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Izowit G, Walczak M, Drwięga G, Solecki W, Błasiak T. Brain state-dependent responses of midbrain dopaminergic neurons to footshock under urethane anaesthesia. Eur J Neurosci 2024; 59:1536-1557. [PMID: 38233998 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
For a long time, it has been assumed that dopaminergic (DA) neurons in both the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) uniformly respond to rewarding and aversive stimuli by either increasing or decreasing their activity, respectively. This response was believed to signal information about the perceived stimuli's values. The identification of VTA&SNc DA neurons that are excited by both rewarding and aversive stimuli has led to the categorisation of VTA&SNc DA neurons into two subpopulations: one signalling the value and the other signalling the salience of the stimuli. It has been shown that the general state of the brain can modulate the electrical activity of VTA&SNc DA neurons, but it remains unknown whether this factor may also influence responses to aversive stimuli, such as a footshock (FS). To address this question, we have recorded the responses of VTA&SNc DA neurons to FSs across cortical activation and slow wave activity brain states in urethane-anaesthetised rats. Adding to the knowledge of aversion signalling by midbrain DA neurons, we report that significant proportion of VTA&SNc DA neurons can change their responses to an aversive stimulus in a brain state-dependent manner. The majority of these neurons decreased their activity in response to FS during cortical activation but switched to increasing it during slow wave activity. It can be hypothesised that this subpopulation of DA neurons may be involved in the 'dual signalling' of both the value and the salience of the stimuli, depending on the general state of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Izowit
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland
- Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland
| | - Magdalena Walczak
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland
| | - Gniewosz Drwięga
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland
- Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland
| | - Wojciech Solecki
- Department of Neurobiology and Neuropsychology, Institute of Applied Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland
| | - Tomasz Błasiak
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland
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2
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Kermanian F, Seghatoleslam M, Mahakizadeh S. MDMA related neuro-inflammation and adenosine receptors. Neurochem Int 2022; 153:105275. [PMID: 34990730 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2021.105275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 12/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a world-wide abused psychostimulant, which has the neurotoxic effects on dopaminergic and serotonergic neurons in both rodents and non-human primates. Adenosine acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain through the activation of four specific G-protein-coupled receptors and it acts as a neuromodulator of dopamine neurotransmission. Recent studies suggest that stimulation of adenosine receptors oppose many behavioral effects of methamphetamines. This review summarizes the specific cellular mechanisms involved in MDMA neuroinflammatory effects, along with the protective effects of adenosine receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Kermanian
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
| | - Masoumeh Seghatoleslam
- Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Simin Mahakizadeh
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran.
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3
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Miller DR, Bu AM, Gopinath A, Martinez LR, Khoshbouei H. Methamphetamine dysregulation of the central nervous system and peripheral immunity. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2021; 379:372-385. [PMID: 34535563 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.121.000767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Methamphetamine (METH) is a potent psychostimulant that increases extracellular monoamines such as dopamine and norepinephrine and affects multiple tissue and cell types. The reinforcing properties of METH underlie its significant abuse potential and dysregulation of peripheral immunity and central nervous system functions. Together, the constellation of METH's effects on cellular targets and regulatory processes have shown to lead to immune suppression and neurodegeneration in METH addicts and animal models of METH exposure. Here we extensively review many of the cell types and mechanisms of METH-induced dysregulation of the central nervous system and peripheral immune system. Significance Statement Emerging research has begun to show that methamphetamine not only regulates dopaminergic neuronal activity, it also affects non-neuronal brain cells, such as microglia and astrocytes as well immunological cells of the periphery. The bi-directional communication between dopaminergic neurons in the CNS and peripheral immune cells becomes dysregulated by a constellation of dysfunctional neuronal and cell types revealing multiple targets that must be considered at the interface between basic and clinical neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Adithya Gopinath
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, United States
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4
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Engi SA, Beebe EJ, Ayvazian VM, Cruz FC, Cheer JF, Wenzel JM, Zlebnik NE. Cocaine-induced increases in motivation require 2-arachidonoylglycerol mobilization and CB1 receptor activation in the ventral tegmental area. Neuropharmacology 2021; 193:108625. [PMID: 34058192 PMCID: PMC8312311 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108625] [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: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
A wide body of evidence supports an integral role for mesolimbic dopamine (DA) in motivated behavior. In brief, drugs that increase DA in mesolimbic terminal regions, like cocaine, enhance motivation, while drugs that decrease DA concentration reduce motivation. Data from our laboratory and others shows that phasic activation of mesolimbic DA requires signaling at cannabinoid type-1 (CB1) receptors in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), and systemic delivery of CB1 receptor antagonists reduces DA cell activity and attenuates motivated behaviors. Recent findings demonstrate that cocaine mobilizes the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) in the VTA to cause phasic activation of DA neurons and terminal DA release. It remains unclear, however, if cocaine-induced midbrain 2-AG signaling contributes to the motivation-enhancing effects of cocaine. To examine this, we trained male and female rats on a progressive ratio (PR) task for a food reinforcer. Each rat underwent a series of tests in which they were pretreated with cocaine alone or in combination with systemic or intra-VTA administration of the CB1 receptor antagonist rimonabant or the 2-AG synthesis inhibitor tetrahydrolipstatin (THL). Cocaine increased motivation, measured by augmented PR breakpoints, while rimonabant dose-dependently decreased motivation. Importantly, intra-VTA administration of rimonabant or THL, at doses that did not decrease breakpoints on their own, blocked systemic cocaine administration from increasing breakpoints in male and female rats. These data suggest that cocaine-induced increases in motivation require 2-AG signaling at CB1 receptors in the VTA and may provide critical insight into cannabinoid-based pharmacotherapeutic targets for the successful treatment of substance abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheila A Engi
- Dept. of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Dept. of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo - UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Erin J Beebe
- Dept. of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Victoria M Ayvazian
- Dept. of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Fabio C Cruz
- Dept. of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo - UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Joseph F Cheer
- Dept. of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Dept. of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jennifer M Wenzel
- Dept. of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Natalie E Zlebnik
- Dept. of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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5
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Nguyen C, Mondoloni S, Le Borgne T, Centeno I, Come M, Jehl J, Solié C, Reynolds LM, Durand-de Cuttoli R, Tolu S, Valverde S, Didienne S, Hannesse B, Fiancette JF, Pons S, Maskos U, Deroche-Gamonet V, Dalkara D, Hardelin JP, Mourot A, Marti F, Faure P. Nicotine inhibits the VTA-to-amygdala dopamine pathway to promote anxiety. Neuron 2021; 109:2604-2615.e9. [PMID: 34242565 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Nicotine stimulates dopamine (DA) neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to establish and maintain reinforcement. Nicotine also induces anxiety through an as yet unknown circuitry. We found that nicotine injection drives opposite functional responses of two distinct populations of VTA DA neurons with anatomically segregated projections: it activates neurons that project to the nucleus accumbens (NAc), whereas it inhibits neurons that project to the amygdala nuclei (Amg). We further show that nicotine mediates anxiety-like behavior by acting on β2-subunit-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors of the VTA. Finally, using optogenetics, we bidirectionally manipulate the VTA-NAc and VTA-Amg pathways to dissociate their contributions to anxiety-like behavior. We show that inhibition of VTA-Amg DA neurons mediates anxiety-like behavior, while their activation prevents the anxiogenic effects of nicotine. These distinct subpopulations of VTA DA neurons with opposite responses to nicotine may differentially drive the anxiogenic and the reinforcing effects of nicotine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Nguyen
- ESPCI, Laboratoire de plasticité du cerveau UMR8249, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Sarah Mondoloni
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Tinaïg Le Borgne
- ESPCI, Laboratoire de plasticité du cerveau UMR8249, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Ines Centeno
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Maxime Come
- ESPCI, Laboratoire de plasticité du cerveau UMR8249, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Joachim Jehl
- ESPCI, Laboratoire de plasticité du cerveau UMR8249, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Clément Solié
- ESPCI, Laboratoire de plasticité du cerveau UMR8249, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Lauren M Reynolds
- ESPCI, Laboratoire de plasticité du cerveau UMR8249, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | | | - Stefania Tolu
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Sébastien Valverde
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Steve Didienne
- ESPCI, Laboratoire de plasticité du cerveau UMR8249, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Bernadette Hannesse
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Jean-François Fiancette
- Neurocentre Magendie, Inserm U1215, Université de Bordeaux, 146 rue Léo Saignat, 33077 Bordeaux, France
| | - Stéphanie Pons
- Institut Pasteur, Unité Neurobiologie intégrative des systèmes cholinergiques, Département de neuroscience, 75724 Paris Cedex, France
| | - Uwe Maskos
- Institut Pasteur, Unité Neurobiologie intégrative des systèmes cholinergiques, Département de neuroscience, 75724 Paris Cedex, France
| | - Véronique Deroche-Gamonet
- Neurocentre Magendie, Inserm U1215, Université de Bordeaux, 146 rue Léo Saignat, 33077 Bordeaux, France
| | - Deniz Dalkara
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Pierre Hardelin
- ESPCI, Laboratoire de plasticité du cerveau UMR8249, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Alexandre Mourot
- ESPCI, Laboratoire de plasticité du cerveau UMR8249, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Fabio Marti
- ESPCI, Laboratoire de plasticité du cerveau UMR8249, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France.
| | - Philippe Faure
- ESPCI, Laboratoire de plasticité du cerveau UMR8249, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Inserm, UMR8246 CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - IBPS, 75005 Paris, France.
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6
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Kiyatkin EA. The Critical Role of Peripheral Targets in Triggering Rapid Neural Effects of Intravenous Cocaine. Neuroscience 2020; 451:240-254. [PMID: 33010343 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.09.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Direct interaction of cocaine with centrally located monoamine transporters is the primary mechanism underlying its reinforcing properties. It is also often assumed that this drug action is responsible for all the physiological and behavioral effects of this drug. The goal of this review is to challenge this basic mechanism and demonstrate the importance of peripheral actions of cocaine in inducing its initial, rapid neural effects. The use of high-resolution electrophysiological, neurochemical and physiological techniques revealed that the effects of intravenous cocaine at behaviorally relevant doses are exceptionally rapid and transient correlating with strong, quick, and transient increases in blood cocaine levels. Some of these effects are mimicked by cocaine-methiodide, a cocaine analog that cannot cross the blood-brain barrier and they are resistant to dopamine (DA) receptor blockade. Therefore, it appears that rapid neural effects of cocaine result from its direct interaction with receptive sites on afferents of sensory nerves densely innervating blood vessels. This interaction creates a rapid neural signal to the CNS that results in generalized neural activation and subsequent changes in different physiological parameters. This drug's action appears to be independent from cocaine's action on central neurons, which requires a definite time to occur and induce neural and physiological effects with longer latencies and durations. The co-existence in the same drug on two timely distinct actions with their subsequent interaction in the CNS could explain consistent changes in physiological and behavioral effects of cocaine following their repeated use, playing a role in the development of drug-seeking and drug-taking behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugene A Kiyatkin
- Behavioral Neuroscience Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse - Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, DHHS, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
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7
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Di Miceli M, Husson Z, Ruel P, Layé S, Cota D, Fioramonti X, Bosch-Bouju C, Gronier B. In silico Hierarchical Clustering of Neuronal Populations in the Rat Ventral Tegmental Area Based on Extracellular Electrophysiological Properties. Front Neural Circuits 2020; 14:51. [PMID: 32903825 PMCID: PMC7438989 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2020.00051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is a heterogeneous brain region, containing different neuronal populations. During in vivo recordings, electrophysiological characteristics are classically used to distinguish the different populations. However, the VTA is also considered as a region harboring neurons with heterogeneous properties. In the present study, we aimed to classify VTA neurons using in silico approaches, in an attempt to determine if homogeneous populations could be extracted. Thus, we recorded 291 VTA neurons during in vivo extracellular recordings in anesthetized rats. Initially, 22 neurons with high firing rates (>10 Hz) and short-lasting action potentials (AP) were considered as a separate subpopulation, in light of previous studies. To segregate the remaining 269 neurons, presumably dopaminergic (DA), we performed in silico analyses, using a combination of different electrophysiological parameters. These parameters included: (1) firing rate; (2) firing rate coefficient of variation (CV); (3) percentage of spikes in a burst; (4) AP duration; (5) Δt1 duration (i.e., time from initiation of depolarization until end of repolarization); and (6) presence of a notched AP waveform. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering revealed two neuronal populations that differed in their bursting activities. The largest population presented low bursting activities (<17.5% of total spikes in burst), while the remaining neurons presented higher bursting activities (>17.5%). Within non-high-firing neurons, a large heterogeneity was noted concerning AP characteristics. In conclusion, this analysis based on conventional electrophysiological criteria clustered two subpopulations of putative DA VTA neurons that are distinguishable by their firing patterns (firing rates and bursting activities) but not their AP properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Di Miceli
- Pharmacology and Neuroscience Research Group, Leicester School of Pharmacy, De Montfort University, Leicester, United Kingdom.,Laboratoire NutriNeuro, UMR INRAE 1286, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Zoé Husson
- Laboratoire NutriNeuro, UMR INRAE 1286, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.,INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, Physiopathologie de la Plasticité Neuronale, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.,IGF, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Philippe Ruel
- Département de Mathématiques, Lycée Joffre, Académie de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Sophie Layé
- Laboratoire NutriNeuro, UMR INRAE 1286, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Daniela Cota
- INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, Physiopathologie de la Plasticité Neuronale, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Xavier Fioramonti
- Laboratoire NutriNeuro, UMR INRAE 1286, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | | | - Benjamin Gronier
- Pharmacology and Neuroscience Research Group, Leicester School of Pharmacy, De Montfort University, Leicester, United Kingdom
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8
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López-Gambero AJ, Sanjuan C, Serrano-Castro PJ, Suárez J, Rodríguez de Fonseca F. The Biomedical Uses of Inositols: A Nutraceutical Approach to Metabolic Dysfunction in Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases. Biomedicines 2020; 8:biomedicines8090295. [PMID: 32825356 PMCID: PMC7554709 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines8090295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Inositols are sugar-like compounds that are widely distributed in nature and are a part of membrane molecules, participating as second messengers in several cell-signaling processes. Isolation and characterization of inositol phosphoglycans containing myo- or d-chiro-inositol have been milestones for understanding the physiological regulation of insulin signaling. Other functions of inositols have been derived from the existence of multiple stereoisomers, which may confer antioxidant properties. In the brain, fluctuation of inositols in extracellular and intracellular compartments regulates neuronal and glial activity. Myo-inositol imbalance is observed in psychiatric diseases and its use shows efficacy for treatment of depression, anxiety, and compulsive disorders. Epi- and scyllo-inositol isomers are capable of stabilizing non-toxic forms of β-amyloid proteins, which are characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive dementia in Down’s syndrome, both associated with brain insulin resistance. However, uncertainties of the intrinsic mechanisms of inositols regarding their biology are still unsolved. This work presents a critical review of inositol actions on insulin signaling, oxidative stress, and endothelial dysfunction, and its potential for either preventing or delaying cognitive impairment in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. The biomedical uses of inositols may represent a paradigm in the industrial approach perspective, which has generated growing interest for two decades, accompanied by clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio J. López-Gambero
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Genética y Fisiología, Campus de Teatinos s/n, Universidad de Málaga, Andalucia Tech, 29071 Málaga, Spain;
- UGC Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Hospital Universitario Regional de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain
| | | | - Pedro Jesús Serrano-Castro
- UGC Neurología, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Hospital Universitario Regional de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain;
| | - Juan Suárez
- UGC Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Hospital Universitario Regional de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain
- Correspondence: (J.S.); (F.R.d.F.); Tel.: +34-952614012 (J.S.)
| | - Fernando Rodríguez de Fonseca
- UGC Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Hospital Universitario Regional de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain
- Correspondence: (J.S.); (F.R.d.F.); Tel.: +34-952614012 (J.S.)
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9
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Ostroumov A, Dani JA. Inhibitory Plasticity of Mesocorticolimbic Circuits in Addiction and Mental Illness. Trends Neurosci 2018; 41:898-910. [PMID: 30149979 PMCID: PMC6252277 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2018.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Revised: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Behavioral adaptations occur through remodeling of brain circuits, as arising, for instance, from experience-dependent synaptic plasticity. Drugs of abuse and aversive stimuli, such as stress, act on the mesocorticolimbic system, dysregulating adaptive mechanisms and leading to a variety of aberrant behaviors associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. Until recently, research in the field has commonly focused on experience-dependent synaptic plasticity at excitatory synapses. However, there is growing evidence that synaptic plasticity within inhibitory circuits is an important contributor to maladaptive behaviors. We speculate that restoring normal inhibitory synaptic transmission is a promising therapeutic target for correcting some of the circuit abnormalities underlying neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexey Ostroumov
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School for Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - John A Dani
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School for Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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10
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Wei C, Han X, Weng D, Feng Q, Qi X, Li J, Luo M. Response dynamics of midbrain dopamine neurons and serotonin neurons to heroin, nicotine, cocaine, and MDMA. Cell Discov 2018; 4:60. [PMID: 30416749 PMCID: PMC6218454 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-018-0060-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Revised: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Heroin, nicotine, cocaine, and MDMA are abused by billions of people. They are believed to target midbrain dopamine neurons and/or serotonin neurons, but their effects on the dynamic neuronal activity remain unclear in behaving states. By combining cell-type-specific fiber photometry of Ca2+ signals and intravenous drug infusion, here we show that these four drugs of abuse profoundly modulate the activity of mouse midbrain dopamine neurons and serotonin neurons with distinct potency and kinetics. Heroin strongly activates dopamine neurons, and only excites serotonin neurons at higher doses. Nicotine activates dopamine neurons in merely a few seconds, but produces minimal effects on serotonin neurons. Cocaine and MDMA cause long-lasting suppression of both dopamine neurons and serotonin neurons, although MDMA inhibits serotonin neurons more profoundly. Moreover, these inhibitory effects are mediated through the activity of dopamine and serotonin autoreceptors. These results suggest that the activity of dopamine neurons and that of serotonin neurons are more closely associated with the drug's reinforcing property and the drug's euphorigenic property, respectively. This study also shows that our methodology may facilitate further in-vivo interrogation of neural dynamics using animal models of drug addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Wei
- 1School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871 China.,2Peking University-Tsinghua University-NIBS Graduate Program, Peking University, Beijing, 100081 China.,3National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS), Beijing, 102206 China
| | - Xiao Han
- 4Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, 100850 China
| | - Danwei Weng
- 3National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS), Beijing, 102206 China
| | - Qiru Feng
- 3National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS), Beijing, 102206 China
| | - Xiangbing Qi
- 3National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS), Beijing, 102206 China
| | - Jin Li
- 4Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, 100850 China
| | - Minmin Luo
- 3National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS), Beijing, 102206 China.,5School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 China
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11
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Minogianis EA, Shams WM, Mabrouk OS, Wong JMT, Brake WG, Kennedy RT, du Souich P, Samaha AN. Varying the rate of intravenous cocaine infusion influences the temporal dynamics of both drug and dopamine concentrations in the striatum. Eur J Neurosci 2018; 50:2054-2064. [PMID: 29757478 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2017] [Revised: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The faster drugs of abuse reach the brain, the greater is the risk of addiction. Even small differences in the rate of drug delivery can influence outcome. Infusing cocaine intravenously over 5 vs. 90-100 s promotes sensitization to the psychomotor and incentive motivational effects of the drug and preferentially recruits mesocorticolimbic regions. It remains unclear whether these effects are due to differences in how fast and/or how much drug reaches the brain. Here, we predicted that varying the rate of intravenous cocaine infusion between 5 and 90 s produces different rates of rise of brain drug concentrations, while producing similar peak concentrations. Freely moving male Wistar rats received acute intravenous cocaine infusions (2.0 mg/kg/infusion) over 5, 45 and 90 s. We measured cocaine concentrations in the dorsal striatum using rapid-sampling microdialysis (1 sample/min) and high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. We also measured extracellular concentrations of dopamine and other neurochemicals. Regardless of infusion rate, acute cocaine did not change concentrations of non-dopaminergic neurochemicals. Infusion rate did not significantly influence peak concentrations of cocaine or dopamine, but concentrations increased faster following 5-s infusions. We also assessed psychomotor activity as a function of cocaine infusion rate. Infusion rate did not significantly influence total locomotion, but locomotion increased earlier following 5-s infusions. Thus, small differences in the rate of cocaine delivery influence both the rate of rise of drug and dopamine concentrations, and psychomotor activity. A faster rate of rise of drug and dopamine concentrations might be an important issue in making rapidly delivered cocaine more addictive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellie-Anna Minogianis
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, C.P. 6128, Succursale Centre-ville, Montreal, QC, H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Waqqas M Shams
- Department of Psychology, Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology (CSBN), Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Omar S Mabrouk
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Wayne G Brake
- Department of Psychology, Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology (CSBN), Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Robert T Kennedy
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Patrick du Souich
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, C.P. 6128, Succursale Centre-ville, Montreal, QC, H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Anne-Noël Samaha
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, C.P. 6128, Succursale Centre-ville, Montreal, QC, H3C 3J7, Canada.,Groupe de recherche sur le système nerveux central, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
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12
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Matikainen-Ankney BA, Kravitz AV. Persistent effects of obesity: a neuroplasticity hypothesis. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2018; 1428:221-239. [PMID: 29741270 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Revised: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The obesity epidemic is a leading cause of health problems in the United States, increasing the risk of cardiovascular, endocrine, and psychiatric diseases. Although many people lose weight through changes in diet and lifestyle, keeping the weight off remains a challenge. Here, we discuss a hypothesis that seeks to explain why obesity is so persistent. There is a great degree of overlap in the circuits implicated in substance use disorder and obesity, and neural plasticity of these circuits in response to drugs of abuse is well documented. We hypothesize that obesity is also associated with neural plasticity in these circuits, and this may underlie persistent changes in behavior, energy balance, and body weight. Here, we discuss how obesity-associated reductions in motivation and physical activity may be rooted in neurophysiological alterations in these circuits. Such plasticity may alter how humans and animals use, expend, and store energy, even after weight loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridget A Matikainen-Ankney
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Alexxai V Kravitz
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.,National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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13
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Dos Santos M, Cahill EN, Bo GD, Vanhoutte P, Caboche J, Giros B, Heck N. Cocaine increases dopaminergic connectivity in the nucleus accumbens. Brain Struct Funct 2017; 223:913-923. [PMID: 29027032 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-017-1532-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 09/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The development of addictive behavior is associated with functional and structural plasticity in the mesocorticolimbic pathway. Increased connectivity upon cocaine administration has been inferred from increases in dendritic spine density, but without observations of presynaptic elements. Recently, we established a method that enables analyses of both dendritic spines and glutamatergic boutons and presented evidence that cocaine induces changes in striatal connectivity. As the pharmacological and behavioral effects of cocaine directly implicate dopaminergic neurons and their afferents, a remaining question is whether dopaminergic striatal innervations also undergo structural plasticity. To address this issue, we generated transgenic mice in which the fluorophore tdTomato is expressed under the promoter of the dopamine transporter gene. In these mice, specific labeling of dopaminergic boutons was observed in the striatum. Of note, the accordance of our results for control mice with previous electron microscopy studies confirms that our method can be used to decipher the spatial organization of boutons in relation to dendritic elements. Following repeated cocaine administration that led to behavioral locomotor sensitization, an increased density of dopaminergic boutons was observed 1 day later in the nucleus accumbens shell specifically, and not in other striatal regions. Combined labeling of dopaminergic boutons and striatal dendrites showed that cocaine significantly increased the percentage of dendritic spines associated with a dopaminergic bouton. Our results show that chronic cocaine administration induces structural plasticity of dopaminergic boutons that could participate in dopamine-dependent neuronal adaptations in the striatum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Dos Santos
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, INSERM, CNRS, Neurosciences Paris Seine, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (NPS, IBPS), 75005, Paris, France
| | - Emma N Cahill
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, INSERM, CNRS, Neurosciences Paris Seine, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (NPS, IBPS), 75005, Paris, France.,Department of Psychology, Behavioral and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Gregory Dal Bo
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health Research Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Département de Toxicologie et risque chimiques, IRBA, Brétigny sur Orge, France
| | - Peter Vanhoutte
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, INSERM, CNRS, Neurosciences Paris Seine, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (NPS, IBPS), 75005, Paris, France
| | - Jocelyne Caboche
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, INSERM, CNRS, Neurosciences Paris Seine, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (NPS, IBPS), 75005, Paris, France
| | - Bruno Giros
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, INSERM, CNRS, Neurosciences Paris Seine, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (NPS, IBPS), 75005, Paris, France.,Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health Research Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Nicolas Heck
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, INSERM, CNRS, Neurosciences Paris Seine, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (NPS, IBPS), 75005, Paris, France.
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14
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Gerth AI, Alhadeff AL, Grill HJ, Roitman MF. Regional influence of cocaine on evoked dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens core: A role for the caudal brainstem. Brain Res 2016; 1655:252-260. [PMID: 27789280 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2016.10.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2016] [Revised: 10/20/2016] [Accepted: 10/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Cocaine increases dopamine concentration in the nucleus accumbens through competitive binding to the dopamine transporter (DAT). However, it also increases the frequency of dopamine release events, a finding that cannot be explained by action at the DAT alone. Rather, this effect may be mediated by cocaine-induced modulation of brain regions that project to dopamine neurons. To explore regional contributions of cocaine to dopamine signaling, we administered cocaine to the lateral or fourth ventricles and compared the effects on dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens evoked by electrical stimulation of the ventral tegmental area to that of systemically-delivered cocaine. Stimulation trains caused a sharp rise in dopamine followed by a slower return to baseline. The magnitude of dopamine release ([DA]max) as well as the latency to decay to fifty percent of the maximum (t(1/2); index of DAT activity) by each stimulation train were recorded. All routes of cocaine delivery caused an increase in [DA]max; only systemic cocaine caused an increase in t(1/2). Importantly, these data are the first to show that hindbrain (fourth ventricle)-delivered cocaine modulates phasic dopamine signaling. Fourth ventricular cocaine robustly increased cFos immunoreactivity in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), suggesting a neural substrate for hindbrain cocaine-mediated effects on [DA]max. Together, the data demonstrate that cocaine-induced effects on phasic dopamine signaling are mediated via actions throughout the brain including the hindbrain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashlynn I Gerth
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1007 W Harrison St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Amber L Alhadeff
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, 3720 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Harvey J Grill
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, 3720 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Mitchell F Roitman
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1007 W Harrison St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA.
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15
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Diversity of Dopaminergic Neural Circuits in Response to Drug Exposure. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:2424-46. [PMID: 26934955 PMCID: PMC4987841 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.32] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2015] [Revised: 02/05/2016] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Addictive substances are known to increase dopaminergic signaling in the mesocorticolimbic system. The origin of this dopamine (DA) signaling originates in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), which sends afferents to various targets, including the nucleus accumbens, the medial prefrontal cortex, and the basolateral amygdala. VTA DA neurons mediate stimuli saliency and goal-directed behaviors. These neurons undergo robust drug-induced intrinsic and extrinsic synaptic mechanisms following acute and chronic drug exposure, which are part of brain-wide adaptations that ultimately lead to the transition into a drug-dependent state. Interestingly, recent investigations of the differential subpopulations of VTA DA neurons have revealed projection-specific functional roles in mediating reward, aversion, and stress. It is now critical to view drug-induced neuroadaptations from a circuit-level perspective to gain insight into how differential dopaminergic adaptations and signaling to targets of the mesocorticolimbic system mediates drug reward. This review hopes to describe the projection-specific intrinsic characteristics of these subpopulations, the differential afferent inputs onto these VTA DA neuron subpopulations, and consolidate findings of drug-induced plasticity of VTA DA neurons and highlight the importance of future projection-based studies of this system.
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16
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Root DH, Wang HL, Liu B, Barker DJ, Mód L, Szocsics P, Silva AC, Maglóczky Z, Morales M. Glutamate neurons are intermixed with midbrain dopamine neurons in nonhuman primates and humans. Sci Rep 2016; 6:30615. [PMID: 27477243 PMCID: PMC4967922 DOI: 10.1038/srep30615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The rodent ventral tegmental area (VTA) and substantia nigra pars compacta (SNC) contain dopamine neurons intermixed with glutamate neurons (expressing vesicular glutamate transporter 2; VGluT2), which play roles in reward and aversion. However, identifying the neuronal compositions of the VTA and SNC in higher mammals has remained challenging. Here, we revealed VGluT2 neurons within the VTA and SNC of nonhuman primates and humans by simultaneous detection of VGluT2 mRNA and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH; for identification of dopamine neurons). We found that several VTA subdivisions share similar cellular compositions in nonhuman primates and humans; their rostral linear nuclei have a high prevalence of VGluT2 neurons lacking TH; their paranigral and parabrachial pigmented nuclei have mostly TH neurons, and their parabrachial pigmented nuclei have dual VGluT2-TH neurons. Within nonhuman primates and humans SNC, the vast majority of neurons are TH neurons but VGluT2 neurons were detected in the pars lateralis subdivision. The demonstration that midbrain dopamine neurons are intermixed with glutamate or glutamate-dopamine neurons from rodents to humans offers new opportunities for translational studies towards analyzing the roles that each of these neurons play in human behavior and in midbrain-associated illnesses such as addiction, depression, schizophrenia, and Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- David H Root
- Neuronal Networks Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 251 Bayview Blvd Suite 200, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Hui-Ling Wang
- Neuronal Networks Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 251 Bayview Blvd Suite 200, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Bing Liu
- Neuronal Networks Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 251 Bayview Blvd Suite 200, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - David J Barker
- Neuronal Networks Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 251 Bayview Blvd Suite 200, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - László Mód
- Department of Psychology, Szent Borbála Hospital, H-2800, Tatabánya, Hungary
| | - Péter Szocsics
- Laboratory of Cerebral Cortex Research, Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, H-1083, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Afonso C Silva
- Cerebral Microcirculation Section, Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 49 Convent Drive Bldg 49 Room 3A72, Bethesda, MD 20892-4478, USA
| | - Zsófia Maglóczky
- Laboratory of Cerebral Cortex Research, Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, H-1083, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Marisela Morales
- Neuronal Networks Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 251 Bayview Blvd Suite 200, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
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17
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Saunders BT, Richard JM, Janak PH. Contemporary approaches to neural circuit manipulation and mapping: focus on reward and addiction. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2016; 370:20140210. [PMID: 26240425 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2014.0210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Tying complex psychological processes to precisely defined neural circuits is a major goal of systems and behavioural neuroscience. This is critical for understanding adaptive behaviour, and also how neural systems are altered in states of psychopathology, such as addiction. Efforts to relate psychological processes relevant to addiction to activity within defined neural circuits have been complicated by neural heterogeneity. Recent advances in technology allow for manipulation and mapping of genetically and anatomically defined neurons, which when used in concert with sophisticated behavioural models, have the potential to provide great insight into neural circuit bases of behaviour. Here we discuss contemporary approaches for understanding reward and addiction, with a focus on midbrain dopamine and cortico-striato-pallidal circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin T Saunders
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Jocelyn M Richard
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Patricia H Janak
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
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18
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Barker DJ, Root DH, Zhang S, Morales M. Multiplexed neurochemical signaling by neurons of the ventral tegmental area. J Chem Neuroanat 2016; 73:33-42. [PMID: 26763116 PMCID: PMC4818729 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2015.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2015] [Revised: 12/31/2015] [Accepted: 12/31/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is an evolutionarily conserved structure that has roles in reward-seeking, safety-seeking, learning, motivation, and neuropsychiatric disorders such as addiction and depression. The involvement of the VTA in these various behaviors and disorders is paralleled by its diverse signaling mechanisms. Here we review recent advances in our understanding of neuronal diversity in the VTA with a focus on cell phenotypes that participate in 'multiplexed' neurotransmission involving distinct signaling mechanisms. First, we describe the cellular diversity within the VTA, including neurons capable of transmitting dopamine, glutamate or GABA as well as neurons capable of multiplexing combinations of these neurotransmitters. Next, we describe the complex synaptic architecture used by VTA neurons in order to accommodate the transmission of multiple transmitters. We specifically cover recent findings showing that VTA multiplexed neurotransmission may be mediated by either the segregation of dopamine and glutamate into distinct microdomains within a single axon or by the integration of glutamate and GABA into a single axon terminal. In addition, we discuss our current understanding of the functional role that these multiplexed signaling pathways have in the lateral habenula and the nucleus accumbens. Finally, we consider the putative roles of VTA multiplexed neurotransmission in synaptic plasticity and discuss how changes in VTA multiplexed neurons may relate to various psychopathologies including drug addiction and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Barker
- Neuronal Networks Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 251 Bayview Blvd Suite 200, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States
| | - David H Root
- Neuronal Networks Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 251 Bayview Blvd Suite 200, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States
| | - Shiliang Zhang
- Neuronal Networks Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 251 Bayview Blvd Suite 200, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States
| | - Marisela Morales
- Neuronal Networks Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 251 Bayview Blvd Suite 200, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States.
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19
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Mejias-Aponte CA. Specificity and impact of adrenergic projections to the midbrain dopamine system. Brain Res 2016; 1641:258-73. [PMID: 26820641 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2016.01.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2015] [Revised: 01/11/2016] [Accepted: 01/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) is a neuromodulator that regulates different brain circuits involved in cognitive functions, motor coordination, and emotions. Dysregulation of DA is associated with many neurological and psychiatric disorders such as Parkinson's disease and substance abuse. Several lines of research have shown that the midbrain DA system is regulated by the central adrenergic system. This review focuses on adrenergic interactions with midbrain DA neurons. It discusses the current neuroanatomy including source of adrenergic innervation, type of synapses, and adrenoceptors expression. It also discusses adrenergic regulation of DA cell activity and neurotransmitter release. Finally, it reviews several neurological and psychiatric disorders where changes in adrenergic system are associated with dysregulation of the midbrain DA system. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI: Noradrenergic System.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos A Mejias-Aponte
- National Institute on Drug Abuse Histology Core, Neuronal Networks Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Biomedical Research Center, 251 Bayview Blvd, Suite 200, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
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20
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Wang H, Treadway T, Covey DP, Cheer JF, Lupica CR. Cocaine-Induced Endocannabinoid Mobilization in the Ventral Tegmental Area. Cell Rep 2015; 12:1997-2008. [PMID: 26365195 PMCID: PMC4857883 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.08.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2015] [Revised: 06/02/2015] [Accepted: 08/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cocaine is a highly addictive drug that acts upon the brain’s reward circuitry via the inhibition of mono-amine uptake. Endogenous cannabinoids (eCB) are lipid molecules released from midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons that modulate cocaine’s effects through poorly understood mechanisms. We find that cocaine stimulates release of the eCB, 2-arach-idonoylglycerol (2-AG), in the rat ventral midbrain to suppress GABAergic inhibition of DA neurons, through activation of presynaptic cannabinoid CB1 receptors. Cocaine mobilizes 2-AG via inhibition of norepinephrine uptake and promotion of a cooperative interaction between Gq/11-coupled type-1 metabotropic glutamate and α1-adrenergic receptors to stimulate internal calcium stores and activate phospholipase C. The disinhibition of DA neurons by cocaine-mobilized 2-AG is also functionally relevant because it augments DA release in the nucleus accumbens in vivo. Our results identify a mechanism through which the eCB system can regulate the rewarding and addictive properties of cocaine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huikun Wang
- Electrophysiology Research Section, Cellular Neurobiology Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 251 Bayview Boulevard, Suite 200, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Tyler Treadway
- Electrophysiology Research Section, Cellular Neurobiology Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 251 Bayview Boulevard, Suite 200, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Daniel P Covey
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Joseph F Cheer
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Carl R Lupica
- Electrophysiology Research Section, Cellular Neurobiology Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 251 Bayview Boulevard, Suite 200, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
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21
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Cre-driven optogenetics in the heterogeneous genetic panorama of the VTA. Trends Neurosci 2015; 38:375-86. [PMID: 25962754 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2015.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2015] [Revised: 04/08/2015] [Accepted: 04/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The selectivity of optogenetics commonly relies on genetic promoters to manipulate specific populations of neurons through the use of Cre-driver lines. All studies performed in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) so far have utilized promoters present in groups of cells that release dopamine (DA), GABA, or glutamate. However, neurons that co-release neurotransmitters and variabilities within groups of neurons that release the same neurotransmitter present challenges when evaluating the results. Further complexity is introduced by ectopic expression patterns often occurring in transgenic Cre-drivers. New perspectives could be unfolded by identifying and selecting different types of promoter for driving the Cre recombinase. Here, we discuss some promising candidates and highlight the advantages or disadvantages of different methods for creating novel transgenic lines.
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