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Wang Z, Lai C, Shen B, Li B, Chen J, Shen X, Huang Z, Yang C, Gao Y. Effects of Evodiamine on Behavior and Hippocampal Neurons through Inhibition of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme and Modulation of the Renin Angiotensin Pathway in a Mouse Model of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Nutrients 2024; 16:1957. [PMID: 38931311 PMCID: PMC11207023 DOI: 10.3390/nu16121957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a persistent psychiatric condition that arises following exposure to traumatic events such as warfare, natural disasters, or other catastrophic incidents, typically characterized by heightened anxiety, depressive symptoms, and cognitive dysfunction. In this study, animals subjected to single prolonged stress (SPS) were administered evodiamine (EVO) and compared to a positive control group receiving sertraline. The animals were then assessed for alterations in anxiety, depression, and cognitive function. Histological analysis was conducted to examine neuronal changes in the hippocampus. In order to predict the core targets and related mechanisms of evodiamine intervention in PTSD, network pharmacology was used. The metabolic markers pre- and post-drug administration were identified using nontargeted serum metabolomics techniques, and the intersecting Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways were screened. Finally, the core targets were validated through molecular docking, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and immunofluorescence staining to confirm the anti-PTSD effects and mechanisms of these targets. As well as improving cognitive impairment, evodiamine reversed anxiety- and depression-like behaviors. It also inhibited the reduction in the number of hippocampal neuronal cells and Nissl bodies in SPS mice inhibited angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) levels in the hippocampus of SPS mice, and modulated the renin angiotensin pathway and its associated serum metabolites in brain tissue. Evodiamine shows promise as a potential candidate for alleviating the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhixing Wang
- Medical College, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; (Z.W.); (C.L.)
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing 100850, China; (B.S.); (B.L.); (J.C.); (X.S.); (C.Y.)
| | - Chengcai Lai
- Medical College, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; (Z.W.); (C.L.)
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing 100850, China; (B.S.); (B.L.); (J.C.); (X.S.); (C.Y.)
| | - Baoying Shen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing 100850, China; (B.S.); (B.L.); (J.C.); (X.S.); (C.Y.)
| | - Bowei Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing 100850, China; (B.S.); (B.L.); (J.C.); (X.S.); (C.Y.)
| | - Junru Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing 100850, China; (B.S.); (B.L.); (J.C.); (X.S.); (C.Y.)
| | - Xin Shen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing 100850, China; (B.S.); (B.L.); (J.C.); (X.S.); (C.Y.)
| | - Zhengping Huang
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou 362000, China;
| | - Chunqi Yang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing 100850, China; (B.S.); (B.L.); (J.C.); (X.S.); (C.Y.)
| | - Yue Gao
- Medical College, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; (Z.W.); (C.L.)
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing 100850, China; (B.S.); (B.L.); (J.C.); (X.S.); (C.Y.)
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Adongo DW, Mante PK, Kukuia KKE, Benneh CK, Biney RP, Boakye-Gyasi E, Amekyeh H, Harley BK, Tandoh A, Okyere PD, Woode E. Fast-onset effects of Pseudospondias microcarpa (A. Rich) Engl. (Anacardiaceae) hydroethanolic leaf extract on behavioral alterations induced by chronic mild stress in mice. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0278231. [PMID: 36730151 PMCID: PMC9894402 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Pseudospondias microcarpa (Anacardiaceae) is a plant widely used traditionally for treating various central nervous system disorders. A previous study in our laboratory confirmed that the hydroethanolic leaf extract (PME) of the plant produces an antidepressant-like effect in rodent models of behavioral despair. However, its effect on depressive-like behavior induced by chronic mild stress (CMS) and its time course of action are still unknown. In this context, the long-term effects of PME on cognitive function and depressive- and anxiety-like behavior caused by CMS were assessed. METHODS Male ICR mice were exposed to CMS for nine weeks and anhedonia was evaluated by monitoring sucrose intake (SIT) weekly. PME (30, 100, or 300 mg kg-1) or fluoxetine (FLX) (3, 10, or 30 mg kg-1) was administered to the mice during the last six weeks of CMS. Behavioral tests-coat state, splash test, forced swimming test (FST), tail suspension test (TST), elevated plus maze (EPM), open field test (OFT), novelty suppressed feeding (NSF), EPM transfer latency, and Morris water maze (MWM)-were performed after the nine-week CMS period. RESULTS When the mice were exposed to CMS, their SIT and grooming behavior reduced (splash test), their coat status was poor, they became more immobile (FST and TST), more anxious (OFT, EPM, and NSF), and their cognitive function was compromised (EPM transfer latency and MWM tests). Chronic PME treatment, however, was able to counteract these effects. Additionally, following two (2) weeks of treatment, PME significantly boosted SIT in stressed mice (30 mg kg-1, P<0.05; 100 mg kg-1, P<0.05; and 300 mg kg-1, P<0.001), as compared to four (4) weeks of treatment with FLX. CONCLUSION The present findings demonstrate that PME produces a rapid and sustained antidepressant-like action and reverses behavioral changes induced by chronic exposure to mild stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donatus Wewura Adongo
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
- * E-mail:
| | - Priscilla Kolibea Mante
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Kennedy Kwami Edem Kukuia
- Department of Medical Pharmacology, University of Ghana Medical School, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Korle Bu, Accra, Ghana
| | - Charles Kwaku Benneh
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
| | - Robert Peter Biney
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Eric Boakye-Gyasi
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Hilda Amekyeh
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
| | - Benjamin Kingsley Harley
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Herbal Medicine, School of Pharmacy, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
| | - Augustine Tandoh
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
| | - Prince Dagadu Okyere
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Eric Woode
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
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3
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Behavioral and neural mechanisms of latent extinction: A historical review. Neuroscience 2022; 497:157-170. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Holschneider DP, Givrad TK, Yang J, Stewart SB, Francis SR, Wang Z, Maarek J. Cerebral perfusion mapping during retrieval of spatial memory in rats. Behav Brain Res 2019; 375:112116. [PMID: 31377254 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Studies of brain functional activation during spatial navigation using electrophysiology and immediate-early gene responses have typically targeted a limited number of brain regions. Our study provides the first whole brain analysis of cerebral activation during retrieval of spatial memory in the freely-moving rat. Rats (LEARNERS) were trained in the Barnes maze, an allocentric spatial navigation task, while CONTROLS received passive exposure. After 19 days, functional brain mapping was performed during recall by bolus intravenous injection of [14C]-iodoantipyrine using a novel subcutaneous minipump triggered by remote activation. Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF)-related tissue radioactivity was analyzed by statistical parametric mapping from autoradiographic images of the three-dimensionally reconstructed brains. Functional connectivity was examined between regions of the spatial navigation circuit through interregional correlation analysis. Significant rCBF increases were noted in LEARNERS compared to CONTROLS broadly across the spatial navigation circuit, including the hippocampus (anterior dorsal CA1, posterior ventral CA1-3), subiculum, thalamus, striatum, medial septum, cerebral cortex, with decreases noted in the mammillary nucleus, amygdala and insula. LEARNERS showed a significantly greater positive correlation of rCBF of the ventral hippocampus with retrosplenial, lateral orbital, parietal and primary visual cortex, and a significantly more negative correlation with the mammillary nucleus, amygdala, posterior entorhinal cortex, and anterior thalamic nucleus. The complex sensory component of the spatial navigation task was underscored by broad activation across visual, somatosensory, olfactory, auditory and vestibular circuits which was enhanced in LEARNERS. Brain mapping facilitated by an implantable minipump represents a powerful tool for evaluation of mammalian behaviors dependent on locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- D P Holschneider
- Dept. of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, United States; Dept. of Neurology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, United States; Viterbi School of Engineering, Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, United States.
| | - T K Givrad
- Viterbi School of Engineering, Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, United States
| | - J Yang
- Dept. of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, United States
| | - S B Stewart
- Dept. of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, United States
| | - S R Francis
- Dept. of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, United States
| | - Z Wang
- Dept. of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, United States
| | - Jmi Maarek
- Viterbi School of Engineering, Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, United States
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5
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Zameer S, Akhtar M, Vohora D. Behavioral Experimental Paradigms for the Evaluation of Drug’s Influence on Cognitive Functions: Interpretation of Associative, Spatial/Nonspatial and Working Memory. CNS & NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS-DRUG TARGETS 2019; 18:185-204. [DOI: 10.2174/1871527318666190112143834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Revised: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 12/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Background:
Currently, a large number of people throughout the world are affected by neurodegenerative
disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease
which appear with a lapse in recall, attention and altered cognitive functions. Learning and memory,
the fundamental indices defining cognitive functions, are the complex psychological processes governing
acquisition, consolidation, and retrieval of stored information. These processes are synchronized
by the coordination of various parts of the brain including hippocampus, striatum and amygdala.
Objective:
The present review is centered on different behavioral paradigms in rodents interpreting
learning and memory both explicitly and implicitly. Furthermore, it is also emphasizing on the interaction
of various brain structures during different stages of associative, spatial and non-spatial memory.
Methods:
We embarked on an objective review of literature relevant to screening methods for evaluation
of drug’s influence on a wide range of cognitive functions (learning and memory) as well as the
underlying mechanism responsible for modulation of these functions.
Results:
Our review highlighted the behavioral paradigms based on associative, spatial/nonspatial and
working memory. The cited research acknowledged the hippocampal and striatal control on learning
and memory.
Conclusion:
Since the neurodegenerative disorders and dementia have continuously been increasing, a
wide range of therapeutic targets have been developed at the cellular and molecular level. This arises
the necessity of screening of these targets in different cognitive behavioral paradigms which reflect
their memory enhancing potential. The understanding of behavioral models and the involvement of
brain structures in cognitive functions highlighted in the present review might be helpful to advance
therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saima Zameer
- Department of Pharmacology, SPER, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
| | - Mohd. Akhtar
- Department of Pharmacology, SPER, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
| | - Divya Vohora
- Neurobehavioral Pharmacology Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110062, India
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Janickova H, Kljakic O, Rosborough K, Raulic S, Matovic S, Gros R, Saksida LM, Bussey TJ, Inoue W, Prado VF, Prado MAM. Selective decrease of cholinergic signaling from pedunculopontine and laterodorsal tegmental nuclei has little impact on cognition but markedly increases susceptibility to stress. FASEB J 2019; 33:7018-7036. [PMID: 30857416 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201802108r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPT) and laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDT) are heterogeneous brainstem structures that contain cholinergic, glutamatergic, and GABAergic neurons. PPT/LDT neurons are suggested to modulate both cognitive and noncognitive functions, yet the extent to which acetylcholine (ACh) signaling from the PPT/LDT is necessary for normal behavior remains uncertain. We addressed this issue by using a mouse model in which PPT/LDT cholinergic signaling is highly decreased by selective deletion of the vesicular ACh transporter (VAChT) gene. This approach interferes exclusively with ACh signaling, leaving signaling by other neurotransmitters from PPT/LDT cholinergic neurons intact and sparing other cells. VAChT mutants were examined on different PPT/LDT-associated cognitive domains. Interestingly, VAChT mutants showed no attentional deficits and only minor cognitive flexibility impairments while presenting large deficiencies in both spatial and cued Morris water maze (MWM) tasks. Conversely, working spatial memory determined with the Y-maze and spatial memory measured with the Barnes maze were not affected, suggesting that deficits in MWM were unrelated to spatial memory abnormalities. Supporting this interpretation, VAChT mutants exhibited alterations in anxiety-like behavior and increased corticosterone levels after exposure to the MWM, suggesting altered stress response. Thus, PPT/LDT VAChT-mutant mice present little cognitive impairment per se, yet they exhibit increased susceptibility to stress, which may lead to performance deficits in more stressful conditions.-Janickova, H., Kljakic, O., Rosborough, K., Raulic, S., Matovic, S., Gros, R., Saksida, L. M., Bussey, T. J., Inoue, W., Prado, V. F., Prado, M. A. M. Selective decrease of cholinergic signaling from pedunculopontine and laterodorsal tegmental nuclei has little impact on cognition but markedly increases susceptibility to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Janickova
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ornela Kljakic
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kaie Rosborough
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sanda Raulic
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sara Matovic
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; and
| | - Robert Gros
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; and
| | - Lisa M Saksida
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; and.,Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; and.,Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Wataru Inoue
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; and
| | - Vania F Prado
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; and.,Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marco A M Prado
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; and.,Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
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Zoratto F, Altabella L, Tistarelli N, Laviola G, Adriani W, Canese R. Inside the Developing Brain to Understand Teen Behavior From Rat Models: Metabolic, Structural, and Functional-Connectivity Alterations Among Limbic Structures Across Three Pre-adolescent Stages. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:208. [PMID: 30319367 PMCID: PMC6165895 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Adolescence is an age of transition when most brain structures undergo drastic modifications, becoming progressively more interconnected and undergoing several changes from a metabolic and structural viewpoint. In the present study, three MR techniques are used in rats to investigate how metabolites, structures and patterns of connectivity do change. We focused in particular on areas belonging to the limbic system, across three post-weaning developmental stages: from "early" (PND 21-25) to "mid" (i.e., a juvenile transition, PND 28-32) and then to "late" (i.e., the adolescent transition, PND 35-39). The rs-fMRI data, with comparison between early and mid (juvenile transition) age-stage rats, highlights patterns of enhanced connectivity from both Striata to both Hippocampi and from there to (left-sided) Nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and Orbitofrontal Cortex (OFC). Also, during this week there is a maturation of pathways from right Striatum to ipsilateral NAcc, from right OFC to ipsilateral NAcc and vice versa, from left Prefrontal Cortex to ipsilateral OFC and eventually from left Striatum, NAcc and Prefrontal Cortex to contralateral OFC. After only 1 week, in late age-stage rats entering into adolescence, the first pathway mentioned above keeps on growing while other patterns appear: both NAcc are reached from contralateral Striatum, right Hippocampus from both Amygdalae, and left NAcc -further- from right Hippocampus. It's interesting to notice the fact that, independently from the age when these connections develop, Striata of both hemispheres send axons to both Hippocampi and both NAcc sides, both Hippocampi reach left NAcc and OFC and finally both NAcc sides reach right OFC. Intriguingly, the Striatum only indirectly reaches the OFC by passing through Hippocampus and NAcc. Data obtained with DTI highlight how adolescents' neurite density may be affected within sub-cortical gray matter, especially for NAcc and OFC at "late" age-stage (adolescence). Finally, levels of metabolites were investigated by 1H-MRS in the anterior part of the hippocampus: we put into evidence an increase in myo-inositol during juvenile transition and a taurine reduction plus a total choline increase during adolescent transition. In this paper, the aforementioned pattern guides the formulation of hypotheses concerning the correlation between the establishment of novel brain connections and the emergence of behavioral traits that are typical of adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Zoratto
- Center Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Naomi Tistarelli
- Faculty of Psychology, Università Telematica Internazionale Uninettuno, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Laviola
- Center Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Walter Adriani
- Center Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.,Faculty of Psychology, Università Telematica Internazionale Uninettuno, Rome, Italy
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Abstract
Inflammation plays a pivotal role in the development of ischemic brain damage. Astrocyte activation promotes the production of several proinflammatory mediators, such as TNF-α and iNOS. Eventually, neuronal death occurs, leading to the development of motor and memory deficits in patients. Boldine is the main alkaloid in the leaves and bark of the Peumus boldus Molina, and has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The aim of this work was to investigate the neuroprotective effect of boldine on neuroinflammation and memory deficits induced by permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO) in mice. Thirty minutes before pMCAO and during the next 5 days, animals received vehicle (0.025 µmol/l HCl) or boldine (8, 16 and 25 mg/kg, intraperitoneally). The extension of the infarct area, neurological scores, and myeloperoxidase activity were evaluated 24 h after pMCAO. Locomotor activity, working, and aversive memory were evaluated 72 h after pMCAO, object recognition memory was tested 96 h after pMCAO, and spatial memory was tested 120 h after pMCAO. Cresyl violet, Fluoro-Jade C staining, and immunohistochemical for GFAP, TNF-α, and iNOS were also carried out. The treatment with boldine significantly decreased the infarct area, improved the neurological scores, and increased cell viability. The vertical exploratory activity and aversive, spatial, object recognition, and working memory deficits induced by pMCAO were prevented by boldine. Moreover, myeloperoxidase activity and GFAP, TNF-α, and iNOS immunoreactivity were decreased significantly by boldine. Although various mechanisms such as its antioxidant activity should be considered, these results suggest that the neuroprotective effect of boldine might be related in part to its anti-inflammatory properties.
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Azizbeigi R, Zarrindast MR, Ahmadi S. Interaction between gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor agents and scopolamine in the nucleus accumbens on impairment of inhibitory avoidance memory performance in rat. Behav Brain Res 2013; 241:191-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2012.12.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2012] [Revised: 12/08/2012] [Accepted: 12/13/2012] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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10
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Dystypia without aphasia associated with visuospatial memory impairment in a patient with acute stroke. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord 2013; 26:285-8. [PMID: 21959361 DOI: 10.1097/wad.0b013e318231e614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Keyboard typing is a multifunctional task related to language, visual-spatial and motor abilities. If one of these functions is impaired, difficulty during typing could occur. Here, a 64-year-old right-handed man is reported who developed a sudden typing disturbance without aphasia or neglect. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed discrete acute infarcts in the border-zone regions, bilaterally, predominantly in the left hemisphere. The neuropsychiatric testing showed an impaired visual-spatial memory domain; however, other cognitive functions were all normal. These findings suggest that visual-spatial memory impairment, associated with a left frontal subcortical infarct, is a probable anatomic substrate associated with the inability to type.
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Picada JN, Dos Santos BDJN, Celso F, Monteiro JD, Da Rosa KM, Camacho LR, Vieira LR, Freitas TM, Da Silva TG, Pontes VM, Pereira P. Neurobehavioral and genotoxic parameters of antipsychotic agent aripiprazole in mice. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2011; 32:1225-32. [PMID: 21841809 DOI: 10.1038/aps.2011.77] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM Aripiprazole is an antipsychotic agent to treat schizophrenia, which acts through dopamine D(2) partial agonism, serotonin 5-HT(1A) partial agonism and 5-HT(2A) antagonism. This study was designed to evaluate the neurobehavioral effects and genotoxic/mutagenic activities of the agent, as well as its effects on lipoperoxidation. METHODS Open field and inhibitory avoidance tasks were used. Thirty min before performing the behavioral tasks, adult male CF-1 mice were administered aripiprazole (1, 3 or 10 mg/kg, ip) once for the acute treatment, or the same doses for 5 d for the subchronic treatment. Genotoxic effects were assessed using comet assay in the blood and brain tissues. Mutagenic effects were evaluated using bone marrow micronucleus test. Lipoperoxidation was assessed with thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). RESULTS Acute and subchronic treatments significantly decreased the number of crossing and rearing in the open field task. Acute treatment significantly increased the step-down latency for both the short- and long-term memory in the inhibitory avoidance task. Subchronic treatments with aripiprazole (3 and 10 mg/kg) caused significant DNA strain-break damage in peripheral blood but not in the brain. Mutagenic effect was not detected in the acute and subchronic treatments. Nor TBARS levels in the liver were affected. CONCLUSION Aripiprazole improved memory, but could impair motor activities in mice. The drug increased DNA damage in blood, but did not show mutagenic effects, suggesting that it might affect long-term genomic stability.
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Striatum–hippocampus balance: From physiological behavior to interneuronal pathology. Prog Neurobiol 2011; 94:102-14. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2011.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2010] [Revised: 03/28/2011] [Accepted: 04/06/2011] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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13
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Kazlauckas V, Pagnussat N, Mioranzza S, Kalinine E, Nunes F, Pettenuzzo L, O.Souza D, Portela LV, Porciúncula LO, Lara DR. Enriched environment effects on behavior, memory and BDNF in low and high exploratory mice. Physiol Behav 2011; 102:475-80. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2010.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2010] [Revised: 11/24/2010] [Accepted: 12/28/2010] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Robinson L, Platt B, Riedel G. Involvement of the cholinergic system in conditioning and perceptual memory. Behav Brain Res 2011; 221:443-65. [PMID: 21315109 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2011.01.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2011] [Accepted: 01/29/2011] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The cholinergic systems play a pivotal role in learning and memory, and have been the centre of attention when it comes to diseases containing cognitive deficits. It is therefore not surprising, that the cholinergic transmitter system has experienced detailed examination of its role in numerous behavioural situations not least with the perspective that cognition may be rescued with appropriate cholinergic 'boosters'. Here we reviewed the literature on (i) cholinergic lesions, (ii) pharmacological intervention of muscarinic or nicotinic system, or (iii) genetic deletion of selective receptor subtypes with respect to sensory discrimination and conditioning procedures. We consider visual, auditory, olfactory and somatosensory processing first before discussing more complex tasks such as startle responses, latent inhibition, negative patterning, eye blink and fear conditioning, and passive avoidance paradigms. An overarching reoccurring theme is that lesions of the cholinergic projection neurones of the basal forebrain impact negatively on acquisition learning in these paradigms and blockade of muscarinic (and to a lesser extent nicotinic) receptors in the target structures produce similar behavioural deficits. While these pertain mainly to impairments in acquisition learning, some rare cases extend to memory consolidation. Such single case observations warranted replication and more in-depth studies. Intriguingly, receptor blockade or receptor gene knockout repeatedly produced contradictory results (for example in fear conditioning) and combined studies, in which genetically altered mice are pharmacological manipulated, are so far missing. However, they are desperately needed to clarify underlying reasons for these contradictions. Consistently, stimulation of either muscarinic (mainly M(1)) or nicotinic (predominantly α7) receptors was beneficial for learning and memory formation across all paradigms supporting the notion that research into the development and mechanisms of novel and better cholinomimetics may prove useful in the treatment of neurodegenerative or psychiatric disorders with cognitive endophenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianne Robinson
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK.
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15
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Piri M, Zarrindast M. Nitric oxide in the ventral tegmental area is involved in retrieval of inhibitory avoidance memory by nicotine. Neuroscience 2011; 175:154-61. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2010.11.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2010] [Revised: 11/29/2010] [Accepted: 11/30/2010] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Martins GJ, Shahrokh M, Powell EM. Genetic disruption of Met signaling impairs GABAergic striatal development and cognition. Neuroscience 2010; 176:199-209. [PMID: 21195751 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2010.12.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2010] [Revised: 12/23/2010] [Accepted: 12/28/2010] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The largest structure of the basal ganglia, the striatum, modulates motor activity and cognitive function and is composed of GABAergic projection neurons and interneurons. To better understand the mechanisms underlying the development of the striatal neurons and their assembly into functional circuits, we used a mouse with a targeted conditional Met mutation in post-mitotic cells of the ventral telencephalon. Characterization of the ontogeny of the striatal neuronal populations demonstrated that disruption of Met signaling specifically altered the GABAergic interneurons. Medium spiny neurons (MSNs) and cholinergic interneurons were largely unaffected. Mice lacking Met signaling have increased numbers of striatal GABAergic interneurons in the lateral sensorimotor areas with distinct behavioral deficits. Motor function and memory formation and consolidation appeared intact, but procedural learning on the cued task of the Morris water maze was delayed. MET is a susceptibility gene in Tourette syndrome and autism, which are human disorders with impaired procedural learning. This study reveals how a striatal targeted disruption in Met signaling after generation of striatal neurons produces behavioral phenotypes shared by Tourette syndrome and autism, linking the human genetics with the mechanism underlying the disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- G J Martins
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
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Paris JJ, Walf AA, Frye CA. II. Cognitive performance of middle-aged female rats is influenced by capacity to metabolize progesterone in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Brain Res 2010; 1379:149-63. [PMID: 21044614 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2010.10.099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2010] [Revised: 10/20/2010] [Accepted: 10/26/2010] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive decline can occur with aging; however, some individuals experience less cognitive decline than do others. Secretion of ovarian hormones is reduced post-menopause and may contribute to cognitive function. The extent to which hormonal effects may be parsed out from other age-related factors to influence cognition is of interest. Middle-aged (12-month-old) female rats that were retired breeders were categorized as maintaining or declining reproductive function based upon their estrous cyclicity (regular 4-5 day cycles), fertility (> 60 % successful pregnancy), and fecundity (>10 pups/litter). Performance in object recognition, Y-maze, water maze, inhibitory avoidance, and contextual-cued fear conditioning was evaluated. Estradiol, progesterone (P(4)), dihydroprogesterone, and 5α-pregnan-3α-ol-20-one (3α,5α-THP) were assessed in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus; corticosterone was assessed in plasma. Rats maintaining reproductive function performed significantly better on the object recognition, Y-maze, water maze, inhibitory avoidance, and cued fear conditioning tasks than did rats with declining reproductive function. Steroid concentrations varied greatly within groups. Higher levels of P(4) in mPFC and hippocampus were associated with better Y-maze performance. In mPFC, higher levels of P(4) were associated with poorer inhibitory avoidance performance; greater levels of 3α,5α-THP were associated with better object memory. Neither estradiol nor corticosterone levels significantly contributed to cognitive performance. Thus, the capacity for cortico-limbic P(4) utilization may influence cognitive performance in aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason J Paris
- Department of Psychology, The University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, New York 12222, USA
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18
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Isoflurane anesthesia induced persistent, progressive memory impairment, caused a loss of neural stem cells, and reduced neurogenesis in young, but not adult, rodents. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2010; 30:1017-30. [PMID: 20068576 PMCID: PMC2949194 DOI: 10.1038/jcbfm.2009.274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 225] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Isoflurane and related anesthetics are widely used to anesthetize children, ranging from premature babies to adolescents. Concerns have been raised about the safety of these anesthetics in pediatric patients, particularly regarding possible negative effects on cognition. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of repeated isoflurane exposure of juvenile and mature animals on cognition and neurogenesis. Postnatal day 14 (P14) rats and mice, as well as adult (P60) rats, were anesthetized with isoflurane for 35 mins daily for four successive days. Object recognition, place learning and reversal learning as well as cell death and cytogenesis were evaluated. Object recognition and reversal learning were significantly impaired in isoflurane-treated young rats and mice, whereas adult animals were unaffected, and these deficits became more pronounced as the animals grew older. The memory deficit was paralleled by a decrease in the hippocampal stem cell pool and persistently reduced neurogenesis, subsequently causing a reduction in the number of dentate gyrus granule cell neurons in isoflurane-treated rats. There were no signs of increased cell death of progenitors or neurons in the hippocampus. These findings show a previously unknown mechanism of neurotoxicity, causing cognitive deficits in a clearly age-dependent manner.
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Mahmoodi G, Ahmadi S, Pourmotabbed A, Oryan S, Zarrindast MR. Inhibitory avoidance memory deficit induced by scopolamine: Interaction of cholinergic and glutamatergic systems in the ventral tegmental area. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2010; 94:83-90. [PMID: 20403448 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2010.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2009] [Revised: 04/08/2010] [Accepted: 04/13/2010] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Interaction of cholinergic and glutamatergic inputs in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) influencing a learned behavior is a topic of great interest. In the present study the effect of intra-VTA administration of a nonselective muscarinic acetylcholine antagonist, scopolamine, and N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor agents by themselves as well as their interactions on consolidation and retrieval of inhibitory avoidance (IA) memory have been investigated. A step-through inhibitory avoidance task was used for memory assessment in male Wistar rats. The results showed that intra-VTA administration of scopolamine (1 and 2microg/rat) and NMDA receptor antagonist, MK-801 (0.75 and 1microg/rat) immediately after training, impaired consolidation of IA memory. Interestingly, co-administration of an ineffective dose of MK-801 (0.5microg/rat) with ineffective doses of scopolamine (0.25 and 0.5microg/rat) significantly decreased the consolidation process. Post-training intra-VTA injections of NMDA (0.001 and 0.01microg/rat) had no effects by itself, whereas its co-administration with scopolamine (2microg/rat) prevented the effect of the later drug. The results also showed that pre-test intra-VTA administration of scopolamine (3 and 4microg/rat) and MK-801 (1 and 2microg/rat) impaired retrieval of the IA memory. Moreover, co-administration of an ineffective dose of MK-801 (0.5microg/rat) with ineffective doses of scopolamine (1 and 2microg/rat) increasingly reduced the retrieval of the IA memory. On the contrary to its post-training treatment, pre-test administration of NMDA either alone or in combination with scopolamine caused no significant effect on retrieval of IA memory. It can be concluded that muscarinic acetylcholine and NMDA glutamate receptors in the VTA are involved in the mechanism(s) underlying consolidation and retrieval of the IA memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gelavij Mahmoodi
- Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
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The differential role of alpha1- and alpha5-containing GABA(A) receptors in mediating diazepam effects on spontaneous locomotor activity and water-maze learning and memory in rats. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2009; 12:1179-93. [PMID: 19265570 PMCID: PMC2778330 DOI: 10.1017/s1461145709000108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The clinical use of benzodiazepines (BZs) is hampered by sedation and cognitive deterioration. Although genetic and pharmacological studies suggest that alpha1- and alpha5-containing GABA(A) receptors mediate and/or modulate these effects, their molecular substrate is not fully elucidated. By the use of two selective ligands: the alpha1-subunit affinity-selective antagonist beta-CCt, and the alpha5-subunit affinity- and efficacy-selective antagonist XLi093, we examined the mechanisms of behavioural effects of diazepam in the tests of spontaneous locomotor activity and water-maze acquisition and recall, the two paradigms indicative of sedative- and cognition-impairing effects of BZs, respectively. The locomotor-activity decreasing propensity of diazepam (significant at 1.5 and 5 mg/kg) was antagonized by beta-CCt (5 and 15 mg/kg), while it tended to be potentiated by XLi093 in doses of 10 mg/kg, and especially 20 mg/kg. Diazepam decreased acquisition and recall in the water maze, with a minimum effective dose of 1.5 mg/kg. Both antagonists reversed the thigmotaxis induced by 2 mg/kg diazepam throughout the test, suggesting that both GABA(A) receptor subtypes participate in BZ effects on the procedural component of the task. Diazepam-induced impairment in the declarative component of the task, as assessed by path efficiency, the latency and distance before finding the platform across acquisition trials, and also by the spatial parameters in the probe trial, was partially prevented by both, 15 mg/kg beta-CCt and 10 mg/kg XLi093. Combining a BZ with beta-CCt results in the near to control level of performance of a cognitive task, without sedation, and may be worth testing on human subjects.
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Resveratrol protects spatial learning in middle-aged C57BL/6 mice from effects of ethanol. Behav Pharmacol 2009; 20:330-6. [PMID: 19571741 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0b013e32832f0193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Spatial learning and memory have been shown to be especially vulnerable to aging and alcohol consumption. However, moderate consumption of wine has been linked to decreases in incidences of dementia. Resveratrol, a phytoestrogen found in wine, has been shown to have neuroprotective effects against the oxidative stress of ethanol. In this study, middle-aged C57BL/6N female mice given a combination of resveratrol (44.2 mg/kg) and a low amount of ethanol (0.71 g/kg) each day for 6 weeks performed better on the Barnes maze task for spatial learning and memory than mice consuming only the low concentration of ethanol. The results suggest that resveratrol may protect hippocampal-dependent spatial learning from the negative effects of ethanol. However, the resveratrol-ethanol combination did not provide any additional benefit to counter aging-related deficits.
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Kahnt T, Park SQ, Cohen MX, Beck A, Heinz A, Wrase J. Dorsal striatal-midbrain connectivity in humans predicts how reinforcements are used to guide decisions. J Cogn Neurosci 2009; 21:1332-45. [PMID: 18752410 DOI: 10.1162/jocn.2009.21092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
It has been suggested that the target areas of dopaminergic midbrain neurons, the dorsal (DS) and ventral striatum (VS), are differently involved in reinforcement learning especially as actor and critic. Whereas the critic learns to predict rewards, the actor maintains action values to guide future decisions. The different midbrain connections to the DS and the VS seem to play a critical role in this functional distinction. Here, subjects performed a dynamic, reward-based decision-making task during fMRI acquisition. A computational model of reinforcement learning was used to estimate the different effects of positive and negative reinforcements on future decisions for each subject individually. We found that activity in both the DS and the VS correlated with reward prediction errors. Using functional connectivity, we show that the DS and the VS are differentially connected to different midbrain regions (possibly corresponding to the substantia nigra [SN] and the ventral tegmental area [VTA], respectively). However, only functional connectivity between the DS and the putative SN predicted the impact of different reinforcement types on future behavior. These results suggest that connections between the putative SN and the DS are critical for modulating action values in the DS according to both positive and negative reinforcements to guide future decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thorsten Kahnt
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Charité Campus Mitte), Berlin, Germany.
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23
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Wultsch T, Grimberg G, Schmitt A, Painsipp E, Wetzstein H, Breitenkamp AFS, Gründemann D, Schömig E, Lesch KP, Gerlach M, Reif A. Decreased anxiety in mice lacking the organic cation transporter 3. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2009; 116:689-97. [PMID: 19280114 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-009-0205-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2008] [Accepted: 02/17/2009] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The organic cation transporter 3 (OCT3; synonymous: extraneuronal monoamine transporter, EMT, Slc22a3) encodes an isoform of the organic cation transporters and is expressed widely across the whole brain. OCTs are a family of high-capacity, bidirectional, multispecific transporters of organic cations. These also include serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine making OCTs attractive candidates for a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders including anxiety disorders. OCT3 has been implicated in termination of monoaminergic signalling in the central nervous system. Interestingly, OCT3 mRNA is however also significantly up-regulated in the hippocampus of serotonin transporter knockout mice where it might serve as an alternative reuptake mechanism for serotonin. The examination of the behavioural phenotype of OCT3 knockout mice thus is paramount to assess the role of OCT3. We have therefore subjected mice lacking the OCT3 gene to a comprehensive behavioural test battery. While cognitive functioning in the Morris water maze test and aggression levels measured with the resident-intruder paradigm were in the same range as the respective control animals, OCT3 knockout animals showed a tendency of increased activity and were significantly less anxious in the elevated plus-maze test and the open field test as compared to their respective wild-type controls arguing for a role of OCT3 in the regulation of fear and anxiety, probably by modulating the serotonergic tone in limbic circuitries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Wultsch
- Section of Clinical and Molecular Psychobiology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg, Füchsleinstr. 15, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.
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Chronic treatment with Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol impairs spatial memory and reduces zif268 expression in the mouse forebrain. Behav Pharmacol 2009; 20:45-55. [PMID: 19179850 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0b013e3283242f6a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Few studies have investigated the effects of chronic cannabinoid exposure on memory performance and whether tolerance occurs to cannabinoid-induced memory impairment. Here, we studied the effects of repeated exposure to Delta-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC: 1 mg/kg) on spatial memory and zif268 expression in mice. One group of animals was not pretreated with THC, whereas another group was injected with 13 daily injections of THC before memory testing in the Morris water maze. Both groups were administered with THC throughout the memory-testing phase of the experiment. THC decreased spatial memory and reversal learning, even in animals that received the THC pretreatment and were tolerant to the locomotor suppressant effects of the drug. Zif268 immunoreactivity was reduced in the CA3 of the hippocampus and in the prefrontal cortex only in non-pretreated animals, indicating that although tolerance to the effects of THC on neuronal activity was evident, cannabinoid-induced memory impairment in these animals persisted even after 24 days of exposure. This study shows that after extended administration of THC, its spatial memory-impairing effects are resistant to tolerance.
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Amygdala tractography predicts functional connectivity and learning during feedback-guided decision-making. Neuroimage 2007; 39:1396-407. [PMID: 17997112 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2007.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2007] [Revised: 09/16/2007] [Accepted: 10/04/2007] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Flexibly adapting behavior in dynamic environments relies on fronto-limbic networks that include the amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex, and striatum. Animal work demonstrates that interactions among these regions are critical for flexible feedback-guided learning, but it remains unknown to what extent such anatomical-functional interactions operate in humans. Here, we use connectivity analyses in both structural and functional MRI to further our understanding of how brain circuits work in conjunction to promote goal-directed behavior. In particular, fiber tracking based on diffusion-weighted imaging provides information about anatomical connectivity between brain structures, and functional MRI provides estimates of functional connectivity between structures. We found that, during a feedback-guided reversal learning task, the strength of estimated white matter tracts from the amygdala to the hippocampus, orbitofrontal cortex, and ventral striatum predicted both how subjects adapted their behavior following positive and negative feedback, and the functional connectivity (estimated from functional MRI time series) between the amygdala and these regions. In addition, we identified a dissociation between an amygdala-hippocampus circuit that predicted response switching, and an amygdala-orbitofrontal cortex circuit that predicted learning following rule reversals. These findings provide novel insights into how the anatomy and functioning of amygdala-related brain circuits mediate different aspects of feedback-guided learning behavior.
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Ahmadi S, Zarrindast MR, Nouri M, Haeri-Rohani A, Rezayof A. N-Methyl-d-aspartate receptors in the ventral tegmental area are involved in retrieval of inhibitory avoidance memory by nicotine. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2007; 88:352-8. [PMID: 17707662 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2007.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2007] [Revised: 06/03/2007] [Accepted: 07/05/2007] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The interaction of opiate, cholinergic, glutamatergic and (possibly) dopaminergic inputs in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) influencing a learned behavior is certainly a topic of great interest. In the present study, the effect of intra-VTA administration of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor agents on nicotine's effect in morphine state-dependent learning was investigated. An inhibitory avoidance (IA) task was used for memory assessment in male Wistar rats. Subcutaneous (s.c.) administration of morphine (5 and 7.5mg/kg) immediately after training decreased IA response on the test day, which was reinstated by pre-test administration of the same doses of the opioid; this is known as state-dependency. Moreover, pre-test administration of nicotine (0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 mg/kg, s.c.) also reversed the decrease in IA response because of post-training morphine (5mg/kg). Here, we also show that when infused into the VTA before testing, NMDA (0.01 and 0.1 microg/rat) reverse the post-training morphine effect on memory. In addition, the sub-effective doses of NMDA (0.0001 and 0.001 microg/rat) in combination with a low dose of nicotine (0.1mg/kg) which had no effects by themselves, synergistically improved retrieval of IA memory on the test day. In contrast, pre-test administration of a competitive NMDA receptor antagonist D-AP5 (0.5, 1 and 2 microg/rat) which had no effect alone prevented the nicotine reversal of morphine effect on memory. Our data indicate that NMDA receptors in the VTA are involved in the reversing effect of nicotine on morphine induced state-dependency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shamseddin Ahmadi
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Biology, University College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
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Yasoshima Y, Scott TR, Yamamoto T. Differential activation of anterior and midline thalamic nuclei following retrieval of aversively motivated learning tasks. Neuroscience 2007; 146:922-30. [PMID: 17412515 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2007.02.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2007] [Revised: 02/19/2007] [Accepted: 02/20/2007] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Two thalamic nuclear groups, the anterior thalamic nuclei (ATN) and midline and intralaminar thalamic complex (MITC) have connections to the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus and accumbens that are important for learning and memory. However, the anatomical proximity between the ATN and MITC makes it difficult to reveal their roles in memory retrieval of aversive conditioned behavior. To address the issue, we explored the activation of the ATN and MITC, as represented by the expression of the immediate early gene c-fos, following either the retrieval of a conditioned taste aversion (CTA) induced by taste-LiCl pairing (visceral aversion) or of inhibitory avoidance (IA) induced by context-foot shock pairing (somatic aversion) in rats. The anterodorsal (AD) nucleus in the ATN was activated by foot shock and the recall of IA, but not by i.p. injection of LiCl or the recall of CTA. No significant elevation was observed in the other ATN following these treatments. Among nuclei of the MITC, the paraventricular thalamic nucleus (PVT) was activated by the delivery of shock or LiCl and by the recall of both CTA and IA, while the mediodorsal thalamus (MD) and central medial and intermediate thalamus (CM/IMD) were not. The innately aversive taste of quinine did not elevate c-fos expression in either the ATN or MITC. These results suggest that the PVT in the MITC is involved in the processing and retrieval of both taste-malaise and context-shock association tasks, while the AD in the ATN is involved in those of context-shock association only. The difference of the activity between the ATN and MITC demonstrates their functional and anatomical heterogeneity in neural substrates for aversive learning tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Yasoshima
- Department of Behavioral Physiology, Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka University, 1-2 Yamada-oka, Suita 565-0871, Japan
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