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Wolff BF, Galizio M, Bruce K. This or not that: select and reject control of relational responding in rats using a blank comparison procedure with odor stimuli. Anim Cogn 2024; 27:44. [PMID: 38884865 PMCID: PMC11182792 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-024-01881-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2024] [Revised: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
The blank comparison (BLC) task was developed to assess stimulus relations in discrimination learning; that is, are subjects learning to "select" the correct stimulus (S+) or "reject" the incorrect stimulus (S-) or both? This task has been used to study exclusion learning, mostly in humans and monkeys, and the present study extends the procedure to rats. The BLC task uses an ambiguous stimulus (BLC+/-) that replaces S+ (in the presence of S-) and replaces S- (in the presence of S+). In the current experiment, four rats were trained to remove session-novel scented lids from sand-filled cups in a two-choice, simultaneous presentation procedure called the Odor Span Task (OST) before being trained on the BLC procedure using odors as the discriminative stimuli. The BLC training procedure utilized simple discrimination training (S+ and S-) and added select (S+ and BLC-) and reject (BLC+ and S-) trial types. All rats demonstrated accurate performance in sessions with both select and reject type trials. Next, BLC probe trials were interspersed in standard OST sessions to assess the form of stimulus control in the OST. Rats performed accurately on select type probe trials (similar to baseline OST performance) and also showed above chance accuracy on reject type trials. Thus, we demonstrated that rats could acquire an odor-based version of the BLC task and that both select and exclusion-based (reject) relations were active in the OST. The finding of exclusion in rats under the rigorous BLC task conditions confirms that exclusion-based responding is not limited to humans and non-human primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bobbie Faith Wolff
- Department of Psychology, UNC Wilmington, 601 S. College Rd., Wilmington, NC, 28403, USA
| | - Mark Galizio
- Department of Psychology, UNC Wilmington, 601 S. College Rd., Wilmington, NC, 28403, USA
| | - Katherine Bruce
- Department of Psychology, UNC Wilmington, 601 S. College Rd., Wilmington, NC, 28403, USA.
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2
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Onofrychuk TJ, Heidt AL, Orvold SN, Greba Q, Howland JG. Nucleus accumbens core dopamine D2 receptors are required for performance of the odor span task in male rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024; 241:963-974. [PMID: 38183429 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06522-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
RATIONALE The nucleus accumbens (NAc) core gates motivationally relevant behavioral action sequences through afferents from cortical and subcortical brain regions. While the role of the NAc core in reward and effort-based decision making is well established, its role in working memory (WM) processes is incompletely understood. The odor span task (OST) has been proposed as a measure of non-spatial working memory capacity (WMC) as it requires rodents to select a novel odor from an increasing number of familiar odors to obtain a food reward. OBJECTIVE To assess the role of the NAc core in the OST using (1) reversible chemical inactivation and (2) selective blockade of dopamine D1 and D2 receptors in the area. METHODS Well-trained male rats were tested on the OST following intra-NAc core infusions of muscimol/baclofen, the D1 receptor antagonist SCH-23390 (1 μg/hemisphere) and the D2 receptor antagonist eticlopride (1 μg/hemisphere). Behavioral measurements included the average odor span, maximum odor span, choice latency, searching vigor, and patterns of responding during foraging that may relate to impulsivity. RESULTS Chemical inactivation of the NAc core significantly decreased odor span relative to sham and vehicle conditions. Selective antagonism of D2, but not D1, receptors in the NAc core also produced deficits in odor span. We found that secondary behavioral measures of choice latency, searching vigor, and responding to the first odor stimulus encountered were largely unaffected by treatment. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that D2 receptors in the NAc core are required for OST performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J Onofrychuk
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Ashton L Heidt
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Spencer N Orvold
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Quentin Greba
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - John G Howland
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
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3
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Onofrychuk TJ, Glass AE, Greba Q, Howland JG. Evidence for novelty reward cross-cueing in the odor span task in rats: implications for odor-based reward-motivated tasks. Learn Mem 2024; 31:a053871. [PMID: 38286523 PMCID: PMC10903935 DOI: 10.1101/lm.053871.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
The odor span task (OST) infers working memory capacity (WMC) by requiring rodents to discriminate between previously presented and session-novel odors to obtain a hidden food reward. Here, rats' responses to session-novel odors and food rewards were assessed to determine whether rats use mitigating strategies in the OST. Rats accurately responded to session-novel odors but also reliably responded to the food reward alone and performed at chance when both a session-novel odor and food reward were presented in separate locations. The inclusion of unscented sand in the cups holding the food reward significantly reduced the rats' responses to the food reward alone. Collectively, these results demonstrate the need for rigorous tests of potential mitigating strategies and hold wide implications for rodent odor discrimination-based behavioral tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J Onofrychuk
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Aiden E Glass
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Quentin Greba
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - John G Howland
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
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4
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Iravani MM, Shoaib M. Executive dysfunction and cognitive decline, a non-motor symptom of Parkinson's disease captured in animal models. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 174:231-255. [PMID: 38341231 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2023.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
The non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) have gained increasing attention in recent years due to their significant impact on patients' quality of life. Among these non-motor symptoms, cognitive dysfunction has emerged as an area of particular interest where the clinical aspects are covered in Chapter 2 of this volume. This chapter explores the rationale for investigating the underlying neurobiology of cognitive dysfunction by utilising translational animal models of PD, from rodents to non-human primates. The objective of this chapter is to review the various animal models of cognition that have explored the dysfunction in animal models of Parkinson's disease. Some of the more advanced pharmacological studies aimed at restoring these cognitive deficits are reviewed, although this chapter highlights the lack of systematic approaches in dealing with this non-motor symptom at the pre-clinical stages.
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5
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Barnard IL, Onofrychuk TJ, Toderash AD, Patel VN, Glass AE, Adrian JC, Laprairie RB, Howland JG. High-THC Cannabis Smoke Impairs Incidental Memory Capacity in Spontaneous Tests of Novelty Preference for Objects and Odors in Male Rats. eNeuro 2023; 10:ENEURO.0115-23.2023. [PMID: 37973381 PMCID: PMC10714893 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0115-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Working memory is an executive function that orchestrates the use of limited amounts of information, referred to as working memory capacity, in cognitive functions. Cannabis exposure impairs working memory in humans; however, it is unclear whether Cannabis facilitates or impairs rodent working memory and working memory capacity. The conflicting literature in rodent models may be at least partly because of the use of drug exposure paradigms that do not closely mirror patterns of human Cannabis use. Here, we used an incidental memory capacity paradigm where a novelty preference is assessed after a short delay in spontaneous recognition-based tests. Either object or odor-based stimuli were used in test variations with sets of identical [identical stimuli test (IST)] and different [different stimuli test (DST)] stimuli (three or six) for low-memory and high-memory loads, respectively. Additionally, we developed a human-machine hybrid behavioral quantification approach which supplements stopwatch-based scoring with supervised machine learning-based classification. After validating the spontaneous IST and DST in male rats, 6-item test versions with the hybrid quantification method were used to evaluate the impact of acute exposure to high-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or high-CBD Cannabis smoke on novelty preference. Under control conditions, male rats showed novelty preference in all test variations. We found that high-THC, but not high-CBD, Cannabis smoke exposure impaired novelty preference for objects under a high-memory load. Odor-based recognition deficits were seen under both low-memory and high-memory loads only following high-THC smoke exposure. Ultimately, these data show that Cannabis smoke exposure impacts incidental memory capacity of male rats in a memory load-dependent, and stimuli-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilne L Barnard
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N5E5, Canada
| | - Timothy J Onofrychuk
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N5E5, Canada
| | - Aaron D Toderash
- Department of Computer Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N5C9, Canada
| | - Vyom N Patel
- Department of Computer Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N5C9, Canada
| | - Aiden E Glass
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N5E5, Canada
| | - Jesse C Adrian
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N5E5, Canada
| | - Robert B Laprairie
- College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N5E5, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - John G Howland
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N5E5, Canada
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6
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Jiang LX, Huang GD, Tian YL, Cong RX, Meng X, Wang HL, Zhang C, Yu X. Diminished activation of excitatory neurons in the prelimbic cortex leads to impaired working memory capacity in mice. BMC Biol 2023; 21:171. [PMID: 37568146 PMCID: PMC10416384 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01674-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Working memory capacity impairment is an early sign of Alzheimer's disease, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Clarifying how working memory capacity is affected will help us better understand the pathological mechanism of Alzheimer's disease. We used the olfactory working memory capacity paradigm to evaluate memory capacity in 3-month-old 5XFAD (an animal model of Alzheimer's disease) mice. Immunofluorescence staining of the prefrontal cortex was performed to detect the number of FOS-positive neurons, calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II-positive neurons, and glutamate decarboxylase-positive neurons in the prelimbic cortex and infralimbic cortex. A chemogenetic method was then used to modulate the inhibition and activation of excitatory neurons in the prelimbic cortex of wild-type and 5XFAD mice and to measure the memory capacity of mice. RESULTS Working memory capacity was significantly diminished in 5XFAD mice compared to littermate wild-type mice. Neuronal activation of the prelimbic cortex, but not the infralimbic cortex, was attenuated in 5XFAD mice performing the olfactory working memory capacity task. Subsequently, the FOS-positive neurons were co-localized with both calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II-positive neurons and glutamate decarboxylase-positive neurons. The results showed that the activation of excitatory neurons in the prelimbic cortex was correlated with working memory capacity in mice. Our results further demonstrate that the chemogenetic inhibition of prelimbic cortex excitatory neurons resulted in reduced working memory capacity in wild-type mice, while the chemogenetic activation of prelimbic cortex excitatory neurons improved the working memory capacity of 5XFAD mice. CONCLUSION The diminished activation of prelimbic cortex excitatory neurons in 5XFAD mice during task performance is associated with reduced working memory capacity, and activation modulation of excitatory neurons by chemogenetic methods can improve memory capacity impairment in 5XFAD mice. These findings may provide a new direction for exploring Alzheimer's disease therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Xin Jiang
- Peking University Institute of Mental Health (Sixth Hospital), No.51 Huayuanbei Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Beijing, 100191, China
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory for Translational Research On Diagnosis and Treatment of Dementia, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Geng-Di Huang
- Department of Addiction Medicine, Shenzhen Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Shenzhen Mental Health Center, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital, No.77 Zhenbi Road, Pingshan District, Shenzhen, 518118, China
- Affiliated Mental Health Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, No.1088 Xueyuan Avenue, Fuguang Community, Taoyuan Street, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518118, China
| | - Yong-Lu Tian
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University, No.5 Summer Palace Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100871, China
- IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Ri-Xu Cong
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Xue Meng
- National Center of Gerontology, Beijing Hospital, No.1 Dahua Road, Dongdan, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100005, China
| | - Hua-Li Wang
- Peking University Institute of Mental Health (Sixth Hospital), No.51 Huayuanbei Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Beijing, 100191, China.
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory for Translational Research On Diagnosis and Treatment of Dementia, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Chen Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, No.10 Xitoutiao, You'anmenwai, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100069, China.
| | - Xin Yu
- Peking University Institute of Mental Health (Sixth Hospital), No.51 Huayuanbei Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Beijing, 100191, China.
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory for Translational Research On Diagnosis and Treatment of Dementia, Beijing, 100191, China.
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7
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Kong E, Lee KH, Do J, Kim P, Lee D. Dynamic and stable hippocampal representations of social identity and reward expectation support associative social memory in male mice. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2597. [PMID: 37147388 PMCID: PMC10163237 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38338-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Recognizing an individual and retrieving and updating the value information assigned to the individual are fundamental abilities for establishing social relationships. To understand the neural mechanisms underlying the association between social identity and reward value, we developed Go-NoGo social discrimination paradigms that required male subject mice to distinguish between familiar mice based on their individually unique characteristics and associate them with reward availability. We found that mice could discriminate individual conspecifics through a brief nose-to-nose investigation, and this ability depended on the dorsal hippocampus. Two-photon calcium imaging revealed that dorsal CA1 hippocampal neurons represented reward expectation during social, but not non-social tasks, and these activities were maintained over days regardless of the identity of the associated mouse. Furthermore, a dynamically changing subset of hippocampal CA1 neurons discriminated between individual mice with high accuracy. Our findings suggest that the neuronal activities in CA1 provide possible neural substrates for associative social memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunji Kong
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon, 34126, Republic of Korea
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
- KI for Health Science and Technology (KIHST), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyu-Hee Lee
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon, 34126, Republic of Korea
| | - Jongrok Do
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon, 34126, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Pilhan Kim
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
- KI for Health Science and Technology (KIHST), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Doyun Lee
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon, 34126, Republic of Korea.
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8
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Generalized, cross-modal, and incrementing non-matching-to-sample in rats. Learn Behav 2023; 51:88-107. [PMID: 36697934 DOI: 10.3758/s13420-023-00571-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Same/different concept learning has been demonstrated in previous research in rats using matching- and non-matching-to-sample procedures with olfactory stimuli. In Experiment 1, rats were trained on the non-matching-to-sample procedure with either three-dimensional (3D plastic objects; n = 3) or olfactory (household spices, n = 5) stimuli, then tested for transfer to novel stimuli of the same, and then the alternate, modality. While all three rats trained with olfactory stimuli showed generalized non-matching to novel odors, only one rat learned the 3D relation and showed generalized transfer to novel objects. Importantly, in this rat the 3D non-matching relation then immediately transferred to odors. In contrast, rats trained with scents did not show transfer to novel 3D stimuli until after training with one or two 3D stimulus sets. In Experiment 2, four rats were trained on an incrementing non-matching-to-sample task featuring 3D plastic objects as stimuli (3D Span Task). Responses to session-novel stimuli resulted in reinforcement. Only two rats learned the 3D Span Task; one rat performed with high accuracy even with up to 17 session-novel objects in a session. While these findings emphasize the exceptional olfactory discrimination of rats relative to that with 3D/tactile/visual cues, they also show that relational learning can be demonstrated in another modality in this species. Further, the present study provides some evidence of cross-modal transfer of relational responding in rats.
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Cothren TO, Evonko CJ, MacQueen DA. Olfactory Dysfunction in Schizophrenia: Evaluating Olfactory Abilities Across Species. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2023; 63:363-392. [PMID: 36059004 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2022_390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Though understudied relative to perturbations in the auditory and visual domains, olfactory dysfunction is a common symptom of schizophrenia. Over the past two decades, the availability of standardized assessments to quantify human olfactory abilities, and enhance understanding of the neurophysiology supporting olfaction, has increased, enabling a more thorough characterization of these deficits. In contrast to other psychiatric conditions for which olfactory dysfunction has been observed (e.g., major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, Alzheimer's disease), the impairments observed in schizophrenia are particularly global and profound. At this level, such deficits in olfactory abilities likely impact the enjoyment of food, detection of environmental hazards, and influence social relationships. More broadly, the study of olfactory phenotypes in schizophrenia presents new avenues for detection of those at-risk for the condition, identification of therapeutic targets for treatment development, and for the characterization of novel animal models relevant to schizophrenia and psychosis. This review will consider the olfactory performance of individuals with schizophrenia in domains for which standardized assessments are available (odor sensitivity, discrimination, identification, and memory). Paradigms available for assessing these abilities in rodents will also be discussed with the aim of facilitating translation. Thus, future studies will be able to include cross-species translation of mechanisms relevant to olfactory function and cognition, what has gone awry in the disease state, and test potential therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taitum O Cothren
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, USA
| | - Christopher J Evonko
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, USA
| | - David A MacQueen
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, USA.
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10
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McGonigle CE, Lapish CC, Logrip ML. Male and female impairments in odor span are observed in a rat model of PTSD. Learn Mem 2023; 30:1-11. [PMID: 36543385 PMCID: PMC9872191 DOI: 10.1101/lm.053620.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with neural and behavioral alterations in response to trauma exposure, including working memory impairments. Rodent models of PTSD have not fully investigated chronic or reactive working memory deficits, despite clinical relevance. The present study uses footshock to induce a posttraumatic stress state in male and female rats and evaluates the effect of footshock and trauma-paired odor cues on working memory performance in the odor span task. Results demonstrate the emergence of chronic deficits in working memory among animals exposed to footshock by 3 wk after traumatic stress. The presentation of a trauma-paired odor cue was associated with further decrement in working memory performance for male animals. Furthermore, anxiety-like behaviors associated with the PTSD-like phenotype could predict the degree of working memory impairment in response to the trauma-paired odor cue. This study enhances validation of an existing rodent model of PTSD through replication of the clinical observations of working memory deficits associated with PTSD and provides novel insight into effects in female rodents. This will facilitate work to probe underlying mechanistic dysregulation of working memory following footshock trauma exposure and future development of novel treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colleen E McGonigle
- Addiction Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Indiana Alcohol Research Center, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA
| | - Christopher C Lapish
- Addiction Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Indiana Alcohol Research Center, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA
- Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA
| | - Marian L Logrip
- Addiction Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Indiana Alcohol Research Center, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA
- Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA
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11
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Jiang LX, Huang GD, Wang HL, Zhang C, Yu X. The protocol for assessing olfactory working memory capacity in mice. Brain Behav 2022; 12:e2703. [PMID: 35849713 PMCID: PMC9392537 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 06/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Working memory capacity (WMC) is the ability to maintain information over a few seconds. Although it has been extensively studied in healthy subjects and neuropsychiatric patients, few tasks have been developed to measure such changes in rodents. Many procedures have been used to measure WM in rodents, including the radial arm maze, the WM version of the Morris swimming task, and various delayed matching and nonmatching-to-sample tasks. It should be noted, however, that the memory components assessed in these procedures do not include memory capacity. METHODS We developed an olfactory working memory capacity (OWMC) paradigm to assess the WMC of 3-month-old 5×FAD mice, a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. The task is divided into five phases: context adaptation, digging training, rule learning for nonmatching to a single sample odor (NMSS), rule learning for nonmatching to multiple sample odors (NMMS), and capacity testing. RESULTS In the NMSS rule-learning phase, there was no difference between wild-type (WT) mice and 5×FAD mice in the performance correct rate, correct option rate, and correct rejection rate. The WT mice and 5×FAD mice showed similar memory capacity in the NMMS rule-learning phase. After capacity test, we found that the WMC was significantly diminished in 5×FAD mice. As the memory load increased, 5×FAD mice also made significantly more errors than WT mice. CONCLUSION The OWMC task, based on a nonmatch-to-sample rule, is a sensitive and robust behavioral assay that we validated as a reliable method for measuring WMC and exploring different components of memory in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Xin Jiang
- Peking University Institute of Mental Health (Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Beijing, China.,Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory for Translational Research on Diagnosis and Treatment of Dementia, Beijing, China
| | - Geng-Di Huang
- Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China.,Shenzhen Kangning Hospital & Shenzhen Mental Health Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hua-Li Wang
- Peking University Institute of Mental Health (Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Beijing, China.,Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory for Translational Research on Diagnosis and Treatment of Dementia, Beijing, China
| | - Chen Zhang
- Capital Medical University, Youanmenwai, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Yu
- Peking University Institute of Mental Health (Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Beijing, China.,Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory for Translational Research on Diagnosis and Treatment of Dementia, Beijing, China
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12
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Howland JG, Ito R, Lapish CC, Villaruel FR. The rodent medial prefrontal cortex and associated circuits in orchestrating adaptive behavior under variable demands. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 135:104569. [PMID: 35131398 PMCID: PMC9248379 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Emerging evidence implicates rodent medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in tasks requiring adaptation of behavior to changing information from external and internal sources. However, the computations within mPFC and subsequent outputs that determine behavior are incompletely understood. We review the involvement of mPFC subregions, and their projections to the striatum and amygdala in two broad types of tasks in rodents: 1) appetitive and aversive Pavlovian and operant conditioning tasks that engage mPFC-striatum and mPFC-amygdala circuits, and 2) foraging-based tasks that require decision making to optimize reward. We find support for region-specific function of the mPFC, with dorsal mPFC and its projections to the dorsomedial striatum supporting action control with higher cognitive demands, and ventral mPFC engagement in translating affective signals into behavior via discrete projections to the ventral striatum and amygdala. However, we also propose that defined mPFC subdivisions operate as a functional continuum rather than segregated functional units, with crosstalk that allows distinct subregion-specific inputs (e.g., internal, affective) to influence adaptive behavior supported by other subregions.
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Affiliation(s)
- John G Howland
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
| | - Rutsuko Ito
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto-Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Christopher C Lapish
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
| | - Franz R Villaruel
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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13
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Wagner TJ, Bruce K, Galizio M. Incrementing non-matching- but not matching-to-sample is rapidly learned in an automated version of the odor span task. Anim Cogn 2022; 25:1259-1270. [PMID: 35217968 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-022-01608-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The odor span task (OST) is frequently used to assess memory capacity in rodents. Odor stimuli are presented in a large arena and choices of session-novel odors produce food reward. The procedure can be described as an incrementing non-matching-to-sample contingency because on each trial one new stimulus is presented along with one or more previously presented (non-reinforced) comparison odors. An automated version of this task has recently been developed in which odors are presented with an olfactometer in an operant chamber using a successive conditional discrimination procedure. The present study compared the acquisition of matching- vs. non-matching-to-sample versions of the task with six rats tested under each procedure. All six rats trained on the non-matching variation showed rapid acquisition of the discrimination with high rates of responding to odor stimuli when they were session-novel and low rates of responding to subsequent presentations of those odors. However, only three of the six rats trained on the matching variation met acquisition criteria, and two of the three that did acquire the task required extensive training to do so. These results support findings from the OST that rats can differentiate between stimuli that are session-novel and those previously encountered, but also that a matching contingency is more difficult to learn than a non-matching arrangement. These findings parallel differences observed between acquisition of simple matching- and non-matching-to-sample tasks, but accounts such as novelty preference or the oddity preference effect may not be sufficient to explain the present results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Wagner
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, USA
| | - Katherine Bruce
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, USA
| | - Mark Galizio
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, USA.
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14
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Sawahata M, Asano H, Nagai T, Ito N, Kohno T, Nabeshima T, Hattori M, Yamada K. Microinjection of Reelin into the mPFC prevents MK-801-induced recognition memory impairment in mice. Pharmacol Res 2021; 173:105832. [PMID: 34450306 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Reelin, a large extracellular matrix protein, helps to regulate neuronal plasticity and cognitive function. Several studies have shown that Reelin dysfunction, resulting from factors such as mutations in gene RELN or low Reelin expression, is associated with schizophrenia (SCZ). We previously reported that microinjection of Reelin into cerebral ventricle prevents phencyclidine-induced cognitive and sensory-motor gating deficits. However, it remains unclear whether and how Reelin ameliorates behavioral abnormalities in the animal model of SCZ. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of recombinant Reelin microinjection into the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) on abnormal behaviors induced by MK-801, an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist. Microinjection of Reelin into the mPFC prevented impairment of recognition memory of MK-801-treated mice in the novel object recognition test (NORT). On the other hand, the same treatment had no effect on deficits in sensory-motor gating and short-term memory in the pre-pulse inhibition and Y-maze tests, respectively. To establish the neural substrates that respond to Reelin, the number of c-Fos-positive cells in the mPFC was determined. A significant increase in c-Fos-positive cells in the mPFC of MK-801-treated mice was observed when compared with saline-treated mice, and this change was suppressed by microinjection of Reelin into the mPFC. A K2360/2467A Reelin that cannot bind to its receptor failed to ameliorate MK-801-induced cognitive deficits in NORT. These results suggest that Reelin prevents MK-801-induced recognition memory impairment by acting on its receptors to suppress neural activity in the mPFC of mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahito Sawahata
- Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Hospital Pharmacy, Nagoya University, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan; Department of Applied Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Hiroki Asano
- Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Hospital Pharmacy, Nagoya University, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Taku Nagai
- Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Hospital Pharmacy, Nagoya University, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan; Division of Behavioral Neuropharmacology, International Center for Brain Science (ICBS), Fujita Health University, Toyoake 470-1192, Japan
| | - Norimichi Ito
- Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Hospital Pharmacy, Nagoya University, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Takao Kohno
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Aichi, 467-8603, Japan
| | - Toshitaka Nabeshima
- Advanced Diagnostic System Research Laboratory, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Fujita Health University, Toyoake 470-1192, Japan
| | - Mitsuharu Hattori
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Aichi, 467-8603, Japan
| | - Kiyofumi Yamada
- Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Hospital Pharmacy, Nagoya University, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
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15
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Abstract
There are currently a number of theories of rodent hippocampal function. They fall into two major groups that differ in the role they impute to space in hippocampal information processing. On one hand, the cognitive map theory sees space as crucial and central, with other types of nonspatial information embedded in a primary spatial framework. On the other hand, most other theories see the function of the hippocampal formation as broader, treating all types of information as equivalent and concentrating on the processes carried out irrespective of the specific material being represented, stored, and manipulated. One crucial difference, therefore, is the extent to which theories see hippocampal pyramidal cells as representing nonspatial information independently of a spatial framework. Studies have reported the existence of single hippocampal unit responses to nonspatial stimuli, both to simple sensory inputs as well as to more complex stimuli such as objects, conspecifics, rewards, and time, and these findings been interpreted as evidence in favor of a broader hippocampal function. Alternatively, these nonspatial responses might actually be feature-in-place signals where the spatial nature of the response has been masked by the fact that the objects or features were only presented in one location or one spatial context. In this article, we argue that when tested in multiple locations, the hippocampal response to nonspatial stimuli is almost invariably dependent on the animal's location. Looked at collectively, the data provide strong support for the cognitive map theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- John O'Keefe
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre and Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Julija Krupic
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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16
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McQuail JA, Dunn AR, Stern Y, Barnes CA, Kempermann G, Rapp PR, Kaczorowski CC, Foster TC. Cognitive Reserve in Model Systems for Mechanistic Discovery: The Importance of Longitudinal Studies. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 12:607685. [PMID: 33551788 PMCID: PMC7859530 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.607685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The goal of this review article is to provide a resource for longitudinal studies, using animal models, directed at understanding and modifying the relationship between cognition and brain structure and function throughout life. We propose that forthcoming longitudinal studies will build upon a wealth of knowledge gleaned from prior cross-sectional designs to identify early predictors of variability in cognitive function during aging, and characterize fundamental neurobiological mechanisms that underlie the vulnerability to, and the trajectory of, cognitive decline. Finally, we present examples of biological measures that may differentiate mechanisms of the cognitive reserve at the molecular, cellular, and network level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A McQuail
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Amy R Dunn
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, United States
| | - Yaakov Stern
- Cognitive Neuroscience Division, Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Carol A Barnes
- Departments of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States.,Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Gerd Kempermann
- CRTD-Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers (HZ), Dresden, Germany
| | - Peter R Rapp
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Neurocognitive Aging Section, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | | | - Thomas C Foster
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.,Genetics and Genomics Program, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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17
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Ang MJ, Lee S, Kim JC, Kim SH, Moon C. Behavioral Tasks Evaluating Schizophrenia-like Symptoms in Animal Models: A Recent Update. Curr Neuropharmacol 2021; 19:641-664. [PMID: 32798374 PMCID: PMC8573744 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x18666200814175114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that affects more than 21 million people worldwide. Both genetics and the environment play a role in its etiology and pathogenesis. Symptoms of schizophrenia are mainly categorized into positive, negative, and cognitive. One major approach to identify and understand these diverse symptoms in humans has been to study behavioral phenotypes in a range of animal models of schizophrenia. OBJECTIVE We aimed to provide a comprehensive review of the behavioral tasks commonly used for measuring schizophrenia-like behaviors in rodents together with an update of the recent study findings. METHODS Articles describing phenotypes of schizophrenia-like behaviors in various animal models were collected through a literature search in Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, with a focus on advances over the last 10 years. RESULTS Numerous studies have used a range of animal models and behavioral paradigms of schizophrenia to develop antipsychotic drugs for improved therapeutics. In establishing animal models of schizophrenia, the candidate models were evaluated for schizophrenia-like behaviors using several behavioral tasks for positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms designed to verify human symptoms of schizophrenia. Such validated animal models were provided as rapid preclinical avenues for drug testing and mechanistic studies. CONCLUSION Based on the most recent advances in the field, it is apparent that a myriad of behavior tests are needed to confirm and evaluate the congruency of animal models with the numerous behaviors and clinical signs exhibited by patients with schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Changjong Moon
- Address correspondence to this author at the Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Animal Behavior, College of Veterinary Medicine and BK21 Plus Project Team, Chonnam National University, 77 Yongbong-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61186, South Korea, Tel: +82-62-530-2838; E-mail:
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18
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Yamamoto N, Marks WD, Kitamura T. Cell-Type-Specific Optogenetic Techniques Reveal Neural Circuits Crucial for Episodic Memories. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1293:429-447. [PMID: 33398831 PMCID: PMC8612024 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-15-8763-4_28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The formation and maintenance of episodic memories are important for our daily life. Accumulating evidence from extensive studies with pharmacological, electrophysiological, and molecular biological approaches has shown that both entorhinal cortex (EC) and hippocampus (HPC) are crucial for the formation and recall of episodic memory. However, to further understand the neural mechanisms of episodic memory processes in the EC-HPC network, cell-type-specific manipulation of neural activity with high temporal resolution during memory process has become necessary. Recently, the technological innovation of optogenetics combined with pharmacological, molecular biological, and electrophysiological approaches has significantly advanced our understanding of the circuit mechanisms for learning and memory. Optogenetic techniques with transgenic mice and/or viral vectors enable us to manipulate the neural activity of specific cell populations as well as specific neural projections with millisecond-scale temporal control during animal behavior. Integrating optogenetics with drug-regulatable activity-dependent gene expression systems has identified memory engram cells, which are a subpopulation of cells that encode a specific episode. Finally, millisecond pulse stimulation of neural activity by optogenetics has further achieved (a) identification of synaptic connectivity between targeted pairs of neural populations, (b) cell-type-specific single-unit electrophysiological recordings, and (c) artificial induction and modification of synaptic plasticity in targeted synapses. In this chapter, we summarize technological and conceptual advancements in the field of neurobiology of learning and memory as revealed by optogenetic approaches in the rodent EC-HPC network for episodic memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Yamamoto
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - William D Marks
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Takashi Kitamura
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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19
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Huang GD, Jiang LX, Su F, Wang HL, Zhang C, Yu X. A novel paradigm for assessing olfactory working memory capacity in mice. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:431. [PMID: 33319773 PMCID: PMC7738675 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-01120-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
A decline in working memory (WM) capacity is suggested to be one of the earliest symptoms observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although WM capacity is widely studied in healthy subjects and neuropsychiatric patients, few tasks are developed to measure this variation in rodents. The present study describes a novel olfactory working memory capacity (OWMC) task, which assesses the ability of mice to remember multiple odours. The task was divided into five phases: context adaptation, digging training, rule-learning for non-matching to a single-sample odour (NMSS), rule-learning for non-matching to multiple sample odours (NMMS) and capacity testing. During the capacity-testing phase, the WM capacity (number of odours that the mice could remember) remained stable (average capacity ranged from 6.11 to 7.00) across different testing sessions in C57 mice. As the memory load increased, the average errors of each capacity level increased and the percent correct gradually declined to chance level, which suggested a limited OWMC in C57 mice. Then, we assessed the OWMC of 5 × FAD transgenic mice, an animal model of AD. We found that the performance displayed no significant differences between young adult (3-month-old) 5 × FAD mice and wild-type (WT) mice during the NMSS phase and NMMS phase; however, during the capacity test with increasing load, we found that the OWMC of young adult 5 × FAD mice was significantly decreased compared with WT mice, and the average error was significantly increased while the percent correct was significantly reduced, which indicated an impairment of WM capacity at the early stage of AD in the 5 × FAD mice model. Finally, we found that FOS protein levels in the medial prefrontal cortex and entorhinal cortex after the capacity test were significantly lower in 5 × FAD than WT mice. In conclusion, we developed a novel paradigm to assess the capacity of olfactory WM in mice, and we found that OWMC was impaired in the early stage of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geng-Di Huang
- grid.459847.30000 0004 1798 0615Peking University Sixth Hospital, 100191 Beijing, China ,grid.11135.370000 0001 2256 9319Peking University Institute of Mental Health, 100191 Beijing, China ,grid.11135.370000 0001 2256 9319NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), 100191 Beijing, China ,grid.459847.30000 0004 1798 0615National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), 100191 Beijing, China ,Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory for Translational Research on Diagnosis and Treatment of Dementia, 100191 Beijing, China
| | - Li-Xin Jiang
- grid.459847.30000 0004 1798 0615Peking University Sixth Hospital, 100191 Beijing, China ,grid.11135.370000 0001 2256 9319Peking University Institute of Mental Health, 100191 Beijing, China ,grid.11135.370000 0001 2256 9319NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), 100191 Beijing, China ,grid.459847.30000 0004 1798 0615National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), 100191 Beijing, China ,Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory for Translational Research on Diagnosis and Treatment of Dementia, 100191 Beijing, China
| | - Feng Su
- grid.452723.50000 0004 7887 9190Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, 100871 Beijing, China ,grid.24696.3f0000 0004 0369 153XSchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, 100069 Beijing, China
| | - Hua-Li Wang
- grid.459847.30000 0004 1798 0615Peking University Sixth Hospital, 100191 Beijing, China ,grid.11135.370000 0001 2256 9319Peking University Institute of Mental Health, 100191 Beijing, China ,grid.11135.370000 0001 2256 9319NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), 100191 Beijing, China ,grid.459847.30000 0004 1798 0615National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), 100191 Beijing, China ,Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory for Translational Research on Diagnosis and Treatment of Dementia, 100191 Beijing, China
| | - Chen Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, 100069, Beijing, China.
| | - Xin Yu
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, 100191, Beijing, China. .,Peking University Institute of Mental Health, 100191, Beijing, China. .,NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), 100191, Beijing, China. .,National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), 100191, Beijing, China. .,Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory for Translational Research on Diagnosis and Treatment of Dementia, 100191, Beijing, China.
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20
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Levy SJ, Kinsky NR, Mau W, Sullivan DW, Hasselmo ME. Hippocampal spatial memory representations in mice are heterogeneously stable. Hippocampus 2020; 31:244-260. [PMID: 33098619 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The population of hippocampal neurons actively coding space continually changes across days as mice repeatedly perform tasks. Many hippocampal place cells become inactive while other previously silent neurons become active, challenging the idea that stable behaviors and memory representations are supported by stable patterns of neural activity. Active cell replacement may disambiguate unique episodes that contain overlapping memory cues, and could contribute to reorganization of memory representations. How active cell replacement affects the evolution of representations of different behaviors within a single task is unknown. We trained mice to perform a delayed nonmatching to place task over multiple weeks, and performed calcium imaging in area CA1 of the dorsal hippocampus using head-mounted miniature microscopes. Cells active on the central stem of the maze "split" their calcium activity according to the animal's upcoming turn direction (left or right), the current task phase (study or test), or both task dimensions, even while spatial cues remained unchanged. We found that, among reliably active cells, different splitter neuron populations were replaced at unequal rates, resulting in an increasing number of cells modulated by turn direction and a decreasing number of cells with combined modulation by both turn direction and task phase. Despite continual reorganization, the ensemble code stably segregated these task dimensions. These results show that hippocampal memories can heterogeneously reorganize even while behavior is unchanging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel J Levy
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nathaniel R Kinsky
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - William Mau
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - David W Sullivan
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Michael E Hasselmo
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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21
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Luna-Munguia H, Gasca-Martinez D, Marquez-Bravo L, Concha L. Memory deficits in Sprague Dawley rats with spontaneous ventriculomegaly. Brain Behav 2020; 10:e01711. [PMID: 32583983 PMCID: PMC7428488 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Spontaneous ventriculomegaly has been observed in rats that were presumed normal. Because the external phenotype of these animals is unremarkable, they can be inadvertently included in behavioral experiments, despite the considerable enlargement of the ventricular system, reduced cortical thickness, and hippocampal atrophy upon imaging. Given the role of such structures in memory consolidation, we evaluated long-term memory retention while decision making in rats with spontaneous ventriculomegaly. METHODS We studied adult male Sprague Dawley rats, identified as having spontaneous ventriculomegaly, while performing baseline magnetic resonance imaging scanning intended for a different research protocol. Control (n = 7) and experimental (n = 6) animals were submitted to a delayed-alternation task (no delay, 30, 60, and 180 s) and an object-in-context recognition task. During the first task, we evaluated the number of correct choices as well as the latency to reach any of the cavities located at the end of each branch arm during each trial. The second task assessed the rodents' ability to remember where they had previously encountered a specific object, calculating the context recognition index. RESULTS When compared to control animals, rats with spontaneous ventriculomegaly required significantly more training sessions to reach the 80% criterion during the training phase. Moreover, they showed reduced delayed-alternation performance in the evaluated times, reaching significance only at 180 s. Increased latencies while trying to reach the cavity were also observed. Evaluation of the long-term memory formation during the object-in-context recognition task showed that subjects with ventriculomegaly spent less time investigating the familiar object, resulting in a significantly decreased recognition index value. CONCLUSION Our results are the first to show how spontaneous ventriculomegaly-induced cerebral structural damage affects decision-making behaviors, particularly when comparing between immediate and delayed trials. Moreover, this lesion disrupts the animals' ability to recall or express contextual information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiram Luna-Munguia
- Departamento de Neurobiologia Conductual y Cognitiva, Instituto de Neurobiologia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Campus UNAM-Juriquilla, Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Deisy Gasca-Martinez
- Unidad de Analisis Conductual, Instituto de Neurobiologia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Campus UNAM-Juriquilla, Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Luis Marquez-Bravo
- Departamento de Neurobiologia Conductual y Cognitiva, Instituto de Neurobiologia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Campus UNAM-Juriquilla, Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Luis Concha
- Departamento de Neurobiologia Conductual y Cognitiva, Instituto de Neurobiologia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Campus UNAM-Juriquilla, Queretaro, Mexico
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22
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Galizio M, Mason MG, Bruce K. Successive incrementing non-matching-to-samples in rats: An automated version of the odor span task. J Exp Anal Behav 2020; 114:248-265. [PMID: 32725820 DOI: 10.1002/jeab.619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Revised: 06/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The odor span task is a procedure frequently used to study remembering of multiple stimuli in rodents. A large arena is used and odor stimuli are presented using scented cups. Selection of each odor is reinforced when first presented, but not on subsequent presentations; correct selections depend on remembering which stimuli were previously presented. The use of an arena setting with manual stimulus presentation makes the odor span task labor-intensive and limits experimental control; thus, an automated version of the task would be of value. The present study used an operant chamber equipped with an olfactometer and trained rats using successive conditional discrimination procedures under an incrementing non-matching-to-samples contingency. High rates of responding developed to odor stimuli when they were session-novel with low rates of responding to subsequent presentations of that odor. Additional experiments assessed variations of the procedure to determine the role of the frequency of odor presentation and the retention interval separating sample and comparison. Discrimination was impaired with long retention intervals suggesting the importance of this variable. These findings confirmed that rats differentiate between stimuli that are session-novel and those previously encountered and support the use of an automated procedure as an alternative to the odor span task.
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23
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Rinaldi A, De Leonibus E, Cifra A, Torromino G, Minicocci E, De Sanctis E, López-Pedrajas RM, Oliverio A, Mele A. Flexible use of allocentric and egocentric spatial memories activates differential neural networks in mice. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11338. [PMID: 32647258 PMCID: PMC7347635 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-68025-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Goal-directed navigation can be based on world-centered (allocentric) or body-centered (egocentric) representations of the environment, mediated by a wide network of interconnected brain regions, including hippocampus, striatum and prefrontal cortex. The relative contribution of these regions to navigation from novel or familiar routes, that demand a different degree of flexibility in the use of the stored spatial representations, has not been completely explored. To address this issue, we trained mice to find a reward relying on allocentric or egocentric information, in a modified version of the cross-maze task. Then we used Zif268 expression to map brain activation when well-trained mice were required to find the goal from a novel or familiar location. Successful navigation was correlated with the activation of CA1, posterior-dorsomedial striatum, nucleus accumbens core and infralimbic cortex when allocentric-trained mice needed to use a novel route. Allocentric navigation from a familiar route activated dorsomedial striatum, nucleus accumbens, prelimbic and infralimbic cortex. None of the structures analyzed was significantly activated in egocentric-trained mice, irrespective of the starting position. These data suggest that a flexible use of stored allocentric information, that allows goal finding even from a location never explored during training, induces a shift from fronto-striatal to hippocampal circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Rinaldi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology C. Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. .,Centre for Research in Neurobiology D. Bovet, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
| | | | - Alessandra Cifra
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology C. Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Torromino
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology C. Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Elisa Minicocci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology C. Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Elisa De Sanctis
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology C. Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Rosa María López-Pedrajas
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology C. Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Valencia, Spain
| | - Alberto Oliverio
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology C. Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Centre for Research in Neurobiology D. Bovet, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Mele
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology C. Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Centre for Research in Neurobiology D. Bovet, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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The medial prefrontal cortex - hippocampus circuit that integrates information of object, place and time to construct episodic memory in rodents: Behavioral, anatomical and neurochemical properties. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 113:373-407. [PMID: 32298711 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Revised: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Rats and mice have been demonstrated to show episodic-like memory, a prototype of episodic memory, as defined by an integrated memory of the experience of an object or event, in a particular place and time. Such memory can be assessed via the use of spontaneous object exploration paradigms, variably designed to measure memory for object, place, temporal order and object-location inter-relationships. We review the methodological properties of these tests, the neurobiology about time and discuss the evidence for the involvement of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), entorhinal cortex (EC) and hippocampus, with respect to their anatomy, neurotransmitter systems and functional circuits. The systematic analysis suggests that a specific circuit between the mPFC, lateral EC and hippocampus encodes the information for event, place and time of occurrence into the complex episodic-like memory, as a top-down regulation from the mPFC onto the hippocampus. This circuit can be distinguished from the neuronal component memory systems for processing the individual information of object, time and place.
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25
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Krichbaum S, Rogers B, Cox E, Waggoner LP, Katz JS. Odor span task in dogs (Canis familiaris). Anim Cogn 2020; 23:571-580. [PMID: 32100208 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-020-01362-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Working memory is essential for organisms to solve problems related to their survival and to adapt to changes in their environment. Researchers sought to create a non-human model of working memory that could be used to better understand its predictive value and underlying brain function. Several of these studies were conducted using the odor span task (OST) with rodents, and here, we present the first OST with domestic dogs (n = 6). The OST is an incrementing non-match-to-sample task in which dogs were presented with both a session novel (S +) and a previously encountered (S -) odor on each trial. A response to the session novel odor was always reinforced. Upon meeting training criterion on sessions with 24 trials or odors to remember, the dogs were tested on the OST with up to 72 odors to remember in the session. All dogs learned the OST and displayed accurate performance (≥ 79%) for the largest set size of 72 odors. In an analysis focused on the effect of intervening odors (i.e., the number of trials since the S - was last encountered), dogs demonstrated above-chance performance for up to eight intervening odors. The implications of these findings are discussed in the context of dog working memory for odors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Krichbaum
- Department of Psychology, Auburn University, 226 Thach Hall, Auburn, 36849 AL, USA.
| | - Bart Rogers
- Canine Performance Sciences, Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Emma Cox
- Department of Psychology, Auburn University, 226 Thach Hall, Auburn, 36849 AL, USA
| | - L Paul Waggoner
- Canine Performance Sciences, Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Katz
- Department of Psychology, Auburn University, 226 Thach Hall, Auburn, 36849 AL, USA
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Scott GA, Liu MC, Tahir NB, Zabder NK, Song Y, Greba Q, Howland JG. Roles of the medial prefrontal cortex, mediodorsal thalamus, and their combined circuit for performance of the odor span task in rats: analysis of memory capacity and foraging behavior. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 27:67-77. [PMID: 31949038 PMCID: PMC6970426 DOI: 10.1101/lm.050195.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Working memory (WM), the capacity for short-term storage of small quantities of information for immediate use, is thought to depend on activity within the prefrontal cortex. Recent evidence indicates that the prefrontal neuronal activity supporting WM is driven by thalamocortical connections arising in mediodorsal thalamus (mdThal). However, the role of these connections has not been studied using olfactory stimuli leaving open the question of whether this circuit extends to all sensory modalities. Additionally, manipulations of the mdThal in olfactory memory tasks have yielded mixed results. In the present experiment, we investigated the role of connections between the rat medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and mdThal in the odor span task (OST) using a pharmacological contralateral disconnection technique. Inactivation of either the mPFC or mdThal alone both significantly impaired memory performance in the OST, replicating previous findings with the mPFC and confirming that the mdThal plays an essential role in intact OST performance. Contralateral disconnection of the two structures impaired OST performance in support of the idea that the OST relies on mPFC-mdThal connections, but ipsilateral control infusions also impaired performance, complicating this interpretation. We also performed a detailed analysis of rats’ errors and foraging behavior and found a dissociation between mPFC and mdThal inactivation conditions. Inactivation of the mdThal and mPFC caused a significant reduction in the number of approaches rats made per odor, whereas only mdThal inactivation or mPFC-mdThal disconnection caused significant increases in choice latency. Our results confirm that the mdThal is necessary for performance of the OST and that it may critically interact with the mPFC to mediate OST performance. Additionally, we have provided evidence that the mPFC and mdThal play dissociable roles in mediating foraging behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gavin A Scott
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Max C Liu
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Nimra B Tahir
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Nadine K Zabder
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Yuanyi Song
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Quentin Greba
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - John G Howland
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E5, Canada
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27
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Dusp8 affects hippocampal size and behavior in mice and humans. Sci Rep 2019; 9:19483. [PMID: 31862894 PMCID: PMC6925303 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-55527-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Dual-specificity phosphatase 8 (Dusp8) acts as physiological inhibitor for the MAPKs Jnk, Erk and p38 which are involved in regulating multiple CNS processes. While Dusp8 expression levels are high in limbic areas such as the hippocampus, the functional role of Dusp8 in hippocampus morphology, MAPK-signaling, neurogenesis and apoptosis as well as in behavior are still unclear. It is of particular interest whether human carriers of a DUSP8 allelic variant show similar hippocampal alterations to mice. Addressing these questions using Dusp8 WT and KO mouse littermates, we found that KOs suffered from mildly impaired spatial learning, increased locomotor activity and elevated anxiety. Cell proliferation, apoptosis and p38 and Jnk phosphorylation were unaffected, but phospho-Erk levels were higher in hippocampi of the KOs. Consistent with a decreased hippocampus size in Dusp8 KO mice, we found reduced volumes of the hippocampal subregions subiculum and CA4 in humans carrying the DUSP8 allelic variant SNP rs2334499:C > T. Overall, aberrations in morphology and behavior in Dusp8 KO mice and a decrease in hippocampal volume of SNP rs2334499:C > T carriers point to a novel, translationally relevant role of Dusp8 in hippocampus function that warrants further studies on the role of Dusp8 within the limbic network.
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28
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Sabariego M, Schönwald A, Boublil BL, Zimmerman DT, Ahmadi S, Gonzalez N, Leibold C, Clark RE, Leutgeb JK, Leutgeb S. Time Cells in the Hippocampus Are Neither Dependent on Medial Entorhinal Cortex Inputs nor Necessary for Spatial Working Memory. Neuron 2019; 102:1235-1248.e5. [PMID: 31056352 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Revised: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
A key function of the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex is to bridge events that are discontinuous in time, and it has been proposed that medial entorhinal cortex (mEC) supports memory retention by sustaining the sequential activity of hippocampal time cells. Therefore, we recorded hippocampal neuronal activity during spatial working memory and asked whether time cells depend on mEC inputs. Working memory was impaired in rats with mEC lesions, but the occurrence of time cells and of trajectory-coding cells in the stem did not differ from controls. Rather, the main effect of mEC lesions was an extensive spatial coding deficit of CA1 cells, which included inconsistency over time and reduced firing differences between positions on the maze. Therefore, mEC is critical for providing stable and distinct spatial information to hippocampus, while working memory (WM) maintenance is likely supported either by local synaptic plasticity in hippocampus or by activity patterns elsewhere in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Sabariego
- Neurobiology Section and Center for Neural Circuits and Behavior, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Antonia Schönwald
- Neurobiology Section and Center for Neural Circuits and Behavior, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Brittney L Boublil
- Neurobiology Section and Center for Neural Circuits and Behavior, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - David T Zimmerman
- Neurobiology Section and Center for Neural Circuits and Behavior, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Siavash Ahmadi
- Neurobiology Section and Center for Neural Circuits and Behavior, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Nailea Gonzalez
- Neurobiology Section and Center for Neural Circuits and Behavior, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Christian Leibold
- Department Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Martinsried, Germany; Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Munich, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Robert E Clark
- Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA 92161, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Jill K Leutgeb
- Neurobiology Section and Center for Neural Circuits and Behavior, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Stefan Leutgeb
- Neurobiology Section and Center for Neural Circuits and Behavior, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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Effects of NMDA antagonist dizocilpine (MK-801) are modulated by the number of distractor stimuli in the rodent odor span task of working memory. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2019; 161:51-56. [PMID: 30862525 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2019.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Revised: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The rodent odor span task (OST) uses an incrementing non-matching to sample procedure in which a series of odors is presented and selection of the session-novel odor is reinforced. An OST is frequently used to test the effects of neurobiological variables on memory capacity as the number of odors to remember increases during the course of the session. In this regard, one important finding has been that NMDA receptor antagonists selectively impair OST performance at doses that spare accuracy on control tasks. However, in many versions of the odor span task the number of stimuli to remember is confounded with the number of distractor odors presented to the rat on each trial. The present study compared the effects of the NMDA antagonist dizocilpine when the number of choices was held constant at two (one novel odor-S+ and one previously presented distractor odor-S-) and when the number of choice stimuli was permitted to increase up to 10 (one S+ and 9 S-). Dizocilpine impaired OST accuracy at doses that had no effect on a reference memory control task in both 2-choice and 10-choice conditions; however, the dose-response function was shifted to the left in the 10-choice tests. The impairments produced by dizocilpine were exacerbated as the memory load increased in both 2- and 10-choice conditions. These findings support the hypothesis that NMDA antagonism reduces the number of stimuli that rats can remember accurately, but the interaction between the effective DZP dose and the number of distractors shows that drug effects on OST performances may involve attentional factors in addition to memory capacity. The findings also demonstrate that variations in number of OST distractors can be used to alter sensitivity of the task.
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30
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Gilmour G, Porcelli S, Bertaina-Anglade V, Arce E, Dukart J, Hayen A, Lobo A, Lopez-Anton R, Merlo Pich E, Pemberton DJ, Havenith MN, Glennon JC, Harel BT, Dawson G, Marston H, Kozak R, Serretti A. Relating constructs of attention and working memory to social withdrawal in Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia: issues regarding paradigm selection. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 97:47-69. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.09.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Revised: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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31
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Peleh T, Ike KG, Wams EJ, Lebois EP, Hengerer B. The reverse translation of a quantitative neuropsychiatric framework into preclinical studies: Focus on social interaction and behavior. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 97:96-111. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2017] [Revised: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 07/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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32
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Zamani A, Mychasiuk R, Semple BD. Determinants of social behavior deficits and recovery after pediatric traumatic brain injury. Exp Neurol 2019; 314:34-45. [PMID: 30653969 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2019.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Revised: 12/29/2018] [Accepted: 01/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) during early childhood is associated with a particularly high risk of developing social behavior impairments, including deficits in social cognition that manifest as reduced social interactions, with profound consequences for the individuals' quality of life. A number of pre-injury, post-injury, and injury-related factors have been identified or hypothesized to determine the extent of social behavior problems after childhood TBI. These include variables associated with the individual themselves (e.g. age, genetics, the injury severity, and extent of white matter damage), proximal environmental factors (e.g. family functioning, parental mental health), and more distal environmental factors (e.g. socioeconomic status, access to resources). In this review, we synthesize the available evidence demonstrating which of these determinants influence risk versus resilience to social behavior deficits after pediatric TBI, drawing upon the available clinical and preclinical literature. Injury-related pathology in neuroanatomical regions associated with social cognition and behaviors will also be described, with a focus on findings from magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging. Finally, study limitations and suggested future directions are highlighted. In summary, while no single variable can alone accurately predict the manifestation of social behavior problems after TBI during early childhood, an increased understanding of how both injury and environmental factors can influence social outcomes provides a useful framework for the development of more effective rehabilitation strategies aiming to optimize recovery for young brain-injured patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akram Zamani
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Prahran, VIC, Australia
| | - Richelle Mychasiuk
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Prahran, VIC, Australia; Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Bridgette D Semple
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Prahran, VIC, Australia; Department of Medicine (Royal Melbourne Hospital), The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
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33
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Ranganath C. Time, memory, and the legacy of Howard Eichenbaum. Hippocampus 2018; 29:146-161. [DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Revised: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Charan Ranganath
- Center for Neuroscience and Department of Psychology University of California at Davis Davis California
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34
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Nikiforuk A. Assessment of cognitive functions in animal models of schizophrenia. Pharmacol Rep 2018; 70:639-649. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pharep.2018.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2017] [Revised: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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35
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Replay of Episodic Memories in the Rat. Curr Biol 2018; 28:1628-1634.e7. [PMID: 29754898 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Revised: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Vivid episodic memories in people have been characterized as the replay of multiple unique events in sequential order [1-3]. The hippocampus plays a critical role in episodic memories in both people and rodents [2, 4-6]. Although rats remember multiple unique episodes [7, 8], it is currently unknown if animals "replay" episodic memories. Therefore, we developed an animal model of episodic memory replay. Here, we show that rats can remember a trial-unique stream of multiple episodes and the order in which these events occurred by engaging hippocampal-dependent episodic memory replay. We document that rats rely on episodic memory replay to remember the order of events rather than relying on non-episodic memories. Replay of episodic memories survives a long retention-interval challenge and interference from the memory of other events, which documents that replay is part of long-term episodic memory. The chemogenetic activating drug clozapine N-oxide (CNO), but not vehicle, reversibly impairs episodic memory replay in rats previously injected bilaterally in the hippocampus with a recombinant viral vector containing an inhibitory designer receptor exclusively activated by a designer drug (DREADD; AAV8-hSyn-hM4Di-mCherry). By contrast, two non-episodic memory assessments are unaffected by CNO, showing selectivity of this hippocampal-dependent impairment. Our approach provides an animal model of episodic memory replay, a process by which the rat searches its representations in episodic memory in sequential order to find information. Our findings using rats suggest that the ability to replay a stream of episodic memories is quite old in the evolutionary timescale.
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36
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Scott GA, Zabder NK, Greba Q, Howland JG. Performance of the odour span task is not impaired following inactivations of parietal cortex in rats. Behav Brain Res 2018; 341:181-188. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2017] [Revised: 11/24/2017] [Accepted: 12/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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37
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Reboreda A, Theissen FM, Valero-Aracama MJ, Arboit A, Corbu MA, Yoshida M. Do TRPC channels support working memory? Comparing modulations of TRPC channels and working memory through G-protein coupled receptors and neuromodulators. Behav Brain Res 2018; 354:64-83. [PMID: 29501506 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.02.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2017] [Revised: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Working memory is a crucial ability we use in daily life. However, the cellular mechanisms supporting working memory still remain largely unclear. A key component of working memory is persistent neural firing which is believed to serve short-term (hundreds of milliseconds up to tens of seconds) maintenance of necessary information. In this review, we will focus on the role of transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) channels as a mechanism underlying persistent firing. Many years of in vitro work have been suggesting a crucial role of TRPC channels in working memory and temporal association tasks. If TRPC channels are indeed a central mechanism for working memory, manipulations which impair or facilitate working memory should have a similar effect on TRPC channel modulation. However, modulations of working memory and TRPC channels were never systematically compared, and it remains unanswered whether TRPC channels indeed contribute to working memory in vivo or not. In this article, we review the effects of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR) and neuromodulators, including acetylcholine, noradrenalin, serotonin and dopamine, on working memory and TRPC channels. Based on comparisons, we argue that GPCR and downstream signaling pathways that activate TRPC, generally support working memory, while those that suppress TRPC channels impair it. However, depending on the channel types, areas, and systems tested, this is not the case in all studies. Further work to clarify involvement of specific TRPC channels in working memory tasks and how they are affected by neuromodulators is still necessary in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Reboreda
- Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology (LIN) Magdeburg, Brenneckestraße 6, 39118 Magdeburg, Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44/Haus 64, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany.
| | - Frederik M Theissen
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44/Haus 64, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Maria J Valero-Aracama
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Universitätsstraße 17, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Alberto Arboit
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44/Haus 64, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Mihaela A Corbu
- Ruhr University Bochum (RUB), Universitätsstraße 150, 44801, Bochum, Germany
| | - Motoharu Yoshida
- Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology (LIN) Magdeburg, Brenneckestraße 6, 39118 Magdeburg, Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44/Haus 64, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany; Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, 39106, Magdeburg, Germany.
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38
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Tait DS, Bowman EM, Neuwirth LS, Brown VJ. Assessment of intradimensional/extradimensional attentional set-shifting in rats. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 89:72-84. [PMID: 29474818 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Revised: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The rat intradimensional/extradimensional (ID/ED) task, first described by Birrell and Brown 18 years ago, has become the predominant means by which attentional set-shifting is investigated in rodents: the use of rats in the task has been described in over 135 publications by researchers from nearly 90 universities and pharmaceutical companies. There is variation in the protocols used by different groups, including differences in apparatus, stimuli (both stimulus dimensions and exemplars within), and also the methodology. Nevertheless, most of these variations seem to be of little consequence: there is remarkable similarity in the profile of published data, with consistency of learning rates and in the size and reliability of the set-shifting and reversal 'costs'. However, we suspect that there may be inconsistent data that is unpublished or perhaps 'failed experiments' that may have been caused by unintended deviations from effective protocols. The purpose of this review is to describe our approach and the rationale behind certain aspects of the protocol, including common pitfalls that are encountered when establishing an effective local protocol.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Tait
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary's Quad, South Street, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9JP, UK.
| | - Eric M Bowman
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary's Quad, South Street, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9JP, UK
| | - Lorenz S Neuwirth
- Department of Psychology, SUNY Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY, 11568, USA; SUNY Neuroscience Research Institute, Old Westbury, NY, 11568, USA
| | - Verity J Brown
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary's Quad, South Street, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9JP, UK
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39
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MacQueen DA, Young JW, Cope ZA. Cognitive Phenotypes for Biomarker Identification in Mental Illness: Forward and Reverse Translation. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2018; 40:111-166. [PMID: 29858983 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2018_50] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Psychiatric illness has been acknowledged for as long as people were able to describe behavioral abnormalities in the general population. In modern times, these descriptions have been codified and continuously updated into manuals by which clinicians can diagnose patients. None of these diagnostic manuals have attempted to tie abnormalities to neural dysfunction however, nor do they necessitate the quantification of cognitive function despite common knowledge of its ties to functional outcome. In fact, in recent years the National Institute of Mental Health released a novel transdiagnostic classification, the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC), which utilizes quantifiable behavioral abnormalities linked to neurophysiological processes. This reclassification highlights the utility of RDoC constructs as potential cognitive biomarkers of disease state. In addition, with RDoC and cognitive biomarkers, the onus of researchers utilizing animal models no longer necessitates the recreation of an entire disease state, but distinct processes. Here, we describe the utilization of constructs from the RDoC initiative to forward animal research on these cognitive and behavioral processes, agnostic of disease. By linking neural processes to these constructs, identifying putative abnormalities in diseased patients, more targeted therapeutics can be developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A MacQueen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Jared W Young
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA.
| | - Zackary A Cope
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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40
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Futter JE, Aggleton JP. How rats perform spatial working memory tasks: Limitations in the use of egocentric and idiothetic working memory. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2018; 59:77-99. [PMID: 16556560 DOI: 10.1080/02724990544000068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Rats of the Dark Agouti strain were trained on delayed alternation under conditions that should encourage egocentric working memory. In two experiments a T-maze was set within a cross-maze so that different arms could be used for the sample and test runs. The maze had high opaque side-walls, and testing was conducted in low light levels so that distal visual cues might be eliminated. By rotating the maze 90° between the sample and choice run and by using two identical mazes set side by side it was possible to nullify other spatial strategies. Experiments 1 and 2 showed that rats preferentially used place information, intramaze cues, and direction cues, even though only egocentric or idiothetic (nonmatch-to-turn) working memory could successfully solve every trial. Rats were able to maintain an accurate sense of location within the maze even though distal cues were not visible and the animal was moved between the sample and choice runs. Experiment 2 confirmed that another rat strain (Long-Evans) shows the same learning profiles. Both experiments indicate that rats are very poor at using either egocentric or idiothetic information to alternate, and that retention delays as short as 10 s can eliminate the use of these forms of memory.
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Validation of the human odor span task: effects of nicotine. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2017; 234:2871-2882. [PMID: 28710519 PMCID: PMC5772879 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-017-4680-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2016] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Amongst non-smokers, nicotine generally enhances performance on tasks of attention, with limited effect on working memory. In contrast, nicotine has been shown to produce robust enhancements of working memory in non-humans. OBJECTIVES To address this gap, the present study investigated the effects of nicotine on the performance of non-smokers on a cognitive battery which included a working memory task reverse-translated from use with rodents (the odor span task, OST). Nicotine has been reported to enhance OST performance in rats and the present study assessed whether this effect generalizes to human performance. METHODS Thirty non-smokers were tested on three occasions after consuming either placebo, 2 mg, or 4 mg nicotine gum. On each occasion, participants completed a battery of clinical and experimental tasks of working memory and attention. RESULTS Nicotine was associated with dose-dependent enhancements in sustained attention, as evidenced by increased hit accuracy on the rapid visual information processing (RVIP) task. However, nicotine failed to produce main effects on OST performance or on alternative measures of working memory (digit span, spatial span, letter-number sequencing, 2-back) or attention (digits forward, 0-back). Interestingly, enhancement of RVIP performance occurred concomitant to significant reductions in self-reported attention/concentration. Human OST performance was significantly related to N-back performance, and as in rodents, OST accuracy declined with increasing memory load. CONCLUSIONS Given the similarity of human and rodent OST performance under baseline conditions and the strong association between OST and visual 0-back accuracy, the OST may be particular useful in the study of conditions characterized by inattention.
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Davies DA, Greba Q, Selk JC, Catton JK, Baillie LD, Mulligan SJ, Howland JG. Interactions between medial prefrontal cortex and dorsomedial striatum are necessary for odor span capacity in rats: role of GluN2B-containing NMDA receptors. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 24:524-531. [PMID: 28916627 PMCID: PMC5602347 DOI: 10.1101/lm.045419.117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Working memory is involved in the maintenance and manipulation of information essential for complex cognition. While the neural substrates underlying working memory capacity have been studied in humans, considerably less is known about the circuitry mediating working memory capacity in rodents. Therefore, the present experiments tested the involvement of medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and dorsal striatum (STR) in the odor span task (OST), a task proposed to assay working memory capacity in rodents. Initially, Long Evans rats were trained to dig in scented sand for food following a serial delayed nonmatching-to-sample rule. Temporary inactivation of dorsomedial (dm) STR significantly reduced span in well trained rats. Inactivation of mPFC or contralateral disconnection of the mPFC and dmSTR also reduced span. Infusing the GluN2B-containing NMDA receptor antagonist Ro 25-6981 into mPFC did not affect span; however, span was significantly reduced following bilateral Ro 25-6981 infusions into dmSTR or contralateral disconnection of mPFC (inactivation) and dmSTR (Ro 25-6981). These results suggest that span capacity in rats depends on GluN2B-containing NMDA receptor-dependent interactions between the mPFC and the dmSTR. Therefore, interventions targeting this circuit may improve the working memory capacity impairments in patients with schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Don A Davies
- Department of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Quentin Greba
- Department of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Jantz C Selk
- Department of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Jillian K Catton
- Department of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Landon D Baillie
- Department of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Sean J Mulligan
- Department of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - John G Howland
- Department of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
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Galizio M, Mathews M, Mason M, Panoz-Brown D, Prichard A, Soto P. Amnestic drugs in the odor span task: Effects of flunitrazepam, zolpidem and scopolamine. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2017; 145:67-74. [PMID: 28893667 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2017.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2017] [Revised: 08/10/2017] [Accepted: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The odor span task is an incrementing non-matching-to-sample procedure designed to provide an analysis of working memory capacity in rodents. The procedure takes place in an arena apparatus and rats are exposed to a series of odor stimuli in the form of scented lids with the selection of new stimuli reinforced. This procedure makes it possible to study drug effects as a function of the number of stimuli to remember. In the present study, the non-selective positive allosteric GABAA receptor modulator flunitrazepam impaired odor span performance at doses that did not affect a control odor discrimination. In contrast, the alpha-1 selective positive GABAA receptor modulator zolpidem and the cholinergic receptor antagonist scopolamine only impaired odor span at doses that produced more global impairment, including decreased accuracy in the control discrimination and increased response omissions in the both the odor span and control discrimination procedures. Even though the effects of flunitrazepam were selective to odor span performance, they did not depend on the number of stimuli to remember-the same degree of impairment occurred regardless of the memory load. These findings suggest that flunitrazepam interfered selectively with conditional discrimination performance rather than working memory and tentatively suggest that flunitrazepam's selective effects in the odor span task relative to the control odor discrimination are mediated by one or more non-alpha1 GABAA receptor subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Galizio
- University of North Carolina Wilmington, United States.
| | | | | | | | | | - Paul Soto
- Louisiana State University, United States
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Schellinck H. Measuring Olfactory Processes in Mus musculus. Behav Processes 2017; 155:19-25. [PMID: 28882652 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2017] [Revised: 08/13/2017] [Accepted: 08/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
This paper briefly reviews the literature that describes olfactory acuity and odour discrimination learning. The results of current studies that examined the role of the neurotransmitters noradrenalin and acetylcholine in odour discrimination learning are discussed as are those that investigated pattern recognition and models of human disease. The methodology associated with such work is also described and its role in creating disparate results assessed. Recommendations for increasing the reliability and validity of experiments so as to further our understanding of olfactory processes in both healthy mice and those modelling human disease are made throughout the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Schellinck
- Dept. of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
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Powell AL, Nelson AJD, Hindley E, Davies M, Aggleton JP, Vann SD. The rat retrosplenial cortex as a link for frontal functions: A lesion analysis. Behav Brain Res 2017; 335:88-102. [PMID: 28797600 PMCID: PMC5597037 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2017] [Revised: 07/25/2017] [Accepted: 08/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Retrosplenial cortex lesions do not reproduce the pattern of effects of medial frontal damage. Retrosplenial cortex lesions spare tests of behavioural flexibility. Effort-based decision making does not require the retrosplenial cortex. Reveals specific conditions when nonspatial tasks engage retrosplenial cortex.
Cohorts of rats with excitotoxic retrosplenial cortex lesions were tested on four behavioural tasks sensitive to dysfunctions in prelimbic cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, or both. In this way the study tested whether retrosplenial cortex has nonspatial functions that reflect its anatomical interactions with these frontal cortical areas. In Experiment 1, retrosplenial cortex lesions had no apparent effect on a set-shifting digging task that taxed intradimensional and extradimensional attention, as well as reversal learning. Likewise, retrosplenial cortex lesions did not impair a strategy shift task in an automated chamber, which involved switching from visual-based to response-based discriminations and, again, included a reversal (Experiment 2). Indeed, there was evidence that the retrosplenial lesions aided the initial switch to response-based selection. No lesion deficit was found on an automated cost-benefit task that pitted size of reward against effort to achieve that reward (Experiment 3). Finally, while retrosplenial cortex lesions affected matching-to-place task in a T-maze, the profile of deficits differed from that associated with prelimbic cortex damage (Experiment 4). When the task was switched to a nonmatching design, retrosplenial cortex lesions had no apparent effect on performance. The results from the four experiments show that many frontal tasks do not require the retrosplenial cortex, highlighting the specificity of their functional interactions. The results show how retrosplenial cortex lesions spare those learning tasks in which there is no mismatch between the internal and external representations used to guide behavioural choice. In addition, these experiments further highlight the importance of the retrosplenial cortex in solving tasks with a spatial component.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna L Powell
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Tower Building, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK.
| | - Andrew J D Nelson
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Tower Building, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Emma Hindley
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Tower Building, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Moira Davies
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Tower Building, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK
| | - John P Aggleton
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Tower Building, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Seralynne D Vann
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Tower Building, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK
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Sbisa AM, Gogos A, van den Buuse M. Spatial working memory in the touchscreen operant platform is disrupted in female rats by ovariectomy but not estrous cycle. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2017; 144:147-154. [PMID: 28729138 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2017.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2016] [Revised: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 07/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Learning and memory deficits have been described in rats and mice after ovariectomy (OVX) and across the estrous cycle. Preclinical researchers therefore often avoid using female animals and, consequently, a large male bias exists in the preclinical cognitive literature. In the present study we examined the role of sex hormones in the touchscreen operant platform using the spatial working memory trial unique nonmatching-to-location (TUNL) task. Twenty-nine Long Evans rats were trained to acquire the TUNL task including three incremental spatial separations (S0, S1, S2). Following 20 consecutive days of training, subjects in experiment 1 (n=15) remained intact and immediately progressed to TUNL testing, while subjects in experiment 2 were OVX (n=6) or sham-operated (n=8) prior to testing. Subjects were tested on 4 spatial separations (S0-3) with a 1s or 6s delay between the sample and nonmatching stimuli. The estrous cycle of intact rats was monitored during the 4weeks of testing. The estrous cycle phase did not significantly affect performance. In contrast, compared to intact rats, OVX impaired performance at larger spatial separations (S2-3) during the 1s delay condition. Further, during the 6s delay, OVX impaired S2 performance, however not S3. Our results suggest a probable shift in cognitive strategy following OVX, when tested with a large and novel spatial separation. Our findings suggest that ovarian hormone deprivation following OVX, but not estrous cycle, impairs spatial working memory as measured by the TUNL task. This research is relevant for future studies utilising the touchscreen TUNL task and for cognitive testing of female rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa M Sbisa
- Hormones in Psychiatry Laboratory, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andrea Gogos
- Hormones in Psychiatry Laboratory, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Maarten van den Buuse
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia; Department of Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; The College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Queensland, Australia.
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Murray BG, Davies DA, Molder JJ, Howland JG. Maternal immune activation during pregnancy in rats impairs working memory capacity of the offspring. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2017; 141:150-156. [PMID: 28434949 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2017.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2017] [Revised: 03/28/2017] [Accepted: 04/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Maternal immune activation during pregnancy is an environmental risk factor for psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia in the offspring. Patients with schizophrenia display an array of cognitive symptoms, including impaired working memory capacity. Rodent models have been developed to understand the relationship between maternal immune activation and the cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. The present experiment was designed to test whether maternal immune activation with the viral mimetic polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (polyI:C) during pregnancy affects working memory capacity of the offspring. Pregnant Long Evans rats were treated with either saline or polyI:C (4mg/kg; i.v.) on gestational day 15. Male offspring of the litters (2-3months of age) were subsequently trained on a nonmatching-to-sample task with odors. After a criterion was met, the rats were tested on the odor span task, which requires rats to remember an increasing span of different odors to receive food reward. Rats were tested using delays of approximately 40s during the acquisition of the task. Importantly, polyI:C- and saline-treated offspring did not differ in performance of the nonmatching-to-sample task suggesting that both groups could perform a relatively simple working memory task. In contrast, polyI:C-treated offspring had reduced span capacity in the middle and late phases of odor span task acquisition. After task acquisition, the rats were tested using the 40s delay and a 10min delay. Both groups showed a delay-dependent decrease in span, although the polyI:C-treated offspring had significantly lower spans regardless of delay. Our results support the validity of the maternal immune activation model for studying the cognitive symptoms of neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan G Murray
- Dept. of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan, GB33, Health Sciences Building, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Don A Davies
- Dept. of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan, GB33, Health Sciences Building, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Joel J Molder
- Dept. of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan, GB33, Health Sciences Building, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - John G Howland
- Dept. of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan, GB33, Health Sciences Building, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada.
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Galizio M, April B, Deal M, Hawkey A, Panoz-Brown D, Prichard A, Bruce K. Behavioral pharmacology of the odor span task: Effects of flunitrazepam, ketamine, methamphetamine and methylphenidate. J Exp Anal Behav 2016; 106:173-194. [PMID: 27747877 DOI: 10.1002/jeab.224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The Odor Span Task is an incrementing non-matching-to-sample procedure that permits the study of behavior under the control of multiple stimuli. Rats are exposed to a series of odor stimuli and selection of new stimuli is reinforced. Successful performance thus requires remembering which stimuli have previously been presented during a given session. This procedure has been frequently used in neurobiological studies as a rodent model of working memory; however, only a few studies have examined the effects of drugs on performance in this task. The present experiments explored the behavioral pharmacology of a modified version of the Odor Span Task by determining the effects of stimulant drugs methylphenidate and methamphetamine, NMDA antagonist ketamine, and positive GABAA modulator flunitrazepam. All four drugs produced dose-dependent impairment of performances on the Odor Span Task, but for methylphenidate and methamphetamine, these occurred only at doses that had similar effects on performance of a simple odor discrimination. Generally, these disruptions were based on omission of responding at the effective doses. The effects of ketamine and flunitrazepam were more selective in some rats. That is, some rats tested under flunitrazepam and ketamine showed decreases in accuracy on the Odor Span Task at doses that did not affect simple discrimination performance. These selective effects indicate disruption of within-session stimulus control. Overall, these findings support the potential of the Odor Span Task as a baseline for the behavioral pharmacological analysis of remembering.
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MacQueen DA, Dalrymple SR, Drobes DJ, Diamond DM. Influence of pharmacological manipulations of NMDA and cholinergic receptors on working versus reference memory in a dual component odor span task. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 23:270-7. [PMID: 27194794 PMCID: PMC4880146 DOI: 10.1101/lm.041251.115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 03/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Developed as a tool to assess working memory capacity in rodents, the odor span task (OST) has significant potential to advance drug discovery in animal models of psychiatric disorders. Prior investigations indicate OST performance is impaired by systemic administration of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDA-r) antagonists and is sensitive to cholinergic manipulations. The present study sought to determine whether an impairment in OST performance can be produced by systemic administration of the competitive NMDA-r antagonist 3-(2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)propyl-1-phosphonic acid (CPP; 3, 10, 17 mg/kg i.p.) in a unique dual-component variant of the OST, and whether this impairment is ameliorated by nicotine (0.75 mg/kg i.p.). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to asymptotic level of performance on a 24-trial two-comparison incrementing nonmatching to sample OST. In addition, rats were administered a two-comparison olfactory reference memory (RM) task, which was integrated into the OST. The RM task provided an assessment of the effects of drug administration on global behavioral measures, long-term memory and motivation. Several measures of working memory (span, longest run, and accuracy) were dose dependently impaired by CPP without adversely affecting RM. Analysis of drug effects across trial blocks demonstrated a significant impairment of performance even at low memory loads, suggesting a CPP-induced deficit of olfactory short-term memory that is not load-dependent. Although nicotine did not ameliorate CPP-induced impairments in span or accuracy, it did block the impairment in longest run produced by the 10 mg/kg dose of CPP. Overall, our results indicate that performance in our 24 odor two-comparison OST is capacity dependent and that CPP impaired OST working, but not reference, memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A MacQueen
- Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida 33612, USA Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, USA
| | - Savannah R Dalrymple
- Medical Research Service, VA Hospital, Tampa, Florida 33612, USA Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, USA
| | - David J Drobes
- Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida 33612, USA Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, USA Department of Oncologic Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, USA
| | - David M Diamond
- Medical Research Service, VA Hospital, Tampa, Florida 33612, USA Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, USA Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, USA Center for Preclinical and Clinical Research on PTSD, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, USA
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A novel 2- and 3-choice touchscreen-based continuous trial-unique nonmatching-to-location task (cTUNL) sensitive to functional differences between dentate gyrus and CA3 subregions of the hippocampus. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2015. [PMID: 26220610 PMCID: PMC4976805 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-015-4019-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE The touchscreen continuous trial-unique non-matching-to-location task (cTUNL) has been developed to optimise a battery of tasks under NEWMEDS (Novel Methods leading to New Medication in Depression and Schizophrenia, http://www.newmeds-europe.com ). It offers novel task features of both a practical and a theoretical nature compared to existing touchscreen tasks for spatial working memory. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to determine whether the cTUNL task is sufficiently sensitive to differentiate between dentate gyrus (DG) and CA3 hippocampal subregion contributions to performance. METHODS The effect of DG and CA3 dysfunction on memory for locations in the cTUNL task was tested. Rats were assessed on versions of the task-two-choice and three-choice-that differed in memory load. Performance was challenged using manipulations of delay and the spatial separation between target and sample locations. RESULTS Dysfunction of the DG disrupts performance across both delay and spatial separations in two-choice cTUNL when the delay is variable and unpredictable. Increasing the working memory load (three stimuli) increases sensitivity to DG dysfunction, with deficits apparent at fixed, short delays. In contrast, CA3 dysfunction did not disrupt performance. CONCLUSION Acquisition of cTUNL was rapid, and the task was sensitive to manipulations of delays and separations. A three-choice version of the task was found to be viable. Finally, both the two- and three-choice versions of the task were able to differentiate between limited dysfunction to different areas within the hippocampus. DG dysfunction affected performance when using unpredictable task parameters. CA3 dysfunction did not result in impairment, even at the longest delays tested.
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