1
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Schaeuble D, Wallace T, Pace SA, Hentges ST, Myers B. Sex-specific prefrontal-hypothalamic control of behavior and stress responding. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 159:106413. [PMID: 37890240 PMCID: PMC10842088 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Depression and cardiovascular disease are both augmented by daily life stress. Yet, the biological mechanisms that translate psychological stress into affective and physiological outcomes are unknown. Previously, we demonstrated that stimulation of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) has sexually divergent outcomes on behavior and physiology. Importantly, the vmPFC does not innervate the brain regions that initiate autonomic or neuroendocrine stress responses; thus, we hypothesized that intermediate synapses integrate cortical information to regulate stress responding. The posterior hypothalamus (PH) directly innervates stress-effector regions and receives substantial innervation from the vmPFC. In the current studies, circuit-specific approaches examined whether vmPFC synapses in the PH coordinate stress responding. Here we tested the effects of optogenetic vmPFC-PH circuit stimulation in male and female rats on social and motivational behaviors as well as physiological stress responses. Additionally, an intersectional genetic approach was used to knock down synaptobrevin in PH-projecting vmPFC neurons. Our collective results indicate that male vmPFC-PH circuitry promotes positive motivational valence and is both sufficient and necessary to reduce sympathetic-mediated stress responses. In females, the vmPFC-PH circuit does not affect social or preference behaviors but is sufficient and necessary to elevate neuroendocrine stress responses. Altogether, these data suggest cortical regulation of stress reactivity and behavior is mediated, in part, by projections to the hypothalamus that function in a sex-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek Schaeuble
- Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Tyler Wallace
- Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Sebastian A Pace
- Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Shane T Hentges
- Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Brent Myers
- Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
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2
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Shin MG, Bae Y, Afzal R, Kondoh K, Lee EJ. Olfactory modulation of stress-response neural circuits. Exp Mol Med 2023; 55:1659-1671. [PMID: 37524867 PMCID: PMC10474124 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-023-01048-3] [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: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress responses, which are crucial for survival, are evolutionally conserved throughout the animal kingdom. The most common endocrine axis among stress responses is that triggered by corticotropin-releasing hormone neurons (CRHNs) in the hypothalamus. Signals of various stressors are detected by different sensory systems and relayed through individual neural circuits that converge on hypothalamic CRHNs to initiate common stress hormone responses. To investigate the neurocircuitry mechanisms underlying stress hormone responses induced by a variety of stressors, researchers have recently developed new approaches employing retrograde transsynaptic viral tracers, providing a wealth of information about various types of neural circuits that control the activity of CRHNs in response to stress stimuli. Here, we review earlier and more recent findings on the stress neurocircuits that converge on CRHNs, focusing particularly on olfactory systems that excite or suppress the activities of CRHNs and lead to the initiation of stress responses. Because smells are arguably the most important signals that enable animals to properly cope with environmental changes and survive, unveiling the regulatory mechanisms by which smells control stress responses would provide broad insight into how stress-related environmental cues are perceived in the animal brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Gi Shin
- Department of Brain Science, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, 16499, Korea
- AI-Superconvergence KIURI Translational Research Center, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, 16499, Korea
| | - Yiseul Bae
- Department of Brain Science, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, 16499, Korea
| | - Ramsha Afzal
- Department of Brain Science, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, 16499, Korea
| | - Kunio Kondoh
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Homeostatic Regulation, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan.
- Japan Science and Technology Agency, PRESTO, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan.
| | - Eun Jeong Lee
- Department of Brain Science, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, 16499, Korea.
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3
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Schaeuble D, Wallace T, Pace SA, Hentges ST, Myers B. Sex-specific prefrontal-hypothalamic control of behavior and stress responding. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.09.548297. [PMID: 37502938 PMCID: PMC10369879 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.09.548297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Depression and cardiovascular disease are both augmented by daily life stress. Yet, the biological mechanisms that translate psychological stress into affective and physiological outcomes are unknown. Previously, we demonstrated that stimulation of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) has sexually divergent outcomes on behavior and physiology. Importantly, the vmPFC does not innervate the brain regions that initiate autonomic or neuroendocrine stress responses; thus, we hypothesized that intermediate synapses integrate cortical information to regulate stress responding. The posterior hypothalamus (PH) directly innervates stress-effector regions and receives substantial innervation from the vmPFC. In the current studies, circuit-specific approaches examined whether vmPFC synapses in the PH coordinate stress responding. Here we tested the effects of optogenetic vmPFC-PH circuit stimulation in male and female rats on social and motivational behaviors as well as physiological stress responses. Additionally, an intersectional genetic approach was used to knock down synaptobrevin in PH-projecting vmPFC neurons. Our collective results indicate that male vmPFC-PH circuitry promotes positive motivational valence and is both sufficient and necessary to reduce sympathetic-mediated stress responses. In females, the vmPFC-PH circuit does not affect social or preference behaviors but is sufficient and necessary to elevate neuroendocrine stress responses. Altogether, these data suggest cortical regulation of stress reactivity and behavior is mediated, in part, by projections to the hypothalamus that function in a sex-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek Schaeuble
- Equal contribution
- Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO,
USA
| | - Tyler Wallace
- Equal contribution
- Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO,
USA
| | - Sebastian A. Pace
- Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO,
USA
| | - Shane T. Hentges
- Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State
University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Brent Myers
- Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO,
USA
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4
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Campeau S, McNulty C, Stanley JT, Gerber AN, Sasse SK, Dowell RD. Determination of steady-state transcriptome modifications associated with repeated homotypic stress in the rat rostral posterior hypothalamic region. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1173699. [PMID: 37360161 PMCID: PMC10288150 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1173699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic stress is epidemiologically correlated with physical and psychiatric disorders. Whereas many animal models of chronic stress induce symptoms of psychopathology, repeated homotypic stressors to moderate intensity stimuli typically reduce stress-related responses with fewer, if any, pathological symptoms. Recent results indicate that the rostral posterior hypothalamic (rPH) region is a significant component of the brain circuitry underlying response reductions (habituation) associated with repeated homotypic stress. To test whether posterior hypothalamic transcriptional regulation associates with the neuroendocrine modifications induced by repeated homotypic stress, RNA-seq was performed in the rPH dissected from adult male rats that experienced either no stress, 1, 3, or 7 stressful loud noise exposures. Plasma samples displayed reliable increases of corticosterone in all stressed groups, with the smallest increase in the group exposed to 7 loud noises, indicating significant habituation compared to the other stressed groups. While few or no differentially expressed genes were detected 24-h after one or three loud noise exposures, relatively large numbers of transcripts were differentially expressed between the group exposed to 7 loud noises when compared to the control or 3-stress groups, respectively, which correlated with the corticosterone response habituation observed. Gene ontology analyses indicated multiple significant functional terms related to neuron differentiation, neural membrane potential, pre- and post-synaptic elements, chemical synaptic transmission, vesicles, axon guidance and projection, glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission. Some of the differentially expressed genes (Myt1l, Zmat4, Dlx6, Csrnp3) encode transcription factors that were independently predicted by transcription factor enrichment analysis to target other differentially regulated genes in this study. A similar experiment employing in situ hybridization histochemical analysis in additional animals validated the direction of change of the 5 transcripts investigated (Camk4, Gabrb2, Gad1, Grin2a and Slc32a) with a high level of temporal and regional specificity for the rPH. In aggregate, the results suggest that distinct patterns of gene regulation are obtained in response to a repeated homotypic stress regimen; they also point to a significant reorganization of the rPH region that may critically contribute to the phenotypic modifications associated with repeated homotypic stress habituation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serge Campeau
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Connor McNulty
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Jacob T. Stanley
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Anthony N. Gerber
- Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO, United States
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Sarah K. Sasse
- Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Robin D. Dowell
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States
- Department of Computer Science, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States
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5
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Hajdarovic KH, Yu D, Webb AE. Understanding the aging hypothalamus, one cell at a time. Trends Neurosci 2022; 45:942-954. [PMID: 36272823 PMCID: PMC9671837 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2022.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The hypothalamus is a brain region that integrates signals from the periphery and the environment to maintain organismal homeostasis. To do so, specialized hypothalamic neuropeptidergic neurons control a range of processes, such as sleep, feeding, the stress response, and hormone release. These processes are altered with age, which can affect longevity and contribute to disease status. Technological advances, such as single-cell RNA sequencing, are upending assumptions about the transcriptional identity of cell types in the hypothalamus and revealing how distinct cell types change with age. In this review, we summarize current knowledge about the contribution of hypothalamic functions to aging. We highlight recent single-cell studies interrogating distinct cell types of the mouse hypothalamus and suggest ways in which single-cell 'omics technologies can be used to further understand the aging hypothalamus and its role in longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Doudou Yu
- Graduate program in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Ashley E Webb
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Center on the Biology of Aging, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Center for Translational Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
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6
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The Central Nervous Mechanism of Stress-Promoting Cancer Progression. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232012653. [PMID: 36293510 PMCID: PMC9604265 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence shows that stress can promote the occurrence and development of tumors. In recent years, many studies have shown that stress-related hormones or peripheral neurotransmitters can promote the proliferation, survival, and angiogenesis of tumor cells and impair the body’s immune response, causing tumor cells to escape the “surveillance” of the immune system. However, the perception of stress occurs in the central nervous system (CNS) and the role of the central nervous system in tumor progression is still unclear, as are the underlying mechanisms. This review summarizes what is known of stress-related CNS-network activation during the stress response and the influence of the CNS on tumors and discusses available adjuvant treatment methods for cancer patients with negative emotional states, such as anxiety and depression.
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7
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Paasonen J, Stenroos P, Laakso H, Pirttimäki T, Paasonen E, Salo RA, Tanila H, Idiyatullin D, Garwood M, Michaeli S, Mangia S, Gröhn O. Whole-brain studies of spontaneous behavior in head-fixed rats enabled by zero echo time MB-SWIFT fMRI. Neuroimage 2022; 250:118924. [PMID: 35065267 PMCID: PMC9464759 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.118924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the link between the brain activity and behavior is a key challenge in modern neuroscience. Behavioral neuroscience, however, lacks tools to record whole-brain activity in complex behavioral settings. Here we demonstrate that a novel Multi-Band SWeep Imaging with Fourier Transformation (MB-SWIFT) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) approach enables whole-brain studies in spontaneously behaving head-fixed rats. First, we show anatomically relevant functional parcellation. Second, we show sensory, motor, exploration, and stress-related brain activity in relevant networks during corresponding spontaneous behavior. Third, we show odor-induced activation of olfactory system with high correlation between the fMRI and behavioral responses. We conclude that the applied methodology enables novel behavioral study designs in rodents focusing on tasks, cognition, emotions, physical exercise, and social interaction. Importantly, novel zero echo time and large bandwidth approaches, such as MB-SWIFT, can be applied for human behavioral studies, allowing more freedom as body movement is dramatically less restricting factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaakko Paasonen
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Petteri Stenroos
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland; Institute of Neuroscience, Grenoble, France
| | - Hanne Laakso
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Tiina Pirttimäki
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Ekaterina Paasonen
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Raimo A Salo
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Heikki Tanila
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Djaudat Idiyatullin
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA
| | - Michael Garwood
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA
| | - Shalom Michaeli
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA
| | - Silvia Mangia
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA
| | - Olli Gröhn
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
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8
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Schaeuble D, Myers B. Cortical–Hypothalamic Integration of Autonomic and Endocrine Stress Responses. Front Physiol 2022; 13:820398. [PMID: 35222086 PMCID: PMC8874315 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.820398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence and severity of cardiovascular disease (CVD) are exacerbated by chronic stress exposure. While stress-induced sympathetic activity and elevated glucocorticoid secretion impair cardiovascular health, the mechanisms by which stress-responsive brain regions integrate autonomic and endocrine stress responses remain unclear. This review covers emerging literature on how specific cortical and hypothalamic nuclei regulate cardiovascular and neuroendocrine stress responses. We will also discuss the current understanding of the cellular and circuit mechanisms mediating physiological stress responses. Altogether, the reviewed literature highlights the current state of stress integration research, as well unanswered questions about the brain basis of CVD risk.
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9
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Meyer HC, Sangha S, Radley JJ, LaLumiere RT, Baratta MV. Environmental certainty influences the neural systems regulating responses to threat and stress. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:1037-1055. [PMID: 34673111 PMCID: PMC8642312 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Flexible calibration of threat responding in accordance with the environment is an adaptive process that allows an animal to avoid harm while also maintaining engagement of other goal-directed actions. This calibration process, referred to as threat response regulation, requires an animal to calculate the probability that a given encounter will result in a threat so they can respond accordingly. Here we review the neural correlates of two highly studied forms of threat response suppression: extinction and safety conditioning. We focus on how relative levels of certainty or uncertainty in the surrounding environment alter the acquisition and application of these processes. We also discuss evidence indicating altered threat response regulation following stress exposure, including enhanced fear conditioning, and disrupted extinction and safety conditioning. To conclude, we discuss research using an animal model of coping that examines the impact of stressor controllability on threat responding, highlighting the potential for previous experiences with control, or other forms of coping, to protect against the effects of future adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi C Meyer
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
| | - Susan Sangha
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
| | - Jason J Radley
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
| | - Ryan T LaLumiere
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
| | - Michael V Baratta
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA.
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10
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Romeo RD, Sciortino RK. Age-dependent changes in hormonal stress reactivity following repeated restraint stress throughout adolescence in male rats. Stress 2021; 24:496-503. [PMID: 33587012 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2021.1873945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [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] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress-related psychological dysfunctions show a marked increase during adolescence, yet the mechanisms that mediate these vulnerabilities are unknown. Notably, however, adolescence is associated with changes in hormonal stress reactivity mediated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which might contribute to these dysfunctions. Specifically, pre-adolescent animals display prolonged stress-induced HPA responses compared to adults. Previous experience with stressors further modify these changes in stress reactivity, such that repeated exposure to the same stressor results in an augmented HPA response prior to adolescence, but a habituated response in adulthood. It is unclear when during adolescence the habituated, adult-like response develops to a repeated stressor. Using male rats at various ages that span adolescence (30-70 days of age), we show that by mid-adolescence (i.e. 42 days of age), animals show neither a facilitated nor a habituated HPA hormonal response following four days of repeated restraint stress (4RS) compared to a single restraint session (1RS). We also show that the habituated HPA response to 4RS develops between late-adolescence and young adulthood (i.e. between 56 and 70 days of age, respectively). Further, we find age- and experience-dependent changes in progesterone and testosterone secretion, indicating that the interaction between development and experience affects stress-induced hormonal responses outside of canonical HPA-related hormones. Despite these hormonal differences mediated by age and experience, repeated restraint stress resulted in decreased fecal boli production at all four ages, suggesting dissociation between hormonal and autonomic reactivity during adolescence. These data indicate that HPA plasticity is significantly affected by adolescence and that a habituated hormonal response to homotypic stress does not occur until young adulthood. A greater appreciation of these changes in stress reactivity will contribute to our understanding of the psychological vulnerabilities often associated with stressful adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Russell D Romeo
- Departments of Psychology and Neuroscience and Behavior, Barnard College of Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rose K Sciortino
- Departments of Psychology and Neuroscience and Behavior, Barnard College of Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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11
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Herman JP, Nawreen N, Smail MA, Cotella EM. Brain mechanisms of HPA axis regulation: neurocircuitry and feedback in context Richard Kvetnansky lecture. Stress 2020; 23:617-632. [PMID: 33345670 PMCID: PMC8034599 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2020.1859475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulation of stress reactivity is a fundamental priority of all organisms. Stress responses are critical for survival, yet can also cause physical and psychological damage. This review provides a synopsis of brain mechanisms designed to control physiological responses to stress, focusing primarily on glucocorticoid secretion via the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis. The literature provides strong support for multi-faceted control of HPA axis responses, involving both direct and indirect actions at paraventricular nucleus (PVN) corticotropin releasing hormone neurons driving the secretory cascade. The PVN is directly excited by afferents from brainstem and hypothalamic circuits, likely relaying information on homeostatic challenge. Amygdala subnuclei drive HPA axis responses indirectly via disinhibition, mediated by GABAergic relays onto PVN-projecting neurons in the hypothalamus and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST). Inhibition of stressor-evoked HPA axis responses is mediated by an elaborate network of glucocorticoid receptor (GR)-containing circuits, providing a distributed negative feedback signal that inhibits PVN neurons. Prefrontal and hippocampal neurons play a major role in HPA axis inhibition, again mediated by hypothalamic and BST GABAergic relays to the PVN. The complexity of the regulatory process suggests that information on stressors is integrated across functional disparate brain circuits prior to accessing the PVN, with regions such as the BST in prime position to relay contextual information provided by these sources into appropriate HPA activation. Dysregulation of the HPA in disease is likely a product of inappropriate checks and balances between excitatory and inhibitory inputs ultimately impacting PVN output.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P Herman
- Department of Pharmacology & Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Cincinnati Veterans Administration Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Nawshaba Nawreen
- Department of Pharmacology & Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Marissa A Smail
- Department of Pharmacology & Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Evelin M Cotella
- Department of Pharmacology & Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Cincinnati Veterans Administration Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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12
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Dhabhar FS, Meaney MJ, Sapolsky RM, Spencer RL. Reflections on Bruce S. McEwen's contributions to stress neurobiology and so much more. Stress 2020; 23:499-508. [PMID: 32851903 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2020.1806228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The authors highlight, from a firsthand perspective, Bruce S. McEwen's seminal influence on the field of stress neurobiology and beyond, and how these investigations have yielded important insights, principles and critical questions that continue to guide stress research today. Featured are discussion of: 1) the important inverted-U relationship between stress/glucocorticoids and optimal physiological function, 2) stress adaptation and the role of adaptive stress responses, 3) mechanisms by which the short-term stress response promotes heightened immune function and immunity, and 4) the far reaching impact of the theoretical framework of allostasis and allostatic load-concepts that have created new bridges between stress physiology, biomedical sciences, health psychology and sociology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Firdaus S Dhabhar
- Departments of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Microbiology & Immunology, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miama, FL, USA
| | - Michael J Meaney
- Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Translational Neuroscience Programme, Singapore Institute of Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Robert M Sapolsky
- John A. and Cynthia Fry Gunn Professor of Biological Sciences Departments of Biology, Neurology and Neurological Sciences, and Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Robert L Spencer
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
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13
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Newsom RJ, Stafford J, Garcia RJ, Campeau S. Endocannabinoid signaling as an intrinsic component of the circuits mediating adaptive responses to repeated stress exposure in adult male sprague dawley rats. Stress 2020; 23:174-189. [PMID: 31506004 PMCID: PMC7054150 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2019.1655538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence implicates the endocannabinoid (eCB) system as a negative modulator of neural and endocrine responses to acute stressors. Recently, eCB signaling was also reported to contribute to habituation of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responses to repeated homotypic stress. The present studies were initiated to distinguish a potential role of eCB signaling in the expression vs. the acquisition of habituation of the HPA axis response to repeated stress. In each of three experiments, adult male Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to daily, 30-minute sessions of loud white noise (95 dB), which resulted in a progressive decrease in HPA axis response over successive days. Cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) antagonist AM251 (0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 mg/kg, i.p.) was used to examine the role of eCB signaling in homotypic stressor habituation and heterotypic (novel) stressor cross-sensitization of neuroendocrine activity. Pretreatment with high dose (2.0 mg/kg) AM251 before each of 7 consecutive, daily loud noise exposures (acquisition of habituation) resulted in potentiation of stress-induced HPA axis activation and disruption of habituation. After an 8th loud noise exposure without AM251 pretreatment, the same group of rats displayed a habituated plasma corticosterone (CORT) level similar to that of controls, indicating that CB1 receptor antagonist pretreatments did not disrupt the acquisition of habituation. In two additional experiments, rats acquired habituation to loud noise drug free, then lower doses of AM251 (0.5 and 1.0 mg.kg) were administered before a final exposure (expression of habituation) to the homotypic stressor and/or a novel heterotypic stressor. CB1 receptor antagonism disrupted the expression of CORT response habituation and some of the c-fos mRNA reduction associated with it and facilitated novel stressor sensitization in doses that did not potentiate acute responses to these stressors. Collectively, these data suggest a progressive intensification of neural eCB signaling at CB1 receptors with repeated stress exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan J. Newsom
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, UCB 345, Boulder, CO 80309 USA
| | - Jacob Stafford
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, UCB 345, Boulder, CO 80309 USA
| | - Robert J. Garcia
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, UCB 345, Boulder, CO 80309 USA
| | - Serge Campeau
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, UCB 345, Boulder, CO 80309 USA
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Remote CB1 receptor antagonist administration reveals multiple sites of tonic and phasic endocannabinoid neuroendocrine regulation. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 113:104549. [PMID: 31884322 PMCID: PMC7566018 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Revised: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids, eCB) are expressed throughout the body and contribute to regulation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and general stress reactivity. This study assessed the contributions of CB1 receptors (CB1R) in the modulation of basal and stress-induced neural and HPA axis activities. Catheterized adult male rats were placed in chambers to acclimate overnight, with their catheters connected and exteriorized from the chambers for relatively stress-free remote injections. The next morning, the CB1R antagonist AM251 (1 or 2 mg/kg) or vehicle was administered, and 30 min later, rats were exposed to loud noise stress (30 min) or no noise (basal condition). Blood, brains, pituitary and adrenal glands were collected immediately after the procedures for analysis of c-fos and CB1R mRNAs, corticosterone (CORT) and adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) plasma levels. Basally, CB1R antagonism induced c-fos mRNA in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and auditory cortex (AUD) and elevated plasma CORT, indicating disruption of eCB-mediated constitutive inhibition of activity. CB1R blockade also potentiated stress-induced hormone levels and c-fos mRNA in several regions such as the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST), lateral septum (LS), and basolateral amygdala (BLA) and the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN). CB1R mRNA was detected in all central tissues investigated, and the adrenal cortex, but at very low levels in the anterior pituitary gland. Interestingly, CB1R mRNA was rapidly and bidirectionally regulated in response to stress and/or antagonist treatment in some regions. eCBs therefore modulate the HPA axis by regulating both constitutive and activity-dependent inhibition at multiple levels.
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Wood M, Adil O, Wallace T, Fourman S, Wilson SP, Herman JP, Myers B. Infralimbic prefrontal cortex structural and functional connectivity with the limbic forebrain: a combined viral genetic and optogenetic analysis. Brain Struct Funct 2019; 224:73-97. [PMID: 30269223 PMCID: PMC6369015 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-018-1762-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The medial prefrontal cortex is critical for contextual appraisal, executive function, and goal-directed behavior. Additionally, the infralimbic (IL) subregion of the prefrontal cortex has been implicated in stress responding, mood, and fear memory. However, the specific circuit mechanisms that mediate these effects are largely unknown. To date, IL output to the limbic forebrain has been examined largely qualitatively or within a restricted number of sites. To quantify IL presynaptic input to structures throughout the forebrain, we utilized a lentiviral construct expressing synaptophysin-mCherry. Thus, allowing quantification of IL efferents that are specifically synaptic, as opposed to fibers of passage. Additionally, this approach permitted the determination of IL innervation on a sub-structural level within the multiple heterogeneous limbic nuclei. To examine the functional output of the IL, optogenetic activation of IL projections was followed by quantification of neuronal activation throughout the limbic forebrain via fos-related antigen (Fra). Quantification of synaptophysin-mCherry indicated that the IL provides robust synaptic input to a number of regions within the thalamus, hypothalamus, amygdala, and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, with limited input to the hippocampus and nucleus accumbens. Furthermore, there was high concordance between structural connectivity and functional activation. Interestingly, some regions receiving substantial synaptic input did not exhibit significant increases in Fra-immunoreactivity. Collectively, these studies represent a step toward a comprehensive and quantitative analysis of output circuits. This large-scale efferent quantification or 'projectome' also opens the door for data-driven analyses of the downstream synaptic mechanisms that mediate the integrative aspects of cortico-limbic interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda Wood
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Othman Adil
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Tyler Wallace
- Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Sarah Fourman
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Steven P Wilson
- Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - James P Herman
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Brent Myers
- Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
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Anteroventral bed nuclei of the stria terminalis neurocircuitry: Towards an integration of HPA axis modulation with coping behaviors - Curt Richter Award Paper 2017. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018; 89:239-249. [PMID: 29395488 PMCID: PMC5878723 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2017] [Revised: 11/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
A network of interconnected cell groups in the limbic forebrain regulates hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation and behavioral responses to emotionally stressful experiences, and chronic disruption of these systems chronically is implicated in the pathogenesis of psychiatric illnesses. A significant challenge has been to unravel the circuitry and mechanisms providing for regulation of HPA activity, as these limbic forebrain regions do not provide any direct innervation of HPA effector cell groups in the paraventricular hypothalamus (PVH). Moreover, information regarding how endocrine and behavioral responses are integrated has remained obscure. Here we summarize work from our laboratory showing that anteroventral (av) bed nuclei of the stria terminalis (BST) acts as a point of convergence between the limbic forebrain and PVH, receiving and coordinating upstream influences, and restraining HPA axis output in response to inescapable stressors. Recent studies highlight a more expansive modulatory role for avBST as one that coordinates HPA-inhibitory influences while concurrently suppressing passive behavioral responses via divergent pathways. avBST is uniquely positioned to convey endocrine and behavioral alterations resulting from chronic stress exposure, such as HPA axis hyperactivity and increased passive coping strategies, that may result from synaptic reorganization in upstream limbic cortical regions. We discuss how these studies give new insights into understanding the systems-level organization of stress response circuitry, the neurobiology of coping styles, and BST circuit dysfunction in stress-related psychiatric disorders.
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Torres-Sanchez S, Perez-Caballero L, Mico JA, Celada P, Berrocoso E. Effect of Deep Brain Stimulation of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex on the noradrenergic system in rats. Brain Stimul 2017; 11:222-230. [PMID: 29074339 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2017.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2017] [Revised: 10/04/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) of the subgenual cingulate cortex (SCC) is a promising therapeutic alternative to treat resistant major depressive disorder. In preclinical studies, DBS of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC, the rodent SCC correlate) provokes an antidepressant-like effect, along with changes in noradrenaline levels at the site of stimulation. Hence, DBS appears to activate the noradrenergic-locus coeruleus (LC) system. OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of vmPFC DBS on the electrical activity of noradrenergic LC neurons, cortical oscillations and coherence between both brain areas in male rats. METHODS The antidepressant-like effect of vmPFC DBS was evaluated through the forced swimming test. Tonic and evoked activity of LC neurons, LC activity of alpha2-adrenoceptors, local field potentials from LC and electrocorticogram signals were studied after DBS by electrophysiological recordings in anaesthetized rats. The effect of DBS on tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), noradrenaline transporters (NAT), phosphorylation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) expression in the LC were measured by western blot assays. RESULTS DBS induced an antidepressant-like effect increasing climbing behaviour in the FST that was accompanied by a robust increase of TH expression in the rat LC. The tonic and evoked activity of LC neurons was enhanced by DBS, which impaired alpha2-adrenoceptors activity. DBS also promoted an increase in slow LC oscillations, as well as a shift in LC-cortical coherence. CONCLUSION DBS of the vmPFC appears to affect the LC, producing changes that may underlie its antidepressant-like effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Torres-Sanchez
- Neuropsychopharmacology & Psychobiology Research Group, University of Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain; CIBER of Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación e Innovación en Ciencias Biomédicas de Cádiz, INiBICA, Hospital Universitario Puerta del Mar, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Laura Perez-Caballero
- CIBER of Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación e Innovación en Ciencias Biomédicas de Cádiz, INiBICA, Hospital Universitario Puerta del Mar, Cádiz, Spain; Neuropsychopharmacology & Psychobiology Research Group, Department of Psychology, Area of Psychobiology, University of Cádiz, Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Juan A Mico
- CIBER of Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación e Innovación en Ciencias Biomédicas de Cádiz, INiBICA, Hospital Universitario Puerta del Mar, Cádiz, Spain; Neuropsychopharmacology & Psychobiology Research Group, Department of Neuroscience, University of Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Pau Celada
- CIBER of Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain; Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques de Barcelona IIBB-CSIC, Department of Neurochemistry and Neuropharmacology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Esther Berrocoso
- CIBER of Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación e Innovación en Ciencias Biomédicas de Cádiz, INiBICA, Hospital Universitario Puerta del Mar, Cádiz, Spain; Neuropsychopharmacology & Psychobiology Research Group, Department of Psychology, Area of Psychobiology, University of Cádiz, Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain.
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Miyamoto T, Funakami Y, Kawashita E, Nomura A, Sugimoto N, Saeki H, Tsubota M, Ichida S, Kawabata A. Repeated Cold Stress Enhances the Acute Restraint Stress-Induced Hyperthermia in Mice. Biol Pharm Bull 2017; 40:11-16. [DOI: 10.1248/bpb.b16-00343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tomoyoshi Miyamoto
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Kindai University
- Department of Pharmacy, Seichokai Fuchu Hospital
| | | | | | - Ai Nomura
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Kindai University
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Nyhuis TJ, Masini CV, Taufer KL, Day HE, Campeau S. Reversible inactivation of rostral nucleus raphe pallidus attenuates acute autonomic responses but not their habituation to repeated audiogenic stress in rats. Stress 2016; 19:248-59. [PMID: 26998558 PMCID: PMC4957647 DOI: 10.3109/10253890.2016.1160281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The medullary nucleus raphe pallidus (RPa) mediates several autonomic responses evoked by acute stress exposure, including tachycardia and hyperthermia. The present study assessed whether the RPa contributes to the decline/habituation of these responses observed during repeated audiogenic stress. Adult male rats were implanted with cannulae aimed at the RPa, and abdominal E-mitters that wirelessly acquire heart rate and core body temperature. After surgical recovery, animals were injected with muscimol or vehicle (aCSF) in the RPa region, followed by 30 min of 95-dBA loud noise or no noise control exposures on 3 consecutive days at 24-h intervals. Forty-eight hours after the third exposure, animals were exposed to an additional, but injection-free, loud noise or no noise test to assess habituation of hyperthermia and tachycardia. Three days later, rats were restrained for 30-min to evaluate their ability to display normal acute autonomic responses following the repeated muscimol injection regimen. The results indicated that the inhibition of cellular activity induced by the GABAA-receptor agonist muscimol centered in the RPa region reliably attenuated acute audiogenic stress-evoked tachycardia and hyperthermia, compared with vehicle-injected rats. Animals in the stress groups exhibited similar attenuated tachycardia and hyperthermia during the injection-free fourth audiogenic stress exposure, and displayed similar and robust increases in these responses to the subsequent restraint test. These results suggest that cellular activity in neurons of the RPa region is necessary for the expression of acute audiogenic stress-induced tachycardia and hyperthermia, but may not be necessary for the acquisition of habituated tachycardic responses to repeated stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara J. Nyhuis
- University of Colorado Boulder, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Cher V. Masini
- University of Colorado Boulder, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Kirsten L. Taufer
- University of Colorado Boulder, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Heidi E.W. Day
- University of Colorado Boulder, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Serge Campeau
- University of Colorado Boulder, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
- Corresponding Author: Serge Campeau, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Muenzinger D244; UCB 345, Boulder, CO 80309, USA, Phone: 1-303-492-5693, Fax: 1-303-492-2967,
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