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Huang W, Cano JC, Fénelon K. Deciphering the role of brainstem glycinergic neurons during startle and prepulse inhibition. Brain Res 2024; 1836:148938. [PMID: 38615924 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2024.148938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the auditory startle response, a key measure of sensorimotor gating, diminishes with age and is impaired in various neurological conditions. While PPI deficits are often associated with cognitive impairments, their reversal is routinely used in experimental systems for antipsychotic drug screening. Yet, the cellular and circuit-level mechanisms of PPI remain unclear, even under non-pathological conditions. We recently showed that brainstem neurons located in the caudal pontine reticular nucleus (PnC) expressing the glycine transporter type 2 (GlyT2±) receive inputs from the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) and contribute to PPI but via an uncharted pathway. Here, using tract-tracing, immunohistochemistry and in vitro optogenetic manipulations coupled to field electrophysiological recordings, we reveal the neuroanatomical distribution of GlyT2± PnC neurons and PnC-projecting CeA glutamatergic neurons and we provide mechanistic insights on how these glutamatergic inputs suppress auditory neurotransmission in PnC sections. Additionally, in vivo experiments using GlyT2-Cre mice confirm that optogenetic activation of GlyT2± PnC neurons enhances PPI and is sufficient to induce PPI in young mice, emphasizing their role. However, in older mice, PPI decline is not further influenced by inhibiting GlyT2± neurons. This study highlights the importance of GlyT2± PnC neurons in PPI and underscores their diminished activity in age-related PPI decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanyun Huang
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Life Science Laboratories, 240 Thatcher Road, Amherst, MA, 01002, USA
| | - Jose C Cano
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, 500 West University Avenue, El Paso, TX, 79912, USA
| | - Karine Fénelon
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Life Science Laboratories, 240 Thatcher Road, Amherst, MA, 01002, USA.
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2
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Yakhnitsa V, Thompson J, Ponomareva O, Ji G, Kiritoshi T, Mahimainathan L, Molehin D, Pruitt K, Neugebauer V. Dysfunction of Small-Conductance Ca 2+-Activated Potassium (SK) Channels Drives Amygdala Hyperexcitability and Neuropathic Pain Behaviors: Involvement of Epigenetic Mechanisms. Cells 2024; 13:1055. [PMID: 38920682 PMCID: PMC11201618 DOI: 10.3390/cells13121055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Neuroplasticity in the amygdala and its central nucleus (CeA) is linked to pain modulation and pain behaviors, but cellular mechanisms are not well understood. Here, we addressed the role of small-conductance Ca2+-activated potassium (SK) channels in pain-related amygdala plasticity. The facilitatory effects of the intra-CeA application of an SK channel blocker (apamin) on the pain behaviors of control rats were lost in a neuropathic pain model, whereas an SK channel activator (NS309) inhibited pain behaviors in neuropathic rats but not in sham controls, suggesting the loss of the inhibitory behavioral effects of amygdala SK channels. Brain slice electrophysiology found hyperexcitability of CeA neurons in the neuropathic pain condition due to the loss of SK channel-mediated medium afterhyperpolarization (mAHP), which was accompanied by decreased SK2 channel protein and mRNA expression, consistent with a pretranscriptional mechanisms. The underlying mechanisms involved the epigenetic silencing of the SK2 gene due to the increased DNA methylation of the CpG island of the SK2 promoter region and the change in methylated CpG sites in the CeA in neuropathic pain. This study identified the epigenetic dysregulation of SK channels in the amygdala (CeA) as a novel mechanism of neuropathic pain-related plasticity and behavior that could be targeted to control abnormally enhanced amygdala activity and chronic neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vadim Yakhnitsa
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - Jeremy Thompson
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - Olga Ponomareva
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - Guangchen Ji
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
- Center of Excellence for Translational Neuroscience and Therapeutics, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - Takaki Kiritoshi
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - Lenin Mahimainathan
- Department of Pathology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Deborah Molehin
- Department of Immunology and Molecular Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - Kevin Pruitt
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Volker Neugebauer
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
- Center of Excellence for Translational Neuroscience and Therapeutics, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
- Garrison Institute on Aging, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
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Bonilla P, Shanks A, Nerella Y, Porcu A. Effects of chronic light cycle disruption during adolescence on circadian clock, neuronal activity rhythms, and behavior in mice. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1418694. [PMID: 38952923 PMCID: PMC11215055 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1418694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The advent of artificial lighting, particularly during the evening and night, has significantly altered the predictable daily light and dark cycles in recent times. Altered light environments disrupt the biological clock and negatively impact mood and cognition. Although adolescents commonly experience chronic changes in light/dark cycles, our understanding of how the adolescents' brain adapts to altered light environments remains limited. Here, we investigated the impact of chronic light cycle disruption (LCD) during adolescence, exposing adolescent mice to 19 h of light and 5 h of darkness for 5 days and 12 L:12D for 2 days per week (LCD group) for 4 weeks. We showed that LCD exposure did not affect circadian locomotor activity but impaired memory and increased avoidance response in adolescent mice. Clock gene expression and neuronal activity rhythms analysis revealed that LCD disrupted local molecular clock and neuronal activity in the dentate gyrus (DG) and in the medial amygdala (MeA) but not in the circadian pacemaker (SCN). In addition, we characterized the photoresponsiveness of the MeA and showed that somatostatin neurons are affected by acute and chronic aberrant light exposure during adolescence. Our research provides new evidence highlighting the potential consequences of altered light environments during pubertal development on neuronal physiology and behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Alessandra Porcu
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
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4
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O'Neill PK, Posani L, Meszaros J, Warren P, Schoonover CE, Fink AJP, Fusi S, Salzman CD. The representational geometry of emotional states in basolateral amygdala. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.09.23.558668. [PMID: 37790470 PMCID: PMC10542536 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.23.558668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Sensory stimuli associated with aversive outcomes cause multiple behavioral responses related to an animal's evolving emotional state, but neural mechanisms underlying these processes remain unclear. Here aversive stimuli were presented to mice, eliciting two responses reflecting fear and flight to safety: tremble and ingress into a virtual burrow. Inactivation of basolateral amygdala (BLA) eliminated differential responses to aversive and neutral stimuli without eliminating responses themselves, suggesting BLA signals valence, not motor commands. However, two-photon imaging revealed that neurons typically exhibited mixed selectivity for stimulus identity, valence, tremble and/or ingress. Despite heterogeneous selectivity, BLA representational geometry was lower-dimensional when encoding valence, tremble and safety, enabling generalization of emotions across conditions. Further, tremble and valence coding directions were orthogonal, allowing linear readouts to specialize. Thus BLA representational geometry confers two computational properties that identify specialized neural circuits encoding variables describing emotional states: generalization across conditions, and readouts lacking interference from other readouts.
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Dromard Y, Borie AM, Chakraborty P, Muscatelli F, Guillon G, Desarménien MG, Jeanneteau F. Disengagement of somatostatin neurons from lateral septum circuitry by oxytocin and vasopressin restores social-fear extinction and suppresses aggression outbursts in Prader-Willi syndrome model. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 95:785-799. [PMID: 38952926 PMCID: PMC11216544 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.10.016] [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] [Indexed: 07/03/2024]
Abstract
Background Responding to social signals by expressing the correct behavior is not only challenged in autism, but also in diseases with high prevalence of autism, like Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). Clinical evidence suggests aberrant pro-social behavior in patients can be regulated by intranasal oxytocin (OXT) or vasopressin (AVP). However, what neuronal mechanisms underlie impaired behavioral responses in a socially-aversive context, and how can they be corrected, remains largely unknown. Methods Using the Magel2 knocked-out (KO) mouse model of PWS (crossed with CRE-dependent transgenic lines), we devised optogenetic, physiological and pharmacological strategies in a social-fear-conditioning paradigm. Pathway specific roles of OXT and AVP signaling were investigated converging on the lateral septum (LS), a region which receives dense hypothalamic inputs. Results OXT and AVP signaling promoted inhibitory synaptic transmission in the LS, which failure in Magel2KO mice disinhibited somatostatin (SST) neurons and disrupted social-fear extinction. The source of OXT and AVP deficits mapped specifically in the supraoptic nucleus→LS pathway of Magel2KO mice disrupting social-fear extinction, which could be corrected by optogenetic or pharmacological inhibition of SST-neurons in the LS. Interestingly, LS SST-neurons also gated the expression of aggressive behavior, possibly as part of functional units operating beyond local septal circuits. Conclusions SST cells in the LS play a crucial role in integration and expression of disrupted neuropeptide signals in autism, thereby altering the balance in expression of safety versus fear. Our results uncover novel mechanisms underlying dysfunction in a socially-aversive context, and provides a new framework for future treatments in autism-spectrum disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yann Dromard
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, University of Montpellier, INSERM, CNRS, France
| | - Amélie M. Borie
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, University of Montpellier, INSERM, CNRS, France
| | - Prabahan Chakraborty
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, University of Montpellier, INSERM, CNRS, France
| | - Françoise Muscatelli
- Institut de Neurobiologie de la Méditerranée, INSERM, University of Aix-Marseille, Marseille, France
| | - Gilles Guillon
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, University of Montpellier, INSERM, CNRS, France
| | - Michel G. Desarménien
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, University of Montpellier, INSERM, CNRS, France
| | - Freddy Jeanneteau
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, University of Montpellier, INSERM, CNRS, France
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Ramos-Prats A, Matulewicz P, Edenhofer ML, Wang KY, Yeh CW, Fajardo-Serrano A, Kress M, Kummer K, Lien CC, Ferraguti F. Loss of mGlu 5 receptors in somatostatin-expressing neurons alters negative emotional states. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02541-5. [PMID: 38575807 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02541-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Subtype 5 metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGlu5) are known to play an important role in regulating cognitive, social and valence systems. However, it remains largely unknown at which circuits and neuronal types mGlu5 act to influence these behavioral domains. Altered tissue- or cell-specific expression or function of mGlu5 has been proposed to contribute to the exacerbation of neuropsychiatric disorders. Here, we examined how these receptors regulate the activity of somatostatin-expressing (SST+) neurons, as well as their influence on behavior and brain rhythmic activity. Loss of mGlu5 in SST+ neurons elicited excitatory synaptic dysfunction in a region and sex-specific manner together with a range of emotional imbalances including diminished social novelty preference, reduced anxiety-like behavior and decreased freezing during retrieval of fear memories. In addition, the absence of mGlu5 in SST+ neurons during fear processing impaired theta frequency oscillatory activity in the medial prefrontal cortex and ventral hippocampus. These findings reveal a critical role of mGlu5 in controlling SST+ neurons excitability necessary for regulating negative emotional states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnau Ramos-Prats
- Institute of Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Pawel Matulewicz
- Institute of Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | | | - Kai-Yi Wang
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Wei Yeh
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ana Fajardo-Serrano
- Institute of Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Michaela Kress
- Institute of Physiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Kai Kummer
- Institute of Physiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Cheng-Chang Lien
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Francesco Ferraguti
- Institute of Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
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7
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Greiner EM, Witt ME, Moran SJ, Petrovich GD. Activation patterns in male and female forebrain circuitries during food consumption under novelty. Brain Struct Funct 2024; 229:403-429. [PMID: 38193917 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-023-02742-8] [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: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
The influence of novelty on feeding behavior is significant and can override both homeostatic and hedonic drives due to the uncertainty of potential danger. Previous work found that novel food hypophagia is enhanced in a novel environment and that males habituate faster than females. The current study's aim was to identify the neural substrates of separate effects of food and context novelty. Adult male and female rats were tested for consumption of a novel or familiar food in either a familiar or in a novel context. Test-induced Fos expression was measured in the amygdalar, thalamic, striatal, and prefrontal cortex regions that are important for appetitive responding, contextual processing, and reward motivation. Food and context novelty induced strikingly different activation patterns. Novel context induced Fos robustly in almost every region analyzed, including the central (CEA) and basolateral complex nuclei of the amygdala, the thalamic paraventricular (PVT) and reuniens nuclei, the nucleus accumbens (ACB), the medial prefrontal cortex prelimbic and infralimbic areas, and the dorsal agranular insular cortex (AI). Novel food induced Fos in a few select regions: the CEA, anterior basomedial nucleus of the amygdala, anterior PVT, and posterior AI. There were also sex differences in activation patterns. The capsular and lateral CEA had greater activation for male groups and the anterior PVT, ACB ventral core and shell had greater activation for female groups. These activation patterns and correlations between regions, suggest that distinct functional circuitries control feeding behavior when food is novel and when eating occurs in a novel environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliza M Greiner
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Mary E Witt
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Stephanie J Moran
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Gorica D Petrovich
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA.
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8
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Yeh LF, Zuo S, Liu PW. Molecular diversity and functional dynamics in the central amygdala. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 17:1364268. [PMID: 38419794 PMCID: PMC10899328 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1364268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The central amygdala (CeA) is crucial in integrating sensory and associative information to mediate adaptive responses to emotional stimuli. Recent advances in genetic techniques like optogenetics and chemogenetics have deepened our understanding of distinct neuronal populations within the CeA, particularly those involved in fear learning and memory consolidation. However, challenges remain due to overlapping genetic markers complicating neuron identification. Furthermore, a comprehensive understanding of molecularly defined cell types and their projection patterns, which are essential for elucidating functional roles, is still developing. Recent advancements in transcriptomics are starting to bridge these gaps, offering new insights into the functional dynamics of CeA neurons. In this review, we provide an overview of the expanding genetic markers for amygdala research, encompassing recent developments and current trends. We also discuss how novel transcriptomic approaches are redefining cell types in the CeA and setting the stage for comprehensive functional studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Feng Yeh
- RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
| | - Shuzhen Zuo
- RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Pin-Wu Liu
- Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
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Dorst KE, Senne RA, Diep AH, de Boer AR, Suthard RL, Leblanc H, Ruesch EA, Pyo AY, Skelton S, Carstensen LC, Malmberg S, McKissick OP, Bladon JH, Ramirez S. Hippocampal Engrams Generate Variable Behavioral Responses and Brain-Wide Network States. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e0340232023. [PMID: 38050098 PMCID: PMC10860633 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0340-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Freezing is a defensive behavior commonly examined during hippocampal-mediated fear engram reactivation. How these cellular populations engage the brain and modulate freezing across varying environmental demands is unclear. To address this, we optogenetically reactivated a fear engram in the dentate gyrus subregion of the hippocampus across three distinct contexts in male mice. We found that there were differential amounts of light-induced freezing depending on the size of the context in which reactivation occurred: mice demonstrated robust light-induced freezing in the most spatially restricted of the three contexts but not in the largest. We then utilized graph theoretical analyses to identify brain-wide alterations in cFos expression during engram reactivation across the smallest and largest contexts. Our manipulations induced positive interregional cFos correlations that were not observed in control conditions. Additionally, regions spanning putative "fear" and "defense" systems were recruited as hub regions in engram reactivation networks. Lastly, we compared the network generated from engram reactivation in the small context with a natural fear memory retrieval network. Here, we found shared characteristics such as modular composition and hub regions. By identifying and manipulating the circuits supporting memory function, as well as their corresponding brain-wide activity patterns, it is thereby possible to resolve systems-level biological mechanisms mediating memory's capacity to modulate behavioral states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn E Dorst
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston 02215, Massachusetts
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston 02215, Massachusetts
| | - Ryan A Senne
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston 02215, Massachusetts
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston 02215, Massachusetts
| | - Anh H Diep
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston 02215, Massachusetts
| | - Antje R de Boer
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston 02215, Massachusetts
| | - Rebecca L Suthard
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston 02215, Massachusetts
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston 02215, Massachusetts
| | - Heloise Leblanc
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston 02215, Massachusetts
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston 02215, Massachusetts
| | - Evan A Ruesch
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston 02215, Massachusetts
| | - Angela Y Pyo
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston 02215, Massachusetts
| | - Sara Skelton
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston 02215, Massachusetts
| | - Lucas C Carstensen
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston 02215, Massachusetts
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston 02215, Massachusetts
| | - Samantha Malmberg
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston 02215, Massachusetts
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston 02215, Massachusetts
| | - Olivia P McKissick
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston 02215, Massachusetts
| | - John H Bladon
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston 02215, Massachusetts
| | - Steve Ramirez
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston 02215, Massachusetts
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10
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Braine A, Georges F. Emotion in action: When emotions meet motor circuits. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 155:105475. [PMID: 37996047 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
The brain is a remarkably complex organ responsible for a wide range of functions, including the modulation of emotional states and movement. Neuronal circuits are believed to play a crucial role in integrating sensory, cognitive, and emotional information to ultimately guide motor behavior. Over the years, numerous studies employing diverse techniques such as electrophysiology, imaging, and optogenetics have revealed a complex network of neural circuits involved in the regulation of emotional or motor processes. Emotions can exert a substantial influence on motor performance, encompassing both everyday activities and pathological conditions. The aim of this review is to explore how emotional states can shape movements by connecting the neural circuits for emotional processing to motor neural circuits. We first provide a comprehensive overview of the impact of different emotional states on motor control in humans and rodents. In line with behavioral studies, we set out to identify emotion-related structures capable of modulating motor output, behaviorally and anatomically. Neuronal circuits involved in emotional processing are extensively connected to the motor system. These circuits can drive emotional behavior, essential for survival, but can also continuously shape ongoing movement. In summary, the investigation of the intricate relationship between emotion and movement offers valuable insights into human behavior, including opportunities to enhance performance, and holds promise for improving mental and physical health. This review integrates findings from multiple scientific approaches, including anatomical tracing, circuit-based dissection, and behavioral studies, conducted in both animal and human subjects. By incorporating these different methodologies, we aim to present a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of the emotional modulation of movement in both physiological and pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anaelle Braine
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, IMN, UMR 5293, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
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11
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Crofton EJ, O'Buckley TK, Bohnsack JP, Morrow AL, Herman MA. Divergent Population-Specific Effects of Chronic Ethanol Exposure on Excitability and Inhibitory Transmission in Male and Female Rat Central Amygdala. J Neurosci 2023; 43:7056-7068. [PMID: 37657933 PMCID: PMC10586533 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0717-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) is implicated in alcohol use disorder (AUD) and AUD-associated plasticity. The CeA is a primarily GABAergic nucleus that is subdivided into lateral and medial compartments with genetically diverse subpopulations. GABAA receptors are heteromeric pentamers with subunits conferring distinct physiological characteristics. GABAA receptor signaling in the CeA has been implicated in ethanol-associated plasticity; however, population-specific changes in inhibitory signaling and subunit expression remain unclear. Here, we combined electrophysiology with single-cell gene expression analysis of population markers and GABAA receptor subunits to examine population-specific changes in inhibitory control in male and female rats following chronic ethanol exposure. We found that chronic ethanol exposure and withdrawal produced global changes in GABAA receptor subunit expression at the transcript and protein levels, increased excitability in female CeA neurons, and increased inhibitory synaptic transmission in male CeA neurons. When we examined CeA neurons at the single-cell level we found heterogenous populations, as previously reported. We observed ethanol-induced increases in excitability only in somatostatin neurons in the CeA of females, decreases in excitability only in the protein kinase C delta (PKCd) population in males, and ethanol-induced increases in inhibitory transmission in male PKCd and calbindin 2-expressing CeA neurons. There were no population-specific differences in GABAA receptor (Gabr) subunits in males but reduced GabrA5 expression in female somatostatin neurons. Collectively, these findings suggest that defined CeA populations display differential ethanol sensitivity in males and females, which may play a role in sex differences in vulnerability to AUD or expression of AUD pathology.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The CeA is involved in the effects of ethanol in the brain; however, the population-specific changes in CeA activity remain unclear. We used recordings of CeA neuronal activity and single-cell gene expression to examine population-specific changes in inhibitory control in male and female rats following chronic ethanol exposure and found sex- and population-specific effects of chronic ethanol exposure and withdrawal. Specifically, female CeA neurons displayed increased excitability in the somatostatin CeA population, whereas male CeA neurons displayed increased inhibitory control in both PKCd and calbindin populations and decreased excitability in the PKCd population. These findings identify CeA populations that display differential sensitivity to ethanol exposure, which may contribute to sex differences in vulnerability to alcohol use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth J Crofton
- Departments of Psychiatry
- Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Emmanuel College, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Todd K O'Buckley
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - John P Bohnsack
- Departments of Psychiatry
- Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - A Leslie Morrow
- Departments of Psychiatry
- Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Melissa A Herman
- Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
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12
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Robinson SL, Thiele TE. Somatostatin signaling modulates binge drinking behavior via the central nucleus of the amygdala. Neuropharmacology 2023; 237:109622. [PMID: 37307896 PMCID: PMC10527233 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Somatostatin (SST) is a neuropeptide widely expressed in the central nervous system with dense expression in limbic regions such as the extended amygdala. It has recently gained attention for playing a role in modulating alcohol use disorders and co-morbid neuropsychiatric disorders. However, the role of SST in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA), a key region for neuropeptide regulation of alcohol and anxiety related behaviors, in alcohol consumption has not been assessed. In this work we perform an initial examination of the interaction between the CeA SST system and binge ethanol intake. Binge intake is a dangerous pattern of excessive ethanol consumption associated with health complications and the transition into alcohol dependence. We use the Drinking in the Dark (DID) model of binge intake in C57BL/6J male and female mice to examine: 1) the impact of 3 DID cycles on CeA SST expression; 2) the effect of intra-CeA SST injection on binge-like ethanol consumption; and 3) if the SST receptor 2 or 4 (SST2R or SST4R) mediate any effect on consumption. Our results show binge-like ethanol intake decreases SST expression in the CeA, but not neighboring basolateral amygdala. We further found intra-SST CeA administration reduces binge ethanol intake. This decrease was replicated by the administration of an SST4R agonist. These effects were not sex-dependent. Overall, this work lends further support for SST playing a role in alcohol related behaviors and as a potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacey L Robinson
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Todd E Thiele
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
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13
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Salimando GJ, Tremblay S, Kimmey BA, Li J, Rogers SA, Wojick JA, McCall NM, Wooldridge LM, Rodrigues A, Borner T, Gardiner KL, Jayakar SS, Singeç I, Woolf CJ, Hayes MR, De Jonghe BC, Bennett FC, Bennett ML, Blendy JA, Platt ML, Creasy KT, Renthal WR, Ramakrishnan C, Deisseroth K, Corder G. Human OPRM1 and murine Oprm1 promoter driven viral constructs for genetic access to μ-opioidergic cell types. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5632. [PMID: 37704594 PMCID: PMC10499891 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41407-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
With concurrent global epidemics of chronic pain and opioid use disorders, there is a critical need to identify, target and manipulate specific cell populations expressing the mu-opioid receptor (MOR). However, available tools and transgenic models for gaining long-term genetic access to MOR+ neural cell types and circuits involved in modulating pain, analgesia and addiction across species are limited. To address this, we developed a catalog of MOR promoter (MORp) based constructs packaged into adeno-associated viral vectors that drive transgene expression in MOR+ cells. MORp constructs designed from promoter regions upstream of the mouse Oprm1 gene (mMORp) were validated for transduction efficiency and selectivity in endogenous MOR+ neurons in the brain, spinal cord, and periphery of mice, with additional studies revealing robust expression in rats, shrews, and human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived nociceptors. The use of mMORp for in vivo fiber photometry, behavioral chemogenetics, and intersectional genetic strategies is also demonstrated. Lastly, a human designed MORp (hMORp) efficiently transduced macaque cortical OPRM1+ cells. Together, our MORp toolkit provides researchers cell type specific genetic access to target and functionally manipulate mu-opioidergic neurons across a range of vertebrate species and translational models for pain, addiction, and neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory J Salimando
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sébastien Tremblay
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Blake A Kimmey
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jia Li
- Dept. of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sophie A Rogers
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jessica A Wojick
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nora M McCall
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lisa M Wooldridge
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Amrith Rodrigues
- Translational Medicine and Human Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Tito Borner
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kristin L Gardiner
- Dept. of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Selwyn S Jayakar
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ilyas Singeç
- Stem Cell Translation Laboratory, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Clifford J Woolf
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Matthew R Hayes
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Bart C De Jonghe
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - F Christian Bennett
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Neurology, Dept. of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mariko L Bennett
- Division of Neurology, Dept. of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Dept. of Systems Pharmacology & Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Michael L Platt
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kate Townsend Creasy
- Translational Medicine and Human Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - William R Renthal
- Dept. of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Karl Deisseroth
- CNC Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Dept. of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Gregory Corder
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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14
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Zhu Y, Xie SZ, Peng AB, Yu XD, Li CY, Fu JY, Shen CJ, Cao SX, Zhang Y, Chen J, Li XM. Distinct Circuits From the Central Lateral Amygdala to the Ventral Part of the Bed Nucleus of Stria Terminalis Regulate Different Fear Memory. Biol Psychiatry 2023:S0006-3223(23)01553-6. [PMID: 37678543 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.08.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The ability to differentiate stimuli that predict fear is critical for survival; however, the underlying molecular and circuit mechanisms remain poorly understood. METHODS We combined transgenic mice, in vivo transsynaptic circuit-dissecting anatomical approaches, optogenetics, pharmacological methods, and electrophysiological recording to investigate the involvement of specific extended amygdala circuits in different fear memory. RESULTS We identified the projections from central lateral amygdala (CeL) protein kinase C δ (PKCδ)-positive neurons and somatostatin (SST)-positive neurons to GABAergic (gamma-aminobutyric acidergic) and glutamatergic neurons in the ventral part of the bed nucleus of stria terminalis (vBNST). Prolonged optogenetic activation or inhibition of the PKCδCeL-vBNST pathway specifically reduced context fear memory, whereas the SSTCeL-vBNST pathway mainly reduced tone fear memory. Intriguingly, optogenetic manipulation of vBNST neurons that received the projection from PKCδCeL neurons exerted bidirectional regulation of context fear, whereas manipulation of vBNST neurons that received the projection from SSTCeL neurons could bidirectionally regulate both context and tone fear memory. We subsequently demonstrated the presence of δ and κ opioid receptor protein expression within the CeL-vBNST circuits, potentially accounting for the discrepancy between prolonged activation of GABAergic circuits and inhibition of downstream vBNST neurons. Finally, administration of an opioid receptor antagonist cocktail on the PKCδCeL-vBNST or SSTCeL-vBNST pathway successfully restored context or tone fear memory reduction induced by prolonged activation of the circuits. CONCLUSIONS Together, these findings establish a functional role for distinct CeL-vBNST circuits in the differential regulation and appropriate maintenance of fear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhu
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Ministry of Education Frontier Center of Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shi-Ze Xie
- National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Ministry of Education Frontier Center of Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ai-Bing Peng
- National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Ministry of Education Frontier Center of Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Dan Yu
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Ministry of Education Frontier Center of Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chun-Yue Li
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Ministry of Education Frontier Center of Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jia-Yu Fu
- National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Ministry of Education Frontier Center of Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chen-Jie Shen
- National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Ministry of Education Frontier Center of Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shu-Xia Cao
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Ministry of Education Frontier Center of Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiadong Chen
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Ministry of Education Frontier Center of Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Ming Li
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Ministry of Education Frontier Center of Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; Research Units for Emotion and Emotion Disorders, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
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15
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Dorofeikova M, Stelly CE, Duong A, Basavanhalli S, Bean E, Weissmuller K, Sifnugel N, Resendez A, Corey DM, Tasker JG, Fadok JP. The Role of Genetically Distinct Central Amygdala Neurons in Appetitive and Aversive Responding Assayed with a Novel Dual Valence Operant Conditioning Paradigm. eNeuro 2023; 10:ENEURO.0319-22.2023. [PMID: 37640541 PMCID: PMC10488222 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0319-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
To survive, animals must meet their biological needs while simultaneously avoiding danger. However, the neurobiological basis of appetitive and aversive survival behaviors has historically been studied using separate behavioral tasks. While recent studies in mice have quantified appetitive and aversive conditioned responses simultaneously (Jikomes et al., 2016; Heinz et al., 2017), these tasks required different behavioral responses to each stimulus. As many brain regions involved in survival behavior process stimuli of opposite valence, we developed a paradigm in which mice perform the same response (nose poke) to distinct auditory cues to obtain a rewarding outcome (palatable food) or avoid an aversive outcome (mild footshoock). This design allows for both within-subject and between-subject comparisons as animals respond to appetitive and aversive cues. The central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) is implicated in the regulation of responses to stimuli of either valence. Considering its role in threat processing (Wilensky et al., 2006; Haubensak et al., 2010) and regulation of incentive salience (Warlow and Berridge, 2021), it is important to examine the contribution of the CeA to mechanisms potentially underlying comorbid dysregulation of avoidance and reward (Sinha, 2008; Bolton et al., 2009). Using this paradigm, we tested the role of two molecularly defined CeA subtypes previously linked to consummatory and defensive behaviors. Significant strain differences in the acquisition and performance of the task were observed. Bidirectional chemogenetic manipulation of CeA somatostatin (SOM) neurons altered motivation for reward and perseveration of reward-seeking responses on avoidance trials. Manipulation of corticotropin-releasing factor neurons (CRF) had no significant effect on food reward consumption, motivation, or task performance. This paradigm will facilitate investigations into the neuronal mechanisms controlling motivated behavior across valences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariia Dorofeikova
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118
| | - Claire E Stelly
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118
| | - Anh Duong
- Program in Neuroscience, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118
| | | | - Erin Bean
- Program in Neuroscience, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118
| | | | - Natalia Sifnugel
- Program in Neuroscience, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118
| | - Alexis Resendez
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118
| | - David M Corey
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118
| | - Jeffrey G Tasker
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118
| | - Jonathan P Fadok
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118
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16
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Penzo MA, Moscarello JM. From aversive associations to defensive programs: experience-dependent synaptic modifications in the central amygdala. Trends Neurosci 2023; 46:701-711. [PMID: 37495461 PMCID: PMC10529247 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.06.006] [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: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Plasticity elicited by fear conditioning (FC) is thought to support the storage of aversive associative memories. Although work over the past decade has revealed FC-induced plasticity beyond canonical sites in the basolateral complex of the amygdala (BLA), it is not known whether modifications across distributed circuits make equivalent or distinct contributions to aversive memory. Here, we review evidence demonstrating that experience-dependent synaptic plasticity in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) has a circumscribed role in memory expression per se, guiding the selection of defensive programs in response to acquired threats. We argue that the CeA may be a key example of a broader phenomenon by which synaptic plasticity at specific nodes of a distributed network makes a complementary contribution to distinct memory processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario A Penzo
- Unit on the Neurobiology of Affective Memory, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Justin M Moscarello
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
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17
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Senba E, Kami K. Exercise therapy for chronic pain: How does exercise change the limbic brain function? NEUROBIOLOGY OF PAIN (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2023; 14:100143. [PMID: 38099274 PMCID: PMC10719519 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynpai.2023.100143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
We are exposed to various external and internal threats which might hurt us. The role of taking flexible and appropriate actions against threats is played by "the limbic system" and at the heart of it there is the ventral tegmental area and nucleus accumbens (brain reward system). Pain-related fear causes excessive excitation of amygdala, which in turn causes the suppression of medial prefrontal cortex, leading to chronification of pain. Since the limbic system of chronic pain patients is functionally impaired, they are maladaptive to their situations, unable to take goal-directed behavior and are easily caught by fear-avoidance thinking. We describe the neural mechanisms how exercise activates the brain reward system and enables chronic pain patients to take goal-directed behavior and overcome fear-avoidance thinking. A key to getting out from chronic pain state is to take advantage of the behavioral switching function of the basal nucleus of amygdala. We show that exercise activates positive neurons in this nucleus which project to the nucleus accumbens and promote reward behavior. We also describe fear conditioning and extinction are affected by exercise. In chronic pain patients, the fear response to pain is enhanced and the extinction of fear memories is impaired, so it is difficult to get out of "fear-avoidance thinking". Prolonged avoidance of movement and physical inactivity exacerbate pain and have detrimental effects on the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems. Based on the recent findings on multiple bran networks, we propose a well-balanced exercise prescription considering the adherence and pacing of exercise practice. We conclude that therapies targeting the mesocortico-limbic system, such as exercise therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy, may become promising tools in the fight against chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emiko Senba
- Department of Physical Therapy, Osaka Yukioka College of Health Science, 1-1-41 Sojiji, Ibaraki-City, Osaka 567-0801, Japan
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, 811-1 Kimiidera, Wakayama City, Wakayama 641-8509, Japan
| | - Katsuya Kami
- Department of Rehabilitation, Wakayama Faculty of Health Care Sciences, Takarazuka University of Medical and Health Care, 2252 Nakanoshima, Wakayama City, Wakayama 640-8392, Japan
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, 811-1 Kimiidera, Wakayama City, Wakayama 641-8509, Japan
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18
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Dorofeikova M, Stelly CE, Duong A, Basavanhalli S, Bean E, Weissmuller K, Sifnugel N, Resendez A, Corey DM, Tasker JG, Fadok JP. The role of genetically distinct central amygdala neurons in appetitive and aversive responding assayed with a novel dual valence operant conditioning paradigm. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.07.547979. [PMID: 37461627 PMCID: PMC10350072 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.07.547979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
To survive, animals must meet their biological needs while simultaneously avoiding danger. However, the neurobiological basis of appetitive and aversive survival behaviors has historically been studied using separate behavioral tasks. While recent studies in mice have quantified appetitive and aversive conditioned responses simultaneously (Heinz et al., 2017; Jikomes et al., 2016), these tasks required different behavioral responses to each stimulus. As many brain regions involved in survival behavior process stimuli of opposite valence, we developed a paradigm in which mice perform the same response (nosepoke) to distinct auditory cues to obtain a rewarding outcome (palatable food) or avoid an aversive outcome (mild footshoock). This design allows for both within- and between-subject comparisons as animals respond to appetitive and aversive cues. The central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) is implicated in the regulation of responses to stimuli of either valence. Considering its role in threat processing (Haubensak et al., 2010; Wilensky et al., 2006) and regulation of incentive salience (Warlow and Berridge, 2021), it is important to examine the contribution of the CeA to mechanisms potentially underlying comorbid dysregulation of avoidance and reward (Bolton et al., 2009; Sinha, 2008). Using this paradigm, we tested the role of two molecularly defined CeA subtypes previously linked to consummatory and defensive behaviors. Significant strain differences in the acquisition and performance of the task were observed. Bidirectional chemogenetic manipulation of CeA somatostatin (SOM) neurons altered motivation for reward and perseveration of reward-seeking responses on avoidance trials. Manipulation of corticotropin-releasing factor neurons (CRF) had no significant effect on food reward consumption, motivation, or task performance. This paradigm will facilitate investigations into the neuronal mechanisms controlling motivated behavior across valences. Significance Statement It is unclear how different neuronal populations contribute to reward- and aversion-driven behaviors within a subject. To address this question, we developed a novel behavioral paradigm in which mice obtain food and avoid footshocks via the same operant response. We then use this paradigm to test how the central amygdala coordinates appetitive and aversive behavioral responses. By testing somatostatin-IRES-Cre and CRF-IRES-Cre transgenic lines, we found significant differences between strains on task acquisition and performance. Using chemogenetics, we demonstrate that CeA SOM+ neurons regulate motivation for reward, while manipulation of CeA CRF+ neurons had no effect on task performance. Future studies investigating the interaction between positive and negative motivation circuits should benefit from the use of this dual valence paradigm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariia Dorofeikova
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
| | - Claire E. Stelly
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
| | - Anh Duong
- Program in Neuroscience, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
| | | | - Erin Bean
- Program in Neuroscience, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
| | | | - Natalia Sifnugel
- Program in Neuroscience, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
| | - Alexis Resendez
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
| | - David M. Corey
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
| | - Jeffrey G. Tasker
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
| | - Jonathan P. Fadok
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
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19
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Boyle CA, Lei S. Neuromedin B excites central lateral amygdala neurons and reduces cardiovascular output and fear-potentiated startle. J Cell Physiol 2023; 238:1381-1404. [PMID: 37186390 PMCID: PMC10330072 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.31020] [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: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Neuromedin B (NMB) and gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) are the two mammalian analogs in the bombesin peptide family that exert a variety of actions including emotional processing, appetitive behaviors, cognition, and tumor growth. The bombesin-like peptides interact with three receptors: the NMB-preferring bombesin 1 (BB1) receptors, the GRP-preferring bombesin 2 (BB2) receptors and the orphan bombesin 3 (BB3) receptors. Whereas, injection of bombesin into the central amygdala reduces satiety and modulates blood pressure, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms have not been determined. As administration of bombesin induces the expression of Fos in the lateral nucleus of the central amygdala (CeL) which expresses BB1 receptors, we probed the effects of NMB on CeL neurons using in vitro and in vivo approaches. We showed that activation of the BB1 receptors increased action potential firing frequency recorded from CeL neurons via inhibition of the inwardly rectifying K+ (Kir) channels. Activities of phospholipase Cβ and protein kinase C were required, whereas intracellular Ca2+ release was unnecessary for BB1 receptor-elicited potentiation of neuronal excitability. Application of NMB directly into the CeA reduced blood pressure and heart rate and significantly reduced fear-potentiated startle. We may provide a cellular and molecular mechanism whereby bombesin-like peptides modulate anxiety and fear responses in the amygdala.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cody A. Boyle
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58203, USA
| | - Saobo Lei
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58203, USA
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20
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Yang T, Yu K, Zhang X, Xiao X, Chen X, Fu Y, Li B. Plastic and stimulus-specific coding of salient events in the central amygdala. Nature 2023; 616:510-519. [PMID: 37020025 PMCID: PMC10665639 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05910-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
The central amygdala (CeA) is implicated in a range of mental processes including attention, motivation, memory formation and extinction and in behaviours driven by either aversive or appetitive stimuli1-7. How it participates in these divergent functions remains elusive. Here we show that somatostatin-expressing (Sst+) CeA neurons, which mediate much of CeA functions3,6,8-10, generate experience-dependent and stimulus-specific evaluative signals essential for learning. The population responses of these neurons in mice encode the identities of a wide range of salient stimuli, with the responses of separate subpopulations selectively representing the stimuli that have contrasting valences, sensory modalities or physical properties (for example, shock and water reward). These signals scale with stimulus intensity, undergo pronounced amplification and transformation during learning, and are required for both reward and aversive learning. Notably, these signals contribute to the responses of dopamine neurons to reward and reward prediction error, but not to their responses to aversive stimuli. In line with this, Sst+ CeA neuron outputs to dopamine areas are required for reward learning, but are dispensable for aversive learning. Our results suggest that Sst+ CeA neurons selectively process information about differing salient events for evaluation during learning, supporting the diverse roles of the CeA. In particular, the information for dopamine neurons facilitates reward evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Yang
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA.
| | - Kai Yu
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | - Xian Zhang
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
- Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering Thrust, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiong Xiao
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
- Institute of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoke Chen
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Yu Fu
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Bo Li
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA.
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21
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Wang Y, Krabbe S, Eddison M, Henry FE, Fleishman G, Lemire AL, Wang L, Korff W, Tillberg PW, Lüthi A, Sternson SM. Multimodal mapping of cell types and projections in the central nucleus of the amygdala. eLife 2023; 12:84262. [PMID: 36661218 PMCID: PMC9977318 DOI: 10.7554/elife.84262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The central nucleus of the amygdala (CEA) is a brain region that integrates external and internal sensory information and executes innate and adaptive behaviors through distinct output pathways. Despite its complex functions, the diversity of molecularly defined neuronal types in the CEA and their contributions to major axonal projection targets have not been examined systematically. Here, we performed single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) to classify molecularly defined cell types in the CEA and identified marker genes to map the location of these neuronal types using expansion-assisted iterative fluorescence in situ hybridization (EASI-FISH). We developed new methods to integrate EASI-FISH with 5-plex retrograde axonal labeling to determine the spatial, morphological, and connectivity properties of ~30,000 molecularly defined CEA neurons. Our study revealed spatiomolecular organization of the CEA, with medial and lateral CEA associated with distinct molecularly defined cell families. We also found a long-range axon projection network from the CEA, where target regions receive inputs from multiple molecularly defined cell types. Axon collateralization was found primarily among projections to hindbrain targets, which are distinct from forebrain projections. This resource reports marker gene combinations for molecularly defined cell types and axon-projection types, which will be useful for selective interrogation of these neuronal populations to study their contributions to the diverse functions of the CEA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhan Wang
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteAshburnUnited States
| | - Sabine Krabbe
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)BonnGermany
| | - Mark Eddison
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteAshburnUnited States
| | - Fredrick E Henry
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteAshburnUnited States
| | - Greg Fleishman
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteAshburnUnited States
| | - Andrew L Lemire
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteAshburnUnited States
| | - Lihua Wang
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteAshburnUnited States
| | - Wyatt Korff
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteAshburnUnited States
| | - Paul W Tillberg
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteAshburnUnited States
| | - Andreas Lüthi
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
| | - Scott M Sternson
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteAshburnUnited States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute & Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San DiegoSan DiegoUnited States
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22
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Bowen AJ, Huang YW, Chen JY, Pauli JL, Campos CA, Palmiter RD. Topographic representation of current and future threats in the mouse nociceptive amygdala. Nat Commun 2023; 14:196. [PMID: 36639374 PMCID: PMC9839702 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-35826-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Adaptive behaviors arise from an integration of current sensory context and internal representations of past experiences. The central amygdala (CeA) is positioned as a key integrator of cognitive and affective signals, yet it remains unknown whether individual populations simultaneously carry current- and future-state representations. We find that a primary nociceptive population within the CeA of mice, defined by CGRP-receptor (Calcrl) expression, receives topographic sensory information, with spatially defined representations of internal and external stimuli. While Calcrl+ neurons in both the rostral and caudal CeA respond to noxious stimuli, rostral neurons promote locomotor responses to externally sourced threats, while caudal CeA Calcrl+ neurons are activated by internal threats and promote passive coping behaviors and associative valence coding. During associative fear learning, rostral CeA Calcrl+ neurons stably encode noxious stimulus occurrence, while caudal CeA Calcrl+ neurons acquire predictive responses. This arrangement supports valence-aligned representations of current and future threats for the generation of adaptive behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna J Bowen
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
| | - Y Waterlily Huang
- UW Medicine Diabetes Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Jane Y Chen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Jordan L Pauli
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Carlos A Campos
- UW Medicine Diabetes Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Richard D Palmiter
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
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23
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Shi P, Zhang MJ, Liu A, Yang CL, Yue JY, Hu R, Mao Y, Zhang Z, Wang W, Jin Y, Liang LS. Acid-sensing ion channel 1a in the central nucleus of the amygdala regulates anxiety-like behaviors in a mouse model of acute pain. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 15:1006125. [PMID: 36710934 PMCID: PMC9879607 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1006125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Pain is commonly comorbid with anxiety; however, the neural and molecular mechanisms underlying the comorbid anxiety symptoms in pain (CASP) have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we explored the role of acid-sensing ion channel 1a (ASIC1a), located in GABAergic neurons from the central nucleus of the amygdala (GABACeA), in the regulation of CASP in an acute pain mouse model. We found that the mice displayed significant mechanical pain sensitization and anxiety-like behaviors one day post injection of complete Freud's adjuvant (CFA1D). Electrophysiological recordings from acute brain slices showed that the activity of GABACeA neurons increased in the CFA1D mice compared with that in the saline mice. In addition, chemogenetic inhibition of GABACeA neurons relieved mechanical pain sensitization and anxiety-like behaviors in the CFA1D mice. Interestingly, through pharmacological inhibition and genetic knockdown of ASIC1a in the central nucleus amygdala, we found that downregulation of ASIC1a relieved the hypersensitization of mechanical stimuli and alleviated anxiety-related behaviors, accompanied with reversing the hyperactivity of GABACeA neurons in the CFA 1D mice. In conclusion, our results provide novel insights that ASIC1a in GABACeA neurons regulates anxiety-like behaviors in a mouse model of acute pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Shi
- Department of Anesthesiology, Linyi People's Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Ming-Jun Zhang
- Stroke Center and Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - An Liu
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Chen-Ling Yang
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Jia-Yin Yue
- Department of Endocrinology and Laboratory for Diabetes, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Rui Hu
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University (The First People’s Hospital of Hefei), Hefei, China
| | - Yu Mao
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Zhi Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Endocrinology and Laboratory for Diabetes, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China,*Correspondence: Wei Wang, ✉
| | - Yan Jin
- Stroke Center and Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China,Yan Jin, ✉
| | - Li-Shuang Liang
- Department of Pain, Qi lu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China,Li-Shuang Liang, ✉
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24
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Chow TE, Veziris CR, Mundada N, Martinez-Arroyo AI, Kramer JH, Miller BL, Rosen HJ, Gorno-Tempini ML, Rankin KP, Seeley WW, Rabinovici GD, La Joie R, Sturm VE. Medial Temporal Lobe Tau Aggregation Relates to Divergent Cognitive and Emotional Empathy Abilities in Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2023; 96:313-328. [PMID: 37742643 PMCID: PMC10894587 DOI: 10.3233/jad-230367] [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] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In Alzheimer's disease (AD), the gradual accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau proteins may underlie alterations in empathy. OBJECTIVE To assess whether tau aggregation in the medial temporal lobes related to differences in cognitive empathy (the ability to take others' perspectives) and emotional empathy (the ability to experience others' feelings) in AD. METHODS Older adults (n = 105) completed molecular Aβ positron emission tomography (PET) scans. Sixty-eight of the participants (35 women) were Aβ positive and symptomatic with diagnoses of mild cognitive impairment, dementia of the Alzheimer's type, logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia, or posterior cortical atrophy. The remaining 37 (22 women) were asymptomatic Aβ negative healthy older controls. Using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, we compared current levels of informant-rated cognitive empathy (Perspective-Taking subscale) and emotional empathy (Empathic Concern subscale) in the Aβ positive and negative participants. The Aβ positive participants also underwent molecular tau-PET scans, which were used to investigate whether regional tau burden in the bilateral medial temporal lobes related to empathy. RESULTS Aβ positive participants had lower perspective-taking and higher empathic concern than Aβ negative healthy controls. Medial temporal tau aggregation in the Aβ positive participants had divergent associations with cognitive and emotional empathy. Whereas greater tau burden in the amygdala predicted lower perspective-taking, greater tau burden in the entorhinal cortex predicted greater empathic concern. Tau burden in the parahippocampal cortex did not predict either form of empathy. CONCLUSIONS Across AD clinical syndromes, medial temporal lobe tau aggregation is associated with lower perspective-taking yet higher empathic concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany E. Chow
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Christina R. Veziris
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Nidhi Mundada
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Alexis I. Martinez-Arroyo
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Joel H. Kramer
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Bruce L. Miller
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Howard J. Rosen
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Maria Luisa Gorno-Tempini
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Katherine P. Rankin
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - William W. Seeley
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Gil D. Rabinovici
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Renaud La Joie
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Virginia E. Sturm
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
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25
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Singh S, Topolnik L. Inhibitory circuits in fear memory and fear-related disorders. Front Neural Circuits 2023; 17:1122314. [PMID: 37035504 PMCID: PMC10076544 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2023.1122314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Fear learning and memory rely on dynamic interactions between the excitatory and inhibitory neuronal populations that make up the prefrontal cortical, amygdala, and hippocampal circuits. Whereas inhibition of excitatory principal cells (PCs) by GABAergic neurons restrains their excitation, inhibition of GABAergic neurons promotes the excitation of PCs through a process called disinhibition. Specifically, GABAergic interneurons that express parvalbumin (PV+) and somatostatin (SOM+) provide inhibition to different subcellular domains of PCs, whereas those that express the vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP+) facilitate disinhibition of PCs by inhibiting PV+ and SOM+ interneurons. Importantly, although the main connectivity motifs and the underlying network functions of PV+, SOM+, and VIP+ interneurons are replicated across cortical and limbic areas, these inhibitory populations play region-specific roles in fear learning and memory. Here, we provide an overview of the fear processing in the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex based on the evidence obtained in human and animal studies. Moreover, focusing on recent findings obtained using genetically defined imaging and intervention strategies, we discuss the population-specific functions of PV+, SOM+, and VIP+ interneurons in fear circuits. Last, we review current insights that integrate the region-specific inhibitory and disinhibitory network patterns into fear memory acquisition and fear-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjay Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Bio-informatics, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Neuroscience Axis, CRCHUQ, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Lisa Topolnik
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Bio-informatics, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Neuroscience Axis, CRCHUQ, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Lisa Topolnik
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26
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Dirven BCJ, Botan A, van der Geugten D, Kraakman B, van Melis L, Merjenburgh S, van Rijn R, Waajen L, Homberg JR, Kozicz T, Henckens MJAG. Longitudinal assessment of amygdala activity in mice susceptible to trauma. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 145:105912. [PMID: 36113379 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Resilience to consequences of trauma exposure contains relevant information about the processes that contribute to the maintenance of mental health in the face of adversity; information that is essential to improve treatment success of stress-related mental diseases. Prior literature has implicated aberrant amygdala (re)activity as potential factor contributing to trauma susceptibility. However, it remains to be resolved which amygdalar subregions and neuronal subclasses are involved, and when - i.e., pre-, peri- or post-trauma exposure - and under what conditions changes in amygdala (re)activity manifest themselves. Here, we implemented a preclinical rodent model for PTSD that entailed exposure to a traumatic event (severe, unpredictable foot shock) followed by a trigger (mild, predictable foot shock). Using behavioral phenotyping, trauma susceptible vs. resilient mice were identified and pre-, peri- or post-trauma amygdala activity was compared. Neuronal activity was tagged in living mice by the use of the ArcTRAP transgenic mouse line, labeling all activated (i.e., Arc-expressing) neurons by a systemic injection of tamoxifen. Furthermore, we assessed amygdala responses during fear memory recall, induced by either (re-)exposure to the trauma, trigger, or a novel, yet similar context, and analyzed behavioral fear responses under these conditions, as well as basal anxiety in the mice. Results revealed no major differences dissociating susceptible vs. resilient mice prior to trauma exposure, but exaggerated activity in specifically the basolateral amygdala (BLA) peri-trauma that predicted susceptibility to later PTSD-like symptoms. Post-trauma, susceptible mice did not display altered basal amygdala activity, but BLA hyperreactivity in response to trigger context re-exposure, and BLA hyporesponsivity in response to the trauma context. Exposure to the novel, similar context evoked a differential temporal pattern of freezing behavior in susceptible mice and an increased activity of amygdalar somatostatin-expressing neurons specifically. As such, these results for the first time show that deviant BLA activity during fear learning predicts susceptibility to its long-term consequences and that aberrant subsequent BLA responses to stressful contexts depend on the exact context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart C J Dirven
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6500 HB, the Netherlands; Department of Medical Imaging, Anatomy, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6500 HB, the Netherlands
| | - Andriana Botan
- Department of Medical Imaging, Anatomy, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6500 HB, the Netherlands
| | - Dewi van der Geugten
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6500 HB, the Netherlands
| | - Blom Kraakman
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6500 HB, the Netherlands
| | - Lennart van Melis
- Department of Medical Imaging, Anatomy, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6500 HB, the Netherlands
| | - Sanne Merjenburgh
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6500 HB, the Netherlands
| | - Rebecca van Rijn
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6500 HB, the Netherlands
| | - Liz Waajen
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6500 HB, the Netherlands
| | - Judith R Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6500 HB, the Netherlands
| | - Tamas Kozicz
- Department of Medical Imaging, Anatomy, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6500 HB, the Netherlands; Department of Clinical Genomics, and Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Marloes J A G Henckens
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6500 HB, the Netherlands.
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27
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Limoges A, Yarur HE, Tejeda HA. Dynorphin/kappa opioid receptor system regulation on amygdaloid circuitry: Implications for neuropsychiatric disorders. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 16:963691. [PMID: 36276608 PMCID: PMC9579273 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.963691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Amygdaloid circuits are involved in a variety of emotional and motivation-related behaviors and are impacted by stress. The amygdala expresses several neuromodulatory systems, including opioid peptides and their receptors. The Dynorphin (Dyn)/kappa opioid receptor (KOR) system has been implicated in the processing of emotional and stress-related information and is expressed in brain areas involved in stress and motivation. Dysregulation of the Dyn/KOR system has also been implicated in various neuropsychiatric disorders. However, there is limited information about the role of the Dyn/KOR system in regulating amygdala circuitry. Here, we review the literature on the (1) basic anatomy of the amygdala, (2) functional regulation of synaptic transmission by the Dyn/KOR system, (3) anatomical architecture and function of the Dyn/KOR system in the amygdala, (4) regulation of amygdala-dependent behaviors by the Dyn/KOR system, and (5) future directions for the field. Future work investigating how the Dyn/KOR system shapes a wide range of amygdala-related behaviors will be required to increase our understanding of underlying circuitry modulation by the Dyn/KOR system. We anticipate that continued focus on the amygdala Dyn/KOR system will also elucidate novel ways to target the Dyn/KOR system to treat neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Limoges
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, Bethesda, MD, United States
- NIH-Columbia University Individual Graduate Partnership Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Hector E. Yarur
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Hugo A. Tejeda
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, Bethesda, MD, United States
- *Correspondence: Hugo A. Tejeda,
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28
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Yang J, Serrano P, Yin X, Sun X, Lin Y, Chen SX. Functionally distinct NPAS4-expressing somatostatin interneuron ensembles critical for motor skill learning. Neuron 2022; 110:3339-3355.e8. [PMID: 36099920 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
During motor learning, dendritic spines on pyramidal neurons (PNs) in the primary motor cortex (M1) undergo reorganization. Intriguingly, the inhibition from local somatostatin-expressing inhibitory neurons (SST-INs) plays an important role in regulating the PN plasticity and thus new motor skill acquisition. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this process remain unclear. Here, we identified that the early-response transcription factor, NPAS4, is selectively expressed in SST-INs during motor learning. By utilizing in vivo two-photon imaging in mice, we found that cell-type-specific deletion of Npas4 in M1 disrupted learning-induced spine reorganization among PNs and impaired motor learning. In addition, NPAS4-expressing SST-INs exhibited lower neuronal activity during task-related movements, and chemogenetically increasing the activity of NPAS4-expressing ensembles was sufficient to mimic the effects of Npas4 deletion. Together, our results reveal an instructive role of NPAS4-expressing SST-INs in modulating the inhibition to downstream task-related PNs to allow proper spine reorganization that is critical for motor learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jungwoo Yang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Pablo Serrano
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Xuming Yin
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Xiaochen Sun
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Yingxi Lin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Simon X Chen
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada; Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada; Center for Neural Dynamics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada.
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29
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Jaffe AE, Tao R, Page SC, Maynard KR, Pattie EA, Nguyen CV, Deep-Soboslay A, Bharadwaj R, Young KA, Friedman MJ, Williamson DE, Shin JH, Hyde TM, Martinowich K, Kleinman JE. Decoding Shared Versus Divergent Transcriptomic Signatures Across Cortico-Amygdala Circuitry in PTSD and Depressive Disorders. Am J Psychiatry 2022; 179:673-686. [PMID: 35791611 PMCID: PMC10697016 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.21020162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating neuropsychiatric disease that is highly comorbid with major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder. The overlap in symptoms is hypothesized to stem from partially shared genetics and underlying neurobiological mechanisms. To delineate conservation between transcriptional patterns across PTSD and MDD, the authors examined gene expression in the human cortex and amygdala in these disorders. METHODS RNA sequencing was performed in the postmortem brain of two prefrontal cortex regions and two amygdala regions from donors diagnosed with PTSD (N=107) or MDD (N=109) as well as from neurotypical donors (N=109). RESULTS The authors identified a limited number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) specific to PTSD, with nearly all mapping to cortical versus amygdala regions. PTSD-specific DEGs were enriched in gene sets associated with downregulated immune-related pathways and microglia as well as with subpopulations of GABAergic inhibitory neurons. While a greater number of DEGs associated with MDD were identified, most overlapped with PTSD, and only a few were MDD specific. The authors used weighted gene coexpression network analysis as an orthogonal approach to confirm the observed cellular and molecular associations. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide supporting evidence for involvement of decreased immune signaling and neuroinflammation in MDD and PTSD pathophysiology, and extend evidence that GABAergic neurons have functional significance in PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew E. Jaffe
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Genetic Medicine, McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
- Center for Computational Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Ran Tao
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Keith A. Young
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan TX
- Department of Veterans Affairs, VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, Waco, TX
- Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX, 76504, USA
- Baylor Scott & White Psychiatry, Temple, TX
| | - Matthew J. Friedman
- Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Dartmouth Hanover, NH
- National Center for PTSD, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
| | - Douglas E. Williamson
- Duke Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, 300 North Duke St, Durham, North Carolina
- Durham VA Healthcare System, 508 Fulton St, Durham, North Carolina
| | | | - Joo Heon Shin
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD
| | - Thomas M. Hyde
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Keri Martinowich
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Joel E. Kleinman
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
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30
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Rosen JB, Schulkin J. Hyperexcitability: From Normal Fear to Pathological Anxiety and Trauma. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 16:727054. [PMID: 35993088 PMCID: PMC9387392 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.727054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hyperexcitability in fear circuits is suggested to be important for development of pathological anxiety and trauma from adaptive mechanisms of fear. Hyperexcitability is proposed to be due to acquired sensitization in fear circuits that progressively becomes more severe over time causing changing symptoms in early and late pathology. We use the metaphor and mechanisms of kindling to examine gains and losses in function of one excitatory and one inhibitory neuropeptide, corticotrophin releasing factor and somatostatin, respectively, to explore this sensitization hypothesis. We suggest amygdala kindling induced hyperexcitability, hyper-inhibition and loss of inhibition provide clues to mechanisms for hyperexcitability and progressive changes in function initiated by stress and trauma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey B. Rosen
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
- *Correspondence: Jeffrey B. Rosen,
| | - Jay Schulkin
- School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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31
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Moscarello JM, Penzo MA. The central nucleus of the amygdala and the construction of defensive modes across the threat-imminence continuum. Nat Neurosci 2022; 25:999-1008. [PMID: 35915178 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-022-01130-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
In nature, animals display defensive behaviors that reflect the spatiotemporal distance of threats. Laboratory-based paradigms that elicit specific defensive responses in rodents have provided valuable insight into the brain mechanisms that mediate the construction of defensive modes with varying degrees of threat imminence. In this Review, we discuss accumulating evidence that the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) plays a key role in this process. Specifically, we propose that the mutually inhibitory circuits of the CeA use a winner-takes-all strategy that supports transitioning across defensive modes and the execution of specific defensive behaviors to previously formed threat associations. Our proposal provides a conceptual framework in which seemingly divergent observations regarding CeA function can be interpreted and identifies various areas of priority for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin M Moscarello
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
| | - Mario A Penzo
- Unit on the Neurobiology of Affective Memory, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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32
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Cui Y, Huang X, Huang P, Huang L, Feng Z, Xiang X, Chen X, Li A, Ren C, Li H. Reward ameliorates depressive-like behaviors via inhibition of the substantia innominata to the lateral habenula projection. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn0193. [PMID: 35857453 PMCID: PMC9269896 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn0193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The lateral habenula (LHb) is implicated in emotional processing, especially depression. Recent studies indicate that the basal forebrain (BF) transmits reward or aversive signals to the LHb. However, the contribution of the BF-LHb circuit to the pathophysiology of depression still needs to be determined. Here, we find that the excitatory projection to the LHb from the substantia innominata (SI), a BF subregion, is activated by aversive stimuli and inhibited by reward stimuli. Furthermore, chronic activation of the SI-LHb circuit is sufficient to induce depressive-like behaviors, whereas inhibition of the circuit alleviates chronic stress-induced depressive-like phenotype. We also find that reward consumption buffers depressive-like behaviors induced by chronic activation of the SI-LHb circuit. In summary, we systematically define the function and mechanism of the SI-LHb circuit in modulating depressive-like behaviors, thus providing important insights to better decipher LHb processing in the pathophysiology of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Cui
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
- MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaodan Huang
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Department of Neurology and Stroke Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Pengcheng Huang
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
- MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Lu Huang
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Department of Neurology and Stroke Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Zhao Feng
- HUST-Suzhou Institute for Brainsmatics, JITRI Institute for Brainsmatics, Suzhou, China
| | - Xinkuan Xiang
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
- MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xinfeng Chen
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
- MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Anan Li
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
- MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- HUST-Suzhou Institute for Brainsmatics, JITRI Institute for Brainsmatics, Suzhou, China
| | - Chaoran Ren
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou 510530, China
- Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
| | - Haohong Li
- Affiliated Mental Health Centre and Hangzhou Seventh People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310013 Zhejiang, China
- The MOE Frontier Research Center of Brain and Brain-Machine Integration, Zhejiang University School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
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33
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Divergent encoding of active avoidance behavior in corticostriatal and corticolimbic projections. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10731. [PMID: 35750718 PMCID: PMC9232563 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14930-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Active avoidance behavior, in which an animal performs an action to avoid a stressor, is crucial for survival and may provide insight into avoidance behaviors seen in anxiety disorders. Active avoidance requires the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), which is thought to regulate avoidance via downstream projections to the striatum and amygdala. However, the endogenous activity of dmPFC projections during active avoidance learning has never been recorded. Here we utilized fiber photometry to record from the dmPFC and its axonal projections to the dorsomedial striatum (DMS) and the basolateral amygdala (BLA) during active avoidance learning in both male and female mice. We examined neural activity during conditioned stimulus (CS) presentations and during clinically relevant behaviors such as active avoidance or cued freezing. Both prefrontal projections showed learning-related increases in activity during CS onset throughout active avoidance training. The dmPFC as a whole showed increased and decreased patterns of activity during avoidance and cued freezing, respectively. Finally, dmPFC-DMS and dmPFC-BLA projections show divergent encoding of active avoidance behavior, with the dmPFC-DMS projection showing increased activity and the dmPFC-BLA projection showing decreased activity during active avoidance. Our results demonstrate task-relevant encoding of active avoidance in projection-specific dmPFC subpopulations that play distinct but complementary roles in active avoidance learning.
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34
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Trott JM, Hoffman AN, Zhuravka I, Fanselow MS. Conditional and unconditional components of aversively motivated freezing, flight and darting in mice. eLife 2022; 11:e75663. [PMID: 35616523 PMCID: PMC9173745 DOI: 10.7554/elife.75663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fear conditioning is one of the most frequently used laboratory procedures for modeling learning and memory generally, and anxiety disorders in particular. The conditional response (CR) used in the majority of fear conditioning studies in rodents is freezing. Recently, it has been reported that under certain conditions, running, jumping, or darting replaces freezing as the dominant CR. These findings raise both a critical methodological problem and an important theoretical issue. If only freezing is measured but rodents express their learning with a different response, then significant instances of learning, memory, or fear may be missed. In terms of theory, whatever conditions lead to these different behaviors may be a key to how animals transition between different defensive responses and different emotional states. In mice, we replicated these past results but along with several novel control conditions. Contrary to the prior conclusions, running and darting were primarily a result of nonassociative processes and were actually suppressed by associative learning. Darting and flight were taken to be analogous to nonassociative startle or alpha responses that are potentiated by fear. Additionally, associative processes had some impact on the topography of flight behavior. On the other hand, freezing was the purest reflection of associative learning. We also uncovered a rule that describes when these movements replace freezing: when afraid, freeze until there is a sudden novel change in stimulation, then burst into vigorous flight attempts. This rule may also govern the change from fear to panic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy M Trott
- Staglin Center for Brain and Behavioral Health, Department of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Ann N Hoffman
- Staglin Center for Brain and Behavioral Health, Department of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Irina Zhuravka
- Staglin Center for Brain and Behavioral Health, Department of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Michael S Fanselow
- Staglin Center for Brain and Behavioral Health, Department of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
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35
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Pross A, Metwalli AH, Desfilis E, Medina L. Developmental-Based Classification of Enkephalin and Somatostatin Containing Neurons of the Chicken Central Extended Amygdala. Front Physiol 2022; 13:904520. [PMID: 35694397 PMCID: PMC9174674 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.904520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The central extended amygdala, including the lateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and the central amygdala, plays a key role in stress response. To understand how the central extended amygdala regulates stress it is essential to dissect this structure at molecular, cellular and circuit levels. In mammals, the central amygdala contains two distinct cell populations that become active (on cells) or inactive (off cells) during the conditioned fear response. These two cell types inhibit each other and project mainly unidirectionally to output cells, thus providing a sophisticated regulation of stress. These two cell types express either protein kinase C-delta/enkephalin or somatostatin, and were suggested to originate in different embryonic domains of the subpallium that respectively express the transcription factors Pax6 or Nkx2.1 during development. The regulation of the stress response by the central extended amygdala is poorly studied in non-mammals. Using an evolutionary developmental neurobiology approach, we previously identified several subdivisions in the central extended amygdala of chicken. These contain Pax6, Islet1 and Nkx2.1 cells that originate in dorsal striatal, ventral striatal or pallidopreoptic embryonic divisions, and also contain neurons expressing enkephalin and somatostatin. To know the origin of these cells, in this study we carried out multiple fluorescent labeling to analyze coexpression of different transcription factors with enkephalin or somatostatin. We found that many enkephalin cells coexpress Pax6 and likely derive from the dorsal striatal division, resembling the off cells of the mouse central amygdala. In contrast, most somatostatin cells coexpress Nkx2.1 and derive from the pallidal division, resembling the on cells. We also found coexpression of enkephalin and somatostatin with other transcription factors. Our results show the existence of multiple cell types in the central extended amygdala of chicken, perhaps including on/off cell systems, and set the basis for studying the role of these cells in stress regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Pross
- Department of Experimental Medicine. University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
- Lleida’s Institute for Biomedical Research—Dr. Pifarré Foundation (IRBLleida), Lleida, Spain
| | - Alek H. Metwalli
- Department of Experimental Medicine. University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
- Lleida’s Institute for Biomedical Research—Dr. Pifarré Foundation (IRBLleida), Lleida, Spain
| | - Ester Desfilis
- Department of Experimental Medicine. University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
- Lleida’s Institute for Biomedical Research—Dr. Pifarré Foundation (IRBLleida), Lleida, Spain
| | - Loreta Medina
- Department of Experimental Medicine. University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
- Lleida’s Institute for Biomedical Research—Dr. Pifarré Foundation (IRBLleida), Lleida, Spain
- *Correspondence: Loreta Medina,
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36
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Chen SY, Yao J, Hu YD, Chen HY, Liu PC, Wang WF, Zeng YH, Zhuang CW, Zeng SX, Li YP, Yang LY, Huang ZX, Huang KQ, Lai ZT, Hu YH, Cai P, Chen L, Wu S. Control of Behavioral Arousal and Defense by a Glutamatergic Midbrain-Amygdala Pathway in Mice. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:850193. [PMID: 35527820 PMCID: PMC9070111 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.850193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In response to external threatening signals, animals evolve a series of defensive behaviors that depend on heightened arousal. It is believed that arousal and defensive behaviors are coordinately regulated by specific neurocircuits in the central nervous system. The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is a key structure located in the ventral midbrain of mice. The activity of VTA glutamatergic neurons has recently been shown to be closely related to sleep–wake behavior. However, the specific role of VTA glutamatergic neurons in sleep–wake regulation, associated physiological functions, and underlying neural circuits remain unclear. In the current study, using an optogenetic approach and synchronous polysomnographic recording, we demonstrated that selective activation of VTA glutamatergic neurons induced immediate transition from sleep to wakefulness and obviously increased the amount of wakefulness in mice. Furthermore, optogenetic activation of VTA glutamatergic neurons induced multiple defensive behaviors, including burrowing, fleeing, avoidance and hiding. Finally, viral-mediated anterograde activation revealed that projections from the VTA to the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) mediated the wake- and defense-promoting effects of VTA glutamatergic neurons. Collectively, our results illustrate that the glutamatergic VTA is a key neural substrate regulating wakefulness and defensive behaviors that controls these behaviors through its projection into the CeA. We further discuss the possibility that the glutamatergic VTA-CeA pathway may be involved in psychiatric diseases featuring with excessive defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shang-Yi Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, The School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jing Yao
- Fujian Province Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, The School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yu-Duan Hu
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, The School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Hui-Yun Chen
- Fujian Province Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, The School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Pei-Chang Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Wen-Feng Wang
- School of Basic Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yu-Hang Zeng
- School of Basic Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Cong-Wen Zhuang
- School of Basic Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Shun-Xing Zeng
- School of Clinical Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yue-Ping Li
- School of Clinical Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Liu-Yun Yang
- School of Clinical Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zi-Xuan Huang
- School of Basic Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Kai-Qi Huang
- School of Basic Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zhen-Ting Lai
- School of Basic Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yong-Huai Hu
- School of Basic Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Ping Cai
- Fujian Province Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, The School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Ping Cai,
| | - Li Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- Li Chen,
| | - Siying Wu
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, The School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- Siying Wu,
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37
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Ball TM, Gunaydin LA. Measuring maladaptive avoidance: from animal models to clinical anxiety. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:978-986. [PMID: 35034097 PMCID: PMC8938494 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01263-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Avoiding stimuli that predict danger is required for survival. However, avoidance can become maladaptive in individuals who overestimate threat and thus avoid safe situations as well as dangerous ones. Excessive avoidance is a core feature of anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This avoidance prevents patients from confronting maladaptive threat beliefs, thereby maintaining disordered anxiety. Avoidance is associated with high levels of psychosocial impairment yet is poorly understood at a mechanistic level. Many objective laboratory assessments of avoidance measure adaptive avoidance, in which an individual learns to successfully avoid a truly noxious stimulus. However, anxiety disorders are characterized by maladaptive avoidance, for which there are fewer objective laboratory measures. We posit that maladaptive avoidance behavior depends on a combination of three altered neurobehavioral processes: (1) threat appraisal, (2) habitual avoidance, and (3) trait avoidance tendency. This heterogeneity in underlying processes presents challenges to the objective measurement of maladaptive avoidance behavior. Here we first review existing paradigms for measuring avoidance behavior and its underlying neural mechanisms in both human and animal models, and identify how existing paradigms relate to these neurobehavioral processes. We then propose a new framework to improve the translational understanding of maladaptive avoidance behavior by adapting paradigms to better differentiate underlying processes and mechanisms and applying these paradigms in clinical populations across diagnoses with the goal of developing novel interventions to engage specific identified neurobehavioral targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tali M. Ball
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
| | - Lisa A. Gunaydin
- grid.266102.10000 0001 2297 6811Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143 USA ,grid.266102.10000 0001 2297 6811Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143 USA
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38
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Perturbation of amygdala/somatostatin-nucleus of the solitary tract projections reduces sensitivity to quinine in a brief-access test. Brain Res 2022; 1783:147838. [PMID: 35182570 PMCID: PMC8950164 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2022.147838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Neural processing in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NST) is critical for concentration-dependent intake of normally preferred and avoided taste stimuli (e.g. affective responding); and is influenced by descending input from numerous forebrain regions. In one region, the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA), a subpopulation of neurons that project to the NST express the neuropeptide somatostatin (Sst). The present study investigated whether this CeA/Sst-to-NST pathway contributes to concentration-dependent intake of sucrose and quinine hydrochloride (QHCl) solutions using brief-access lick trials (5s). In both female and male mice, we used virus-based optogenetic tools and laser light illumination to manipulate the activity of CeA/Sst neurons that project to the NST. During light-induced inhibition of CeA/Sst-to-NST neurons, mice licked significantly more to our three highest concentrations of QHCl compared to control mice, while sucrose intake was unaffected. Interestingly, light-induced activation of this descending pathway did not influence licking of either sucrose or QHCl. These findings suggest that the CeA/Sst-to-NST pathway must be active for normal affective responding to an exemplary aversive taste stimulus.
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Somatostatin and Somatostatin-Containing Interneurons—From Plasticity to Pathology. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12020312. [PMID: 35204812 PMCID: PMC8869243 DOI: 10.3390/biom12020312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the obvious differences in the pathophysiology of distinct neuropsychiatric diseases or neurodegenerative disorders, some of them share some general but pivotal mechanisms, one of which is the disruption of excitation/inhibition balance. Such an imbalance can be generated by changes in the inhibitory system, very often mediated by somatostatin-containing interneurons (SOM-INs). In physiology, this group of inhibitory interneurons, as well as somatostatin itself, profoundly shapes the brain activity, thus influencing the behavior and plasticity; however, the changes in the number, density and activity of SOM-INs or levels of somatostatin are found throughout many neuropsychiatric and neurological conditions, both in patients and animal models. Here, we (1) briefly describe the brain somatostatinergic system, characterizing the neuropeptide somatostatin itself, its receptors and functions, as well the physiology and circuitry of SOM-INs; and (2) summarize the effects of the activity of somatostatin and SOM-INs in both physiological brain processes and pathological brain conditions, focusing primarily on learning-induced plasticity and encompassing selected neuropsychological and neurodegenerative disorders, respectively. The presented data indicate the somatostatinergic-system-mediated inhibition as a substantial factor in the mechanisms of neuroplasticity, often disrupted in a plethora of brain pathologies.
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40
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Zeng N, Cutts EJ, Lopez CB, Kaur S, Duran M, Virkus SA, Hardaway JA. Anatomical and Functional Characterization of Central Amygdala Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Expressing Neurons. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 15:724030. [PMID: 35002645 PMCID: PMC8739476 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.724030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptors (GLP-1Rs) are highly expressed in the brain and are responsible for mediating the acute anorexigenic actions of widely prescribed GLP-1R agonists. Neurobiological efforts to localize the hypophagic effects of GLP-1R agonists in the brain have mainly focused on the hypothalamus and hindbrain. In this study, we performed a deep anatomical and neurophysiological characterization of GLP-1Rs in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA). At an mRNA level, we found that Glp1r is diffusely coexpressed in known CeA subpopulations like protein kinase c δ (Prkcd), somatostatin (Sst), or tachykinin2 (Tac2). At a cellular level, we used Glp1r-Cre mice and viral Cre-dependent tracing to map the anatomical positions of GLP-1R cells across the rostral-caudal axis of the CeA and in CeA subdivisions. We found that Glp1rCeA cells are highly enriched in the medial subdivision of the CeA (CeM). Using whole cell patch clamp electrophysiology, we found that Glp1rCeA neurons are characterized by the presence of Ih-like currents and resemble a low threshold bursting neuronal subtype in response to hyperpolarizing and depolarizing current injections. We observed sex differences in the magnitude of Ih-like currents and membrane capacitance. At rest, we observed that nearly half of Glp1rCeA neurons are spontaneously active. We observed that active and inactive neurons display significant differences in excitability even when normalized to an identical holding potential. Our data are the first to deeply characterize the pattern of Glp1r in the CeA and study the neurophysiological characteristics of CeA neurons expressing Glp1r. Future studies leveraging these data will be important to understanding the impact of GLP-1R agonists on feeding and motivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ningxiang Zeng
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Elam J Cutts
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Christian B Lopez
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Simran Kaur
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Miguel Duran
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Sonja A Virkus
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - J Andrew Hardaway
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
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41
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Bartonjo JJ, Lundy RF. Target-specific projections of amygdala somatostatin-expressing neurons to the hypothalamus and brainstem. Chem Senses 2022; 47:6581704. [PMID: 35522083 PMCID: PMC9074687 DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjac009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Somatostatin neurons in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA/Sst) can be parsed into subpopulations that project either to the nucleus of the solitary tract (NST) or parabrachial nucleus (PBN). We have shown recently that inhibition of CeA/Sst-to-NST neurons increased the ingestion of a normally aversive taste stimulus, quinine HCl (QHCl). Because the CeA innervates other forebrain areas such as the lateral hypothalamus (LH) that also sends axonal projections to the NST, the effects on QHCl intake could be, in part, the result of CeA modulation of LH-to-NST neurons. To address these issues, the present study investigated whether CeA/Sst-to-NST neurons are distinct from CeA/Sst-to-LH neurons. For comparison purposes, additional experiments assessed divergent innervation of the LH by CeA/Sst-to-PBN neurons. In Sst-cre mice, two different retrograde transported flox viruses were injected into the NST and the ipsilateral LH or PBN and ipsilateral LH. The results showed that 90% or more of retrograde-labeled CeA/Sst neurons project either to the LH, NST, or PBN. Separate populations of CeA/Sst neurons projecting to these different regions suggest a highly heterogeneous population in terms of synaptic target and likely function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane J Bartonjo
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
| | - Robert F Lundy
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
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42
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Bruzsik B, Biro L, Sarosdi KR, Zelena D, Sipos E, Szebik H, Török B, Mikics E, Toth M. Neurochemically distinct populations of the bed nucleus of stria terminalis modulate innate fear response to weak threat evoked by predator odor stimuli. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 15:100415. [PMID: 34765699 PMCID: PMC8572958 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Anxiety and trauma-related disorders are characterized by significant alterations in threat detection, resulting in inadequate fear responses evoked by weak threats or safety stimuli. Recent research pointed out the important role of the bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BNST) in threat anticipation and fear modulation under ambiguous threats, hence, exaggerated fear may be traced back to altered BNST function. To test this hypothesis, we chemogenetically inhibited specific BNST neuronal populations (corticotropin-releasing hormone - BNSTCRH and somatostatin - BNSTSST expressing neurons) in a predator odor-evoked innate fear paradigm. The rationale for this paradigm was threefold: (1) predatory cues are particularly strong danger signals for all vertebrate species evoking defensive responses on the flight-avoidance-freezing dimension (conservative mechanisms), (2) predator odor can be presented in a scalable manner (from weak to strong), and (3) higher-order processing of olfactory information including predatory odor stimuli is integrated by the BNST. Accordingly, we exposed adult male mice to low and high predatory threats presented by means of cat urine, or low- and high-dose of 2-methyl-2-thiazoline (2MT), a synthetic derivate of a fox anogenital product, which evoked low and high fear response, respectively. Then, we tested the impact of chemogenetic inhibition of BNSTCRH and BNSTSST neurons on innate fear responses using crh- and sst-ires-cre mouse lines. We observed that BNSTSST inhibition was effective only under low threat conditions, resulting in reduced avoidance and increased exploration of the odor source. In contrast, BNSTCRH inhibition had no impact on 2MT-evoked responses, but enhanced fear responses to cat odor, representing an even weaker threat stimulus. These findings support the notion that BNST is recruited by uncertain or remote, potential threats, and CRH and SST neurons orchestrate innate fear responses in complementary ways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biborka Bruzsik
- Laboratory of Translational Behavioural Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary.,Janos Szentagothai Doctoral School of Neurosciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Laszlo Biro
- Laboratory of Translational Behavioural Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary.,Laboratory of Thalamus Research, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Klara Rebeka Sarosdi
- Laboratory of Translational Behavioural Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dora Zelena
- Laboratory of Behavioural and Stress Studies, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary.,Center for Neuroscience, Szentágothai Research Center, Institute of Physiology, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Eszter Sipos
- Laboratory of Behavioural and Stress Studies, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Huba Szebik
- Laboratory of Translational Behavioural Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary.,Janos Szentagothai Doctoral School of Neurosciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Bibiána Török
- Janos Szentagothai Doctoral School of Neurosciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.,Laboratory of Behavioural and Stress Studies, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Eva Mikics
- Laboratory of Translational Behavioural Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Mate Toth
- Laboratory of Translational Behavioural Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
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43
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Genetically identified amygdala-striatal circuits for valence-specific behaviors. Nat Neurosci 2021; 24:1586-1600. [PMID: 34663958 PMCID: PMC8556347 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-021-00927-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The basolateral amygdala (BLA) plays essential roles in behaviors motivated by stimuli with either positive or negative valence, but how it processes motivationally opposing information and participates in establishing valence-specific behaviors remains unclear. Here, by targeting Fezf2-expressing neurons in the BLA, we identify and characterize two functionally distinct classes in behaving mice, the negative-valence neurons and positive-valence neurons, which innately represent aversive and rewarding stimuli, respectively, and through learning acquire predictive responses that are essential for punishment avoidance or reward seeking. Notably, these two classes of neurons receive inputs from separate sets of sensory and limbic areas, and convey punishment and reward information through projections to the nucleus accumbens and olfactory tubercle, respectively, to drive negative and positive reinforcement. Thus, valence-specific BLA neurons are wired with distinctive input-output structures, forming a circuit framework that supports the roles of the BLA in encoding, learning and executing valence-specific motivated behaviors.
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44
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Murkar A, De Koninck J, Merali Z. Cannabinoids: Revealing their complexity and role in central networks of fear and anxiety. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:30-46. [PMID: 34487746 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The first aim of the present review is to provide an in-depth description of the cannabinoids and their known effects at various neuronal receptors. It reveals that cannabinoids are highly diverse, and recent work has highlighted that their effects on the central nervous system (CNS) are surprisingly more complex than previously recognized. Cannabinoid-sensitive receptors are widely distributed throughout the CNS where they act as primary modulators of neurotransmission. Secondly, we examine the role of cannabinoid receptors at key brain sites in the control of fear and anxiety. While our understanding of how cannabinoids specifically modulate these networks is mired by their complex interactions and diversity, a plausible framework(s) for their effects is proposed. Finally, we highlight some important knowledge gaps in our understanding of the mechanism(s) responsible for their effects on fear and anxiety in animal models and their use as therapeutic targets in humans. This is particularly important for our understanding of the phytocannabinoids used as novel clinical interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Murkar
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research (IMHR), Ottawa, ON, Canada; School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
| | - Joseph De Koninck
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research (IMHR), Ottawa, ON, Canada; School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Zul Merali
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Brain and Mind Institute, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya; Carleton University, Neuroscience Department, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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45
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Olsen N, Furlong TM, Carrive P. Behavioural and cardiovascular effects of orexin-A infused into the central amygdala under basal and fear conditions in rats. Behav Brain Res 2021; 415:113515. [PMID: 34371088 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The neuropeptide orexin-A (OX-A) has diverse functions, including maintaining arousal, autonomic control, motor activity and stress responses. These functions are regulated at different terminal regions where OX-A is released. The current study examined the physiological and behavioural effects of OX-A microinjections into the central amygdala (CeA) under basal and stressed conditions in rats. When OX-A was microinjected into the CeA and the animals returned to the home-cage, heart rate and mean arterial pressure were increased compared to vehicle-injected controls. General activity of the animal was also increased, indicating that OX-A activity in CeA contributes to increased arousal. This outcome is similar to the effects of central intracerebroventricular infusions of OX-A, as well as the cardiovascular effects previously demonstrated at many of OX's efferent hypothalamic and brainstem structures. In a second study, animals were fear-conditioned to a context by delivery of electric footshocks and then animals were re-exposed to the conditioned context at test. When OX-A was microinjected at test, freezing behaviour was reduced and there was a corresponding increase in the animal's activity but no impact on the pressor and cardiac responses (i.e, blood pressure and heart rate were unchanged). This reduction in freezing suggests that OX-A activates amygdala neurons that inhibit freezing, which is similar to the actions of other neuropeptides in the CeA that modulate the appropriate defence response to fearful stimuli. Overall, these data indicate that the CeA is an important site of OX-A modulation of cardiovascular and motor activity, as well as conditioned freezing responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick Olsen
- School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Teri M Furlong
- School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, Australia.
| | - Pascal Carrive
- School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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46
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Whittle N, Fadok J, MacPherson KP, Nguyen R, Botta P, Wolff SBE, Müller C, Herry C, Tovote P, Holmes A, Singewald N, Lüthi A, Ciocchi S. Central amygdala micro-circuits mediate fear extinction. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4156. [PMID: 34230461 PMCID: PMC8260764 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24068-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Fear extinction is an adaptive process whereby defensive responses are attenuated following repeated experience of prior fear-related stimuli without harm. The formation of extinction memories involves interactions between various corticolimbic structures, resulting in reduced central amygdala (CEA) output. Recent studies show, however, the CEA is not merely an output relay of fear responses but contains multiple neuronal subpopulations that interact to calibrate levels of fear responding. Here, by integrating behavioural, in vivo electrophysiological, anatomical and optogenetic approaches in mice we demonstrate that fear extinction produces reversible, stimulus- and context-specific changes in neuronal responses to conditioned stimuli in functionally and genetically defined cell types in the lateral (CEl) and medial (CEm) CEA. Moreover, we show these alterations are absent when extinction is deficient and that selective silencing of protein kinase C delta-expressing (PKCδ) CEl neurons impairs fear extinction. Our findings identify CEA inhibitory microcircuits that act as critical elements within the brain networks mediating fear extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nigel Whittle
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacy and CMBI, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Jonathan Fadok
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Psychology and Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Kathryn P MacPherson
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Robin Nguyen
- Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Department of Physiology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Paolo Botta
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland.,Zuckerman Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Steffen B E Wolff
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Christian Müller
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Cyril Herry
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland.,INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, U1215, Bordeaux, France
| | - Philip Tovote
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland.,Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Andrew Holmes
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Nicolas Singewald
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacy and CMBI, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Andreas Lüthi
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland. .,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Stéphane Ciocchi
- Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Department of Physiology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
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47
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Kong MS, Zweifel LS. Central amygdala circuits in valence and salience processing. Behav Brain Res 2021; 410:113355. [PMID: 33989728 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Behavioral responses to environmental stimuli are dictated by the affective valence of the stimulus, good (positive valence) or bad (negative valence). These stimuli can innately elicit an affective response that promotes approach or avoidance behavior. In addition to innately valenced stimuli, valence can also be assigned to initially neutral stimuli through associative learning. A stimulus of a given valence can vary in salience depending on the strength of the stimulus, the underlying state of the animal, and the context of the stimulus presentation. Salience endows the stimulus with the ability to direct attention and elicit preparatory responses to mount an incentive-based motivated behavior. The central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) has emerged as an early integration point for valence and salience detection to engage preparatory autonomic responses and behavioral posturing in response to both aversive and appetitive stimuli. There are numerous cell types in the CeA that are involved in valence and salience processing through a variety of connections, and we will review the recent progress that has been made in identifying these circuit elements and their roles in these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi-Seon Kong
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States
| | - Larry S Zweifel
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States; Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States.
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48
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Totty MS, Warren N, Huddleston I, Ramanathan KR, Ressler RL, Oleksiak CR, Maren S. Behavioral and brain mechanisms mediating conditioned flight behavior in rats. Sci Rep 2021; 11:8215. [PMID: 33859260 PMCID: PMC8050069 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87559-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental contexts can inform animals of potential threats, though it is currently unknown how context biases the selection of defensive behavior. Here we investigated context-dependent flight responses with a Pavlovian serial-compound stimulus (SCS) paradigm that evokes freeze-to-flight transitions. Similar to previous work in mice, we show that male and female rats display context-dependent flight-like behavior in the SCS paradigm. Flight behavior was dependent on contextual fear insofar as it was only evoked in a shock-associated context and was reduced in the conditioning context after context extinction. Flight behavior was only expressed to white noise regardless of temporal order within the compound. Nonetheless, rats that received unpaired SCS trials did not show flight-like behavior to the SCS, indicating it is associative. Finally, we show that pharmacological inactivation of two brain regions critical to the expression of contextual fear, the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), attenuates both contextual fear and flight responses. All of these effects were similar in male and female rats. This work demonstrates that contextual fear can summate with cued and innate fear to drive a high fear state and transition from post-encounter to circa-strike defensive modes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S Totty
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, 301 Old Main Dr., College Station, TX, 77843-3474, USA
| | - Naomi Warren
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, 301 Old Main Dr., College Station, TX, 77843-3474, USA
| | - Isabella Huddleston
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, 301 Old Main Dr., College Station, TX, 77843-3474, USA
| | - Karthik R Ramanathan
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, 301 Old Main Dr., College Station, TX, 77843-3474, USA
| | - Reed L Ressler
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, 301 Old Main Dr., College Station, TX, 77843-3474, USA
| | - Cecily R Oleksiak
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, 301 Old Main Dr., College Station, TX, 77843-3474, USA
| | - Stephen Maren
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, 301 Old Main Dr., College Station, TX, 77843-3474, USA.
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49
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Distinct circuits in rat central amygdala for defensive behaviors evoked by socially signaled imminent versus remote danger. Curr Biol 2021; 31:2347-2358.e6. [PMID: 33848461 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.03.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Animals display a rich repertoire of defensive responses adequate to the threat proximity. In social species, these reactions can be additionally influenced by the behavior of fearful conspecifics. However, the majority of neuroscientific studies on socially triggered defensive responses focuses on one type of behavior, freezing. To study a broader range of socially triggered reactions and underlying mechanisms, we directly compared two experimental paradigms, mimicking occurrence of the imminent versus remote threat. Observation of a partner currently experiencing aversive stimulation evokes passive defensive responses in the observer rats. Similar interaction with a partner that has just undergone the aversive stimulation prompts animals to increase active exploration. Although the observers display behaviors similar to those of the aversively stimulated demonstrators, their reactions are not synchronized in time, suggesting that observers' responses are caused by the change in their affective state rather than mimicry. Using opsins targeted to behaviorally activated neurons, we tagged central amygdala (CeA) cells implicated in observers' responses to either imminent or remote threat and reactivated them during the exploration of a novel environment. The manipulation revealed that the two populations of CeA cells promote passive or active defensive responses, respectively. Further experiments confirmed that the two populations of cells at least partially differ in expression of molecular markers (protein kinase C-δ [PKC-δ] and corticotropin-releasing factor [CRF]) and connectivity patterns (receiving input from the basolateral amygdala or from the anterior insula). The results are consistent with the literature on single subjects' fear conditioning, suggesting that similar neuronal circuits control defensive responses in social and non-social contexts.
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50
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Kenwood MM, Kalin NH. Nonhuman Primate Models to Explore Mechanisms Underlying Early-Life Temperamental Anxiety. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 89:659-671. [PMID: 33229035 PMCID: PMC7952470 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.08.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent psychiatric disorders, causing significant suffering and disability. Behavioral inhibition is a temperament that is linked to an increased risk for the later development of anxiety disorders and other stress-related psychopathology, and understanding the neural systems underlying this dispositional risk could provide insight into novel treatment targets for anxiety disorders. Nonhuman primates (NHPs) have anxiety-related temperaments that are similar to those of humans with behavioral inhibition, facilitating the design of translational models related to human psychopathology. Characterization of our NHP model of behavioral inhibition, which we term anxious temperament (AT), reveals that it is trait-like. Exploration of the neural substrates of AT in NHPs has revealed a distributed neural circuit that is linked to individual differences in AT, which includes the dorsal amygdala. AT-related metabolism in the dorsal amygdala, including the central nucleus, is stable across time and can be detected even in safe contexts, suggesting that AT has trait-like neural signatures within the brain. The use of lesioning and novel chemogenetic methods allows for mechanistic perturbation of the amygdala to determine its causal contribution to AT. Studies characterizing the molecular bases for individual differences in AT in the dorsal amygdala, which take advantage of novel methods for probing cellular and molecular systems, suggest involvement of neurotrophic systems, which point to the importance of neuroplasticity in AT. These novel methods, when used in combination with translational NHP models such as AT, promise to provide insights into the brain systems underlying the early risk for anxiety disorder development.
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