1
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Brandner DD, Mashal MA, Grissom NM, Rothwell PE. Sex differences in morphine sensitivity of neuroligin-3 knockout mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024:10.1007/s00213-024-06660-3. [PMID: 39083079 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06660-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
Sex has a strong influence on the prevalence and course of brain conditions, including autism spectrum disorders. The mechanistic basis for these sex differences remains poorly understood, due in part to historical bias in biomedical research favoring analysis of male subjects, and the exclusion of female subjects. For example, studies of male mice carrying autism-associated mutations in neuroligin-3 are over-represented in the literature, including our own prior work showing diminished responses to chronic morphine exposure in male neuroligin-3 knockout mice. We therefore studied how constitutive and conditional genetic knockout of neuroligin-3 affects morphine sensitivity of female mice, using locomotor activity as a proxy for differences in opioid sensitivity that may be related to the pathophysiology and treatment of autism spectrum disorders. In contrast to male mice, female neuroligin-3 knockout mice showed normal psychomotor sensitization after chronic morphine exposure. However, in the absence of neuroligin-3 expression, both female and male mice show a similar change in the topography of locomotor stimulation produced by morphine. Conditional genetic deletion of neuroligin-3 from dopamine neurons increased the locomotor response of female mice to high doses of morphine, contrasting with the decrease in psychomotor sensitization caused by the same manipulation in male mice. Together, our data reveal that knockout of neuroligin-3 has both common and distinct effects on morphine sensitivity in female and male mice. These results also support the notion that female sex can confer resilience against the impact of autism-associated gene variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dieter D Brandner
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Mohammed A Mashal
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, 4-142 Wallin Medical Biosciences Building, 2101 6 Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Nicola M Grissom
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Patrick E Rothwell
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, 4-142 Wallin Medical Biosciences Building, 2101 6 Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
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2
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Pantouli F, Pujol CN, Derieux C, Fonteneau M, Pellissier LP, Marsol C, Karpenko J, Bonnet D, Hibert M, Bailey A, Le Merrer J, Becker JAJ. Acute, chronic and conditioned effects of intranasal oxytocin in the mu-opioid receptor knockout mouse model of autism: Social context matters. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024:10.1038/s41386-024-01915-1. [PMID: 39020142 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01915-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are neurodevelopmental disorders whose diagnosis relies on deficient social interaction and communication together with repetitive behaviours. Multiple studies have highlighted the potential of oxytocin (OT) to ameliorate behavioural abnormalities in animal models and subjects with ASD. Clinical trials, however, yielded disappointing results. Our study aimed at assessing the behavioural effects of different regimens of OT administration in the Oprm1 null mouse model of ASD. We assessed the effects of intranasal OT injected once at different doses (0.15, 0.3, and 0.6 IU) and time points (5, 15, and 30 min) following administration, or chronically, on ASD-related behaviours (social interaction and preference, stereotypies, anxiety, nociception) in Oprm1+/+ and Oprm1-/- mice. We then tested whether pairing intranasal OT injection with social experience would influence its outcome on ASD-like symptoms, and measured gene expression in the reward/social circuit. Acute intranasal OT at 0.3 IU improved social behaviour in Oprm1-/- mice 5 min after administration, with limited effects on non-social behaviours. Chronic (8-17 days) OT maintained rescuing effects in Oprm1 null mice but was deleterious in wild-type mice. Finally, improvements in the social behaviour of Oprm1-/- mice were greater and longer lasting when OT was administered in a social context. Under these conditions, the expression of OT and vasopressin receptor genes, as well as marker genes of striatal projection neurons, was suppressed. We detected no sex difference in OT effects. Our results highlight the importance of considering dosage and social context when evaluating the effects of OT treatment in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fani Pantouli
- INRAE, CNRS, Université de Tours, Inserm, PRC, 37380, Nouzilly, France
- Florida Research & Innovation Center, Cleveland Clinic, 9801 SW Discovery Way, Port St. Lucie, FL, 34987, USA
- Pharmacology section, Institute of Medical and Biomedical Education, St George's University of London, London, SW17 ORE, UK
| | - Camille N Pujol
- INRAE, CNRS, Université de Tours, Inserm, PRC, 37380, Nouzilly, France
- Department of Psychiatry, Strasbourg University Hospital, 67091, Strasbourg, France
| | - Cécile Derieux
- INRAE, CNRS, Université de Tours, Inserm, PRC, 37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Mathieu Fonteneau
- UMR1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, CNRS, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Parc de Grandmont, 37200, Tours, France
| | | | - Claire Marsol
- Laboratoire d'Innovation Thérapeutique, Faculté de Pharmacie, UMR7200 CNRS/Université de Strasbourg, 74 route du Rhin, 67412, Illkirch, France
| | - Julie Karpenko
- Laboratoire d'Innovation Thérapeutique, Faculté de Pharmacie, UMR7200 CNRS/Université de Strasbourg, 74 route du Rhin, 67412, Illkirch, France
| | - Dominique Bonnet
- Laboratoire d'Innovation Thérapeutique, Faculté de Pharmacie, UMR7200 CNRS/Université de Strasbourg, 74 route du Rhin, 67412, Illkirch, France
| | - Marcel Hibert
- Laboratoire d'Innovation Thérapeutique, Faculté de Pharmacie, UMR7200 CNRS/Université de Strasbourg, 74 route du Rhin, 67412, Illkirch, France
| | - Alexis Bailey
- Pharmacology section, Institute of Medical and Biomedical Education, St George's University of London, London, SW17 ORE, UK
| | - Julie Le Merrer
- INRAE, CNRS, Université de Tours, Inserm, PRC, 37380, Nouzilly, France.
- UMR1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, CNRS, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Parc de Grandmont, 37200, Tours, France.
| | - Jerome A J Becker
- INRAE, CNRS, Université de Tours, Inserm, PRC, 37380, Nouzilly, France.
- UMR1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, CNRS, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Parc de Grandmont, 37200, Tours, France.
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3
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Jo AY, Xie Y, Rodrigues A, Sandoval Ortega RA, Creasy KT, Beier KT, Blendy JA, Corder G. VTA μ-opioidergic neurons facilitate low sociability in protracted opioid withdrawal. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.08.602522. [PMID: 39026700 PMCID: PMC11257471 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.08.602522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Opioids initiate dynamic maladaptation in brain reward and affect circuits that occur throughout chronic exposure and withdrawal that persist beyond cessation. Protracted withdrawal is characterized by negative affective behaviors such as heightened anxiety, irritability, dysphoria, and anhedonia, which pose a significant risk factor for relapse. While the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and mu-opioid receptors (MORs) are critical for opioid reinforcement, the specific contributions of VTAMOR neurons in mediating protracted withdrawal-induced negative affect is not fully understood. In our study, we elucidate the role of VTAMOR neurons in mediating negative affect and altered brain-wide neuronal activities following opioid exposure and withdrawal in male and female mice. Utilizing a chronic oral morphine administration model, we observe increased social deficit, anxiety-related, and despair-like behaviors during protracted withdrawal. VTAMOR neurons show heightened neuronal FOS activation at the onset of withdrawal and connect to an array of brain regions that mediate reward and affective processes. Viral re-expression of MORs selectively within the VTA of MOR knockout mice demonstrates that the disrupted social interaction observed during protracted withdrawal is facilitated by this neural population, without affecting other protracted withdrawal behaviors. Lastly, VTAMORs contribute to heightened neuronal FOS activation in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in response to an acute morphine challenge, suggesting their unique role in modulating ACC-specific neuronal activity. These findings identify VTAMOR neurons as critical modulators of low sociability during protracted withdrawal and highlight their potential as a mechanistic target to alleviate negative affective behaviors associated with opioid withdrawal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrienne Y. Jo
- Dept. of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yihan Xie
- Dept. of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Amrith Rodrigues
- Translational Medicine and Human Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Kate Townsend Creasy
- Translational Medicine and Human Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kevin T. Beier
- Dept. of Physiology and Biophysics, Neurobiology and Behavior, Biomedical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Julie A. Blendy
- Dept. of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Gregory Corder
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Brandner DD, Mashal MA, Grissom NM, Rothwell PE. Sex Differences in Morphine Sensitivity of Neuroligin-3 Knockout Mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.01.596965. [PMID: 38854153 PMCID: PMC11160712 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.01.596965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Sex has a strong influence on the prevalence and course of brain conditions, including autism spectrum disorders. The mechanistic basis for these sex differences remains poorly understood, due in part to historical bias in biomedical research favoring analysis of male subjects, and the exclusion of female subjects. For example, studies of male mice carrying autism-associated mutations in neuroligin-3 are over-represented in the literature, including our own prior work showing diminished responses to chronic morphine exposure in male neuroligin-3 knockout mice. We therefore studied how constitutive and conditional genetic knockout of neuroligin-3 affects morphine sensitivity of female mice. In contrast to male mice, female neuroligin-3 knockout mice showed normal psychomotor sensitization after chronic morphine exposure. However, in the absence of neuroligin-3 expression, both female and male mice show a similar change in the topography of locomotor stimulation produced by morphine. Conditional genetic deletion of neuroligin-3 from dopamine neurons increased the locomotor response of female mice to high doses of morphine, contrasting with the decrease in psychomotor sensitization caused by the same manipulation in male mice. Together, our data reveal that knockout of neuroligin-3 has both common and distinct effects on morphine sensitivity in female and male mice. These results also support the notion that female sex can confer resilience against the impact of autism-associated gene variants.
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5
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Andraka E, Phillips RA, Brida KL, Day JJ. Chst9 marks a spatially and transcriptionally unique population of Oprm1-expressing neurons in the nucleus accumbens. ADDICTION NEUROSCIENCE 2024; 11:100153. [PMID: 38957401 PMCID: PMC11218735 DOI: 10.1016/j.addicn.2024.100153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Opioids produce addictive, analgesic, and euphoric effects via actions at mu opioid receptors (μORs). The μOR is encoded by the Oprm1 gene and is expressed in multiple brain regions that regulate reward and motivation, such as the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Oprm1 expression in NAc medium spiny neurons (MSNs) mediates opioid place preference, seeking, and consumption. However, recent single nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) studies have revealed that multiple subpopulations of NAc neurons express Oprm1 mRNA, making it unclear which populations mediate diverse behaviors resulting from μOR activation. Using published snRNA-seq datasets from the rat NAc, we identified a novel population of MSNs that express the highest levels of Oprm1 of any NAc cell type. Here, we show that this population is selectively marked by expression of Chst9, a gene encoding a carbohydrate sulfotransferase. Notably, Chst9+ neurons exhibited more abundant expression of Oprm1 as compared to other cell types, and formed discrete cellular clusters along the medial and ventral borders of the NAc shell subregion. Moreover, CHST9 mRNA was also found to mark specific MSN populations in published human and primate snRNA-seq studies, indicating that this unique population may be conserved across species. Together, these results identify a spatially and transcriptionally distinct NAc neuron population characterized by the expression of Chst9. The abundant expression of Oprm1 in this population and the conservation of these cells across species suggests that they may play a key functional role in opioid response and identify this subpopulation as a target for further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Andraka
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Robert A. Phillips
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Kasey L. Brida
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Jeremy J. Day
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
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Forero SA, Liu S, Shetty N, Ophir AG. Re-wiring of the bonded brain: Gene expression among pair bonded female prairie voles changes as they transition to motherhood. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2024; 23:e12906. [PMID: 38861664 PMCID: PMC11166254 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Motherhood is a costly life-history transition accompanied by behavioral and neural plasticity necessary for offspring care. Motherhood in the monogamous prairie vole is associated with decreased pair bond strength, suggesting a trade-off between parental investment and pair bond maintenance. Neural mechanisms governing pair bonds and maternal bonds overlap, creating possible competition between the two. We measured mRNA expression of genes encoding receptors for oxytocin (oxtr), dopamine (d1r and d2r), mu-opioids (oprm1a), and kappa-opioids (oprk1a) within three brain areas processing salience of sociosensory cues (anterior cingulate cortex; ACC), pair bonding (nucleus accumbens; NAc), and maternal care (medial preoptic area; MPOA). We compared gene expression differences between pair bonded prairie voles that were never pregnant, pregnant (~day 16 of pregnancy), and recent mothers (day 3 of lactation). We found greater gene expression in the NAc (oxtr, d2r, oprm1a, and oprk1a) and MPOA (oxtr, d1r, d2r, oprm1a, and oprk1a) following the transition to motherhood. Expression for all five genes in the ACC was greatest for females that had been bonded for longer. Gene expression within each region was highly correlated, indicating that oxytocin, dopamine, and opioids comprise a complimentary gene network for social signaling. ACC-NAc gene expression correlations indicated that being a mother (oxtr and d1r) or maintaining long-term pair bonds (oprm1a) relies on the coordination of different signaling systems within the same circuit. Our study suggests the maternal brain undergoes changes that prepare females to face the trade-off associated with increased emotional investment in offspring, while also maintaining a pair bond.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Female
- Arvicolinae/genetics
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/genetics
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/metabolism
- Pair Bond
- Maternal Behavior/physiology
- Nucleus Accumbens/metabolism
- Pregnancy
- Receptors, Oxytocin/genetics
- Receptors, Oxytocin/metabolism
- Receptors, Opioid, kappa/genetics
- Receptors, Opioid, kappa/metabolism
- Gyrus Cinguli/metabolism
- Preoptic Area/metabolism
- Receptors, Dopamine D1/genetics
- Receptors, Dopamine D1/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sydney Liu
- Department of PsychologyCornell UniversityIthacaNew YorkUSA
| | - Netra Shetty
- Department of PsychologyCornell UniversityIthacaNew YorkUSA
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7
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Andraka E, Phillips RA, Brida KL, Day JJ. Chst9 Marks a Spatially and Transcriptionally Unique Population of Oprm1 -Expressing Neurons in the Nucleus Accumbens. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.16.562623. [PMID: 37904940 PMCID: PMC10614864 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.16.562623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
Opioids produce addictive, analgesic, and euphoric effects via actions at mu opioid receptors (μORs). The μOR is encoded by the Oprm1 gene and is expressed in multiple brain regions that regulate reward and motivation, such as the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Oprm1 expression in NAc medium spiny neurons (MSNs) mediates opioid place preference, seeking, and consumption. However, recent single nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) studies in rodent, primate, and human NAc have revealed that multiple subpopulations of NAc neurons express Oprm1 mRNA, making it unclear which populations mediate diverse behaviors resulting from μOR activation. Using published snRNA-seq datasets from the rat NAc, we identified a novel population of MSNs that express the highest levels of Oprm1 of any NAc cell type. Here, we show that this population is selectively marked by expression of Chst9 , a gene encoding a carbohydrate sulfotransferase. To validate this observation and characterize spatial localization of this population in the rat NAc, we performed multiplexed RNAscope fluorescence in situ hybridization studies to detect expression of Oprm1 and Chst9 mRNA along with well-validated markers of MSNs. Notably, Chst9 + neurons exhibited more abundant expression of Oprm1 as compared to other cell types, and formed discrete cellular clusters along the medial and ventral borders of the NAc shell subregion. Moreover, CHST9 mRNA was also found to mark specific MSN populations in published human and primate snRNA-seq studies, indicating that this unique population may be conserved across species. Together, these results identify a spatially and transcriptionally distinct NAc neuron population characterized by the expression of Chst9 . The abundant expression of Oprm1 in this population and the conservation of these cells across species suggests that they may play a key functional role in opioid response and identify this subpopulation as a target for further investigation.
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8
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Rezayof A, Ghasemzadeh Z, Sahafi OH. Addictive drugs modify neurogenesis, synaptogenesis and synaptic plasticity to impair memory formation through neurotransmitter imbalances and signaling dysfunction. Neurochem Int 2023; 169:105572. [PMID: 37423274 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2023.105572] [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: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Drug abuse changes neurophysiological functions at multiple cellular and molecular levels in the addicted brain. Well-supported scientific evidence suggests that drugs negatively affect memory formation, decision-making and inhibition, and emotional and cognitive behaviors. The mesocorticolimbic brain regions are involved in reward-related learning and habitual drug-seeking/taking behaviors to develop physiological and psychological dependence on the drugs. This review highlights the importance of specific drug-induced chemical imbalances resulting in memory impairment through various neurotransmitter receptor-mediated signaling pathways. The mesocorticolimbic modifications in the expression levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) impair reward-related memory formation following drug abuse. The contributions of protein kinases and microRNAs (miRNAs), along with the transcriptional and epigenetic regulation have also been considered in memory impairment underlying drug addiction. Overall, we integrate the research on various types of drug-induced memory impairment in distinguished brain regions and provide a comprehensive review with clinical implications addressing the upcoming studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ameneh Rezayof
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Zahra Ghasemzadeh
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Oveis Hosseinzadeh Sahafi
- Department of Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
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9
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Zeid D, Toussaint AB, Dressler CC, Schumacher SP, Do C, Desalvo H, Selamawi D, Bongiovanni AR, Mayberry HL, Carr GV, Wimmer ME. Paternal morphine exposure in rats reduces social play in adolescent male progeny without affecting drug-taking behavior in juvenile males or female offspring. Mol Cell Neurosci 2023; 126:103877. [PMID: 37385516 PMCID: PMC10528482 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2023.103877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The ongoing opioid addiction crisis necessitates the identification of novel risk factors to improve prevention and treatment of opioid use disorder. Parental opioid exposure has recently emerged as a potential regulator of offspring vulnerability to opioid misuse, in addition to heritable genetic liability. An understudied aspect of this "missing heritability" is the developmental presentation of these cross-generational phenotypes. This is an especially relevant question in the context of inherited addiction-related phenotypes, given the prominent role of developmental processes in the etiology of psychiatric disorders. Paternal morphine self-administration was previously shown to alter the sensitivity to the reinforcing and antinociceptive properties of opioids in the next generation. Here, phenotyping was expanded to include the adolescent period, with a focus on endophenotypes related to opioid use disorders and pain. Paternal morphine exposure did not alter heroin or cocaine self-administration in male and female juvenile progeny. Further, baseline sensory reflexes related to pain were unaltered in morphine-sired adolescent rats of either sex. However, morphine-sired adolescent males exhibited a reduction in social play behavior. Our findings suggest that, in morphine-sired male offspring, paternal opioid exposure does not affect opioid intake during adolescence, suggesting that this phenotype does not emerge until later in life. Altered social behaviors in male morphine-sired adolescents indicate that the changes in drug-taking behavior in adults sired by morphine-exposed sires may be due to more complex factors not yet fully assessed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Zeid
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Liberal Arts, Temple University, United States of America
| | - Andre B Toussaint
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, United States of America
| | - Carmen C Dressler
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Liberal Arts, Temple University, United States of America
| | - Samuel P Schumacher
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Liberal Arts, Temple University, United States of America
| | - Chau Do
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Liberal Arts, Temple University, United States of America
| | - Heather Desalvo
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Liberal Arts, Temple University, United States of America
| | - Danait Selamawi
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Liberal Arts, Temple University, United States of America
| | - Angela R Bongiovanni
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Liberal Arts, Temple University, United States of America
| | - Hannah L Mayberry
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Liberal Arts, Temple University, United States of America
| | - Gregory V Carr
- Lieber Institute of Brain Development, Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, United States of America
| | - Mathieu E Wimmer
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Liberal Arts, Temple University, United States of America.
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10
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Matthiesen M, Khlaifia A, Steininger CFD, Dadabhoy M, Mumtaz U, Arruda-Carvalho M. Maturation of nucleus accumbens synaptic transmission signals a critical period for the rescue of social deficits in a mouse model of autism spectrum disorder. Mol Brain 2023; 16:46. [PMID: 37226266 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-023-01028-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Social behavior emerges early in development, a time marked by the onset of neurodevelopmental disorders featuring social deficits, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although social deficits are at the core of the clinical diagnosis of ASD, very little is known about their neural correlates at the time of clinical onset. The nucleus accumbens (NAc), a brain region extensively implicated in social behavior, undergoes synaptic, cellular and molecular alterations in early life, and is particularly affected in ASD mouse models. To explore a link between the maturation of the NAc and neurodevelopmental deficits in social behavior, we compared spontaneous synaptic transmission in NAc shell medium spiny neurons (MSNs) between the highly social C57BL/6J and the idiopathic ASD mouse model BTBR T+Itpr3tf/J at postnatal day (P) 4, P6, P8, P12, P15, P21 and P30. BTBR NAc MSNs display increased spontaneous excitatory transmission during the first postnatal week, and increased inhibition across the first, second and fourth postnatal weeks, suggesting accelerated maturation of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs compared to C57BL/6J mice. BTBR mice also show increased optically evoked medial prefrontal cortex-NAc paired pulse ratios at P15 and P30. These early changes in synaptic transmission are consistent with a potential critical period, which could maximize the efficacy of rescue interventions. To test this, we treated BTBR mice in either early life (P4-P8) or adulthood (P60-P64) with the mTORC1 antagonist rapamycin, a well-established intervention for ASD-like behavior. Rapamycin treatment rescued social interaction deficits in BTBR mice when injected in infancy, but did not affect social interaction in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melina Matthiesen
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, M1C1A4, Canada
| | - Abdessattar Khlaifia
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, M1C1A4, Canada
| | | | - Maryam Dadabhoy
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, M1C1A4, Canada
| | - Unza Mumtaz
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, M1C1A4, Canada
| | - Maithe Arruda-Carvalho
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, M1C1A4, Canada.
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S3G5, Canada.
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11
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Luo F, Deng JY, Sun X, Zhen J, Luo XD. Anterior cingulate cortex orexin signaling mediates early-life stress-induced social impairment in females. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2220353120. [PMID: 37155875 PMCID: PMC10193930 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2220353120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Early-life stress has long-term impacts on the structure and function of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and raises the risk of adult neuropsychiatric disorders including social dysfunction. The underlying neural mechanisms, however, are still uncertain. Here, we show that, in female mice, maternal separation (MS) during the first three postnatal weeks results in social impairment accompanied with hypoactivity in pyramidal neurons (PNs) of the ACC. Activation of ACC PNs ameliorates MS-induced social impairment. Neuropeptide Hcrt, which encodes hypocretin (orexin), is the top down-regulated gene in the ACC of MS females. Activating ACC orexin terminals enhances the activity of ACC PNs and rescues the diminished sociability observed in MS females via an orexin receptor 2 (OxR2)-dependent mechanism. Our results suggest orexin signaling in the ACC is critical in mediating early-life stress-induced social impairment in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Luo
- Center for Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Institute of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang330031, China
- Department of Psychiatry, Yichun First municipal People’s Hospital, YiChun336000, China
| | - Jun-yang Deng
- Department of Psychiatry, Yichun First municipal People’s Hospital, YiChun336000, China
| | - Xuan Sun
- Center for Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Institute of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang330031, China
| | - Jian Zhen
- Center for Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Institute of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang330031, China
| | - Xiao-dan Luo
- Department of Psychiatry, Yichun First municipal People’s Hospital, YiChun336000, China
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12
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Bodnar RJ. Endogenous opiates and behavior: 2021. Peptides 2023; 164:171004. [PMID: 36990387 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2023.171004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
This paper is the forty-fourth consecutive installment of the annual anthological review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system, summarizing articles published during 2021 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides and receptors as well as effects of opioid/opiate agonizts and antagonists. The review is subdivided into the following specific topics: molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors (1), the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia in animals (2) and humans (3), opioid-sensitive and opioid-insensitive effects of nonopioid analgesics (4), opioid peptide and receptor involvement in tolerance and dependence (5), stress and social status (6), learning and memory (7), eating and drinking (8), drug abuse and alcohol (9), sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology (10), mental illness and mood (11), seizures and neurologic disorders (12), electrical-related activity and neurophysiology (13), general activity and locomotion (14), gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions (15), cardiovascular responses (16), respiration and thermoregulation (17), and immunological responses (18).
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bodnar
- Department of Psychology and Neuropsychology Doctoral Sub-Program, Queens College, City University of New York, CUNY, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, NY 11367, USA.
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13
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Differential Patterns of Synaptic Plasticity in the Nucleus Accumbens Caused by Continuous and Interrupted Morphine Exposure. J Neurosci 2023; 43:308-318. [PMID: 36396404 PMCID: PMC9838694 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0595-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Opioid exposure and withdrawal both cause adaptations in brain circuits that may contribute to abuse liability. These adaptations vary in magnitude and direction following different patterns of opioid exposure, but few studies have systematically manipulated the pattern of opioid administration while measuring neurobiological impact. In this study, we compared cellular and synaptic adaptations in the nucleus accumbens shell caused by morphine exposure that was either continuous or interrupted by daily bouts of naloxone-precipitated withdrawal. At the behavioral level, continuous morphine administration caused psychomotor tolerance, which was reversed when the continuity of morphine action was interrupted by naloxone-precipitated withdrawal. Using ex vivo slice electrophysiology in female and male mice, we investigated how these patterns of morphine administration altered intrinsic excitability and synaptic plasticity of medium spiny neurons (MSNs) expressing the D1 or D2 dopamine receptor. We found that morphine-evoked adaptations at excitatory synapses were predominately conserved between patterns of administration, but there were divergent effects on inhibitory synapses and the subsequent balance between excitatory and inhibitory synaptic input. Overall, our data suggest that continuous morphine administration produces adaptations that dampen the output of D1-MSNs, which are canonically thought to promote reward-related behaviors. Interruption of otherwise continuous morphine exposure does not dampen D1-MSN functional output to the same extent, which may enhance behavioral responses to subsequent opioid exposure. Our findings support the hypothesis that maintaining continuity of opioid administration could be an effective therapeutic strategy to minimize the vulnerability to opioid use disorders.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Withdrawal plays a key role in the cycle of addiction to opioids like morphine. We studied how repeated cycles of naloxone-precipitated withdrawal from otherwise continuous opioid exposure can change brain function of the nucleus accumbens, which is an important brain region for reward and addiction. Different patterns of opioid exposure caused unique changes in communication between neurons in the nucleus accumbens, and the nature of these changes depended on the type of neuron being studied. The specific changes in communication between neurons caused by repeated cycles of withdrawal may increase vulnerability to opioid use disorders. This highlights the importance of reducing or preventing the experience of withdrawal during opioid treatment.
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14
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The mu opioid receptor and the orphan receptor GPR151 contribute to social reward in the habenula. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20234. [PMID: 36424418 PMCID: PMC9691715 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24395-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The mu opioid receptor (MOR) and the orphan GPR151 receptor are inhibitory G protein coupled receptors that are enriched in the habenula, a small brain region involved in aversion processing, addiction and mood disorders. While MOR expression in the brain is widespread, GPR151 expression is restricted to the habenula. In a previous report, we created conditional ChrnB4-Cre × Oprm1fl/fl (so-called B4MOR) mice, where MORs are deleted specifically in Chrnb4-positive neurons restricted to the habenula, and shown a role for these receptors in naloxone aversion. Here we characterized the implication of habenular MORs in social behaviors. B4MOR-/- mice and B4MOR+/+ mice were compared in several social behavior measures, including the chronic social stress defeat (CSDS) paradigm, the social preference (SP) test and social conditioned place preference (sCPP). In the CSDS, B4MOR-/- mice showed lower preference for the social target (unfamiliar mouse of a different strain) at baseline, providing a first indication of deficient social interactions in mice lacking habenular MORs. In the SP test, B4MOR-/- mice further showed reduced sociability for an unfamiliar conspecific mouse. In the sCPP, B4MOR-/- mice also showed impaired place preference for their previous familiar littermates after social isolation. We next created and tested Gpr151-/- mice in the SP test, and also found reduced social preference compared to Gpr151+/+ mice. Altogether our results support the underexplored notion that the habenula regulates social behaviors. Also, our data suggest that the inhibitory habenular MOR and GPR151 receptors normally promote social reward, possibly by dampening the aversive habenula activity.
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15
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Retzlaff CL, Rothwell PE. Characterization and mu opioid receptor sensitivity of neuropeptide Y interneurons in the mouse nucleus accumbens. Neuropharmacology 2022; 218:109212. [PMID: 35963449 PMCID: PMC10116437 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109212] [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: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Inhibitory interneurons represent less than 5% of neurons within the nucleus accumbens, but are critical for proper microcircuit function within this brain region. In the dorsal striatum, neuropeptide Y is expressed by two interneuron subtypes (low-threshold spiking interneurons and neurogliaform interneurons) that exhibit mu opioid receptor sensitivity in other brain regions. However, few studies have assessed the molecular and physiological properties of neuropeptide Y interneurons within the nucleus accumbens. We used a transgenic reporter mouse to identify and characterize neuropeptide Y interneurons in acute nucleus accumbens brain slices. Nearly all cells exhibited electrophysiological properties of low-threshold spiking interneurons, with almost no neurogliaform interneurons observed among neuropeptide Y interneurons. We corroborated this pattern using fluorescent in situ hybridization, and also identified a high level of mu opioid receptor expression by low-threshold spiking interneurons, which led us to examine the functional consequences of mu opioid receptor activation in these cells using electrophysiology. Mu opioid receptor activation caused a reduction in the rate of spontaneous action potentials in low-threshold spiking interneurons, as well as a decrease in optogenetically-evoked GABA release onto medium spiny neurons. The latter effect was more robust in female versus male mice, and when the postsynaptic medium spiny neuron expressed the Drd1 dopamine receptor. This work is the first to examine the physiological properties of neuropeptide Y interneurons in the nucleus accumbens, and show they may be an important target for mu opioid receptor modulation by endogenous and exogenous opioids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra L Retzlaff
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Patrick E Rothwell
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
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16
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Zhang J, Song C, Dai J, Li L, Yang X, Chen Z. Mechanism of opioid addiction and its intervention therapy: Focusing on the reward circuitry and mu‐opioid receptor. MedComm (Beijing) 2022; 3:e148. [PMID: 35774845 PMCID: PMC9218544 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jia‐Jia Zhang
- National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine & Department of Cell Biology The Fourth Military Medical University Xi'an China
| | - Chang‐Geng Song
- Department of Neurology Xijing Hospital The Fourth Military Medical University Xi'an China
| | - Ji‐Min Dai
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery Xijing Hospital The Fourth Military Medical University Xi'an China
| | - Ling Li
- National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine & Department of Cell Biology The Fourth Military Medical University Xi'an China
| | - Xiang‐Min Yang
- National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine & Department of Cell Biology The Fourth Military Medical University Xi'an China
| | - Zhi‐Nan Chen
- National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine & Department of Cell Biology The Fourth Military Medical University Xi'an China
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17
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Trieu BH, Remmers BC, Toddes C, Brandner DD, Lefevre EM, Kocharian A, Retzlaff CL, Dick RM, Mashal MA, Gauthier EA, Xie W, Zhang Y, More SS, Rothwell PE. Angiotensin-converting enzyme gates brain circuit-specific plasticity via an endogenous opioid. Science 2022; 375:1177-1182. [PMID: 35201898 DOI: 10.1126/science.abl5130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) regulates blood pressure by cleaving angiotensin I to produce angiotensin II. In the brain, ACE is especially abundant in striatal tissue, but the function of ACE in striatal circuits remains poorly understood. We found that ACE degrades an unconventional enkephalin heptapeptide, Met-enkephalin-Arg-Phe, in the nucleus accumbens of mice. ACE inhibition enhanced µ-opioid receptor activation by Met-enkephalin-Arg-Phe, causing a cell type-specific long-term depression of glutamate release onto medium spiny projection neurons expressing the Drd1 dopamine receptor. Systemic ACE inhibition was not intrinsically rewarding, but it led to a decrease in conditioned place preference caused by fentanyl administration and an enhancement of reciprocal social interaction. Our results raise the enticing prospect that central ACE inhibition can boost endogenous opioid signaling for clinical benefit while mitigating the risk of addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian H Trieu
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Bailey C Remmers
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Carlee Toddes
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Dieter D Brandner
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Emilia M Lefevre
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Adrina Kocharian
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Cassandra L Retzlaff
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Rachel M Dick
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Mohammed A Mashal
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Elysia A Gauthier
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Wei Xie
- Center for Drug Design, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Ying Zhang
- Minnesota Supercomputing Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Swati S More
- Center for Drug Design, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Patrick E Rothwell
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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