Circadian activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is differentially affected in the rat chronic mild stress model of depression

Antidepressant-like and antistress effects of the ACTH(4-10) synthetic analogs Semax and Melanotan II on male rats in a model of chronic unpredictable stress

Current antidepressant therapy shows substantial limitations, and there is an urgent need for the development of new treatment strategies for depression. Stressful events and hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis play an important role in the pathogenesis of depression. HPA axis activity is self-regulated by negative feedback at several levels including adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-mediated feedback. Here, we investigated whether noncorticotropic synthetic analogs of the ACTH(4-10) fragment, ACTH(4-7)-Pro-Gly-Pro (Semax) and Ac-Nle4-cyclo[Asp5-His6-D-Phe7-Arg8-Trp9-Lys10]ACTH(4-10)-NH2 (Melanotan II (MTII), a potent agonist of melanocortin receptors), have potential antidepressant activity in a chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) rat model of depression. Stressed and control male adult Sprague-Dawley rats received daily intraperitoneal injections of saline or a low dose (60 nmol/kg of body weight (BW)) of Semax or MTII. Rats were monitored for BW and hedonic status, as measured in the sucrose preference test. We found that chronic treatment with Semax and MTII reversed or substantially attenuated CUS-induced anhedonia, BW gain suppression, adrenal hypertrophy and a decrease in the hippocampal levels of BDNF. In the forced swim test, no effects of the CUS procedure or peptides on the duration of rat immobility were detected. Our findings show that in the CUS paradigm, systemically administered ACTH(4-10) analogs Semax and MTII exert antidepressant-like effects on anhedonia and hippocampal BDNF levels, and attenuate markers of chronic stress load, at least in male rats. The results support the argument that ACTH(4-10) analogs and other noncorticotropic melanocortins may have promising therapeutic potential for the treatment and prevention of depression and other stress-related pathologies.

Increase in short-term and long-term stress-associated mental illness after Jiji earthquake in Taiwan: A twenty-year longitudinal population-based cohort study (1999-2019)

BACKGROUND

Earthquakes have caused profound physical and mental health impacts in human history. The Jiji earthquake, which had a magnitude of 7.6 on the Richter scale, occurred on 21 September 1999 in Taiwan. A close follow-up on the mental health status of affected adults after major natural disasters to construct the short-term and long-term risk and prevalence of stress-associated mental illnesses has not been performed by using the nationwide health databases.

METHODS

This population-based cohort study included 468,804 adults affected by Jiji earthquake spanning from 2000 to 2019 who were matched at a 1:4 ratio with unaffected individuals based on age and sex (n = 1,875,216). Employing a subdistribution hazard regression analysis, we assessed the incidence of sleep, anxiety, and depressive disorders after Jiji earthquake. Corrections for multiple comparisons were carried out using the Benjamini-Hochberg procedure.

RESULTS

Affected adults experienced an increased incidence of short-term (approximately twice) stress-associated psychiatric disorders. The risk of the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is significantly higher in the affected adults (40-64 years: aSHR: 92.0; ≥65 years: aSHR: 96.7, p < 0.0001). Middle-aged (aged 40-64 years) male adults presented with significantly more short-term (< one year) and long-term (up to 20 years) stress-related mental illnesses, i.e., insomnia, anxiety, and depressive disorders, than individuals in the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

An earthquake has significant short and long-term effects on sleep quality, anxiety, and depressive disorders in affected adults. Optimal short and long-term close monitoring is needed to deploy medical resources and socioeconomic support to relieve mental stress burdens.

Dysregulation of circadian clock gene expression patterns in a treatment-resistant animal model of depression

Circadian rhythm (CR) disturbances are among the most commonly observed symptoms during major depressive disorder, mostly in the form of disrupted sleeping patterns. However, several other measurable parameters, such as plasma hormone rhythms and differential expression of circadian clock genes (ccgs), are also present, often referred to as circadian phase markers. In the recent years, CR disturbances have been recognized as an essential aspect of depression; however, most of the known animal models of depression have yet to be evaluated for their eligibility to model CR disturbances. In this study, we investigate the potential of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-treated animals as a disease model for research in CR disturbances in treatment-resistant depression. For this purpose, we evaluate the changes in several circadian phase markers, including plasma concentrations of corticosterone, ACTH, and melatonin, as well as gene expression patterns of 13 selected ccgs at 3 different time points, in both peripheral and central tissues. We observed no impact on plasma corticosterone and melatonin concentrations in the ACTH rats compared to vehicle. However, the expression pattern of several ccgs was affected in the ACTH rats compared to vehicle. In the hippocampus, 10 ccgs were affected by ACTH treatment, whereas in the adrenal glands, 5 ccgs were affected and in the prefrontal cortex, hypothalamus and liver 4 ccgs were regulated. In the blood, only 1 gene was affected. Individual tissues showed changes in different ccgs, but the expression of Bmal1, Per1, and Per2 were most generally affected. Collectively, the results presented here indicate that the ACTH animal model displays dysregulation of a number of phase markers suggesting the model may be appropriate for future studies into CR disturbances.

Adolescent environmental enrichment induces social resilience and alters neural gene expression in a selectively bred rodent model with anxious phenotype

Stress is a major influence on mental health status; the ways that individuals respond to or copes with stressors determine whether they are negatively affected in the future. Stress responses are established by an interplay between genetics, environment, and life experiences. Psychosocial stress is particularly impactful during adolescence, a critical period for the development of mood disorders. In this study we compared two established, selectively-bred Sprague Dawley rat lines, the "internalizing" bred Low Responder (bLR) line versus the "externalizing" bred High Responder (bHR) line, to investigate how genetic temperament and adolescent environment impact future responses to social interactions and psychosocial stress, and how these determinants of stress response interact. Male bLR and bHR rats were exposed to social and environmental enrichment in adolescence prior to experiencing social defeat and were then assessed for social interaction and anxiety-like behavior. Adolescent enrichment caused rats to display more social interaction, as well as nominally less social avoidance, less submission during defeat, and resilience to the effects of social stress on corticosterone, in a manner that seemed more notable in bLRs. For bHRs, enrichment also caused greater aggression during a neutral social encounter and nominally during defeat, and decreased anxiety-like behavior. To explore the neurobiology underlying the development of social resilience in the anxious phenotype bLRs, RNA-seq was conducted on the hippocampus and nucleus accumbens, two brain regions that mediate stress regulation and social behavior. Gene sets previously associated with stress, social behavior, aggression and exploratory activity were enriched with differential expression in both regions, with a particularly large effect on gene sets that regulate social behaviors. Our findings provide further evidence that adolescent enrichment can serve as an inoculating experience against future stressors. The ability to induce social resilience in a usually anxious line of animals by manipulating their environment has translational implications, as it underscores the feasibility of intervention strategies targeted at genetically vulnerable adolescent populations.

Adolescent environmental enrichment induces social resilience and alters neural gene expression in a selectively bred rodent model with anxious phenotype

Stress is a major influence on mental health status; the ways that individuals respond to or copes with stressors determine whether they are negatively affected in the future. Stress responses are established by an interplay between genetics, environment, and life experiences. Psychosocial stress is particularly impactful during adolescence, a critical period for the development of mood disorders. In this study we compared two established, selectively-bred Sprague Dawley rat lines, the "internalizing" bred Low Responder (bLR) line versus the "externalizing" bred High Responder (bHR) line, to investigate how genetic temperament and adolescent environment impact future responses to social interactions and psychosocial stress, and how these determinants of stress response interact. Male bLR and bHR rats were exposed to social and environmental enrichment in adolescence prior to experiencing social defeat and were then assessed for social interaction and anxiety-like behavior. Adolescent enrichment caused rats to display more social interaction, as well as nominally less social avoidance, less submission during defeat, and resilience to the effects of social stress on corticosterone, in a manner that seemed more notable in bLRs. For bHRs, enrichment also caused greater aggression during a neutral social encounter and nominally during defeat, and decreased anxiety-like behavior. To explore the neurobiology underlying the development of social resilience in the anxious phenotype bLRs, RNA-seq was conducted on the hippocampus and nucleus accumbens, two brain regions that mediate stress regulation and social behavior. Gene sets previously associated with stress, social behavior, aggression and exploratory activity were enriched with differential expression in both regions, with a particularly large effect on gene sets that regulate social behaviors. Our findings provide further evidence that adolescent enrichment can serve as an inoculating experience against future stressors. The ability to induce social resilience in a usually anxious line of animals by manipulating their environment has translational implications, as it underscores the feasibility of intervention strategies targeted at genetically vulnerable adolescent populations.

A Preliminary Quantitative Electron Microscopic Analysis Reveals Reduced Number of Mitochondria in the Infralimbic Cortex of Rats Exposed to Chronic Mild Stress

Exposure to severe, uncontrollable and long-lasting stress is a strong risk factor for the development of numerous mental and somatic disorders. Animal studies document that chronic stress can alter neuronal morphology and functioning in limbic brain structures such as the prefrontal cortex. Mitochondria are intracellular powerhouses generating chemical energy for biochemical reactions of the cell. Recent findings document that chronic stress can lead to changes in mitochondrial function and metabolism. Here, we studied putative mitochondrial damage in response to chronic stress in neurons of the medial prefrontal cortex. We performed a systematic quantitative ultrastructural analysis to examine the consequences of 9-weeks of chronic mild stress on mitochondria number and morphology in the infralimbic cortex of adult male rats. In this preliminary study, we analyzed 4,250 electron microscopic images and 67000 mitochondria were counted and examined in the brains of 4 control and 4 stressed rats. We found significantly reduced number of mitochondria in the infralimbic cortex of the stressed animals, but we could not detect any significant alteration in mitochondrial morphology. These data support the concept that prolonged stress can lead to mitochondrial loss. This in turn may result in impaired energy production. Reduced cellular energy may sensitize the neurons to additional injuries and may eventually trigger the development of psychopathologies.

Stress adaptation in rats associate with reduced expression of cerebrovascular Kv7.4 channels and biphasic neurovascular responses

Neurovascular coupling ensures rapid and precise delivery of O₂ and nutrients to active brain regions. Chronic stress is known to disturb neurovascular signaling with grave effects on brain integrity. We hypothesized that stress-induced neurovascular disturbances depend on stress susceptibility. Wistar male rats were exposed to 8 weeks of chronic mild stress. Stressed rats with anhedonia-like behavior and with preserved hedonic state were identified from voluntary sucrose consumption. In brain slices from nonstressed, anhedonic, and hedonic rats, neurons and astrocytes showed similar intracellular Ca²⁺ responses to neuronal excitation. Parenchymal arterioles in brain slices from nonstressed, anhedonic, and hedonic rats showed vasodilation in response to neuronal excitation. This vasodilation was dependent on inward rectifying K⁺ channel (K_ir2) activation. In hedonic rats, this vasodilation was transient and followed by vasoconstriction insensitive to K_ir2 channel inhibition with 100 µM BaCl₂. Isolated arteries from hedonic rats showed increased contractility. Elevation of bath K⁺ relaxed isolated middle cerebral arteries in a concentration-dependent and K_ir2-dependent manner. The vasorelaxation to 20-24 mM K⁺ was reduced in arteries from hedonic rats. The expression of voltage-gated K⁺ channels, K_v7.4, was reduced in the cerebral arteries from hedonic rats, whereas the expression of arterial inward-rectifying K⁺ channels, K_ir2.1 was similar to that of nonstressed and anhedonic rats. We propose that preserved hedonic state is associated with increased arterial contractility caused by reduced hyperpolarizing contribution of K_v7.4 channels leading to biphasic cerebrovascular responses to neuronal excitation. These findings reveal a novel potential coping mechanism associated with altered neurovascular signaling.

Chronic mild stress paradigm as a rat model of depression: facts, artifacts, and future perspectives

RATIONALE

The chronic mild stress (CMS) paradigm was first described almost 40 years ago and has become a widely used model in the search for antidepressant drugs for major depression disorder (MDD). It has resulted in the publication of almost 1700 studies in rats alone. Under the original CMS procedure, the expression of an anhedonic response, a key symptom of depression, was seen as an essential feature of both the model and a depressive state. The prolonged exposure of rodents to unpredictable/uncontrollable mild stressors leads to a reduction in the intake of palatable liquids, behavioral despair, locomotor inhibition, anxiety-like changes, and vegetative (somatic) abnormalities. Many of the CMS studies do not report these patterns of behaviors, and they often fail to include consistent molecular, neuroanatomical, and physiological phenotypes of CMS-exposed animals.

OBJECTIVES

To critically review the CMS studies in rats so that conceptual and methodological flaws can be avoided in future studies.

RESULTS

Analysis of the literature supports the validity of the CMS model and its impact on the field. However, further improvements could be achieved by (i) the stratification of animals into 'resilient' and 'susceptible' cohorts within the CMS animals, (ii) the use of more refined protocols in the sucrose test to mitigate physiological and physical artifacts, and (iii) the systematic evaluation of the non-specific effects of CMS and implementation of appropriate adjustments within the behavioral tests.

CONCLUSIONS

We propose methodological revisions and the use of more advanced behavioral tests to refine the rat CMS paradigm, which offers a valuable tool for developing new antidepressant medications.

Blunted diurnal firing in lateral habenula projections to dorsal raphe nucleus and delayed photoentrainment in stress-susceptible mice

Daily rhythms are disrupted in patients with mood disorders. The lateral habenula (LHb) and dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) contribute to circadian timekeeping and regulate mood. Thus, pathophysiology in these nuclei may be responsible for aberrations in daily rhythms during mood disorders. Using the 15-day chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) paradigm and in vitro slice electrophysiology, we measured the effects of stress on diurnal rhythms in firing of LHb cells projecting to the DRN (cells^LHb→DRN) and unlabeled DRN cells. We also performed optogenetic experiments to investigate if increased firing in cells^LHb→DRN during exposure to a weak 7-day social defeat stress (SDS) paradigm induces stress-susceptibility. Last, we investigated whether exposure to CSDS affected the ability of mice to photoentrain to a new light–dark (LD) cycle. The cells^LHb→DRN and unlabeled DRN cells of stress-susceptible mice express greater blunted diurnal firing compared to stress-näive (control) and stress-resilient mice. Daytime optogenetic activation of cells^LHb→DRN during SDS induces stress-susceptibility which shows the direct correlation between increased activity in this circuit and putative mood disorders. Finally, we found that stress-susceptible mice are slower, while stress-resilient mice are faster, at photoentraining to a new LD cycle. Our findings suggest that exposure to strong stressors induces blunted daily rhythms in firing in cells^LHb→DRN, DRN cells and decreases the initial rate of photoentrainment in susceptible-mice. In contrast, resilient-mice may undergo homeostatic adaptations that maintain daily rhythms in firing in cells^LHb→DRN and also show rapid photoentrainment to a new LD cycle.

Daily rhythms are disrupted in patients suffering from mood disorders, and it is known that the lateral habenula and dorsal raphe nucleus contribute to circadian timekeeping and regulate mood. This study shows that stress-susceptible mice have blunted and inverted diurnal firing rhythms in lateral habenula cells that project to the dorsal raphe nucleus, and have a slow rate of photoentrainment to a new light cycle.

Additional Assessment of Fecal Corticosterone Metabolites Improves Visual Rating in the Evaluation of Stress Responses of Laboratory Rats

Simple Summary

Assessment of animal welfare is an important aspect of preclinical studies to minimize suffering and burden and to improve scientific data. In a standard preclinical setup, such an assessment is normally done via so-called score sheets, which are part of the official documentation and approval of a preclinical study. These score sheets contain different categories, including objective parameters such as animals’ body weight, as well as more subjective criteria such as general status, behavior, and appearance, by which the animal is assessed and given a score reflecting the burden. However, very little is known about whether this mainly visual-based and subjective evaluation of the animals’ welfare reliably reflects the status of the animal and correlates well with more objective parameters used for assessment of animal welfare. To this end, the current study investigates the concordance of parameters obtained via standardized score sheets and fecal corticosterone metabolites in a preclinical neuroscientific setup. Determination of fecal corticosterone metabolites as response parameter of adrenocortical activity is thereby a well-validated parameter often used to determine animals’ stress levels. Our data reveal that specific but subjective scores did not mirror the stress response assessed via fecal corticosterone metabolites in the same animals.

Abstract

Since animal experiments cannot be completely avoided, the pain, suffering, and distress of laboratory animals must be minimized. To this end, a major prerequisite is reliable assessment of pain and distress. Usually, evaluation of animal welfare is done by visual inspection and score sheets. However, relatively little is known about whether standardized, but subjective, score sheets are able to reliably reflect the status of the animals. The current study aimed to compare visual assessment scores and changes in body weight with concentrations of fecal corticosterone metabolites (FCMs) in a neuroscientific experimental setup. Additionally, effects of refinement procedures were investigated. Eight male adult Sprague-Dawley rats underwent several experimental interventions, including electroencephalograph electrode implantation and subsequent recording, positron emission tomography (PET), and sleep deprivation (SD) by motorized activity wheels. Additional 16 rats were either used as controls without any treatment or to evaluate refinement strategies. Stress responses were determined on a daily basis by means of measuring FCMs, body weight, and evaluation of the animals’ welfare by standardized score sheets. Surgery provoked a significant elevation of FCM levels for up to five days. Increases in FCMs due to PET procedures or SD in activity wheels were also highly significant, while visual assessment scores did not indicate elevated stress levels and body weights remained constant. Visual assessment scores correlate with neither changes in body weight nor increases in FCM levels. Habituation procedures to activity wheels used for SD had no impact on corticosterone release. Our results revealed that actual score sheets for visual assessment of animal welfare did not mirror physiological stress responses assessed by FCM measurements. Moreover, small changes in body weight did not correlate with FCM concentration either. In conclusion, as visual assessment is a method allowing immediate interventions on suffering animals to alleviate burden, timely stress assessment in experimental rodents via score sheets should be ideally complemented by validated objective measures (e.g., fecal FCM measured by well-established assays for reliable detection of FCMs). This will complete a comprehensive appraisal of the animals’ welfare status in a retrospective manner and refine stressor procedures in the long run.

Blunted Diurnal Firing in Lateral Habenula Projections to Dorsal Raphe Nucleus and Delayed Photoentrainment in Stress-Susceptible Mice.. [DOI: 10.1101/2020.03.19.998732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0]

Daily rhythms are disrupted in patients suffering from mood disorders. The lateral habenula (LHb) and dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) contribute to circadian timekeeping and regulate mood. Thus, pathophysiology in these nuclei may be responsible for aberrations in daily rhythms during mood disorders. Using the chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) paradigm and in-vitro slice electrophysiology we measured the effects of stress on diurnal rhythms in firing of LHb cells projecting to the DRN (cellsLHb→DRN) and DRN cells alone. We also performed optogenetic experiments to investigate if increased firing in cellsLHb→DRN during exposure to subthreshold social defeat stress (SSDS), induces stress-susceptibility. Last we investigated whether exposure to CSDS affected the ability of mice to phototentrain to a new LD cycle. The cellsLHb→DRN and DRN cells alone of stress-susceptible mice express greater blunted diurnal firing compared to stress-naive (control) and stress-resilient mice. Day-time optogenetic activation of cellsLHb→DRN during SSDS induces stress-susceptibility which shows the direct correlation between increased activity in this circuit and putative mood disorders. Finally, we found that stress-susceptible mice are slower, while stress-resilient mice are faster, at photoentraining to a new LD cycle. Our findings suggest that CSDS induces blunted daily rhythms in firing in cellsLHb→DRN and slow rate of photoentrainment in susceptible-mice. In contrast, resilientmice may undergo homeostatic adaptations that maintain daily rhythms in firing in cellsLHb→DRN and also show rapid photoentrainment to a new LD-cycle.

Developmental Trajectories of Early Life Stress and Trauma: A Narrative Review on Neurobiological Aspects Beyond Stress System Dysregulation

Early life stressors display a high universal prevalence and constitute a major public health problem. Prolonged psychoneurobiological alterations as sequelae of early life stress (ELS) could represent a developmental risk factor and mediate risk for disease, leading to higher physical and mental morbidity rates in later life. ELS could exert a programming effect on sensitive neuronal brain networks related to the stress response during critical periods of development and thus lead to enduring hyper- or hypo-activation of the stress system and altered glucocorticoid signaling. In addition, alterations in emotional and autonomic reactivity, circadian rhythm disruption, functional and structural changes in the brain, as well as immune and metabolic dysregulation have been lately identified as important risk factors for a chronically impaired homeostatic balance after ELS. Furthermore, human genetic background and epigenetic modifications through stress-related gene expression could interact with these alterations and explain inter-individual variation in vulnerability or resilience to stress. This narrative review presents relevant evidence from mainly human research on the ten most acknowledged neurobiological allostatic pathways exerting enduring adverse effects of ELS even decades later (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, autonomic nervous system, immune system and inflammation, oxidative stress, cardiovascular system, gut microbiome, sleep and circadian system, genetics, epigenetics, structural, and functional brain correlates). Although most findings back a causal relation between ELS and psychobiological maladjustment in later life, the precise developmental trajectories and their temporal coincidence has not been elucidated as yet. Future studies should prospectively investigate putative mediators and their temporal sequence, while considering the potentially delayed time-frame for their phenotypical expression. Better screening strategies for ELS are needed for a better individual prevention and treatment.

Multilevel Interactions of Stress and Circadian System: Implications for Traumatic Stress

The dramatic fluctuations in energy demands by the rhythmic succession of night and day on our planet has prompted a geophysical evolutionary need for biological temporal organization across phylogeny. The intrinsic circadian timing system (CS) represents a highly conserved and sophisticated internal "clock," adjusted to the 24-h rotation period of the earth, enabling a nyctohemeral coordination of numerous physiologic processes, from gene expression to behavior. The human CS is tightly and bidirectionally interconnected to the stress system (SS). Both systems are fundamental for survival and regulate each other's activity in order to prepare the organism for the anticipated cyclic challenges. Thereby, the understanding of the temporal relationship between stressors and stress responses is critical for the comprehension of the molecular basis of physiology and pathogenesis of disease. A critical loss of the harmonious timed order at different organizational levels may affect the fundamental properties of neuroendocrine, immune, and autonomic systems, leading to a breakdown of biobehavioral adaptative mechanisms with increased stress sensitivity and vulnerability. In this review, following an overview of the functional components of the SS and CS, we present their multilevel interactions and discuss how traumatic stress can alter the interplay between the two systems. Circadian dysregulation after traumatic stress exposure may represent a core feature of trauma-related disorders mediating enduring neurobiological correlates of trauma through maladaptive stress regulation. Understanding the mechanisms susceptible to circadian dysregulation and their role in stress-related disorders could provide new insights into disease mechanisms, advancing psychochronobiological treatment possibilities and preventive strategies in stress-exposed populations.

Early life stress and trauma: developmental neuroendocrine aspects of prolonged stress system dysregulation

Experience of early life stress (ELS) and trauma is highly prevalent in the general population and has a high public health impact, as it can trigger a health-related risk cascade and lead to impaired homeostatic balance and elevated cacostatic load even decades later. The prolonged neuropsychobiological impact of ELS can, thus, be conceptualized as a common developmental risk factor for disease associated with increased physical and mental morbidity in later life. ELS during critical periods of brain development with elevated neuroplasticity could exert a programming effect on particular neuronal networks related to the stress response and lead to enduring neuroendocrine alterations, i.e., hyper- or hypoactivation of the stress system, associated with adult hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and glucocorticoid signaling dysregulation. This paper reviews the pathophysiology of the human stress response and provides evidence from human research on the most acknowledged stress axis-related neuroendocrine pathways exerting the enduring adverse effects of ELS and mediating the cumulative long-term risk of disease vulnerability in adulthood.

Long-Term Stress Disrupts the Structural and Functional Integrity of GABAergic Neuronal Networks in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex of Rats

Clinical and experimental data suggest that fronto-cortical GABAergic deficits contribute to the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). To further test this hypothesis, we used a well characterized rat model for depression and examined the effect of stress on GABAergic neuron numbers and GABA-mediated synaptic transmission in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of rats. Adult male Wistar rats were subjected to 9-weeks of chronic mild stress (CMS) and based on their hedonic-anhedonic behavior they were behaviorally phenotyped as being stress-susceptible (anhedonic) or stress-resilient. Post mortem quantitative histopathology was used to examine the effect of stress on parvalbumin (PV)-, calretinin- (CR), calbindin- (CB), cholecystokinin- (CCK), somatostatin-(SST) and neuropeptide Y-positive (NPY+) GABAergic neuron numbers in all cortical subareas of the mPFC (anterior cingulate (Cg1), prelimbic (PrL) and infralimbic (IL) cortexes). In vitro, whole-cell patch-clamp recordings from layer II–III pyramidal neurons of the ventral mPFC was used to examine GABAergic neurotransmission. The cognitive performance of the animals was assessed in a hippocampal-prefrontal-cortical circuit dependent learning task. Stress exposure reduced the number of CCK-, CR- and PV-positive GABAergic neurons in the mPFC, most prominently in the IL cortex. Interestingly, in the stress-resilient animals, we found higher number of neuropeptide Y-positive neurons in the entire mPFC. The electrophysiological analysis revealed reduced frequencies of spontaneous and miniature IPSCs in the anhedonic rats and decreased release probability of perisomatic-targeting GABAergic synapses and alterations in GABA_B receptor mediated signaling. In turn, pyramidal neurons showed higher excitability. Anhedonic rats were also significantly impaired in the object-place paired-associate learning task. These data demonstrate that long-term stress results in functional and structural deficits of prefrontal GABAergic networks. Our findings support the concept that fronto-limbic GABAergic dysfunctions may contribute to emotional and cognitive symptoms of MDD.

The relationship of depressive symptoms and functional and structural markers of subclinical atherosclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives

The relationship of depressive symptoms and subclinical atherosclerosis remains controversial. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of depressive symptoms on the functional and structural markers of subclinical atherosclerosis as measured by carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), pulse wave velocity (PWV) and flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD).

Methods

A systematic literature search was performed electronically. Studies relating IMT, PWV or FMD to depressive symptoms were included. Standard/weighted mean differences (SMD/WMD) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were pooled in overall and subgroup analyses (age, sex, depression diagnosis, region, study design, site measured and sample size). Sensitivity analysis and publication bias were also conducted.

Results

Thirty-eight articles involving 5947 patients with depressive symptoms and 34,423 controls without depressive symptoms were included. Compared with controls without depressive symptoms, patients with depressive symptoms showed a significantly thicker IMT (SMD (95% CI) = 0.137 (0.047–0.227), p = 0.003), a higher PWV (SMD (95% CI) = 0.216 (0.139–0.293), p < 0.001) and a lower FMD (WMD (95% CI) = –2.554 (–3.709 to –1.399), p < 0.001). When analyzing subgroups with age and female ratio, all results were still significant ( p < 0.05) except IMT and FMD in age < 50 years subgroups ( p > 0.05). There was no statistical significance in sensitivity analysis and publication bias ( p > 0.05).

Conclusions

Depressive symptoms contributed toward subclinical atherosclerosis, and resulted in impaired functional and structural markers of subclinical atherosclerosis, which holds great promise in early prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Disturbances of diurnal phase markers, behavior, and clock genes in a rat model of depression; modulatory effects of agomelatine treatment

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a growing problem worldwide. Though, the etiology remains unresolved, circadian rhythm disturbances are frequently observed in MDD and thus is speculated to play a key role herein. The present study focuses on circadian rhythm disturbances in the chronic mild stress (CMS) animal model of depression and examined whether the atypical antidepressant, agomelatine, which is mediating its action via melatonergic and serotonergic receptors, is capable of resynchronizing the perturbed rhythm. Melatonin is often used as a marker of the circadian phase, but the functional and behavioral output is dictated on a cellular level by the molecular clock, driven by the clock genes. We applied in situ hybridization histochemistry to measure the expression levels of the core clock genes, period (Per) 1 and 2 and bone and muscle ARNT-like protein 1 (Bmal1), in multiple brain regions believed to be implicated in depression. Agomelatine showed an antidepressant-like effect in the sucrose consumption test and an anxiolytic-like profile in the elevated zero maze. We found that CMS increased nighttime melatonin release in rats and that agomelatine attenuated this effect. Stress was shown to have a time and region-specific effect on clock gene expression in the brain. Treatment with agomelatine failed to normalize clock gene expression, and the observed modifying effect on gene expression did not associate with the antidepressant-like effect. This suggests that the antidepressant actions of agomelatine are mainly independent of circadian rhythm synchronization and, in this regard, not superior to traditional antidepressants tested in our model.

Diffusion MRI and MR spectroscopy reveal microstructural and metabolic brain alterations in chronic mild stress exposed rats: A CMS recovery study

Chronic mild stress (CMS) induced depression elicits several debilitating symptoms and causes a significant economic burden on society. High variability in the symptomatology of depression poses substantial impediment to accurate diagnosis and therapy outcome. CMS exposure induces significant metabolic and microstructural alterations in the hippocampus (HP), prefrontal cortex (PFC), caudate-putamen (CP) and amygdala (AM), however, recovery from these maladaptive changes are limited and this may provide negative effects on the therapeutic treatment and management of depression. The present study utilized anhedonic rats from the unpredictable CMS model of depression to study metabolic recovery in the ventral hippocampus (vHP) and microstructural recovery in the HP, AM, CP, and PFC. The study employed 1H MR spectroscopy (1H MRS) and in-vivo diffusion MRI (d-MRI) at the age of week 18 (week 1 post CMS exposure) week 20 (week 3 post CMS) and week 25 (week 8 post CMS exposure) in the anhedonic group, and at the age of week 18 and week 22 in the control group. The d-MRI data have provided an array of diffusion tensor metrics (FA, MD, AD, and RD), and fast kurtosis metrics (MKT, WL and WT). CMS exposure induced a significant metabolic alteration in vHP, and significant microstructural alterations were observed in the HP, AM, and PFC in comparison to the age match control and within the anhedonic group. A significantly high level of N-acetylaspartate (NAA) was observed in vHP at the age of week 18 in comparison to age match control and week 20 and week 25 of the anhedonic group. HP and AM showed significant microstructural alterations up to the age of week 22 in the anhedonic group. PFC showed significant microstructural alterations only at the age of week 18, however, most of the metrics showed significantly higher value at the age of week 20 in the anhedonic group. The significantly increased NAA concentration may indicate impaired catabolism due to astrogliosis or oxidative stress. The significantly increased WL in the AM and HP may indicate hypertrophy of AM and reduced volume of HP. Such metabolic and microstructural alterations could be useful in disease diagnosis and follow-up treatment intervention in depression and similar disorders.

Faecal corticosterone metabolite assessment in socially housed male and female Wistar rats

Knowledge of animals' hormonal status is important for conservation studies in wild or semi-free-ranging conditions as well as for behavioural and clinical experiments conducted in laboratory research, mostly performed on rats and mice. Faecal sampling is a useful non-invasive method to obtain steroid hormone assessments. Nevertheless, in laboratory studies, unlike other contexts, faecal sampling is less utilised. One of the issues raised is the necessity to collect samples belonging to different animals, separately. Usually, researchers using faecal sampling solve this problem through the isolation of animals or taking the cage rather than single animal as unit of study. These solutions though, could lead to unreliable measurements, and cannot be applied in many studies. Our aim was to show the biological reliability of individual faecal corticosterone metabolite (FCM) assessments in socially housed male and female Wistar rats. We analytically validated the enzyme immunoassay kit used for FCM assessments. Then, we exposed the animals to two different stress stimuli that are known to activate the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and the following release of corticosterone to biologically validate the EIA kit: environmental enrichment and predator odour. Individual faecal sampling from social animals was collected through short-time handling. The results demonstrated that both the stimuli increased FCM levels in male and female rats showing the reliability of EIA kit assessment and the applicability of our sampling method. We also found a diurnal rhythm in FCM levels. These results could help to increase the use of faecal hormone metabolite determinations in studies conducted on rats.

Anti-Anxiety Effect of (-)-Syringaresnol-4-O-β-d-apiofuranosyl-(1→2)-β-d-glucopyranoside from Albizzia julibrissin Durazz (Leguminosae)

Albizzia julibrissin Durazz, a Chinese Medicine, is commonly used for its anti-anxiety effects. (−)-syringaresnol-4-O-β-d-apiofuranosyl-(1→2)-β-d-glucopyranoside (SAG) is the main ingredient of Albizzia julibrissin Durazz. The present study investigated the anxiolytic effect and potential mechanisms on the HPA axis and monoaminergic systems of SAG on acute restraint-stressed rats. The anxiolytic effect of SAG was examined through an open field test and an elevated plus maze test. The concentration of CRF, ACTH, and CORT in plasma was examined by an enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA) kit while neurotransmitters in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of the brain were examined by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). We show that repeated treatment with SAG (3.6 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly increased the number and time spent on the central entries in the open-field test when compared to the vehicle/stressed group. In the elevated plus maze test, 3.6 mg/kg SAG could increase the percentage of entries into and time spent on the open arms of the elevated plus maze. In addition, the concentration of CRF, ACTH, and CORT in plasma and neurotransmitters (NE, 5-HT, DA and their metabolites 5-HIAA, DOPAC, and HVA) in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of the brain were decreased after SAG treatment, as compared to the repeated acute restraint-stressed rats. These results suggest that SAG is a potential anti-anxiety drug candidate.

Neuronal substrates underlying stress resilience and susceptibility in rats

Background

Stress and stressful life events have repeatedly been shown as causally related to depression. The Chronic Mild Stress rat model is a valid model of stress-induced depression. Like humans, rats display great heterogeneity in their response to stress and adversity. Hence some individuals are stress-sensitive and prone to develop depression-like behaviour in response to modest stressors, while others are stress-resilient and remain essentially symptom free.

Objectives

Compared to the large body of research, which describes stress-induced maladaptive neurobiological changes, relatively little attention has been devoted to understand resiliency to stress. The aim of the present study was to identify changes in neuronal activity, associated with stress-resilient and stress-susceptible chronic mild stress endophenotypes, by examining c-Fos expression in 13 different brain areas. Changes in c-Fos expression have been reported as associated to stressful conditions.

Methods

Stress-induced modulation of neuronal activation patterns in response to the chronic mild stress paradigm was mapped using the immediate early gene expression c-Fos as a marker. Quantification of the c-Fos-like immunoreactivity responses was done by semi-automated profile counting procedures and design-based stereology.

Results

Exposure to chronic mild stress significantly altered c-Fos expression in a total of 6 out of 13 investigated areas. Chronic mild stress was found to suppress the c-Fos response within the magnocellular ventral lateral geniculate nucleus of both stress subgroups. In the the lateral and ventral orbital cortices of stress-resilient rats, the c-Fos like immunoreactivity response was also repressed by stress exposure. On the contrary the c-Fos response within the amygdala, medial habenula, and infralimbic cortex was increased selectively for the stress-susceptible rats.

Conclusions

The study was initiated to characterize neuronal substrates associated with stress-coping mechanisms. Six areas, all of which represents limbic structures, were found to be sensitive to stress exposure. The effects within these areas associate to the hedonic status of the rats. Hence, these areas might be associated to stress-coping mechanisms underlying the chronic mild stress induced segregation into stress-susceptible and stress-resilient endophenotypes.

Potential pleiotropic beneficial effects of adjuvant melatonergic treatment in posttraumatic stress disorder

Loss of circadian rhythmicity fundamentally affects the neuroendocrine, immune, and autonomic system, similar to chronic stress and may play a central role in the development of stress-related disorders. Recent articles have focused on the role of sleep and circadian disruption in the pathophysiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suggesting that chronodisruption plays a causal role in PTSD development. Direct and indirect human and animal PTSD research suggests circadian system-linked neuroendocrine, immune, metabolic and autonomic dysregulation, linking circadian misalignment to PTSD pathophysiology. Recent experimental findings also support a specific role of the fundamental synchronizing pineal hormone melatonin in mechanisms of sleep, cognition and memory, metabolism, pain, neuroimmunomodulation, stress endocrinology and physiology, circadian gene expression, oxidative stress and epigenetics, all processes affected in PTSD. In the current paper, we review available literature underpinning a potentially beneficiary role of an add-on melatonergic treatment in PTSD pathophysiology and PTSD-related symptoms. The literature is presented as a narrative review, providing an overview on the most important and clinically relevant publications. We conclude that adjuvant melatonergic treatment could provide a potentially promising treatment strategy in the management of PTSD and especially PTSD-related syndromes and comorbidities. Rigorous preclinical and clinical studies are needed to validate this hypothesis.

Altered Expression Pattern of Clock Genes in a Rat Model of Depression

BACKGROUND

Abnormalities in circadian rhythms may be causal factors in development of major depressive disorder. The biology underlying a causal relationship between circadian rhythm disturbances and depression is slowly being unraveled. Although there is no direct evidence of dysregulation of clock gene expression in depressive patients, many studies have reported single-nucleotide polymorphisms in clock genes in these patients.

METHODS

In the present study we investigated whether a depression-like state in rats is associated with alternations of the diurnal expression of clock genes. The validated chronic mild stress (CMS) animal model of depression was used to investigate rhythmic expression of three clock genes: period genes 1 and 2 (Per1 and Per2) and Bmal1. Brain and liver tissue was collected from 96 animals after 3.5 weeks of CMS (48 control and 48 depression-like rats) at a 4h sampling interval within 24h. We quantified expression of clock genes on brain sections in the prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, pineal gland, suprachiasmatic nucleus, substantia nigra, amygdala, ventral tegmental area, subfields of the hippocampus, and the lateral habenula using in situ hybridization histochemistry. Expression of clock genes in the liver was monitored by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

RESULTS

We found that the effect of CMS on clock gene expression was selective and region specific. Per1 exhibits a robust diurnal rhythm in most regions of interest, whereas Bmal1 and in particular Per2 were susceptible to CMS.

CONCLUSION

The present results suggest that altered expression of investigated clock genes is likely associated with the induction of a depression-like state in the CMS model.

The importance of n-6/n-3 fatty acids ratio in the major depressive disorder

This review aims to clarify the relation between the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids and the development of depression. It is explained how these fatty acids are involved in the production of eicosanoids and how these fatty acids can affect the membrane fluidity, by their incorporation into membrane phospholipids. In addition, it is described how omega-3 derivatives are shown to regulate gene transcription. In view of the pathophysiology of depression, the mechanisms of how an altered ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 could be involved in depression are discussed. Possible mechanisms could include an increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which can activate the HPA axis and a changed membrane fluidity, which potentially affects membrane bound enzymes, ion channels, receptor activity and neurotransmitter binding. In view of clinical trials, it is also discussed whether omega-3 supplementation could have a beneficial effect in the treatment of depressive patient. There are strong indications that an increased ratio of membrane omega-6 to omega-3 is involved in the pathogenesis of depression and so far, omega-3 supplementation has shown positive effects in clinical trials.

Deletion of novel protein TMEM35 alters stress-related functions and impairs long-term memory in mice

The mounting of appropriate emotional and neuroendocrine responses to environmental stressors critically depends on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and associated limbic circuitry. Although its function is currently unknown, the highly evolutionarily conserved transmembrane protein 35 (TMEM35) is prominently expressed in HPA circuitry and limbic areas, including the hippocampus and amygdala. To investigate the possible involvement of this protein in neuroendocrine function, we generated tmem35 knockout (KO) mice to characterize the endocrine, behavioral, electrophysiological, and proteomic alterations caused by deletion of the tmem35 gene. While capable of mounting a normal corticosterone response to restraint stress, KO mice showed elevated basal corticosterone accompanied by increased anxiety-like behavior. The KO mice also displayed impairment of hippocampus-dependent fear and spatial memories. Given the intact memory acquisition but a deficit in memory retention in the KO mice, TMEM35 is likely required for long-term memory consolidation. This conclusion is further supported by a loss of long-term potentiation in the Schaffer collateral-CA1 pathway in the KO mice. To identify putative molecular pathways underlying alterations in plasticity, proteomic analysis of synaptosomal proteins revealed lower levels of postsynaptic molecules important for synaptic plasticity in the KO hippocampus, including PSD95 and N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors. Pathway analysis (Ingenuity Pathway Analysis) of differentially expressed synaptic proteins in tmem35 KO hippocampus implicated molecular networks associated with specific cellular and behavioral functions, including decreased long-term potentiation, and increased startle reactivity and locomotion. Collectively, these data suggest that TMEM35 is a novel factor required for normal activity of the HPA axis and limbic circuitry.

Disturbed diurnal rhythm of three classical phase markers in the chronic mild stress rat model of depression

Disturbances of circadian rhythms have been suggested to be a causal factor in the development of major depressive disorder. However, the mechanisms underlying the association between circadian rhythm abnormalities and mood disorders are still unknown. In the current study the association between diurnal pattern of key phase markers (melatonin, corticosterone, and core body temperature) and anhedonic-like behavior was investigated using the highly validated rat chronic mild stress (CMS) model of depression. Phase marker measurements were done after 3.5 weeks of CMS in 48 control rats and 48 anhedonic-like rats at 6 time points within 24h. The results showed that anhedonic-like behavior associates with changes in all three phase markers: an increased dark phase melatonin secretion, an additional peak in corticosterone level in the beginning of the light phase, and hypothermia in the dark phase. The result adds to the validity of the CMS model in general and in particular to be adequate as a model for studying the chronobiology of depressive disorder.

Role of peripheral vascular resistance for the association between major depression and cardiovascular disease

Major depression and cardiovascular diseases are 2 of the most prevalent health problems in Western society, and an association between them is generally accepted. Although the specific mechanism behind this comorbidity remains to be elucidated, it is clear that it has a complex multifactorial character including a number of neuronal, humoral, immune, and circulatory pathways. Depression-associated cardiovascular abnormalities associate with cardiac dysfunctions and with changes in peripheral resistance. Although cardiac dysfunction in association with depression has been studied in detail, little attention was given to structural and functional changes in resistance arteries responsible for blood pressure control and tissue perfusion. This review discusses recent achievements in studies of depression-associated abnormalities in resistance arteries in humans and animal experimental models. The changes in arterial structure, contractile and relaxing functions associated with depression symptoms are discussed, and the role of these abnormalities for the pathology of major depression and cardiovascular diseases are suggested.

Time-dependent miR-16 serum fluctuations together with reciprocal changes in the expression level of miR-16 in mesocortical circuit contribute to stress resilient phenotype in chronic mild stress - An animal model of depression

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in stress-related pathologies. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying stress resilience are elusive. Using chronic mild stress (CMS), an animal model of depression, we identified animals exhibiting a resilient phenotype. We investigated serum levels of corticosterone, melatonin and 376 mature miRNAs to find peripheral biomarkers associated with the resilient phenotype. miR-16, selected during screening step, was assayed in different brain regions in order to find potential relationship between brain and peripheral alterations in response to stress. Two CMS experiments that lasted for 2 and 7 consecutive weeks were performed. During both CMS procedures, sucrose consumption levels were significantly decreased in anhedonic-like animals (p<0.0001) compared with unstressed animals, whereas the drinking profiles of resilient rats did not change despite the rats being stressed. Serum corticosterone measurements indicated that anhedonic-like animals had blunted hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity, whereas resilient animals exhibited dynamic responses to stress. miRNA profiling revealed that resilient animals had elevated serum levels of miR-16 after 7 weeks of CMS (adjusted p-value<0.007). Moreover, resilient animals exhibited reciprocal changes in miR-16 expression level in mesocortical pathway after 2 weeks of CMS (p<0.008). A bioinformatic analysis showed that miR-16 regulates genes involved in the functioning of the nervous system in both humans and rodents. Resilient animals can actively cope with stress on a biochemical level and miR-16 may contribute to a "stress-resistant" behavioral phenotype by pleiotropic modulation of the expression of genes involved in the function of the nervous system.

Circadian variations in behaviors, BDNF and cell proliferation in depressive mice

Neurotrophic factors are well-known to be involved in the pathophysiology of depression and treatment of antidepressants. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), one of the most widely distributed and the most highly studied neurotrophic factors, has been demonstrated to play an important role in the pathophysiology of depression and the mechanism of antidepressants. According to the previous studies, we found that animal tissues were dissected for BDNF measurement mainly in daytime. Considering the circadian rhythm of BDNF expression, our present study evaluated the circadian variations in behaviors, serum corticosterone concentrations, hippocampal BDNF expression and neuronal cell proliferation in mice exposed to chronic mild stress (CMS), one of the most widely used depression-like animal models. Our results provided the first evidence that the difference of BDNF expression and neuronal cell proliferation between CMS and control mice underwent an oscillation related to the circadian variations (maximum at 20:00 h, minimum at 12:00 h or 16:00 h), while the difference of sucrose preference and first feeding latency was not affected by circadian rhythm. This oscillation difference was attributed to the relative constant BDNF expression and cell proliferation in CMS mice and the fluctuating BDNF expression and cell proliferation in control mice. CMS exposure might destroy the circadian rhythm of BDNF expression and cell proliferation in hippocampus of normal individual. Our present study suggests that animal decapitation at 20:00 h is the best time for BDNF-related measurement in CMS experiment, since the difference reaches the maximum.

Chronic selective serotonin reuptake inhibition modulates endothelial dysfunction and oxidative state in rat chronic mild stress model of depression

Major depression is known to be associated with cardiovascular abnormalities, and oxidative stress has been suggested to play a role. We tested the hypothesis that antidepressant treatment reduces oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunctions in the chronic mild stress (CMS) model of depression in rats. Rats with >30% reduction in sucrose intake after 4 wk of CMS were defined in the study as CMS-susceptible and compared with unstressed controls. Sixteen CMS-susceptible and eight unstressed rats were treated during weeks 5 to 8 of the CMS protocol with escitalopram. Escitalopram-treated rats with >20% recovery in the sucrose consumption during the last 2 wk of treatment were defined as escitalopram responders. Rats that did not reach these criteria were defined as escitalopram nonresponders. In the open field test, escitalopram responders demonstrated anxiolytic effect of treatment. In mesenteric small arteries, escitalopram affected neither NO nor cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1)-mediated vasodilation. Escitalopram potentiated endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization-like response, which was suppressed in the vehicle-treated CMS-susceptible rats and reduced COX-2-dependent relaxation, which was elevated in the vehicle-treated CMS-susceptible rats. Escitalopram did not affect blood pressure and heart rate, which were elevated in the vehicle-treated CMS-susceptible rats. Oxidative stress markers were changed in association with CMS in liver, heart, and brain. Escitalopram normalized oxidative stress markers in the majority of tissues. This study demonstrates that the antidepressant effect of escitalopram is associated with partial improvement of endothelial function in small arteries affecting COX-2 and endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization-like pathways.

Sources of diel variation in energetic physiology in an Arctic-breeding, diving seaduck

Diel variation in baseline glucocorticoid (GC) secretion influences energetics and foraging behaviors. In temperate breeding, diurnal vertebrates, studies have shown that daily patterns of baseline GC secretion are influenced by environmental photoperiod, with baseline GCs peaking prior to sunrise to stimulate waking and foraging behaviors. Measures of physiological energy acquisition are also expected to peak in response to foraging activity, but their relationship to GC levels have not been well studied. In contrast to temperate breeding species, virtually nothing is known about diel GC and energetic metabolite secretion in Arctic breeding species, which experience almost constant photoperiods in spring and summer. Using a ten-year dataset, we examined the daily, 24-h pattern of baseline corticosterone (CORT) and triglyceride (TRIG) secretion in approximately 800 female pre-breeding Arctic-nesting common eiders (Somateria mollissima). We related these traits to environmental photoperiod and to tidal cycle. In contrast to temperate breeding species, we found that that neither time of day nor tidal trend predicted diel variation in CORT or TRIG secretion in Arctic-breeding eiders. Given the narrow window of opportunity for breeding in polar regions, we suggest that eiders must decouple their daily foraging activity from light and tidal cycles if they are to accrue sufficient energy for successful breeding. As CORT is known to influence foraging behavior, the absence of a distinct diel pattern of CORT secretion may therefore be an adaptation to optimize reproductive investment and likelihood for success in some polar-breeding species.

Presynaptic plasticity as a hallmark of rat stress susceptibility and antidepressant response

Two main questions are important for understanding and treating affective disorders: why are certain individuals susceptible or resilient to stress, and what are the features of treatment response and resistance? To address these questions, we used a chronic mild stress (CMS) rat model of depression. When exposed to stress, a fraction of rats develops anhedonic-like behavior, a core symptom of major depression, while another subgroup of rats is resilient to CMS. Furthermore, the anhedonic-like state is reversed in about half the animals in response to chronic escitalopram treatment (responders), while the remaining animals are resistant (non-responder animals). Electrophysiology in hippocampal brain slices was used to identify a synaptic hallmark characterizing these groups of animals. Presynaptic properties were investigated at GABAergic synapses onto single dentate gyrus granule cells. Stress-susceptible rats displayed a reduced probability of GABA release judged by an altered paired-pulse ratio of evoked inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) (1.48 ± 0.25) compared with control (0.81 ± 0.05) and stress-resilient rats (0.78 ± 0.03). Spontaneous IPSCs (sIPSCs) occurred less frequently in stress-susceptible rats compared with control and resilient rats. Finally, a subset of stress-susceptible rats responding to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) treatment showed a normalization of the paired-pulse ratio (0.73 ± 0.06) whereas non-responder rats showed no normalization (1.2 ± 0.2). No changes in the number of parvalbumin-positive interneurons were observed. Thus, we provide evidence for a distinct GABAergic synaptopathy which associates closely with stress-susceptibility and treatment-resistance in an animal model of depression.

Influence of sex and stress exposure across the lifespan on endophenotypes of depression: focus on behavior, glucocorticoids, and hippocampus

Sex differences exist in vulnerability, symptoms, and treatment of many neuropsychiatric disorders. In this review, we discuss both preclinical and clinical research that investigates how sex influences depression endophenotypes at the behavioral, neuroendocrine, and neural levels across the lifespan. Chronic exposure to stress is a risk factor for depression and we discuss how stress during the prenatal, postnatal, and adolescent periods differentially affects males and females depending on the method of stress and metric examined. Given that the integrity of the hippocampus is compromised in depression, we specifically focus on sex differences in how hippocampal plasticity is affected by stress and depression across the lifespan. In addition, we examine how female physiology predisposes depression in adulthood, specifically in postpartum and perimenopausal periods. Finally, we discuss the underrepresentation of women in both preclinical and clinical research and how this limits our understanding of sex differences in vulnerability, presentation, and treatment of depression.

The adaptive and maladaptive continuum of stress responses – a hippocampal perspective

Exposure to stressors elicits a spectrum of responses that span from potentially adaptive to maladaptive consequences at the structural, cellular and physiological level. These responses are particularly pronounced in the hippocampus where they also appear to influence hippocampal-dependent cognitive function and emotionality. The factors that influence the nature of stress-evoked consequences include the chronicity, severity, predictability and controllability of the stressors. In addition to adult-onset stress, early life stress also elicits a wide range of structural and functional responses, which often exhibit life-long persistence. However, the outcome of early stress exposure is often contingent on the environment experienced in adulthood, and could either aid in stress coping or could serve to enhance susceptibility to the negative consequences of adult stress. This review comprehensively examines the consequences of adult and early life stressors on the hippocampus, with a focus on their effects on neurogenesis, neuronal survival, structural and synaptic plasticity and hippocampal-dependent behaviors. Further, we discuss potential factors that may tip stress-evoked consequences from being potentially adaptive to largely maladaptive.

Association between endothelial dysfunction and depression-like symptoms in chronic mild stress model of depression

OBJECTIVE

Cardiovascular diseases have high comorbidity with major depression. Endothelial dysfunction may explain the adverse cardiovascular outcome in depression; therefore, we analyzed it in vitro. In the chronic mild stress model, some rats develop depression-like symptoms (including "anhedonia"), whereas others are stress resilient.

METHODS

After 8 weeks of chronic mild stress, anhedonic rats reduced their sucrose intake by 55% (7%), whereas resilient rats did not. Acetylcholine-induced endothelium-dependent relaxation of norepinephrine-preconstricted mesenteric arteries was analyzed in nonstressed, anhedonic, and resilient rat groups.

RESULTS

Small resistance arteries from anhedonic rats were less sensitive to acetylcholine than those of the nonstressed and resilient groups (p = .029). Pathways of endothelium-dependent relaxation were altered in arteries from anhedonic rats. Nitric oxide (NO)-dependent relaxation and endothelial NO synthase expression were increased in arteries from anhedonic rats (0.235 [0.039] arbitrary units and 155.7% [8.15%]) compared with the nonstressed (0.135 [0.012] arbitrary units and 100.0% [8.08%]) and resilient (0.152 [0.018] arbitrary units and 108.1% [11.65%]) groups (p < .001 and p = .002, respectively). Inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX) activity revealed increased COX-2-dependent relaxation in the anhedonic group. In contrast, endothelial NO synthase- and COX-independent relaxation to acetylcholine (endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization-like response) was reduced in anhedonic rats (p < .001). This was associated with decreased transcription of intermediate-conductance Ca-activated K channels.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrate that depression-like symptoms are associated with reduced endothelium-dependent relaxation due to suppressed endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization-like relaxation despite up-regulation of the NO and COX-2-dependent pathways in rat mesenteric arteries. These changes could affect peripheral resistance and organ perfusion in major depression.

Enkephalin knockdown in the basolateral amygdala reproduces vulnerable anxiety-like responses to chronic unpredictable stress

The endogenous enkephalins (ENKs) are potential candidates participating in the naturally occurring variations in coping styles and determining the individual capacities for adaptation during chronic stress exposure. Here we demonstrate that there is a large variance in individual behavioral, as well as in physiological outcomes, in a population of Sprague-Dawley rats subjected to 3 weeks of chronic unpredictable stress (CUS). Separation of resilient and vulnerable subpopulations reveals specific long-term neuroadaptation in the ENKergic brain circuits. ENK mRNA expression was greatly reduced in the posterior basolateral nucleus of amygdala (BLAp) in vulnerable individuals. In contrast, ENK mRNA levels were similar in resilient and control (unstressed) individuals. Another group of rats were used for lentiviral-mediated knockdown of ENK to assess whether a decrease of ENK expression in the BLAp reproduces the behavioral disturbances found in vulnerable individuals. ENK knockdown specifically located in the BLAp was sufficient to increase anxiety in the behavioral tests, such as social interaction and elevated plus maze when compared with control individuals. These results show that specific neuroadaptation mediated by the ENKergic neurotransmission in the BLAp is a key regulator of resilience, whereas a decrease of the ENK in the BLAp is a maladaptation mechanism, which mediates the behavioral dichotomy observed between vulnerable and resilient following 3 weeks of CUS.

Neurocircuitry underlying stress and emotional regulation in animals prenatally exposed to alcohol and subjected to chronic mild stress in adulthood

Individuals exposed to alcohol during gestation show higher rates of psychopathologies. The hyperresponsivity to stress induced by prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) may be related to this increased rate of psychopathologies, especially because this population is more likely to be exposed to stressful environments throughout life. However, alcohol-induced changes in the overlapping neurocircuitries that underlie stress and the expression of psychopathologies are not fully understood. Here, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the neural activity within central areas known to play key roles in both emotional and stress regulation. Adult male and female offspring from PAE, pair-fed, and ad libitum-fed control conditions were exposed to chronic mild stress (CMS). Following CMS, the neural activity (c-fos mRNA) of the amygdala, ventral hippocampal formation, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus (PVN) was assessed in response to an acute stress (elevated plus maze). Our results demonstrate that, overall, PAE decreased neural activity within the amygdala and hippocampal formation in males and increased neural activity within the amygdala and mPFC in females. CMS reduced neural activity within the mPFC and PVN in PAE males, but reduced activity in all areas analyzed in control males. By contrast, CMS reduced neural activity in the mPFC in PAE females and had no effects in control females. Furthermore, the constrained principal component analysis revealed that these patterns of neural activity resulted in differential activation of the functional neural networks in males compared to females, indicating sexually dimorphic effects of PAE and CMS. Importantly, the altered networks of brain activation in PAE animals may underlie the hyperresponsivity to stress and increased psychopathologies observed among individuals prenatally exposed to alcohol.

Mind and body: how the health of the body impacts on neuropsychiatry

It has long been established in traditional forms of medicine and in anecdotal knowledge that the health of the body and the mind are inextricably linked. Strong and continually developing evidence now suggests a link between disorders which involve Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis (HPA) dysregulation and the risk of developing psychiatric disease. For instance, adverse or excessive responses to stressful experiences are built into the diagnostic criteria for several psychiatric disorders, including depression and anxiety disorders. Interestingly, peripheral disorders such as metabolic disorders and cardiovascular diseases are also associated with HPA changes. Furthermore, many other systemic disorders associated with a higher incidence of psychiatric disease involve a significant inflammatory component. In fact, inflammatory and endocrine pathways seem to interact in both the periphery and the central nervous system (CNS) to potentiate states of psychiatric dysfunction. This review synthesizes clinical and animal data looking at interactions between peripheral and central factors, developing an understanding at the molecular and cellular level of how processes in the entire body can impact on mental state and psychiatric health.

Molecular profiling of the lateral habenula in a rat model of depression

Objective

This study systematically investigated the effect of chronic mild stress and response to antidepressant treatment in the lateral habenula at the whole genome level.

Methods

Rat whole genome expression chips (Affymetrix) were used to detect gene expression regulations in the lateral habenula of rats subjected to chronic mild stress (mild stressors exchanged twice a day for 8 weeks). Some rats received antidepressant treatment during fifth to eights week of CMS. The lateral habenula gene expression profile was studied through the gene ontology and signal pathway analyses using bioinformatics. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to verify the microarray results and determine the expression of the Fcrla, Eif3k, Sec3l1, Ubr5, Abca8a, Ankrd49, Cyp2j10, Frs3, Syn2, and Znf503 genes in the lateral habenula tissue.

Results

In particular we found that stress and antidepressant treatment affected intracellular cascades like growth factor receptor signaling, G-protein-coupled receptor signaling, and Wnt signaling – processes involved in the neuroplastic changes observed during the progression of depression and antidepressant treatment.

Conclusion

The present study suggests an important role of the lateral habenula in the development of depression-like conditions and correlates to previous studies demonstrating a significant role of the lateral habenula in depressive-like conditions and antidepressant treatment.

Stress, serotonin, and hippocampal neurogenesis in relation to depression and antidepressant effects

Chronic stressful life events are risk factors for developing major depression, the pathophysiology of which is strongly linked to impairments in serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmission. Exposure to chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) has been found to induce depressive-like behaviours, including passive behavioural coping and anhedonia in animal models, along with many other affective, cognitive, and behavioural symptoms. The heterogeneity of these symptoms represents the plurality of corticolimbic structures involved in mood regulation that are adversely affected in the disorder. Chronic stress has also been shown to negatively regulate adult hippocampal neurogenesis, a phenomenon that is involved in antidepressant effects and regulates subsequent stress responses. Although there exists an enormous body of data on stress-induced alterations of 5-HT activity, there has not been extensive exploration of 5-HT adaptations occurring presynaptically or at the level of the raphe nuclei after exposure to CUS. Similarly, although hippocampal neurogenesis is known to be negatively regulated by stress and positively regulated by antidepressant treatment, the role of neurogenesis in mediating affective behaviour in the context of stress remains an active area of investigation. The goal of this review is to link the serotonergic and neurogenic hypotheses of depression and antidepressant effects in the context of stress. Specifically, chronic stress significantly attenuates 5-HT neurotransmission and 5-HT1A autoreceptor sensitivity, and this effect could represent an endophenotypic hallmark for mood disorders. In addition, by decreasing neurogenesis, CUS decreases hippocampal inhibition of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, exacerbating stress axis overactivity. Similarly, we discuss the possibility that adult hippocampal neurogenesis mediates antidepressant effects via the ventral (in rodents; anterior in humans) hippocampus' influence on the HPA axis, and mechanisms by which antidepressants may reverse chronic stress-induced 5-HT and neurogenic changes. Although data are as yet equivocal, antidepressant modulation of 5-HT neurotransmission may well serve as one of the factors that could drive neurogenesis-dependent antidepressant effects through these stress regulation-related mechanisms.

Chronic mild stress for modeling anhedonia

Major depressive disorder is a complex disease implicating many brain circuitries. The clinical symptomatology is inconsistent and heterogenous and the pathogenesis is a complicated interplay of genetic and environmental factors. The episodic and recurrent nature of the disease, as well as the fact that several symptoms are only verbally expressed, make it challenging to establish valid and legitimate animal models of this disease. The purpose of this review is to provide some background knowledge and overview of valid rodent models of depression with an emphasis on our own experience with a chronic mild stress model in modeling of anhedonia and cognitive impairments associated with depression. In a final concluding remark, a 'dying-forward' hypothesis, for development of depression, is suggested on the basis of mainly our own data on a hippocampal pathology.

Vesicular signalling and immune modulation as hedonic fingerprints: proteomic profiling in the chronic mild stress depression model

Extensive preclinical research has focused at unravelling the underlying molecular mechanisms leading to depression and recovery. In this study, we investigated the quantitative changes in protein abundance in the ventral hippocampal granular cell layer. We compared different phenotypes from the chronic mild stress (CMS) model of depression using chronic administration with two selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), escitalopram and sertraline. We isolated granular cells using Laser-Capture Microdissection (LCM) and we identified their regulated proteins using two-dimensional (2D) differential gel electrophoresis (DIGE) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). The majority of the proteins we identified were enzymes involved in different metabolic activities. Additional proteins were functionally classified as vesicular proteins and immune system proteins. Rab GDP dissociation inhibitor alpha (GDIA) and syntaxin-binding protein 1 (STXB1) were potential markers for stress reactivity. Dynamin 1 (DYN1), glutathione S-transferase omega-1 (GSTO1) and peroxiredoxin (PRDX6) were associated with treatment response. In addition, an imbalance between different post-translationally modified versions of DYN1 and GSTO1 potentially accounted for SSRI treatment refraction. In the present study, we searched for new markers of stress reactivity and treatment response as well as any underlying molecular mechanisms correlating to the development of anhedonia and antidepressant therapy refraction. Our results pointed towards an essential role of post-translational modifications in both vesicular and immune protein systems.

Effects of chronic plus acute prolonged stress on measures of coping style, anxiety, and evoked HPA-axis reactivity

Exposure to psychological trauma is the precipitating factor for PTSD. In addition, a history of chronic or traumatic stress exposure is a predisposing risk factor. We have developed a Chronic plus Acute Prolonged Stress (CAPS) treatment for rats that models some of the characteristics of stressful events that can lead to PTSD in humans. We have previously shown that CAPS enhances acute fear responses and impairs extinction of conditioned fear. Further, CAPS reduced the expression of glucocorticoid receptors in the medial prefrontal cortex. In this study we examined the effects of CAPS exposure on behavioral stress coping style, anxiety-like behaviors, and acute stress reactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to CAPS treatment, consisting of chronic intermittent cold stress (4 °C, 6 h/day, 14 days) followed on day 15 by a single 1-h session of sequential acute stressors (social defeat, immobilization, swim). After CAPS or control treatment, different groups were tested for shock probe defensive burying, novelty suppressed feeding, or evoked activation of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone release by an acute immobilization stress. CAPS resulted in a decrease in active burying behavior and an increase in immobility in the shock probe test. Further, CAPS-treated rats displayed increases in the latency to feed in the novelty suppressed feeding test, despite an increase in food intake in the home cage. CAPS treatment also reduced the HPA response to a subsequent acute immobilization stress. These results further validate CAPS treatment as a rat model of relevance to PTSD, and together with results reported previously, suggest that CAPS impairs fear extinction, shifts coping behavior from an active to a more passive strategy, increases anxiety, and alters HPA reactivity, resembling many aspects of human PTSD.

Physiological consequences of repeated exposures to conditioned fear

Activation of the stress response evokes a cascade of physiological reactions that may be detrimental when repeated or chronic, and when triggered after exposure to psychological/emotional stressors. Investigation of the physiological mechanisms responsible for the health damaging effects requires animal paradigms that repeatedly evoke a response to psychological/emotional stressors. To this end, adult male Sprague Dawley rats were repeatedly exposed (2X per day for 20 days) to a context that they were conditioned to fear (conditioned fear test, CFT). Repeated exposure to CFT produced body weight loss, adrenal hypertrophy, thymic involution, and basal corticosterone elevation. In vivo biotelemetry measures revealed that CFT evokes sympathetic nervous system driven increases in heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and core body temperature. Extinction of behavioral (freezing) and physiological responses to CFT was prevented using minimal reinstatement footshock. MAP responses to the CFT did not diminish across 20 days of exposure. In contrast, HR and cardiac contractility responses declined by day 15, suggesting a shift toward vascular-dominated MAP (a pre-clinical marker of CV dysfunction). Flattened diurnal rhythms, common to stress-related mood/anxiety disorders, were found for most physiological measures. Thus, repeated CFT produces adaptations indicative of the health damaging effects of psychological/emotional stress.