopamine system heterogeneity across three levels, anatomical organization, functions in behavior, and modes of action, wherein we focus on signaling profiles and local mechanisms for modulation of dopamine release. Together, these studies reveal new and emerging dimensions of the striatal dopamine system, informing its contribution to dynamic motivational and decision-making processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne L. Collins
- University of Minnesota, Department of Neuroscience, Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - Benjamin T. Saunders
- University of Minnesota, Department of Neuroscience, Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, Minneapolis, MN 55455
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23
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Escobar ADP, Casanova JP, Andrés ME, Fuentealba JA. Crosstalk Between Kappa Opioid and Dopamine Systems in Compulsive Behaviors. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:57. [PMID: 32132923 PMCID: PMC7040183 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The strength of goal-oriented behaviors is regulated by midbrain dopamine neurons. Dysfunctions of dopaminergic circuits are observed in drug addiction and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Compulsive behavior is a feature that both disorders share, which is associated to a heightened dopamine neurotransmission. The activity of midbrain dopamine neurons is principally regulated by the homeostatic action of dopamine through D2 receptors (D2R) that decrease the firing of neurons as well as dopamine synthesis and release. Dopamine transmission is also regulated by heterologous neurotransmitter systems such as the kappa opioid system, among others. Much of our current knowledge of the kappa opioid system and its influence on dopamine transmission comes from preclinical animal models of brain diseases. In 1988, using cerebral microdialysis, it was shown that the acute activation of the Kappa Opioid Receptors (KOR) decreases synaptic levels of dopamine in the striatum. This inhibitory effect of KOR opposes to the facilitating influence of drugs of abuse on dopamine release, leading to the proposition of the use of KOR agonists as pharmacological therapy for compulsive drug intake. Surprisingly, 30 years later, KOR antagonists are instead proposed to treat drug addiction. What may have happened during these years that generated this drastic change of paradigm? The collected evidence suggested that the effect of KOR on synaptic dopamine levels is complex, depending on the frequency of KOR activation and timing with other incoming stimuli to dopamine neurons, as well as sex and species differences. Conversely to its acute effect, chronic KOR activation seems to facilitate dopamine neurotransmission and dopamine-mediated behaviors. The opposing actions exerted by acute versus chronic KOR activation have been associated with an initial aversive and a delayed rewarding effect, during the exposure to drugs of abuse. Compulsive behaviors induced by repeated activation of D2R are also potentiated by the sustained co-activation of KOR, which correlates with decreased synaptic levels of dopamine and sensitized D2R. Thus, the time-dependent activation of KOR impacts directly on dopamine levels affecting the tuning of motivated behaviors. This review analyzes the contribution of the kappa opioid system to the dopaminergic correlates of compulsive behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angélica Del Pilar Escobar
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencias de Valparaíso, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - José Patricio Casanova
- Departamento de Neurociencia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Núcleo Milenio NUMIND Biology of Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - María Estela Andrés
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - José Antonio Fuentealba
- Department of Pharmacy and Interdisciplinary Center of Neuroscience, Faculty of Chemistry, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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24
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Xie K, Wang N, Lin X, Wang Z, Zhao X, Fang P, Yue H, Kim J, Luo J, Cui S, Yan F, Shi P. Organic electrochemical transistor arrays for real-time mapping of evoked neurotransmitter release in vivo. eLife 2020; 9:50345. [PMID: 32043970 PMCID: PMC7075691 DOI: 10.7554/elife.50345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Though neurotransmitters are essential elements in neuronal signal transduction, techniques for in vivo analysis are still limited. Here, we describe an organic electrochemical transistor array (OECT-array) technique for monitoring catecholamine neurotransmitters (CA-NTs) in rat brains. The OECT-array is an active sensor with intrinsic amplification capability, allowing real-time and direct readout of transient CA-NT release with a sensitivity of nanomolar range and a temporal resolution of several milliseconds. The device has a working voltage lower than half of that typically used in a prevalent cyclic voltammetry measurement, and operates continuously in vivo for hours without significant signal drift, which is inaccessible for existing methods. With the OECT-array, we demonstrate simultaneous mapping of evoked dopamine release at multiple striatal brain regions in different physiological scenarios, and reveal a complex cross-talk between the mesolimbic and the nigrostriatal pathways, which is heterogeneously affected by the reciprocal innervation between ventral tegmental area and substantia nigra pars compacta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Xie
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, China
| | - Naixiang Wang
- Department of Applied Physics, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, China
| | - Xudong Lin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, China
| | - Zixun Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, China
| | - Xi Zhao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, China
| | - Peilin Fang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, China
| | - Haibing Yue
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, China
| | - Junhwi Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, China
| | - Jing Luo
- Department of Rehabilitation, Shenzhen Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shaoyang Cui
- Department of Rehabilitation, Shenzhen Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Feng Yan
- Department of Applied Physics, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, China
| | - Peng Shi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, China.,Shenzhen Research Institute, City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China.,Center of Super-Diamond and Advanced Films (COSDAF), City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, China
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25
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Stress-induced plasticity and functioning of ventral tegmental dopamine neurons. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 108:48-77. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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26
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Morel C, Montgomery S, Han MH. Nicotine and alcohol: the role of midbrain dopaminergic neurons in drug reinforcement. Eur J Neurosci 2019; 50:2180-2200. [PMID: 30251377 PMCID: PMC6431587 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2018] [Revised: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Nicotine and alcohol addiction are leading causes of preventable death worldwide and continue to constitute a huge socio-economic burden. Both nicotine and alcohol perturb the brain's mesocorticolimbic system. Dopamine (DA) neurons projecting from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to multiple downstream structures, including the nucleus accumbens, prefrontal cortex, and amygdala, are highly involved in the maintenance of healthy brain function. VTA DA neurons play a crucial role in associative learning and reinforcement. Nicotine and alcohol usurp these functions, promoting reinforcement of drug taking behaviors. In this review, we will first describe how nicotine and alcohol individually affect VTA DA neurons by examining how drug exposure alters the heterogeneous VTA microcircuit and network-wide projections. We will also examine how coadministration or previous exposure to nicotine or alcohol may augment the reinforcing effects of the other. Additionally, this review briefly summarizes the role of VTA DA neurons in nicotine, alcohol, and their synergistic effects in reinforcement and also addresses the remaining questions related to the circuit-function specificity of the dopaminergic system in mediating nicotine/alcohol reinforcement and comorbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carole Morel
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sarah Montgomery
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ming-Hu Han
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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27
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Margolis EB, Karkhanis AN. Dopaminergic cellular and circuit contributions to kappa opioid receptor mediated aversion. Neurochem Int 2019; 129:104504. [PMID: 31301327 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2019.104504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Revised: 07/07/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Neural circuits that enable an organism to protect itself by promoting escape from immediate threat and avoidance of future injury are conceptualized to carry an "aversive" signal. One of the key molecular elements of these circuits is the kappa opioid receptor (KOR) and its endogenous peptide agonist, dynorphin. In many cases, the aversive response to an experimental manipulation can be eliminated by selective blockade of KOR function, indicating its necessity in transmitting this signal. The dopamine system, through its contributions to reinforcement learning, is also involved in processing of aversive stimuli, and KOR control of dopamine in the context of aversive behavioral states has been intensely studied. In this review, we have discussed the multiple ways in which the KORs regulate dopamine dynamics with a central focus on dopamine neurons and projections from the ventral tegmental area. At the neuronal level, KOR agonists inhibit dopamine neurons both in the somatodendritic region as well as at terminal release sites, through various signaling pathways and ion channels, and these effects are specific to different synaptic sites. While the dominant hypotheses are that aversive states are driven by decreases in dopamine and increases in dynorphin, reported exceptions to these patterns indicate these ideas require refinement. This is critical given that KOR is being considered as a target for development of new therapeutics for anxiety, depression, pain, and other psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elyssa B Margolis
- Department of Neurology, Alcohol and Addiction Research Group, University of California, San Francisco, 675 Nelson Rising Lane, Box 0444, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
| | - Anushree N Karkhanis
- Department of Psychology, Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Center for Developmental and Behavioral Neuroscience, Binghamton University - SUNY, 4400 Vestal Parkway East, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA.
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28
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Tovar-Díaz J, Pomrenze MB, Kan R, Pahlavan B, Morikawa H. Cooperative CRF and α1 Adrenergic Signaling in the VTA Promotes NMDA Plasticity and Drives Social Stress Enhancement of Cocaine Conditioning. Cell Rep 2019. [PMID: 29514102 PMCID: PMC5877815 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.02.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Stressful events rapidly trigger activity-dependent synaptic plasticity, driving the formation of aversive memories. However, it remains unclear how stressful experience affects plasticity mechanisms to regulate appetitive learning, such as intake of addictive drugs. Using rats, we show that corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and α1 adrenergic receptor (α1AR) signaling enhance the plasticity of NMDA-receptor-mediated glutamatergic transmission in ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine (DA) neurons through distinct effects on inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3)-dependent Ca2+ signaling. We find that CRF amplifies IP3-Ca2+ signaling induced by stimulation of α1ARs, revealing a cooperative mechanism that promotes glutamatergic plasticity. In line with this, acute social defeat stress engages similar cooperative CRF and α1AR signaling in the VTA to enhance learning of cocaine-paired cues. These data provide evidence that CRF and α1ARs act in concert to regulate IP3-Ca2+ signaling in the VTA and promote learning of drug-associated cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Tovar-Díaz
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Matthew B Pomrenze
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
| | - Russell Kan
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Bahram Pahlavan
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Hitoshi Morikawa
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
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29
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Dynorphin/kappa-opioid receptor control of dopamine dynamics: Implications for negative affective states and psychiatric disorders. Brain Res 2019; 1713:91-101. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2018.09.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Revised: 09/12/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Bambico FR, Li Z, Oliveira C, McNeill S, Diwan M, Raymond R, Nobrega JN. Rostrocaudal subregions of the ventral tegmental area are differentially impacted by chronic stress. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2019; 236:1917-1929. [PMID: 30796492 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-5177-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is implicated in the pathophysiology of depression and addictive disorders and is subject to the detrimental effects of stress. Chronic stress may differentially alter the activity pattern of its different subregions along the rostrocaudal and dorsoventral axes, which may relate to the variable behavioral sensitivity to stress mediated by these subregions. OBJECTIVES Here, chronic stress-exposed rats were tested for depressive-like reactivity. In situ hybridization for zif268 as a marker of neuronal activation was combined with in vivo single-unit recording of dopaminergic neurons to assess modifications in the activity of the rostral VTA (rVTA) and caudal VTA (cVTA). Changes in the expression of stress-responsive glucocorticoid receptors (GR) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were also assessed. RESULTS Stress-induced anhedonia-like, hyper-anxious, and passive-like responding were associated with reductions in dopaminergic burst activity in the cVTA and an increase in local GABAergic activity, particularly in GABAA receptor sensitivity. On the other hand, stress increased single-spiking activity, burst activity, and zif268 mRNA levels in the rVTA, which were associated with increased glutamatergic tonus and enhanced GR and AMPA receptor (AMPAR) expression. rVTA and cVTA activity differentially correlated with sucrose preference and passivity measures. CONCLUSIONS These data demonstrate that the rVTA and cVTA respond differently to stress and suggest that while cVTA activity may be related to passivity-like states, the activity of both subregions appears to be related to anhedonia and the processing of incentive value. These region-dependent abnormalities indicate the multi-modular composition of the VTA, which could provide multiple substrates for different symptom features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francis Rodriguez Bambico
- Behavioural Neurobiology Laboratory, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute and Research Imaging Center, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1R82, Canada. .,Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada.
| | - Zhuoliang Li
- Behavioural Neurobiology Laboratory, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute and Research Imaging Center, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1R82, Canada
| | - Caio Oliveira
- Behavioural Neurobiology Laboratory, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute and Research Imaging Center, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1R82, Canada
| | - Sean McNeill
- Behavioural Neurobiology Laboratory, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute and Research Imaging Center, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1R82, Canada
| | - Mustansir Diwan
- Behavioural Neurobiology Laboratory, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute and Research Imaging Center, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1R82, Canada
| | - Roger Raymond
- Behavioural Neurobiology Laboratory, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute and Research Imaging Center, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1R82, Canada
| | - José N Nobrega
- Behavioural Neurobiology Laboratory, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute and Research Imaging Center, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1R82, Canada
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Murakami T, Enjoji M, Koyama S. Leptin attenuates D 2 receptor-mediated inhibition of putative ventral tegmental area dopaminergic neurons. Physiol Rep 2019; 6:e13631. [PMID: 29611323 PMCID: PMC5880875 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.13631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2017] [Revised: 01/30/2018] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Obesity causes hyperleptinemia. We have previously shown that D2 receptor‐mediated inhibition of ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopaminergic neurons is attenuated in diet‐induced mice with obesity. Consequently, we hypothesized that high concentrations of serum leptin during obesity might modulate D2 receptor‐mediated effects on VTA dopaminergic neurons. To investigate our hypothesis, we examined leptin effects on D2 receptor‐mediated inhibition of putative VTA dopaminergic neurons from lean mice using electrophysiological techniques. Leptin (100 nmol/L) directly inhibited spontaneous firing in 71% of putative VTA dopaminergic neurons (leptin‐responsive), whereas the remaining 29% of neurons were leptin‐nonresponsive. In 41% of leptin‐responsive neurons, leptin attenuated the reduced firing rate produced by quinpirole (100 nmol/L), whereas the remaining 59% of neurons exhibited no effect of leptin. In leptin‐nonresponsive neurons, no significant leptin‐induced effect was observed on reduced firing rate produced by quinpirole. In leptin‐responsive neurons with positive leptin‐induced attenuation of quinpirole effects, leptin‐induced attenuation persisted for >20 min, whereas no such persistent attenuation was observed in other types of neurons. In conclusion, leptin attenuates D2 receptor‐mediated inhibition in a subpopulation of putative VTA dopaminergic neurons. We suggest that leptin directly decreases, and indirectly increases, excitability of VTA dopaminergic neurons. In turn, this may contribute to a change in feeding behavior through the mesolimbic dopaminergic system during the development of obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takami Murakami
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fukuoka University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Munechika Enjoji
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fukuoka University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Susumu Koyama
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fukuoka University, Fukuoka, Japan.,Department of Advanced Pharmacology, Daiichi University of Pharmacy, Fukuoka, Japan
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Bidirectional regulation of reward, punishment, and arousal by dopamine, the lateral habenula and the rostromedial tegmentum (RMTg). Curr Opin Behav Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2018.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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Brain-derived neurotrophic factor-mediated projection-specific regulation of depressive-like and nociceptive behaviors in the mesolimbic reward circuitry. Pain 2019; 159:175. [PMID: 29076919 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that the mesolimbic reward system plays critical roles in the regulation of depression and nociception; however, its circuitry and cellular mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the output-specific regulatory roles of dopaminergic (DA) neurons within the ventral tegmental area (VTA) in depressive-like and nociceptive behaviors in mice subjected to unpredictable chronic mild stress (CMS), using the projection-specific electrophysiological recording, pharmacological manipulation, behavioral test, and molecular biology technologies. We demonstrated that CMS decreased the firing activity in VTA projecting to medial prefrontal cortex (VTA → mPFC), but not in VTA to nucleus accumbens (VTA → NAc), DA neurons. However, both VTA → mPFC and VTA → NAc DA neurons showed increased firing activity in response to morphine perfusion in CMS mice. Behavioral results showed that intra-VTA microinjection of morphine (25.5 ng/0.15 μL) relieved depressive-like behaviors, intriguingly, accompanied by a thermal hyperalgesia. Furthermore, the relief of depressive-like behaviors induced by intra-VTA injection of morphine in CMS mice could be prevented by blocking brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling and mimicked by the administration of exogenous BDNF in mPFC rather than in NAc shell. Nociceptive responses induced by the activation of VTA DA neurons with morphine in CMS mice could be prevented by blocking BDNF signaling or mimicked by administration of exogenous BDNF in NAc shell, but not in mPFC. These results reveal projection-specific regulatory mechanisms of depression and nociception in the mesolimbic reward circuitry and provide new insights into the neural circuits involved in the processing of depressive and nociceptive information.
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34
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Pasquereau B, Tremblay L, Turner RS. Local Field Potentials Reflect Dopaminergic and Non-Dopaminergic Activities within the Primate Midbrain. Neuroscience 2018; 399:167-183. [PMID: 30578975 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2018] [Revised: 11/28/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Midbrain dopamine neurons are thought to play a crucial role in motivating behaviors toward desired goals. While the activity of dopamine single-units is known to adhere closely to the reward prediction error (RPE) signal hypothesized by learning theory, much less is known about the dynamic coordination of population-level neuronal activities in the midbrain. Local field potentials (LFPs) are thought to reflect the changes in membrane potential synchronized across a population of neurons nearby a recording electrode. These changes involve complex combinations of local spiking activity with synaptic processing that are difficult to interpret. Here we sampled LFPs from the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) of behaving monkeys to determine if local population-level synchrony encodes specific aspects of a reward/effort instrumental task and whether dopamine single-units participate in that signal. We found that reward-correlated information is encoded in a low-frequency signal (<32-Hz; delta and beta bands) that is synchronized across a neural population that includes dopamine neurons. Conversely, high-frequency power (>33-Hz; gamma band) was anticorrelated with predicted reward value and dopamine single-units were never phase-locked to those frequencies. This high-frequency signal may reflect inhibitory processes that were not otherwise observable. LFP encoding of movement-related parameters was negligible. Together, LFPs provide novel insights into the multidimensional processing of reward information subserved by dopaminergic and other components of the midbrain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Léon Tremblay
- Centre de Neuroscience Cognitive, UMR-5229 CNRS, Bron, France
| | - Robert S Turner
- Department of Neurobiology, Center for Neuroscience and The Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States.
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35
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Breton JM, Charbit AR, Snyder BJ, Fong PTK, Dias EV, Himmels P, Lock H, Margolis EB. Relative contributions and mapping of ventral tegmental area dopamine and GABA neurons by projection target in the rat. J Comp Neurol 2018; 527:916-941. [PMID: 30393861 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Revised: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is a heterogeneous midbrain structure that contains dopamine (DA), GABA, and glutamate neurons that project to many different brain regions. Here, we combined retrograde tracing with immunocytochemistry against tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) or glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) to systematically compare the proportion of dopaminergic and GABAergic VTA projections to 10 target nuclei: anterior cingulate, prelimbic, and infralimbic cortex; nucleus accumbens core, medial shell, and lateral shell; anterior and posterior basolateral amygdala; ventral pallidum; and periaqueductal gray. Overall, the non-dopaminergic component predominated VTA efferents, accounting for more than 50% of all projecting neurons to each region except the nucleus accumbens core. In addition, GABA neurons contributed no more than 20% to each projection, with the exception of the projection to the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray, where the GABAergic contribution approached 50%. Therefore, there is likely a significant glutamatergic component to many of the VTA's projections. We also found that VTA cell bodies retrogradely labeled from the various target brain regions had distinct distribution patterns within the VTA, including in the locations of DA and GABA neurons. Despite this patterned organization, VTA neurons comprising these different projections were intermingled and never limited to any one subregion. These anatomical results are consistent with the idea that VTA neurons participate in multiple distinct, parallel circuits that differentially contribute to motivation and reward. While attention has largely focused on VTA DA neurons, a better understanding of VTA subpopulations, especially the contribution of non-DA neurons to projections, will be critical for future work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jocelyn M Breton
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California
| | - Annabelle R Charbit
- Department of Neurology and Wheeler Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Benjamin J Snyder
- Department of Neurology and Wheeler Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Peter T K Fong
- Department of Neurology and Wheeler Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, University of California, San Francisco, California.,Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, Emeryville, California
| | - Elayne V Dias
- Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, Emeryville, California
| | - Patricia Himmels
- Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, Emeryville, California
| | - Hagar Lock
- Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, Emeryville, California
| | - Elyssa B Margolis
- Department of Neurology and Wheeler Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, University of California, San Francisco, California.,Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, Emeryville, California
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36
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Sadat-Shirazi MS, Zarrindast MR, Daneshparvar H, Ziaie A, Fekri M, Abbasnezhad E, Ashabi G, Khalifeh S, Vousooghi N. Alteration of dopamine receptors subtypes in the brain of opioid abusers: A postmortem study in Iran. Neurosci Lett 2018; 687:169-176. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2018.09.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Revised: 06/30/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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37
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Fernandez SP, Broussot L, Marti F, Contesse T, Mouska X, Soiza-Reilly M, Marie H, Faure P, Barik J. Mesopontine cholinergic inputs to midbrain dopamine neurons drive stress-induced depressive-like behaviors. Nat Commun 2018; 9:4449. [PMID: 30361503 PMCID: PMC6202358 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06809-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Stressful life events are primary environmental factors that markedly contribute to depression by triggering brain cellular maladaptations. Dysregulation of ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons has been causally linked to the appearance of social withdrawal and anhedonia, two classical manifestations of depression. However, the relevant inputs that shape these dopamine signals remain largely unknown. We demonstrate that chronic social defeat (CSD) stress, a preclinical paradigm of depression, causes marked hyperactivity of laterodorsal tegmentum (LDTg) excitatory neurons that project to the VTA. Selective chemogenetic-mediated inhibition of cholinergic LDTg neurons prevent CSD-induced VTA DA neurons dysregulation and depressive-like behaviors. Pro-depressant outcomes are replicated by pairing activation of LDTg cholinergic terminals in the VTA with a moderate stress. Prevention of CSD outcomes are recapitulated by blocking corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 1 within the LDTg. These data uncover a neuro-circuitry of depressive-like disorders and demonstrate that stress, via a neuroendocrine signal, profoundly dysregulates the LDTg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian P Fernandez
- Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, 06560, France.
- Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire & Cellulaire, CNRS, UMR7275, Valbonne, France.
| | - Loïc Broussot
- Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, 06560, France
- Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire & Cellulaire, CNRS, UMR7275, Valbonne, France
| | - Fabio Marti
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, 75005, France
- Neurosciences Paris Seine, INSERM U1130, CNRS, UMR 8246, Paris, France
| | - Thomas Contesse
- Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, 06560, France
- Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire & Cellulaire, CNRS, UMR7275, Valbonne, France
| | - Xavier Mouska
- Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, 06560, France
- Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire & Cellulaire, CNRS, UMR7275, Valbonne, France
| | - Mariano Soiza-Reilly
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, 75005, France
- Institut du Fer à Moulin, INSERM, UMRS-839, Paris, France
| | - Hélène Marie
- Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, 06560, France
- Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire & Cellulaire, CNRS, UMR7275, Valbonne, France
| | - Philippe Faure
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, 75005, France
- Neurosciences Paris Seine, INSERM U1130, CNRS, UMR 8246, Paris, France
| | - Jacques Barik
- Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, 06560, France.
- Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire & Cellulaire, CNRS, UMR7275, Valbonne, France.
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38
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Saunders BT, Richard JM, Margolis EB, Janak PH. Dopamine neurons create Pavlovian conditioned stimuli with circuit-defined motivational properties. Nat Neurosci 2018; 21:1072-1083. [PMID: 30038277 PMCID: PMC6082399 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-018-0191-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 217] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Environmental cues, through Pavlovian learning, become conditioned stimuli that guide animals toward the acquisition of rewards (for example, food) that are necessary for survival. We tested the fundamental role of midbrain dopamine neurons in conferring predictive and motivational properties to cues, independent of external rewards. We found that brief phasic optogenetic excitation of dopamine neurons, when presented in temporal association with discrete sensory cues, was sufficient to instantiate those cues as conditioned stimuli that subsequently both evoked dopamine neuron activity on their own and elicited cue-locked conditioned behavior. Notably, we identified highly parcellated functions for dopamine neuron subpopulations projecting to different regions of striatum, revealing dissociable dopamine systems for the generation of incentive value and conditioned movement invigoration. Our results indicate that dopamine neurons orchestrate Pavlovian conditioning via functionally heterogeneous, circuit-specific motivational signals to create, gate, and shape cue-controlled behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin T Saunders
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
| | - Jocelyn M Richard
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Elyssa B Margolis
- Department of Neurology, Wheeler Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Alcoholism and Addiction Research Group, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Patricia H Janak
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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39
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Kelly EA, Fudge JL. The neuroanatomic complexity of the CRF and DA systems and their interface: What we still don't know. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 90:247-259. [PMID: 29704516 PMCID: PMC5993645 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Revised: 04/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is a neuropeptide that mediates the stress response. Long known to contribute to regulation of the adrenal stress response initiated in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis (HPA), a complex pattern of extrahypothalamic CRF expression is also described in rodents and primates. Cross-talk between the CRF and midbrain dopamine (DA) systems links the stress response to DA regulation. Classically CRF + cells in the extended amygdala and paraventricular nucleus (PVN) are considered the main source of this input, principally targeting the ventral tegmental area (VTA). However, the anatomic complexity of both the DA and CRF system has been increasingly elaborated in the last decade. The DA neurons are now recognized as having diverse molecular, connectional and physiologic properties, predicted by their anatomic location. At the same time, the broad distribution of CRF cells in the brain has been increasingly delineated using different species and techniques. Here, we review updated information on both CRF localization and newer conceptualizations of the DA system to reconsider the CRF-DA interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- E A Kelly
- University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, The Ernest J Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - J L Fudge
- University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, The Ernest J Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, Rochester, NY, United States; University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, The Ernest J Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Rochester, NY, United States.
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40
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Kramer DJ, Risso D, Kosillo P, Ngai J, Bateup HS. Combinatorial Expression of Grp and Neurod6 Defines Dopamine Neuron Populations with Distinct Projection Patterns and Disease Vulnerability. eNeuro 2018; 5:ENEURO.0152-18.2018. [PMID: 30135866 PMCID: PMC6104179 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0152-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Midbrain dopamine neurons project to numerous targets throughout the brain to modulate various behaviors and brain states. Within this small population of neurons exists significant heterogeneity based on physiology, circuitry, and disease susceptibility. Recent studies have shown that dopamine neurons can be subdivided based on gene expression; however, the extent to which genetic markers represent functionally relevant dopaminergic subpopulations has not been fully explored. Here we performed single-cell RNA-sequencing of mouse dopamine neurons and validated studies showing that Neurod6 and Grp are selective markers for dopaminergic subpopulations. Using a combination of multiplex fluorescent in situ hybridization, retrograde labeling, and electrophysiology in mice of both sexes, we defined the anatomy, projection targets, physiological properties, and disease vulnerability of dopamine neurons based on Grp and/or Neurod6 expression. We found that the combinatorial expression of Grp and Neurod6 defines dopaminergic subpopulations with unique features. Grp+/Neurod6+ dopamine neurons reside in the ventromedial VTA, send projections to the medial shell of the nucleus accumbens, and have noncanonical physiological properties. Grp+/Neurod6- dopamine neurons are found in the VTA as well as in the ventromedial portion of the SNc, where they project selectively to the dorsomedial striatum. Grp-/Neurod6+ dopamine neurons represent a smaller VTA subpopulation, which is preferentially spared in a 6-OHDA model of Parkinson's disease. Together, our work provides detailed characterization of Neurod6 and Grp expression in the midbrain and generates new insights into how these markers define functionally relevant dopaminergic subpopulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J. Kramer
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Davide Risso
- Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Healthcare Policy and Research, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065
| | - Polina Kosillo
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - John Ngai
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Helen S. Bateup
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720
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41
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Methylphenidate significantly alters the functional coupling between the prefrontal cortex and dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area. Neuropharmacology 2018; 131:431-439. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 12/06/2017] [Accepted: 01/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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42
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Abstract
Ionotropic glutamate receptors (AMPA, NMDA, and kainate receptors) play a central role in excitatory glutamatergic signaling throughout the brain. As a result, functional changes, especially long-lasting forms of plasticity, have the potential to profoundly alter neuronal function and the expression of adaptive and pathological behaviors. Thus, alcohol-related adaptations in ionotropic glutamate receptors are of great interest, since they could promote excessive alcohol consumption, even after long-term abstinence. Alcohol- and drug-related adaptations in NMDARs have been recently reviewed, while less is known about kainate receptor adaptations. Thus, we focus here on functional changes in AMPARs, tetramers composed of GluA1-4 subunits. Long-lasting increases or decreases in AMPAR function, the so-called long-term potentiation or depression, have widely been considered to contribute to normal and pathological memory states. In addition, a great deal has been learned about the acute regulation of AMPARs by signaling pathways, scaffolding and auxiliary proteins, intracellular trafficking, and other mechanisms. One important common adaptation is a shift in AMPAR subunit composition from GluA2-containing, calcium-impermeable AMPARs (CIARs) to GluA2-lacking, calcium-permeable AMPARs (CPARs), which is observed under a broad range of conditions including intoxicant exposure or intake, stress, novelty, food deprivation, and ischemia. This shift has the potential to facilitate AMPAR currents, since CPARs have much greater single-channel currents than CIARs, as well as faster AMPAR activation kinetics (although with faster inactivation) and calcium-related activity. Many tools have been developed to interrogate particular aspects of AMPAR signaling, including compounds that selectively inhibit CPARs, raising exciting translational possibilities. In addition, recent studies have used transgenic animals and/or optogenetics to identify AMPAR adaptations in particular cell types and glutamatergic projections, which will provide critical information about the specific circuits that CPARs act within. Also, less is known about the specific nature of alcohol-related AMPAR adaptations, and thus we use other examples that illustrate more fully how particular AMPAR changes might influence intoxicant-related behavior. Thus, by identifying alcohol-related AMPAR adaptations, the specific molecular events that underlie them, and the cells and projections in which they occur, we hope to better inform the development of new therapeutic interventions for addiction.
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43
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Anderson RI, Moorman DE, Becker HC. Contribution of Dynorphin and Orexin Neuropeptide Systems to the Motivational Effects of Alcohol. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2018. [PMID: 29526023 DOI: 10.1007/164_2018_100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the neural systems that drive alcohol motivation and are disrupted in alcohol use disorders is of critical importance in developing novel treatments. The dynorphin and orexin/hypocretin neuropeptide systems are particularly relevant with respect to alcohol use and misuse. Both systems are strongly associated with alcohol-seeking behaviors, particularly in cases of high levels of alcohol use as seen in dependence. Furthermore, both systems also play a role in stress and anxiety, indicating that disruption of these systems may underlie long-term homeostatic dysregulation seen in alcohol use disorders. These systems are also closely interrelated with one another - dynorphin/kappa opioid receptors and orexin/hypocretin receptors are found in similar regions and hypocretin/orexin neurons also express dynorphin - suggesting that these two systems may work together in the regulation of alcohol seeking and may be mutually disrupted in alcohol use disorders. This chapter reviews studies demonstrating a role for each of these systems in motivated behavior, with a focus on their roles in regulating alcohol-seeking and self-administration behaviors. Consideration is also given to evidence indicating that these neuropeptide systems may be viable targets for the development of potential treatments for alcohol use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel I Anderson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.,Science and Technology Policy Fellowships, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington, DC, USA
| | - David E Moorman
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Neuroscience and Behavior Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Howard C Becker
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA. .,Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA. .,Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA. .,Department of Veterans Affairs, Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC, USA.
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44
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Baimel C, Lau BK, Qiao M, Borgland SL. Projection-Target-Defined Effects of Orexin and Dynorphin on VTA Dopamine Neurons. Cell Rep 2017; 18:1346-1355. [PMID: 28178514 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.01.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Revised: 10/29/2016] [Accepted: 01/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Circuit-specific signaling of ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons drives different aspects of motivated behavior, but the neuromodulatory control of these circuits is unclear. We tested the actions of co-expressed lateral hypothalamic peptides, orexin A (oxA) and dynorphin (dyn), on projection-target-defined dopamine neurons in mice. We determined that VTA dopamine neurons that project to the nucleus accumbens lateral shell (lAcbSh), medial shell (mAcbSh), and basolateral amygdala (BLA) are largely non-overlapping cell populations with different electrophysiological properties. Moreover, the neuromodulatory effects of oxA and dyn on these three projections differed. OxA selectively increased firing in lAcbSh- and mAcbSh-projecting dopamine neurons. Dyn decreased firing in the majority of mAcbSh- and BLA-projecting dopamine neurons but reduced firing only in a small fraction of those that project to the lAcbSh. In conclusion, the oxA-dyn input to the VTA may drive reward-seeking behavior by tuning dopaminergic output in a projection-target-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey Baimel
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, 2176 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Dr. NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Benjamin K Lau
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Dr. NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Min Qiao
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Dr. NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Stephanie L Borgland
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Dr. NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada.
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45
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Vandegrift BJ, You C, Satta R, Brodie MS, Lasek AW. Estradiol increases the sensitivity of ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons to dopamine and ethanol. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0187698. [PMID: 29107956 PMCID: PMC5673180 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Gender differences in psychiatric disorders such as addiction may be modulated by the steroid hormone estrogen. For instance, 17β-estradiol (E2), the predominant form of circulating estrogen in pre-menopausal females, increases ethanol consumption, suggesting that E2 may affect the rewarding properties of ethanol and thus the development of alcohol use disorder in females. The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is critically involved in the rewarding and reinforcing effects of ethanol. In order to determine the role of E2 in VTA physiology, gonadally intact female mice were sacrificed during diestrus II (high E2) or estrus (low E2) for electrophysiology recordings. We measured the excitation by ethanol and inhibition by dopamine (DA) of VTA DA neurons and found that both excitation by ethanol and inhibition by dopamine were greater in diestrus II compared with estrus. Treatment of VTA slices from mice in diestrus II with an estrogen receptor antagonist (ICI 182,780) reduced ethanol-stimulated neuronal firing, but had no effect on ethanol-stimulated firing of neurons in slices from mice in estrus. Surprisingly, ICI 182,780 did not affect the inhibition by DA, indicating different mechanisms of action of estrogen receptors in altering ethanol and DA responses. We also examined the responses of VTA DA neurons to ethanol and DA in ovariectomized mice treated with E2 and found that E2 treatment enhanced the responses to ethanol and DA in a manner similar to what we observed in mice in diestrus II. Our data indicate that E2 modulates VTA neuron physiology, which may contribute to both the enhanced reinforcing and rewarding effects of alcohol and the development of other psychiatric disorders in females that involve alterations in DA neurotransmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bertha J. Vandegrift
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Chang You
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Rosalba Satta
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Mark S. Brodie
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Amy W. Lasek
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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46
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van der Velden L, Vinck M, Werkman TR, Wadman WJ. Tuning of Neuronal Interactions in the Lateral Ventral Tegmental Area by Dopamine Sensitivity. Neuroscience 2017; 366:62-69. [PMID: 29037597 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 10/05/2017] [Accepted: 10/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) contains a considerable population of rhythmically firing dopaminergic neurons, which are influenced by auto-inhibition due to extra-synaptic dopamine release resulting in volume transmission. Using a Multi-Electrode-Array we simultaneously recorded in vitro from multiple VTA dopamine neurons in the rat and studied their mutual interactions. We observed that the dopamine sensitivity (EC50) of the neurons (i.e. the relation between dopamine concentration and firing rate) was quite variable within the recorded population. The interactions between pairs of neurons were quantified using the Granger causality. We found that the dopamine sensitivity determined the role of a neuron in the local VTA population. Highly sensitive neurons became followers (of the population rhythm), whereas less sensitive dopamine neurons played a more leading role. This was confirmed by the application of sulpiride which reduces the dopamine sensitivity of all neurons through competition and abolishes the structure in the interactions. These findings imply that therapeutics, which have an easy to understand effect on firing rate, could have a more complicated effect on the functional organization of the local VTA population, through volume transmission principles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luuk van der Velden
- University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Martin Vinck
- Ernst Strüngmann Institute, Deutschordenstraße 46, 60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Taco R Werkman
- University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Wytse J Wadman
- University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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47
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Karkhanis A, Holleran KM, Jones SR. Dynorphin/Kappa Opioid Receptor Signaling in Preclinical Models of Alcohol, Drug, and Food Addiction. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2017; 136:53-88. [PMID: 29056156 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2017.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The dynorphin/kappa opioid receptor (KOR) system is implicated in the "dark side" of addiction, in which stress exacerbates maladaptive responses to drug and alcohol exposure. For example, acute stress and acute ethanol exposure result in an elevation in dynorphin, the KOR endogenous ligand. Activation of KORs results in modulation of several neurotransmitters; however, this chapter will focus on its regulatory effects on dopamine in mesolimbic areas. Specifically, KOR activation has an inhibitory effect on dopamine release, thereby influencing reward processing. Repeated stimulation of KORs, for example, via chronic drug and/or stress exposure, results in increased function of the dynorphin/KOR system. This augmentation in KOR function shifts the homeostatic balance in favor of an overall reduction in dopamine signaling via either by reducing dopamine release or by increasing dopamine transporter function. This chapter examines the effects of chronic ethanol exposure on KOR function and the downstream effects on dopamine transmission. Additionally, the impact of chronic cocaine exposure and its effects on KOR function will be explored. Further, KORs may also be involved in driving excessive consumption of food, contributing to the risk of developing obesity. While some studies have shown that KOR agonists reduce drug intake, other studies have shown that antagonists reduce addiction-like behaviors, demonstrating therapeutic potential. For example, KOR inhibition reduces ethanol intake in dependent animals, motivation to self-administer cocaine in chronic stress-exposed animals, and food consumption in obese animals. This chapter will delve into the mechanisms by which modulation of the dynorphin/KOR system may be therapeutic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sara R Jones
- Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States.
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48
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Baimel C, Borgland SL. Hypocretin/Orexin and Plastic Adaptations Associated with Drug Abuse. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2017; 33:283-304. [PMID: 28303403 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2016_44] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) are a critical part of the neural circuits that underlie reward learning and motivation. Dopamine neurons send dense projections throughout the brain and recent observations suggest that both the intrinsic properties and the functional output of dopamine neurons are dependent on projection target and are subject to neuromodulatory influences. Lateral hypothalamic hypocretin (also termed orexin) neurons project to the VTA and contain both hypocretin and dynorphin peptides in the same dense core vesicles suggesting they may be co-released. Hypocretin peptides act at excitatory Gαq protein-coupled receptors and dynorphin acts at inhibitory Gαi/o protein-coupled receptors, which are both expressed on subpopulations of dopamine neurons. This review describes a role for neuromodulation of dopamine neurons and the influence on motivated behaviour in response to natural and drug rewards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey Baimel
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, 2176 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z3
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Dr. NW, Calgary, AB, Canada, T2N 4N1
| | - Stephanie L Borgland
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Dr. NW, Calgary, AB, Canada, T2N 4N1.
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49
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Differential Somatic Ca2+ Channel Profile in Midbrain Dopaminergic Neurons. J Neurosci 2017; 36:7234-45. [PMID: 27383597 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0459-16.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2016] [Accepted: 05/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Dopaminergic (DA) neurons located in the ventral midbrain continuously generate a slow endogenous pacemaker activity, the mechanism of which is still debated. It has been suggested that, in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc), the pacemaking relies more on Ca(2+) channels and that the density of L-type Ca(2+) channels is higher in these DA neurons than in those located in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). This might lead to a higher Ca(2+) load in SNc DA neurons and explain their higher susceptibility to degeneration. However, direct evidence for this hypothesis is lacking. We found that the L-type current and channel density are indeed higher in the somata of rat SNc DA neurons and that this current undergoes less inactivation in this region. Nonstationary fluctuation analysis measurements showed a much higher number of L-type channels in the soma of SNc DA neurons, as well as a smaller single-channel conductance, pointing to a possible different molecular identity of L-type channels in DA neurons from the two areas. A major consequence of this is that pacemaking and, even more so, bursting are associated with a larger Ca(2+) entry through L-type channels in SNc DA neurons than in their VTA counterparts. Our results establish a molecular and functional difference between two populations of midbrain DA neurons that may contribute to their differential sensitivity to neurodegeneration. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Dopamine neurons from the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) and ventral tegmental area (VTA) are involved in various brain functions, such as movement initiation and goal directed behavior, respectively. This work shows that, although both neurons fire in a similar regular and slow pacemaker mode, this firing activity is supported by different calcium channel landscapes. Indeed, the L-type calcium current is larger in the soma of dopamine neurons of the SNc, leading to a higher charge transfer through L-type channels during pacemaking and bursting. Therefore, these neurons may be physiologically exposed to a larger stress than their neighbors from the VTA.
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50
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Iyer R, Ungless MA, Faisal AA. Calcium-activated SK channels control firing regularity by modulating sodium channel availability in midbrain dopamine neurons. Sci Rep 2017; 7:5248. [PMID: 28701749 PMCID: PMC5507868 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-05578-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2017] [Accepted: 05/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta and ventral tegmental area regulate behaviours such as reward-related learning, and motor control. Dysfunction of these neurons is implicated in Schizophrenia, addiction to drugs, and Parkinson’s disease. While some dopamine neurons fire single spikes at regular intervals, others fire irregular single spikes interspersed with bursts. Pharmacological inhibition of calcium-activated potassium (SK) channels increases the variability in their firing pattern, sometimes also increasing the number of spikes fired in bursts, indicating that SK channels play an important role in maintaining dopamine neuron firing regularity and burst firing. However, the exact mechanisms underlying these effects are still unclear. Here, we develop a biophysical model of a dopamine neuron incorporating ion channel stochasticity that enabled the analysis of availability of ion channels in multiple states during spiking. We find that decreased firing regularity is primarily due to a significant decrease in the AHP that in turn resulted in a reduction in the fraction of available voltage-gated sodium channels due to insufficient recovery from inactivation. Our model further predicts that inhibition of SK channels results in a depolarisation of action potential threshold along with an increase in its variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajeshwari Iyer
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences (LMS), Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK.,Institute of Clinical Sciences (ICS), Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Mark A Ungless
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences (LMS), Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK. .,Institute of Clinical Sciences (ICS), Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK.
| | - Aldo A Faisal
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences (LMS), Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK. .,Institute of Clinical Sciences (ICS), Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK. .,Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom. .,Department of Computing, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
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