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Xu L, Zhang J, Yang H, Cao C, Fang R, Liu P, Luo S, Wang B, Zhang K, Wang L. Epistasis in neurotransmitter receptors linked to posttraumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder comorbidity in traumatized Chinese. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1257911. [PMID: 38487579 PMCID: PMC10937445 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1257911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) comorbidity occurs through exposure to trauma with genetic susceptibility. Neuropeptide-Y (NPY) and dopamine are neurotransmitters associated with anxiety and stress-related psychiatry through receptors. We attempted to explore the genetic association between two neurotransmitter receptor systems and the PTSD-MDD comorbidity. Methods Four groups were identified using latent profile analysis (LPA) to examine the patterns of PTSD and MDD comorbidity among survivors exposed to earthquake-related trauma: low symptoms, predominantly depression, predominantly PTSD, and PTSD-MDD comorbidity. NPY2R (rs4425326), NPY5R (rs11724320), DRD2 (rs1079597), and DRD3 (rs6280) were genotyped from 1,140 Chinese participants exposed to earthquake-related trauma. Main, gene-environment interaction (G × E), and gene-gene interaction (G × G) effects for low symptoms, predominantly depression, and predominantly PTSD were tested using a multinomial logistic model with PTSD-MDD comorbidity as a reference. Results The results demonstrated that compared to PTSD-MDD comorbidity, epistasis (G × G) NPY2R-DRD2 (rs4425326 × rs1079597) affects low symptoms (β = -0.66, OR = 0.52 [95% CI: 0.32-0.84], p = 0.008, pperm = 0.008) and predominantly PTSD (β = -0.56, OR = 0.57 [95% CI: 0.34-0.97], p = 0.037, pperm = 0.039), while NPY2R-DRD3 (rs4425326 × rs6280) impacts low symptoms (β = 0.82, OR = 2.27 [95% CI: 1.26-4.10], p = 0.006, pperm = 0.005) and predominantly depression (β = 1.08, R = 2.95 [95% CI: 1.55-5.62], p = 0.001, pperm = 0.001). The two G × G effects are independent. Conclusion NPY and dopamine receptor genes are related to the genetic etiology of PTSD-MDD comorbidity, whose specific mechanisms can be studied at multiple levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Xu
- Laboratory for Traumatic Stress Studies and Center for Genetics and BioMedical Informatics Research, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jingyi Zhang
- Laboratory for Traumatic Stress Studies and Center for Genetics and BioMedical Informatics Research, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Haibo Yang
- Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
| | - Chengqi Cao
- Laboratory for Traumatic Stress Studies and Center for Genetics and BioMedical Informatics Research, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ruojiao Fang
- Laboratory for Traumatic Stress Studies and Center for Genetics and BioMedical Informatics Research, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ping Liu
- People’s Hospital of Deyang City, Deyang, Sichuan, China
| | - Shu Luo
- People’s Hospital of Deyang City, Deyang, Sichuan, China
| | - Binbin Wang
- Laboratory for Traumatic Stress Studies and Center for Genetics and BioMedical Informatics Research, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kunlin Zhang
- Laboratory for Traumatic Stress Studies and Center for Genetics and BioMedical Informatics Research, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Li Wang
- Laboratory for Traumatic Stress Studies and Center for Genetics and BioMedical Informatics Research, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Ayala-Rodríguez JD, García-Colunga J. Maternal separation modifies spontaneous synaptic activity in the infralimbic cortex of stress-resilient male rats. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0294151. [PMID: 37943747 PMCID: PMC10635473 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Glutamate and GABA signaling systems are necessary to maintain proper function of the central nervous system through excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance. Alteration of this balance in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), as an effect of early-life stress, may lead to the development of anxiety and depressive disorders. Few studies exist in the infralimbic division of the mPFC to understand the effect of early-life stress at different ages, which is the purpose of the present work. Newborn Sprague Dawley male rats were subjected to maternal separation (MS) for two weeks. First, tests measuring anxiety- and depression-like behaviors were performed on adolescent and adult rats subjected to MS (MS-rats). Then, to establish a relationship with behavioral results, electrophysiological recordings were performed in neurons of the infralimbic cortex in acute brain slices of infant, adolescent, and adult rats. In the behavioral tests, there were no significant differences in MS-rats compared to control rats at any age. Moreover, MS had no effect on the passive membrane properties nor neuronal excitability in the infralimbic cortex, whereas spontaneous synaptic activity in infralimbic neurons was altered. The frequency of spontaneous glutamatergic synaptic events increased in infant MS-rats, whereas in adolescent MS-rats both the frequency and the amplitude of spontaneous GABAergic events increased without any effect on glutamatergic synaptic responses. In adult MS-rats, these two parameters decreased in spontaneous GABAergic synaptic events, whereas only the frequency of glutamatergic events decreased. These data suggest that rats subjected to MS did not exhibit behavioral changes and presented an age-dependent E/I imbalance in the infralimbic cortex, possibly due to differential changes in neurotransmitter release and/or receptor expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús David Ayala-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Juriquilla, Querétaro, México
| | - Jesús García-Colunga
- Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Juriquilla, Querétaro, México
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Silveira MA, Drotos AC, Pirrone TM, Versalle TS, Bock A, Roberts MT. Neuropeptide Y Signaling Regulates Recurrent Excitation in the Auditory Midbrain. J Neurosci 2023; 43:7626-7641. [PMID: 37704372 PMCID: PMC10634549 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0900-23.2023] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuropeptides play key roles in shaping the organization and function of neuronal circuits. In the inferior colliculus (IC), which is in the auditory midbrain, Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is expressed by a class of GABAergic neurons that project locally and outside the IC. Most neurons in the IC have local axon collaterals; however, the organization and function of local circuits in the IC remain unknown. We previously found that excitatory neurons in the IC can express the NPY Y1 receptor (Y1R+) and application of the Y1R agonist, [Leu31, Pro34]-NPY (LP-NPY), decreases the excitability of Y1R+ neurons. As NPY signaling regulates recurrent excitation in other brain regions, we hypothesized that Y1R+ neurons form interconnected local circuits in the IC and that NPY decreases the strength of recurrent excitation in these circuits. To test this hypothesis, we used optogenetics to activate Y1R+ neurons in mice of both sexes while recording from other neurons in the ipsilateral IC. We found that nearly 80% of glutamatergic IC neurons express the Y1 receptor, providing extensive opportunities for NPY signaling to regulate local circuits. Additionally, Y1R+ neuron synapses exhibited modest short-term synaptic plasticity, suggesting that local excitatory circuits maintain their influence over computations during sustained stimuli. We further found that application of LP-NPY decreased recurrent excitation in the IC, suggesting that NPY signaling strongly regulates local circuit function in the auditory midbrain. Our findings show that Y1R+ excitatory neurons form interconnected local circuits in the IC, and their influence over local circuits is regulated by NPY signaling.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Local networks play fundamental roles in shaping neuronal computations in the brain. The IC, localized in the auditory midbrain, plays an essential role in sound processing, but the organization of local circuits in the IC is largely unknown. Here, we show that IC neurons that express the Neuropeptide Y1 receptor (Y1R+ neurons) make up most of the excitatory neurons in the IC and form interconnected local circuits. Additionally, we found that NPY, which is a powerful neuromodulator known to shape neuronal activity in other brain regions, decreases the extensive recurrent excitation mediated by Y1R+ neurons in local IC circuits. Thus, our results suggest that local NPY signaling is a key regulator of auditory computations in the IC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina A Silveira
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Audrey C Drotos
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Trinity M Pirrone
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
- Macalester College, St. Paul, Minnesota 55105
| | - Trevor S Versalle
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Amanda Bock
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Michael T Roberts
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
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Sabban EL, Serova L, Nahvi RJ, Liu X. Potential benefits of intranasal neuropeptide Y include sustained extinction of fear memory. J Neuroendocrinol 2023; 35:e13279. [PMID: 37157881 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Compelling evidence in animals and humans from a variety of approaches demonstrate that neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the brain can provide resilience to development of many stress-elicited symptoms. Preclinical experiments demonstrated that delivery of NPY by intranasal infusion to rats shortly after single exposure to traumatic stress in the single prolonged stress (SPS) rodent model of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can prevent development of many relevant behavioral alterations weeks later, including heightened anxiety and depressive-like behavior. Here, we examined responses to intranasal NPY in the absence of stress to evaluate the safety profile. Rats were administered intranasal NPY (150 μg/rat) or equal volume of vehicle (distilled water), and 7 days later they were tested on the elevated plus maze (EPM) and forced swim test (FST). There was no significant difference in the number of entries or duration in the open or closed arms, or in their anxiety index. Defecation on the EPM and immobility on the FST, measures of anxiety and depressive-like behavior respectively, were similar in both groups. To further characterize potential benefits of intranasal NPY, its effect on fear memory and extinction, important features of PTSD, were examined. Intranasal administration of NPY at the time of the traumatic stress had a profound effect on fear conditioning a week later. It prevented the SPS-triggered impairment in the retention of extinguished behavior, both contextual and cued. The findings support the translation of non-invasive intranasal NPY delivery to the brain for PTSD-behaviors including impairments in sustained extinction of fear memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther L Sabban
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York, USA
| | - Lidia Serova
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York, USA
| | - Roxanna J Nahvi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York, USA
| | - Xiaoping Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York, USA
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5
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Silveira MA, Drotos AC, Pirrone TM, Versalle TS, Bock A, Roberts MT. Neuropeptide Y signaling regulates recurrent excitation in the auditory midbrain. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.16.540954. [PMID: 37292904 PMCID: PMC10245754 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.16.540954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Neuropeptides play key roles in shaping the organization and function of neuronal circuits. In the inferior colliculus (IC), which is located in the auditory midbrain, Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is expressed by a large class of GABAergic neurons that project locally as well as outside the IC. The IC integrates information from numerous auditory nuclei making the IC an important hub for sound processing. Most neurons in the IC have local axon collaterals, however the organization and function of local circuits in the IC remains largely unknown. We previously found that neurons in the IC can express the NPY Y1 receptor (Y 1 R + ) and application of the Y 1 R agonist, [Leu 31 , Pro 34 ]-NPY (LP-NPY), decreases the excitability of Y 1 R + neurons. To investigate how Y 1 R + neurons and NPY signaling contribute to local IC networks, we used optogenetics to activate Y 1 R + neurons while recording from other neurons in the ipsilateral IC. Here, we show that 78.4% of glutamatergic neurons in the IC express the Y1 receptor, providing extensive opportunities for NPY signaling to regulate excitation in local IC circuits. Additionally, Y 1 R + neuron synapses exhibit modest short-term synaptic plasticity, suggesting that local excitatory circuits maintain their influence over computations during sustained stimuli. We further found that application of LP-NPY decreases recurrent excitation in the IC, suggesting that NPY signaling strongly regulates local circuit function in the auditory midbrain. Together, our data show that excitatory neurons are highly interconnected in the local IC and their influence over local circuits is tightly regulated by NPY signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina A. Silveira
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Audrey C. Drotos
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Trinity M. Pirrone
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
- Macalester College, St. Paul, Minnesota 55105
| | - Trevor S. Versalle
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Amanda Bock
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Michael T. Roberts
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109
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6
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Kupferschmidt DA, Cummings KA, Joffe ME, MacAskill A, Malik R, Sánchez-Bellot C, Tejeda HA, Yarur Castillo H. Prefrontal Interneurons: Populations, Pathways, and Plasticity Supporting Typical and Disordered Cognition in Rodent Models. J Neurosci 2022; 42:8468-8476. [PMID: 36351822 PMCID: PMC9665918 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1136-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Prefrontal cortex (PFC) inhibitory microcircuits regulate the gain and timing of pyramidal neuron firing, coordinate neural ensemble interactions, and gate local and long-range neural communication to support adaptive cognition and contextually tuned behavior. Accordingly, perturbations of PFC inhibitory microcircuits are thought to underlie dysregulated cognition and behavior in numerous psychiatric diseases and relevant animal models. This review, based on a Mini-Symposium presented at the 2022 Society for Neuroscience Meeting, highlights recent studies providing novel insights into: (1) discrete medial PFC (mPFC) interneuron populations in the mouse brain; (2) mPFC interneuron connections with, and regulation of, long-range mPFC afferents; and (3) circuit-specific plasticity of mPFC interneurons. The contributions of such populations, pathways, and plasticity to rodent cognition are discussed in the context of stress, reward, motivational conflict, and genetic mutations relevant to psychiatric disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Kupferschmidt
- Integrative Neuroscience Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
| | - Kirstie A Cummings
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama, 35233
| | - Max E Joffe
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213
| | - Andrew MacAskill
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom, WC1E 6BT
| | - Ruchi Malik
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, 94158
| | - Candela Sánchez-Bellot
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom, WC1E 6BT
- Laboratorio de Circuitos Neuronales, Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain, 28002
| | - Hugo A Tejeda
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
| | - Hector Yarur Castillo
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
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Casello SM, Flores RJ, Yarur HE, Wang H, Awanyai M, Arenivar MA, Jaime-Lara RB, Bravo-Rivera H, Tejeda HA. Neuropeptide System Regulation of Prefrontal Cortex Circuitry: Implications for Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:796443. [PMID: 35800635 PMCID: PMC9255232 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.796443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuropeptides, a diverse class of signaling molecules in the nervous system, modulate various biological effects including membrane excitability, synaptic transmission and synaptogenesis, gene expression, and glial cell architecture and function. To date, most of what is known about neuropeptide action is limited to subcortical brain structures and tissue outside of the central nervous system. Thus, there is a knowledge gap in our understanding of neuropeptide function within cortical circuits. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of various families of neuropeptides and their cognate receptors that are expressed in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Specifically, we highlight dynorphin, enkephalin, corticotropin-releasing factor, cholecystokinin, somatostatin, neuropeptide Y, and vasoactive intestinal peptide. Further, we review the implication of neuropeptide signaling in prefrontal cortical circuit function and use as potential therapeutic targets. Together, this review summarizes established knowledge and highlights unknowns of neuropeptide modulation of neural function underlying various biological effects while offering insights for future research. An increased emphasis in this area of study is necessary to elucidate basic principles of the diverse signaling molecules used in cortical circuits beyond fast excitatory and inhibitory transmitters as well as consider components of neuropeptide action in the PFC as a potential therapeutic target for neurological disorders. Therefore, this review not only sheds light on the importance of cortical neuropeptide studies, but also provides a comprehensive overview of neuropeptide action in the PFC to serve as a roadmap for future studies in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanne M. Casello
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Rodolfo J. Flores
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Hector E. Yarur
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Huikun Wang
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Monique Awanyai
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Miguel A. Arenivar
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Rosario B. Jaime-Lara
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Hector Bravo-Rivera
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Hugo A. Tejeda
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
- *Correspondence: Hugo A. Tejeda,
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Yan Z, Rein B. Mechanisms of synaptic transmission dysregulation in the prefrontal cortex: pathophysiological implications. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:445-465. [PMID: 33875802 PMCID: PMC8523584 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01092-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 54.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Revised: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) serves as the chief executive officer of the brain, controlling the highest level cognitive and emotional processes. Its local circuits among glutamatergic principal neurons and GABAergic interneurons, as well as its long-range connections with other brain regions, have been functionally linked to specific behaviors, ranging from working memory to reward seeking. The efficacy of synaptic signaling in the PFC network is profundedly influenced by monoaminergic inputs via the activation of dopamine, adrenergic, or serotonin receptors. Stress hormones and neuropeptides also exert complex effects on the synaptic structure and function of PFC neurons. Dysregulation of PFC synaptic transmission is strongly linked to social deficits, affective disturbance, and memory loss in brain disorders, including autism, schizophrenia, depression, and Alzheimer's disease. Critical neural circuits, biological pathways, and molecular players that go awry in these mental illnesses have been revealed by integrated electrophysiological, optogenetic, biochemical, and transcriptomic studies of PFC. Novel epigenetic mechanism-based strategies are proposed as potential avenues of therapeutic intervention for PFC-involved diseases. This review provides an overview of PFC network organization and synaptic modulation, as well as the mechanisms linking PFC dysfunction to the pathophysiology of neurodevelopmental, neuropsychiatric, and neurodegenerative diseases. Insights from the preclinical studies offer the potential for discovering new medical treatments for human patients with these brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Yan
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, USA.
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Birdogan A, Salur E, Tuzcu F, Gokmen RC, Ozturk Bintepe M, Aypar B, Keser A, Balkan B, Koylu EO, Kanit L, Gozen O. Chronic oral nicotine administration and withdrawal regulate the expression of neuropeptide Y and its receptors in the mesocorticolimbic system. Neuropeptides 2021; 90:102184. [PMID: 34425507 DOI: 10.1016/j.npep.2021.102184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Neuropeptide Y (NPY) and its receptors are involved in the regulation of mood, stress, and anxiety. In parallel, NPY signaling may play a vital role in the negative affective state induced by drug withdrawal. This study examined the changes in the transcript levels of NPY, Y1, Y2, and Y5 receptors in the mesocorticolimbic system during chronic nicotine exposure and withdrawal. Rats were administered with nicotine (initial dose: 25 μg/ml, maintenance dose: 50 μg/ml, free base) in drinking water for 12 weeks. Control group received only tap water. In the final week of the study, some of the nicotine-treated animals continued to receive nicotine (0-W), whereas some were withdrawn for either 24 (24-W) or 48 (48-W) h. All animals were decapitated after the evaluation of somatic signs (frequency of gasps, eye blinks, ptosis, shakes, teeth chatter) and the duration of locomotor activity and immobility. mRNA levels of NPY, Y1, Y2, and Y5 receptors in the mesocorticolimbic system were measured by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Results showed that nicotine withdrawal increased overall somatic signs. Moreover, chronic nicotine treatment increased the duration of locomotor activity, whereas withdrawal increased the duration of immobility. qRT-PCR analysis revealed that chronic nicotine treatment increased NPY mRNA levels in the hippocampus. On the other hand, 24- and 48-h withdrawals increased NPY mRNA levels in the amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), Y1 and Y2 mRNA levels in the nucleus accumbens and mPFC, and Y5 mRNA levels in the mPFC. These findings suggest that nicotine withdrawal enhances NPY signaling in the mesocorticolimbic system, which could be an important mechanism involved in regulating the negative affective state triggered during nicotine withdrawal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Birdogan
- Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Physiology, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Elif Salur
- Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Neuroscience, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Fulya Tuzcu
- Ege University, School of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Ramazan C Gokmen
- Ege University, School of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Izmir, Turkey
| | | | - Buket Aypar
- Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Neuroscience, Izmir, Turkey; Ege University, School of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Aysegul Keser
- Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Physiology, Izmir, Turkey; Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Neuroscience, Izmir, Turkey; Ege University, School of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Izmir, Turkey; Ege University, Center for Brain Research, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Burcu Balkan
- Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Physiology, Izmir, Turkey; Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Neuroscience, Izmir, Turkey; Ege University, School of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Izmir, Turkey; Ege University, Center for Brain Research, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Ersin O Koylu
- Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Physiology, Izmir, Turkey; Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Neuroscience, Izmir, Turkey; Ege University, School of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Izmir, Turkey; Ege University, Center for Brain Research, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Lutfiye Kanit
- Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Physiology, Izmir, Turkey; Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Neuroscience, Izmir, Turkey; Ege University, School of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Izmir, Turkey; Ege University, Center for Brain Research, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Oguz Gozen
- Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Physiology, Izmir, Turkey; Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Neuroscience, Izmir, Turkey; Ege University, School of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Izmir, Turkey; Ege University, Center for Brain Research, Izmir, Turkey.
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10
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The Role of the Hippocampus in the Neuroendocrine Response to Neurobiological Stimuli in Experiment. Bull Exp Biol Med 2021; 171:494-498. [PMID: 34542755 DOI: 10.1007/s10517-021-05258-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
We compared the levels of functional activity of cells in each adrenal zone with blood levels of corticosterone, testosterone, and neuropeptide Y in control and hippocampectomized F1(C57BL/6×DBA/2) mice during modeling of metabolic, motivational, and cognitive tension. The morphofunctional state of the adrenal glands was studied using a new morphometric approach. It was found that hippocampectomy changed the testosterone response to neurobiological stimuli; similar changes were observed in the zona reticularis of the adrenal cortex producing dehydroepiandrosterone that is involved in the regulation of testosterone secretion. At the same time, hippocampectomy enhanced the response of the peptide hormone; the index of functional activity of chromaffin cells producing this hormone also increased. These findings allow us to put forward a hypothesis that the hippocampus is involved in the regulation of mutual influences of the studied hormones and that it modulates the sensitivity of testosterone and NPY to metabolic and cognitive factors.
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11
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Qin C, Bian XL, Wu HY, Xian JY, Cai CY, Lin YH, Zhou Y, Kou XL, Chang L, Luo CX, Zhu DY. Dorsal Hippocampus to Infralimbic Cortex Circuit is Essential for the Recall of Extinction Memory. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:1707-1718. [PMID: 33188393 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder subjects usually show impaired recall of extinction memory, leading to extinguished fear relapses. However, little is known about the neural mechanisms underlying the impaired recall of extinction memory. We show here that the activity of dorsal hippocampus (dHPC) to infralimbic (IL) cortex circuit is essential for the recall of fear extinction memory in male mice. There were functional neural projections from the dHPC to IL. Using optogenetic manipulations, we observed that silencing the activity of dHPC-IL circuit inhibited recall of extinction memory while stimulating the activity of dHPC-IL circuit facilitated recall of extinction memory. "Impairment of extinction consolidation caused by" conditional deletion of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2) in the IL prevented the dHPC-IL circuit-mediated recall of extinction memory. Moreover, silencing the dHPC-IL circuit abolished the effect of intra-IL microinjection of ERK enhancer on the recall of extinction memory. Together, we identify a dHPC to IL circuit that mediates the recall of extinction memory, and our data suggest that the dysfunction of dHPC-IL circuit and/or impaired extinction consolidation may contribute to extinguished fear relapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Qin
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Xin-Lan Bian
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Hai-Yin Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Jia-Yun Xian
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Cheng-Yun Cai
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Yu-Hui Lin
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Ying Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Xiao-Lin Kou
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Lei Chang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Chun-Xia Luo
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
- Department of Pharmacology, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Dong-Ya Zhu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
- Institution of Stem Cells and Neuroregeneration, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
- Department of Pharmacology, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangzhou 510000, China
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12
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Bertocchi I, Mele P, Ferrero G, Oberto A, Carulli D, Eva C. NPY-Y1 receptor signaling controls spatial learning and perineuronal net expression. Neuropharmacology 2020; 184:108425. [PMID: 33285203 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Perineuronal nets (PNNs) are extracellular matrix structures that form around some types of neurons at the end of critical periods, limiting neuronal plasticity. In the adult brain, PNNs play a crucial role in the regulation of learning and cognitive processes. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is involved in the regulation of many physiological functions, including learning and memory abilities, via activation of Y1 receptors (Y1Rs). Here we demonstrated that the conditional depletion of the gene encoding the Y1R for NPY in adult forebrain excitatory neurons (Npy1rrfb mutant mice), induces a significant slowdown in spatial learning, which is associated with a robust intensification of PNN expression and an increase in the number of c-Fos expressing cells in the cornus ammonis 1 (CA1) of the dorsal hippocampus. Importantly, the enzymatic digestion of PNNs in CA1 normalizes c-Fos activity and completely rescues learning abilities of Npy1rrfb mice. These data highlight a previously unknown functional link between NPY-Y1R transmission and PNNs, which may play a role in the control of dorsal hippocampal excitability and related cognitive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Bertocchi
- Neuroscience Institute of the Cavalieri-Ottolenghi Foundation, 10043, Orbassano, Turin, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, 10126, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), Italy
| | - Paolo Mele
- Neuroscience Institute of the Cavalieri-Ottolenghi Foundation, 10043, Orbassano, Turin, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, 10126, Turin, Italy
| | - Giuliano Ferrero
- Neuroscience Institute of the Cavalieri-Ottolenghi Foundation, 10043, Orbassano, Turin, Italy
| | - Alessandra Oberto
- Neuroscience Institute of the Cavalieri-Ottolenghi Foundation, 10043, Orbassano, Turin, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, 10126, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), Italy
| | - Daniela Carulli
- Neuroscience Institute of the Cavalieri-Ottolenghi Foundation, 10043, Orbassano, Turin, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, 10126, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), Italy; Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Carola Eva
- Neuroscience Institute of the Cavalieri-Ottolenghi Foundation, 10043, Orbassano, Turin, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, 10126, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), Italy.
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13
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Pace SA, Christensen C, Schackmuth MK, Wallace T, McKlveen JM, Beischel W, Morano R, Scheimann JR, Wilson SP, Herman JP, Myers B. Infralimbic cortical glutamate output is necessary for the neural and behavioral consequences of chronic stress. Neurobiol Stress 2020; 13:100274. [PMID: 33344727 PMCID: PMC7739189 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2020.100274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to prolonged stress is a major risk-factor for psychiatric disorders such as generalized anxiety and major depressive disorder. Human imaging studies have identified structural and functional abnormalities in the prefrontal cortex of subjects with depression and anxiety disorders, particularly Brodmann's area 25 (BA25). Further, deep brain stimulation of BA25 reduces symptoms of treatment-resistant depression. The rat homolog of BA25 is the infralimbic cortex (IL), which is critical for cognitive appraisal, executive function, and physiological stress reactivity. Previous studies indicate that the IL undergoes stress-induced changes in excitatory/inhibitory balance culminating in reduced activity of glutamate output neurons. However, the regulatory role of IL glutamate output in mood-related behaviors after chronic variable stress (CVS) is unknown. Here, we utilized a lentiviral-packaged small-interfering RNA to reduce translation of vesicular glutamate transporter 1 (vGluT1 siRNA), thereby constraining IL glutamate output. This viral-mediated gene transfer was used in conjunction with a quantitative anatomical analysis of cells expressing the stable immediate-early gene product FosB/ΔFosB, which accumulates in response to repeated neural activation. Through assessment of FosB/ΔFosB-expressing neurons across the frontal lobe in adult male rats, we mapped regions altered by chronic stress and determined the coordinating role of the IL in frontal cortical plasticity. Specifically, CVS-exposed rats had increased density of FosB/ΔFosB-expressing cells in the IL and decreased density in the insula. The latter effect was dependent on IL glutamate output. Next, we examined the interaction of CVS and reduced IL glutamate output in behavioral assays examining coping, anxiety-like behavior, associative learning, and nociception. IL glutamate knockdown decreased immobility during the forced swim test compared to GFP controls, both in rats exposed to CVS as well as rats without previous stress exposure. Further, vGluT1 siRNA prevented CVS-induced avoidance behaviors, while also reducing risk aversion and passive coping. Ultimately, this study identifies the necessity of IL glutamatergic output for regulating frontal cortical neural activity and behavior following chronic stress. These findings also highlight how disruption of excitatory/inhibitory balance within specific frontal cortical cell populations may impact neurobehavioral adaptation and lead to stress-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian A. Pace
- Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | | | | | - Tyler Wallace
- Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Jessica M. McKlveen
- National Institutes of Health, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Will Beischel
- Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Rachel Morano
- Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Jessie R. Scheimann
- Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Steven P. Wilson
- Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - James P. Herman
- Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Brent Myers
- Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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14
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Brockway DF, Crowley NA. Turning the 'Tides on Neuropsychiatric Diseases: The Role of Peptides in the Prefrontal Cortex. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:588400. [PMID: 33192369 PMCID: PMC7606924 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.588400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advancements in technology have enabled researchers to probe the brain with the greater region, cell, and receptor specificity. These developments have allowed for a more thorough understanding of how regulation of the neurophysiology within a region is essential for maintaining healthy brain function. Stress has been shown to alter the prefrontal cortex (PFC) functioning, and evidence links functional impairments in PFC brain activity with neuropsychiatric disorders. Moreover, a growing body of literature highlights the importance of neuropeptides in the PFC to modulate neural signaling and to influence behavior. The converging evidence outlined in this review indicates that neuropeptides in the PFC are specifically impacted by stress, and are found to be dysregulated in numerous stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders including substance use disorder, major depressive disorder (MDD), posttraumatic stress disorder, and schizophrenia. This review explores how neuropeptides in the PFC function to regulate the neural activity, and how genetic and environmental factors, such as stress, lead to dysregulation in neuropeptide systems, which may ultimately contribute to the pathology of neuropsychiatric diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dakota F Brockway
- Neuroscience Curriculum, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Nicole A Crowley
- Neuroscience Curriculum, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States.,The Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
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15
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Infralimbic cortex controls fear memory generalization and susceptibility to extinction during consolidation. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15827. [PMID: 32985565 PMCID: PMC7522076 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72856-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Lesioning or inactivating the infralimbic (IL) subregion of the medial prefrontal cortex before acquisition produces more generalized and extinction-resistant fear memories. However, whether and how it modulates memory specificity and extinction susceptibility while consolidation takes place is still unknown. The present study aims to investigate these questions using muscimol-induced temporary inactivation and anisomycin-induced protein synthesis inhibition in the rat IL following contextual fear conditioning. Results indicate that the IL activity immediately after acquisition, but not six hours later, controls memory generalization over a week, regardless of its strength. Such IL function depends on the context-shock pairing since muscimol induced no changes in animals exposed to immediate shocks or the conditioning context only. Animals in which the IL was inactivated during consolidation extinguished similarly to controls within the session but were unable to recall the extinction memory the following day. Noteworthy, these post-acquisition IL inactivation-induced effects were not associated with changes in anxiety, as assessed in the elevated plus-maze test. Anisomycin results indicate that the IL protein synthesis during consolidation contributes more to producing extinction-sensitive fear memories than memory specificity. Collectively, present results provide evidence for the IL's role in controlling generalization and susceptibility to extinction during fear memory consolidation.
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16
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Clark CM, Clark RM, Hoyle JA, Dickson TC. Pathogenic or protective? Neuropeptide Y in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Neurochem 2020; 156:273-289. [PMID: 32654149 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is an endogenous peptide of the central and enteric nervous systems which has gained significant interest as a potential neuroprotective agent for treatment of neurodegenerative disease. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an aggressive and fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by motor deficits and motor neuron loss. In ALS, recent evidence from ALS patients and animal models has indicated that NPY may have a role in the disease pathogenesis. Increased NPY levels were found to correlate with disease progression in ALS patients. Similarly, NPY expression is increased in the motor cortex of ALS mice by end stages of the disease. Although the functional consequence of increased NPY levels in ALS is currently unknown, NPY has been shown to exert a diverse range of neuroprotective roles in other neurodegenerative diseases; through modulation of potassium channel activity, increased production of neurotrophins, inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum stress and autophagy, reduction of excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation and hyperexcitability. Several of these mechanisms and signalling pathways are heavily implicated in the pathogenesis of ALS. Therefore, in this review, we discuss possible effects of NPY and NPY-receptor signalling in the ALS disease context, as determining NPY's contribution to, or impact on, ALS disease mechanisms will be essential for future studies investigating the NPY system as a therapeutic strategy in this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney M Clark
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Rosemary M Clark
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Joshua A Hoyle
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Tracey C Dickson
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
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17
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Franco LO, Carvalho MJ, Costa J, Ferreira PA, Guedes JR, Sousa R, Edfawy M, Seabra CM, Cardoso AL, Peça J. Social subordination induced by early life adversity rewires inhibitory control of the prefrontal cortex via enhanced Npy1r signaling. Neuropsychopharmacology 2020; 45:1438-1447. [PMID: 32492699 PMCID: PMC7360628 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-0727-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 05/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Social hierarchies are present in most mammalian species. In nature, hierarchies offer a tradeoff between reduction of in-group fighting between males, at the expense of an asymmetric sharing of resources. Early life experiences and stress are known to influence the rank an individual attains in adulthood, but the associated cellular and synaptic alterations are poorly understood. Using a maternal separation protocol, we show that care-deprived mice display a long-lasting submissive phenotype, increased social recognition, and enhanced explorative behavior. These alterations are consistent with an adaptation that favors exploration rather than confrontation within a group setting. At the neuronal level, these animals display dendritic atrophy and enhanced inhibitory synaptic inputs in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) neurons. To determine what could underlie this synaptic modification, we first assessed global gene expression changes via RNAseq, and next focused on a smaller subset of putatively altered synaptic receptors that could explain the changes in synaptic inhibition. Using different cohorts of maternally deprived mice, we validated a significant increase in the expression of Npy1r, a receptor known to play a role in maternal care, anxiety, foraging, and regulation of group behavior. Using electrophysiological recordings in adult mice while blocking NPY1R signaling, we determined that this receptor plays a key role in enhancing GABAergic currents in mice that experience maternal deprivation. Taken together, our work highlights the potential of regulating NPY1R in social anxiety disorders and the alterations induced in brain circuitry as a consequence of early life stress and adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara O. Franco
- 0000 0000 9511 4342grid.8051.cCNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal ,0000 0000 9511 4342grid.8051.cInstitute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal ,0000 0000 9511 4342grid.8051.cPhD Program in Experimental Biology and Biomedicine (PDBEB), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Mário J. Carvalho
- 0000 0000 9511 4342grid.8051.cCNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal ,MIT-Portugal Bioengineering Systems Doctoral Program, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Jéssica Costa
- 0000 0000 9511 4342grid.8051.cCNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal ,0000 0000 9511 4342grid.8051.cPhD Program in Experimental Biology and Biomedicine (PDBEB), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Pedro A. Ferreira
- 0000 0000 9511 4342grid.8051.cCNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Joana R. Guedes
- 0000 0000 9511 4342grid.8051.cCNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal ,0000 0000 9511 4342grid.8051.cInstitute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Renato Sousa
- 0000 0000 9511 4342grid.8051.cCNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Mohamed Edfawy
- 0000 0000 9511 4342grid.8051.cCNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal ,0000 0000 9511 4342grid.8051.cInstitute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Catarina M. Seabra
- 0000 0000 9511 4342grid.8051.cCNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal ,0000 0000 9511 4342grid.8051.cInstitute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana L. Cardoso
- 0000 0000 9511 4342grid.8051.cCNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal ,0000 0000 9511 4342grid.8051.cInstitute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - João Peça
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. .,Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. .,Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
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18
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Fadda M, De Fruyt N, Borghgraef C, Watteyne J, Peymen K, Vandewyer E, Naranjo Galindo FJ, Kieswetter A, Mirabeau O, Chew YL, Beets I, Schoofs L. NPY/NPF-Related Neuropeptide FLP-34 Signals from Serotonergic Neurons to Modulate Aversive Olfactory Learning in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Neurosci 2020; 40:6018-6034. [PMID: 32576621 PMCID: PMC7392509 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2674-19.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Aversive learning is fundamental for animals to increase chances of survival. In addition to classical neurotransmitters, neuropeptides have emerged to modulate such complex behaviors. Among them, neuropeptide Y (NPY) is well known to promote aversive memory acquisition in mammals. Here we identify an NPY/neuropeptide F (NPF)-related neuropeptide system in Caenorhabditis elegans and show that this FLP-34/NPR-11 system is required for learning negative associations, a process that is reminiscent of NPY signaling in mammals. The Caenorhabditis elegans NPY/NPF ortholog FLP-34 displays conserved structural hallmarks of bilaterian-wide NPY/NPF neuropeptides. We show that it is required for aversive olfactory learning after pairing diacetyl with the absence of food, but not for appetitive olfactory learning in response to butanone. To mediate diacetyl learning and thus integrate the aversive food context with the diacetyl odor, FLP-34 is released from serotonergic neurons and signals through its evolutionarily conserved NPY/NPF GPCR, NPR-11, in downstream AIA interneurons. NPR-11 activation in the AIA integration center results in avoidance of a previously attractive stimulus. This study opens perspectives for a deeper understanding of stress conditions in which aversive learning results in excessive avoidance.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Aversive learning evolved early in evolution to promote avoidance of dangerous and stressful situations. In addition to classical neurotransmitters, neuropeptides are emerging as modulators of complex behaviors, including learning and memory. Here, we identified the evolutionary ortholog of neuropeptide Y/neuropeptide F in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, and we discovered that it is required for olfactory aversive learning. In addition, we elucidated the neural circuit underlying this avoidance behavior, and we discovered a novel coordinated action of Caenorhabditis elegans neuropeptide Y/neuropeptide F and serotonin that could aid in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying stress disorders in which excessive avoidance results in maladaptive behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Fadda
- Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | | | | | - Jan Watteyne
- Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | | | | | | | | | - Olivier Mirabeau
- Genetics and Biology of Cancers Unit, Institut Curie, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U830, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Yee Lian Chew
- Illawarra Health & Medical Research Institute School of Chemistry & Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, 2522 New South Wales, Australia
| | - Isabel Beets
- Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
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19
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Quinones MM, Gallegos AM, Lin FV, Heffner K. Dysregulation of inflammation, neurobiology, and cognitive function in PTSD: an integrative review. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2020; 20:455-480. [PMID: 32170605 PMCID: PMC7682894 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-020-00782-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Compelling evidence from animal and human research suggest a strong link between inflammation and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Furthermore, recent findings support compromised neurocognitive function as a key feature of PTSD, particularly with deficits in attention and processing speed, executive function, and memory. These cognitive domains are supported by brain structures and neural pathways that are disrupted in PTSD and which are implicated in fear learning and extinction processes. The disruption of these supporting structures potentially results from their interaction with inflammation. Thus, the converging evidence supports a model of inflammatory dysregulation and cognitive dysfunction as combined mechanisms underpinning PTSD symptomatology. In this review, we summarize evidence of dysregulated inflammation in PTSD and further explore how the neurobiological underpinnings of PTSD, in the context of fear learning and extinction acquisition and recall, may interact with inflammation. We then present evidence for cognitive dysfunction in PTSD, highlighting findings from human work. Potential therapeutic approaches utilizing novel pharmacological and behavioral interventions that target inflammation and cognition also are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria M Quinones
- Elaine C. Hubbard Center for Nursing Research on Aging, School of Nursing, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA.
| | - Autumn M Gallegos
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Feng Vankee Lin
- Elaine C. Hubbard Center for Nursing Research on Aging, School of Nursing, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Kathi Heffner
- Elaine C. Hubbard Center for Nursing Research on Aging, School of Nursing, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
- Division of Geriatrics & Aging, Department of Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
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20
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Brancato A, Castelli V, Lavanco G, Marino RAM, Cannizzaro C. In utero Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol exposure confers vulnerability towards cognitive impairments and alcohol drinking in the adolescent offspring: Is there a role for neuropeptide Y? J Psychopharmacol 2020; 34:663-679. [PMID: 32338122 DOI: 10.1177/0269881120916135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cannabinoid consumption during pregnancy has been increasing on the wave of the broad-based legalisation of cannabis in Western countries, raising concern about the putative detrimental outcomes on foetal neurodevelopment. Indeed, since the endocannabinoid system regulates synaptic plasticity, emotional and cognitive processes from early stages of life interfering with it and other excitability endogenous modulators, such as neuropeptide Y (NPY), might contribute to the occurrence of a vulnerable phenotype later in life. AIMS This research investigated whether in utero exposure to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) may induce deficits in emotional/cognitive processes and alcohol vulnerability in adolescent offspring. NPY and excitatory postsynaptic density (PSD) machinery were measured as markers of neurobiological vulnerability. METHODS Following in utero THC exposure (2 mg/kg delivered subcutaneously), preadolescent male rat offspring were assessed for: behavioural reactivity in the open field test, neutral declarative memory and aversive limbic memory in the Novel Object and Emotional Object Recognition tests, immunofluorescence for NPY neurons and the PSD proteins Homer-1, 1b/c and 2 in the prefrontal cortex, amygdala and nucleus accumbens at adolescence (cohort 1); and instrumental learning, alcohol taking, relapse and conflict behaviour in the operant chamber throughout adolescence until early adulthood (cohort 2). RESULTS In utero THC-exposed adolescent rats showed: (a) increased locomotor activity; (b) no alteration in neutral declarative memory; (c) impaired aversive limbic memory; (d) decreased NPY-positive neurons in limbic regions; (e) region-specific variations in Homer-1, 1b/c and 2 immunoreactivity; (f) decreased instrumental learning and increased alcohol drinking, relapse and conflict behaviour in the operant chamber. CONCLUSION Gestational THC impaired the formation of memory traces when integration between environmental encoding and emotional/motivational processing was required and promoted the development of alcohol-addictive behaviours. The abnormalities in NPY signalling and PSD make-up may represent the common neurobiological background, suggesting new targets for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Brancato
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother-Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties of Excellence 'G. D'Alessandro', University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Valentina Castelli
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother-Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties of Excellence 'G. D'Alessandro', University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.,Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Gianluca Lavanco
- INSERM U1215, NeuroCentre Magendie, Bordeaux, France.,University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.,Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Rosa Anna Maria Marino
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA
| | - Carla Cannizzaro
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother-Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties of Excellence 'G. D'Alessandro', University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
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21
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Neuropeptide Y Expression Defines a Novel Class of GABAergic Projection Neuron in the Inferior Colliculus. J Neurosci 2020; 40:4685-4699. [PMID: 32376782 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0420-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Located in the midbrain, the inferior colliculus (IC) integrates information from numerous auditory nuclei and is an important hub for sound processing. Despite its importance, little is known about the molecular identity and functional roles of defined neuron types in the IC. Using a multifaceted approach in mice of both sexes, we found that neuropeptide Y (NPY) expression identifies a major class of inhibitory neurons, accounting for approximately one-third of GABAergic neurons in the IC. Retrograde tracing showed that NPY neurons are principal neurons that can project to the medial geniculate nucleus. In brain slice recordings, many NPY neurons fired spontaneously, suggesting that NPY neurons may drive tonic inhibition onto postsynaptic targets. Morphologic reconstructions showed that NPY neurons are stellate cells, and the dendrites of NPY neurons in the tonotopically organized central nucleus of the IC cross isofrequency laminae. Immunostaining confirmed that NPY neurons express NPY, and we therefore hypothesized that NPY signaling regulates activity in the IC. In crosses between Npy1rcre and Ai14 Cre-reporter mice, we found that NPY Y1 receptor (Y1R)-expressing neurons are glutamatergic and were broadly distributed throughout the rostrocaudal extent of the IC. In whole-cell recordings, application of a high-affinity Y1R agonist led to hyperpolarization in most Y1R-expressing IC neurons. Thus, NPY neurons represent a novel class of inhibitory principal neurons that are well poised to use GABAergic and NPY signaling to regulate the excitability of circuits in the IC and auditory thalamus.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The identification of neuron types is a fundamental question in neuroscience. In the inferior colliculus (IC), the hub of the central auditory pathway, molecular markers for distinct classes of inhibitory neurons have remained unknown. We found that neuropeptide Y (NPY) expression identifies a class of GABAergic principal neurons that constitute one-third of the inhibitory neurons in the IC. NPY neurons fire spontaneously, have a stellate morphology, and project to the auditory thalamus. Additionally, we found that NPY signaling hyperpolarized the membrane potential of a subset of excitatory IC neurons that express the NPY Y1 receptor. Thus, NPY neurons are a novel class of inhibitory neurons that use GABA and NPY signaling to regulate activity in the IC and auditory thalamus.
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22
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Kim BK, Fonda JR, Hauger RL, Pinna G, Anderson GM, Valovski IT, Rasmusson AM. Composite contributions of cerebrospinal fluid GABAergic neurosteroids, neuropeptide Y and interleukin-6 to PTSD symptom severity in men with PTSD. Neurobiol Stress 2020; 12:100220. [PMID: 32435669 PMCID: PMC7231970 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2020.100220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Given that multiple neurobiological systems, as well as components within these systems are impacted by stress, and may interact in additive, compensatory and synergistic ways to promote or mitigate PTSD risk, severity, and recovery, we thought that it would be important to consider the collective, as well as separate effects of these neurobiological systems on PTSD risk. With this goal in mind, we conducted a proof-of-concept study utilizing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collected from unmedicated, tobacco- and illicit substance-free men with PTSD (n = 13) and trauma-exposed healthy controls (TC) (n = 17). Thirteen neurobiological factors thought to contribute to PTSD risk or severity based on previous studies were assayed. As the small but typical sample size of this lumbar puncture study limited the number of factors that could be considered in a hierarchical regression model, we included only those five factors with at least a moderate correlation (Spearman rho > 0.30) with total Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-IV) scores, and that did not violate multicollinearity criteria. Three of the five factors meeting these criteria—CSF allopregnanolone and pregnanolone (Allo + PA: equipotent GABAergic metabolites of progesterone), neuropeptide Y (NPY), and interleukin-6 (IL-6)—were found to account for over 75% of the variance in the CAPS-IV scores (R2 = 0.766, F = 8.75, p = 0.007). CSF Allo + PA levels were negatively associated with PTSD severity (β = −0.523, p = 0.02) and accounted for 47% of the variance in CAPS-IV scores. CSF NPY was positively associated with PTSD severity (β = 0.410, p = 0.04) and accounted for 14.7% of the CAPS-IV variance. There was a trend for a positive association between PTSD severity and CSF IL-6 levels, which accounted for 15.3% of the variance in PTSD severity (β = 0.423, p = 0.05). Z-scores were then computed for each of the three predictive factors and used to depict the varying relative degrees to which each contributed to PTSD severity at the individual PTSD patient level. This first of its kind, proof-of-concept study bears replication in larger samples. However, it highlights the collective effects of dysregulated neurobiological systems on PTSD symptom severity and the heterogeneity of potential biological treatment targets across individual PTSD patients—thus supporting the need for precision medicine approaches to treatment development and prescribing in PTSD.
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Key Words
- 3α-HSD, 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase
- Allo + PA, sum of allopregnanolone and pregnanolone
- EIA, enzyme immunoassay
- GC-MS, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
- HPLC, high pressure liquid chromatography
- LP, lumbar puncture
- PE, prolonged exposure therapy
- PFC, prefrontal cortex
- RIA, radioimmunoassay
- TC, trauma-exposed control
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Affiliation(s)
- Byung Kil Kim
- VA Boston Healthcare System, 150 South Huntington Ave., Boston, MA, 02130, USA
| | - Jennifer R Fonda
- VA Boston Healthcare System, 150 South Huntington Ave., Boston, MA, 02130, USA.,Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS) and Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), 150 South Huntington Ave., Boston, MA, 02130, USA.,Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Richard L Hauger
- Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VA San Diego Healthcare System, 3350 La Jolla Village Drive, San Diego, CA, 92161, USA.,Center for Behavior Genetics of Aging, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Graziano Pinna
- The Psychiatric Institute, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1601 W Taylor St. MC912 Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - George M Anderson
- Child Study Center and Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine S. Frontage Rd. New Haven, CT, 06519, USA
| | - Ivan T Valovski
- VA Boston Healthcare System, 150 South Huntington Ave., Boston, MA, 02130, USA.,Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck St. Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Ann M Rasmusson
- VA Boston Healthcare System, 150 South Huntington Ave., Boston, MA, 02130, USA.,Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.,VA National Center for PTSD Women's Health Science Division, 150 South Huntington Ave., Boston, MA, 02130, USA
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23
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Cheon M, Park H, Rhim H, Chung C. Actions of Neuropeptide Y on Synaptic Transmission in the Lateral Habenula. Neuroscience 2019; 410:183-190. [PMID: 31082535 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.04.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Neuropeptide Y is a peptide neuromodulator with protective roles including anxiolytic and antidepressant-like effects in animal models of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. The lateral habenula (LHb) is a brain region that encodes aversive information and is closely related with mood disorders. Although LHb neurons express NPY receptors, the physiological roles of NPY in this region remain uninvestigated. In this study, we examined the actions of NPY on synaptic transmission in the LHb using whole cell patch clamp recording. We observed that NPY inhibited excitatory neurotransmission in a subset of LHb neurons whereas potentiating in a small population of neurons. Inhibitory transmission remained unchanged by NPY application in a subset of neurons but was reduced in the majority of LHb neurons recorded. The overall outcome of NPY application was a decrease in the spontaneous firing rate of the LHb, leading to hypoactivation of the LHb. Our observations indicate that although NPY has divergent effects on excitatory and inhibitory transmission, NPY receptor activation decreases LHb activity, suggesting that the LHb may partly mediate the protective roles of NPY in the central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myunghyun Cheon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, South Korea
| | - Hoyong Park
- Department of Biological Sciences, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, South Korea
| | - Hyewon Rhim
- Center for Neuroscience, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 139-791, South Korea
| | - ChiHye Chung
- Department of Biological Sciences, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, South Korea.
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24
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Schipper P, Brivio P, de Leest D, Madder L, Asrar B, Rebuglio F, Verheij MMM, Kozicz T, Riva MA, Calabrese F, Henckens MJAG, Homberg JR. Impaired Fear Extinction Recall in Serotonin Transporter Knockout Rats Is Transiently Alleviated during Adolescence. Brain Sci 2019; 9:brainsci9050118. [PMID: 31121975 PMCID: PMC6562656 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci9050118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Revised: 05/21/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Adolescence is a developmental phase characterized by emotional turmoil and coincides with the emergence of affective disorders. Inherited serotonin transporter (5-HTT) downregulation in humans increases sensitivity to these disorders. To reveal whether and how 5-HTT gene variance affects fear-driven behavior in adolescence, we tested wildtype and serotonin transporter knockout (5-HTT-/-) rats of preadolescent, adolescent, and adult age for cued fear extinction and extinction recall. To analyze neural circuit function, we quantified inhibitory synaptic contacts and, through RT-PCR, the expression of c-Fos, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and NDMA receptor subunits, in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and amygdala. Remarkably, the impaired recall of conditioned fear that characterizes preadolescent and adult 5-HTT-/- rats was transiently normalized during adolescence. This did not relate to altered inhibitory neurotransmission, since mPFC inhibitory immunoreactivity was reduced in 5-HTT-/- rats across all ages and unaffected in the amygdala. Rather, since mPFC (but not amygdala) c-Fos expression and NMDA receptor subunit 1 expression were reduced in 5-HTT-/- rats during adolescence, and since PFC c-Fos correlated negatively with fear extinction recall, the temporary normalization of fear extinction during adolescence could relate to altered plasticity in the developing mPFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pieter Schipper
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Kapittelweg 29, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Paola Brivio
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Universita' degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - David de Leest
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Kapittelweg 29, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Leonie Madder
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Kapittelweg 29, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Beenish Asrar
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Kapittelweg 29, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Federica Rebuglio
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Kapittelweg 29, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Michel M M Verheij
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Kapittelweg 29, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Tamas Kozicz
- Department of Clinical Genomics, Mayp Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
| | - Marco A Riva
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Universita' degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Francesca Calabrese
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Universita' degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Marloes J A G Henckens
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Kapittelweg 29, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Judith R Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Kapittelweg 29, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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25
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Robinson SL, Marrero IM, Perez-Heydrich CA, Sepulveda-Orengo MT, Reissner KJ, Thiele TE. Medial prefrontal cortex neuropeptide Y modulates binge-like ethanol consumption in C57BL/6J mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:1132-1140. [PMID: 30647448 PMCID: PMC6461999 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0310-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Accepted: 12/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Neuropeptide Y (NPY) signaling via limbic NPY1 and 2 receptors (NPY1R and NPY2R, respectively) is known to modulate binge-like ethanol consumption in rodents. However, the role of NPY signaling in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), which provides top-down modulation of the limbic system, is unknown. Here, we used "drinking-in-the-dark" (DID) procedures in C57BL/6J mice to address this gap in the literature. First, the impact of DID on NPY immunoreactivity (IR) was assessed in the mPFC. Next, the role of NPY1R and NPY2R signaling in the mPFC on ethanol consumption was evaluated through site-directed pharmacology. Chemogenetic inhibition of NPY1R+ neurons in the mPFC was performed to further evaluate the role of this population. To determine the potential role of NPY1R+ neurons projecting from the mPFC to the basolateral amygdala (BLA) this efferent population was selectively silenced. Three, 4-day cycles of DID reduced NPY IR in the mPFC. Intra-mPFC activation of NPY1R and antagonism of NPY2R resulted in decreased binge-like ethanol intake. Silencing of mPFC NPY1R+ neurons overall, and specifically NPY1R+ neurons projecting to the BLA, significantly reduced binge-like ethanol intake. We provide novel evidence that (1) binge-like ethanol intake reduces NPY levels in the mPFC; (2) activation of NPY1R or blockade of NPY2R reduces binge-like ethanol intake; and (3) chemogenetic inhibition of NPY1R+ neurons in the mPFC and NPY1R+ mPFC neurons projecting to the BLA blunts binge-like drinking. These observations provide the first direct evidence that NPY signaling in the mPFC modulates binge-like ethanol consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacey L. Robinson
- 0000 0001 1034 1720grid.410711.2Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 USA ,0000 0001 1034 1720grid.410711.2Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 USA
| | - Isabel M. Marrero
- 0000 0001 1034 1720grid.410711.2Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 USA
| | - Carlos A. Perez-Heydrich
- 0000 0001 1034 1720grid.410711.2Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 USA
| | - Marian T. Sepulveda-Orengo
- 0000 0001 1034 1720grid.410711.2Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 USA
| | - Kathryn J. Reissner
- 0000 0001 1034 1720grid.410711.2Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 USA
| | - Todd E. Thiele
- 0000 0001 1034 1720grid.410711.2Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 USA ,0000 0001 1034 1720grid.410711.2Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 USA
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26
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Shumake J, Jones C, Auchter A, Monfils MH. Data-driven criteria to assess fear remission and phenotypic variability of extinction in rats. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 373:rstb.2017.0035. [PMID: 29352033 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Fear conditioning is widely employed to examine the mechanisms that underlie dysregulations of the fear system. Various manipulations are often used following fear acquisition to attenuate fear memories. In rodent studies, freezing is often the main output measure to quantify 'fear'. Here, we developed data-driven criteria for defining a standard benchmark that indicates remission from conditioned fear and for identifying subgroups with differential treatment responses. These analyses will enable a better understanding of individual differences in treatment responding.This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Of mice and mental health: facilitating dialogue between basic and clinical neuroscientists'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Shumake
- Institute for Mental Health Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.,Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Carolyn Jones
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Allison Auchter
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Marie-Hélène Monfils
- Institute for Mental Health Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA .,Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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27
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Grunfeld IS, Likhtik E. Mixed selectivity encoding and action selection in the prefrontal cortex during threat assessment. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2018; 49:108-115. [PMID: 29454957 PMCID: PMC5889962 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2018.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2017] [Revised: 12/27/2017] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) regulates expression of emotional behavior. The mPFC combines multivariate information from its inputs, and depending on the imminence of threat, activates downstream networks that either increase or decrease the expression of anxiety-related motor behavior and autonomic activation. Here, we selectively highlight how subcortical input to the mPFC from two example structures, the amygdala and ventral hippocampus, help shape mixed selectivity encoding and action selection during emotional processing. We outline a model where prefrontal subregions modulate behavior along orthogonal motor dimensions, and exhibit connectivity that selects for expression of one behavioral strategy while inhibiting the other.
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Affiliation(s)
- Itamar S Grunfeld
- Biology Department, Hunter College, CUNY, United States; Neuroscience Collaborative, The Graduate Center, CUNY, United States
| | - Ekaterina Likhtik
- Biology Department, Hunter College, CUNY, United States; Neuroscience Collaborative, The Graduate Center, CUNY, United States.
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28
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Jékely G, Melzer S, Beets I, Kadow ICG, Koene J, Haddad S, Holden-Dye L. The long and the short of it - a perspective on peptidergic regulation of circuits and behaviour. J Exp Biol 2018; 221:jeb166710. [PMID: 29439060 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.166710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Neuropeptides are the most diverse class of chemical modulators in nervous systems. They contribute to extensive modulation of circuit activity and have profound influences on animal physiology. Studies on invertebrate model organisms, including the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, have enabled the genetic manipulation of peptidergic signalling, contributing to an understanding of how neuropeptides pattern the output of neural circuits to underpin behavioural adaptation. Electrophysiological and pharmacological analyses of well-defined microcircuits, such as the crustacean stomatogastric ganglion, have provided detailed insights into neuropeptide functions at a cellular and circuit level. These approaches can be increasingly applied in the mammalian brain by focusing on circuits with a defined and identifiable sub-population of neurons. Functional analyses of neuropeptide systems have been underpinned by systematic studies to map peptidergic networks. Here, we review the general principles and mechanistic insights that have emerged from these studies. We also highlight some of the challenges that remain for furthering our understanding of the functional relevance of peptidergic modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gáspár Jékely
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Sarah Melzer
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neurobiology, 200 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Isabel Beets
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Ilona C Grunwald Kadow
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Life Sciences, ZIEL - Institute for Food and Health, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Joris Koene
- Vrije Universiteit - Ecological Science, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sara Haddad
- Volen Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Mailstop 013, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA 02454, USA
| | - Lindy Holden-Dye
- Biological Sciences, Highfield Campus, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
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29
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Longo A, Fadda M, Brasso C, Mele P, Palanza P, Nanavaty I, Bertocchi I, Oberto A, Eva C. Conditional inactivation of Npy1r gene in mice induces behavioural inflexibility and orbitofrontal cortex hyperactivity that are reversed by escitalopram. Neuropharmacology 2018; 133:12-22. [PMID: 29353053 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2017] [Revised: 01/09/2018] [Accepted: 01/13/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive flexibility is the ability to rapidly adapt established patterns of behaviour in the face of changing circumstance and depends critically on the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Impaired flexibility also results from altered serotonin transmission in the OFC. The Y1 (Y1R) and Y5 (Y5R) receptors for neuropeptide Y (NPY) colocalize in several brain regions and have overlapping functions in regulating cognition and emotional behaviour. The targeted disruption of gene encoding Y1R (Npy1r gene) in Y5R containing neurons (Npy1rY5R-/- mice) increases anxiety-like behaviour and spatial reference memory. Here we used the same conditional system to analyse whether the coordinated expression of the Y1R and Y5R might be required for behavioural flexibility in reversal learning tasks, OFC serotoninergic tone and OFC neural activity, as detected by immunohistochemical quantification of the immediate-early gene, c-Fos. In addition, we investigated whether the acute treatment of Npy1rY5R-/- mice with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor escitalopram affected behavioural flexibility and OFC c-Fos expression. Npy1rY5R-/- male mice exhibit an impairment in performing the reversal task of the Morris water maze and the water T-maze but normal spatial learning, working memory and sociability, compared to their control siblings. Furthermore, Npy1rY5R-/- male mice display decreased 5-hydroxytriptamine (5-HT) positive fibres and increased baseline neural activity in OFC. Importantly, escitalopram normalizes OFC neural activity and restores behavioural flexibility of Npy1rY5R-/- male mice. These findings suggest that the inactivation of Y1R in Y5R containing neurons increases pyramidal neuron activity and dysregulates serotoninergic tone in OFC, whereby contributing to reversal learning impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Longo
- Neuroscience Institute of the Cavalieri-Ottolenghi Foundation, Regione Gonzole, 10, 10043, Orbassano, Turin, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, C.so Massimo d'Azeglio 52, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Melissa Fadda
- Neuroscience Institute of the Cavalieri-Ottolenghi Foundation, Regione Gonzole, 10, 10043, Orbassano, Turin, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, C.so Massimo d'Azeglio 52, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Claudio Brasso
- Neuroscience Institute of the Cavalieri-Ottolenghi Foundation, Regione Gonzole, 10, 10043, Orbassano, Turin, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, C.so Massimo d'Azeglio 52, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Paolo Mele
- Neuroscience Institute of the Cavalieri-Ottolenghi Foundation, Regione Gonzole, 10, 10043, Orbassano, Turin, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, C.so Massimo d'Azeglio 52, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Paola Palanza
- Department of Medicine - Neuroscience Unit, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Ishira Nanavaty
- Neuroscience Institute of the Cavalieri-Ottolenghi Foundation, Regione Gonzole, 10, 10043, Orbassano, Turin, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, C.so Massimo d'Azeglio 52, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Ilaria Bertocchi
- Neuroscience Institute of the Cavalieri-Ottolenghi Foundation, Regione Gonzole, 10, 10043, Orbassano, Turin, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, C.so Massimo d'Azeglio 52, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Alessandra Oberto
- Neuroscience Institute of the Cavalieri-Ottolenghi Foundation, Regione Gonzole, 10, 10043, Orbassano, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, C.so Massimo d'Azeglio 52, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Carola Eva
- Neuroscience Institute of the Cavalieri-Ottolenghi Foundation, Regione Gonzole, 10, 10043, Orbassano, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, C.so Massimo d'Azeglio 52, 10126 Turin, Italy.
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Traub RD, Whittington MA, Hall SP. Does Epileptiform Activity Represent a Failure of Neuromodulation to Control Central Pattern Generator-Like Neocortical Behavior? Front Neural Circuits 2017; 11:78. [PMID: 29093667 PMCID: PMC5651241 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2017.00078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhythmic motor patterns in invertebrates are often driven by specialized “central pattern generators” (CPGs), containing small numbers of neurons, which are likely to be “identifiable” in one individual compared with another. The dynamics of any particular CPG lies under the control of modulatory substances, amines, or peptides, entering the CPG from outside it, or released by internal constituent neurons; consequently, a particular CPG can generate a given rhythm at different frequencies and amplitudes, and perhaps even generate a repertoire of distinctive patterns. The mechanisms exploited by neuromodulators in this respect are manifold: Intrinsic conductances (e.g., calcium, potassium channels), conductance state of postsynaptic receptors, degree of plasticity, and magnitude and kinetics of transmitter release can all be affected. The CPG concept has been generalized to vertebrate motor pattern generating circuits (e.g., for locomotion), which may contain large numbers of neurons – a construct that is sensible, if there is enough redundancy: that is, the large number of neurons consists of only a small number of classes, and the cells within any one class act stereotypically. Here we suggest that CPG and modulator ideas may also help to understand cortical oscillations, normal ones, and particularly transition to epileptiform pathology. Furthermore, in the case illustrated, the mechanism of the transition appears to be an exaggerated form of a normal modulatory action used to influence sensory processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger D Traub
- Department of Physical Sciences, IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center, New York City, NY, United States
| | - Miles A Whittington
- Department of Biology, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen P Hall
- Department of Biology, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, United Kingdom
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Endogenously Released Neuropeptide Y Suppresses Hippocampal Short-Term Facilitation and Is Impaired by Stress-Induced Anxiety. J Neurosci 2017; 37:23-37. [PMID: 28053027 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2599-16.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2016] [Revised: 09/30/2016] [Accepted: 10/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuropeptide Y (NPY) has robust anxiolytic properties and is reduced in patients with anxiety disorders. However, the mechanisms by which NPY modulates circuit function to reduce anxiety behavior are not known. Anxiolytic effects of NPY are mediated in the CA1 region of hippocampus, and NPY injection into hippocampus alleviates anxiety symptoms in the predator scent stress model of stress-induced anxiety. The mechanisms that regulate NPY release, and its effects on CA1 synaptic function, are not fully understood. Here we show in acute hippocampal slices from mice that endogenous NPY, released in response to optogenetic stimulation or synaptically evoked spiking of NPY+ cells, suppresses both of the feedforward pathways to CA1. Stimulation of temporoammonic synapses with a physiologically derived spike train causes NPY release that reduces short-term facilitation, whereas the release of NPY that modulates Schaffer collateral synapses requires integration of both the Schaffer collateral and temporoammonic pathways. Pathway specificity of NPY release is conferred by three functionally distinct NPY+ cell types, with differences in intrinsic excitability and short-term plasticity of their inputs. Predator scent stress abolishes the release of endogenous NPY onto temporoammonic synapses, a stress-sensitive pathway, thereby causing enhanced short-term facilitation. Our results demonstrate how stress alters CA1 circuit function through the impairment of endogenous NPY release, potentially contributing to heightened anxiety. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neuropeptide Y (NPY) has robust anxiolytic properties, and its levels are reduced in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder. The effects of endogenously released NPY during physiologically relevant stimulation, and the impact of stress-induced reductions in NPY on circuit function, are unknown. By demonstrating that NPY release modulates hippocampal synaptic plasticity and is impaired by predator scent stress, our results provide a novel mechanism by which stress-induced anxiety alters circuit function. These studies fill an important gap in knowledge between the molecular and behavioral effects of NPY. This article also advances the understanding of NPY+ cells and the factors that regulate their spiking, which could pave the way for new therapeutic targets to increase endogenous NPY release in patients in a spatially and temporally appropriate manner.
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Thorsell A, Mathé AA. Neuropeptide Y in Alcohol Addiction and Affective Disorders. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2017; 8:178. [PMID: 28824541 PMCID: PMC5534438 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2017.00178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2016] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuropeptide Y (NPY), a neuropeptide highly conserved throughout evolution, is present at high levels in the central nervous system (CNS), as well as in peripheral tissues such as the gut and cardiovascular system. The peptide exerts its effects via multiple receptor subtypes, all belonging to the G-protein-coupled receptor superfamily. Of these subtypes, the Y1 and the Y2 are the most thoroughly characterized, followed by the Y5 subtype. NPY and its receptors have been shown to be of importance in central regulation of events underlying, for example, affective disorders, drug/alcohol use disorders, and energy homeostasis. Furthermore, within the CNS, NPY also affects sleep regulation and circadian rhythm, memory function, tissue growth, and plasticity. The potential roles of NPY in the etiology and pathophysiology of mood and anxiety disorders, as well as alcohol use disorders, have been extensively studied. This focus was prompted by early indications for an involvement of NPY in acute responses to stress, and, later, also data pointing to a role in alterations within the CNS during chronic, or repeated, exposure to adverse events. These functions of NPY, in addition to the peptide's regulation of disease states, suggest that modulation of the activity of the NPY system via receptor agonists/antagonists may be a putative treatment mechanism in affective disorders as well as alcohol use disorders. In this review, we present an overview of findings with regard to the NPY system in relation to anxiety and stress, acute as well as chronic; furthermore we discuss post-traumatic stress disorder and, in part depression. In addition, we summarize findings on alcohol use disorders and related behaviors. Finally, we briefly touch upon genetic as well as epigenetic mechanisms that may be of importance for NPY function and regulation. In conclusion, we suggest that modulation of NPY-ergic activity within the CNS, via ligands aimed at different receptor subtypes, may be attractive targets for treatment development for affective disorders, as well as for alcohol use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Thorsell
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- *Correspondence: Annika Thorsell,
| | - Aleksander A. Mathé
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Neuropeptide Y, resilience, and PTSD therapeutics. Neurosci Lett 2016; 649:164-169. [PMID: 27913193 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2016.11.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2016] [Revised: 11/22/2016] [Accepted: 11/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Resilience to traumatic stress is a complex psychobiological process that protects individuals from developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other untoward consequences of exposure to extreme stress, including depression. Progress in translational research points toward the neuropeptide Y (NPY) system - among others - as a key mediator of stress response and as a potential therapeutic focus for PTSD. Substantial preclinical evidence supports the role of NPY in the modulation of stress response and in the regulation of anxiety in animal models. Clinical studies testing the safety and efficacy of modulating the NPY system in humans, however, have lagged behind. In the current article, we review the evidence base for targeting the NPY system as a therapeutic approach in PTSD, and consider impediments and potential solutions to therapeutic development.
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Schmeltzer SN, Herman JP, Sah R. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): A translational update. Exp Neurol 2016; 284:196-210. [PMID: 27377319 PMCID: PMC8375392 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2016.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2015] [Revised: 06/15/2016] [Accepted: 06/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a trauma-evoked syndrome, with variable prevalence within the human population due to individual differences in coping and resiliency. In this review, we discuss evidence supporting the relevance of neuropeptide Y (NPY), a stress regulatory transmitter in PTSD. We consolidate findings from preclinical, clinical, and translational studies of NPY that are of relevance to PTSD with an attempt to provide a current update of this area of research. NPY is abundantly expressed in forebrain limbic and brainstem areas that regulate stress and emotional behaviors. Studies in rodents demonstrate a role for NPY in stress responses, anxiety, fear, and autonomic regulation, all relevant to PTSD symptomology. Genetic studies support an association of NPY polymorphisms with stress coping and affect. Importantly, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) measurements in combat veterans provide direct evidence of NPY association with PTSD diagnosis and symptomology. In addition, NPY involvement in pain, depression, addiction, and metabolism may be relevant to comorbidities associated with PTSD. Collectively, the literature supports the relevance of NPY to PTSD pathophysiology, although knowledge gaps remain. The NPY system is an attractive target in terms of understanding the physiological basis of PTSD as well as treatment of the disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah N Schmeltzer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237, United States
| | - James P Herman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237, United States
| | - Renu Sah
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237, United States; VA Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45220, United States.
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