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Butto T, Chongtham MC, Mungikar K, Hartwich D, Linke M, Ruffini N, Radyushkin K, Schweiger S, Winter J, Gerber S. Characterization of transcriptional profiles associated with stress-induced neuronal activation in Arc-GFP mice. Mol Psychiatry 2024; 29:3010-3023. [PMID: 38649752 PMCID: PMC11449785 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02555-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Chronic stress has become a predominant factor associated with a variety of psychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety, in both human and animal models. Although multiple studies have looked at transcriptional changes after social defeat stress, these studies primarily focus on bulk tissues, which might dilute important molecular signatures of social interaction in activated cells. In this study, we employed the Arc-GFP mouse model in conjunction with chronic social defeat (CSD) to selectively isolate activated nuclei (AN) populations in the ventral hippocampus (vHIP) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) of resilient and susceptible animals. Nuclear RNA-seq of susceptible vs. resilient populations revealed distinct transcriptional profiles linked predominantly with neuronal and synaptic regulation mechanisms. In the vHIP, susceptible AN exhibited increased expression of genes related to the cytoskeleton and synaptic organization. At the same time, resilient AN showed upregulation of cell adhesion genes and differential expression of major glutamatergic subunits. In the PFC, susceptible mice exhibited upregulation of synaptotagmins and immediate early genes (IEGs), suggesting a potentially over-amplified neuronal activity state. Our findings provide a novel view of stress-exposed neuronal activation and the molecular response mechanisms in stress-susceptible vs. resilient animals, which may have important implications for understanding mental resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamer Butto
- Institute for Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Kanak Mungikar
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Dewi Hartwich
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Matthias Linke
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Nicolas Ruffini
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Wallstr 7, 55122, Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Susann Schweiger
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Wallstr 7, 55122, Mainz, Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jennifer Winter
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Wallstr 7, 55122, Mainz, Germany.
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany.
| | - Susanne Gerber
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany.
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2
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Fedurek P, Aktipis A, Cronk L, Danel D, Lacroix L, Lehmann J, Mabulla I, Makambi JE, Berbesque JC. Prosocial reputation and stress among contemporary hunter-gatherers: the Hadza case. Sci Rep 2024; 14:21403. [PMID: 39271949 PMCID: PMC11399269 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-72238-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 09/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024] Open
Abstract
It has been suggested that having a reputation for being prosocial is a critical part of social status across all human societies. It has also been argued that prosocial behavior confers benefits, whether physiological, such as stress reduction, or social, such as building allies or becoming more popular. Here, we investigate the relationship between helping reputation (being named as someone others would go to for help), and hair-derived chronic stress (hair cortisol concentration). In a sample of 77 women and 62 men, we found that perceived helping reputation was not related to chronic stress. Overall, the results of our study suggest that, in an egalitarian society with fluid camp membership and widely practiced generosity such as the Hadza, helping reputation does not necessarily boost stress-related health benefits through prestige-signaling mechanisms observed in hierarchical, large-scale societies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Fedurek
- School of Human and Life Sciences, University of Roehampton, London, UK.
- Department of Anthropology, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, IITD PAN, Podwale 75, 50-449, Wrocław, Poland.
| | - Athena Aktipis
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Lee Cronk
- Department of Anthropology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Dariusz Danel
- Department of Anthropology, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, IITD PAN, Podwale 75, 50-449, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Laurent Lacroix
- Health Sciences Research Centre, Roehampton University, London, UK
| | - Julia Lehmann
- School of Human and Life Sciences, University of Roehampton, London, UK
| | | | - Jerryson E Makambi
- Mount Meru Tour Guide and International Language School, Arusha, Tanzania
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3
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Luo PX, Serna Godoy A, Zakharenkov HC, Vang N, Wright EC, Balantac TA, Archdeacon SC, Black AM, Lake AA, Ramirez AV, Lozier LE, Perez MD, Bhangal I, Desta NM, Trainor BC. Hypocretin in the nucleus accumbens shell modulates social approach in female but not male California mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024:10.1038/s41386-024-01937-9. [PMID: 39117901 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01937-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 07/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
The hypocretin (Hcrt) system modulates arousal and anxiety-related behaviors and has been considered as a novel treatment target for stress-related affective disorders. We examined the effects of Hcrt acting in the nucleus accumbens shell (NAcSh) and anterodorsal bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (adBNST) on social behavior in male and female California mice (Peromyscus californicus). In female but not male California mice, infusion of Hcrt1 into NAcSh decreased social approach. Weak effects of Hcrt1 on social vigilance were observed in both females and males. No behavioral effects of Hcrt1 infused into the adBNST were observed. Analyses of sequencing data from California mice and Mus musculus NAc showed that Hcrtr2 was more abundant than Hcrtr1, so we infused the selective Hcrt receptor 2 antagonist into the NAcSh, which increased social approach in females previously exposed to social defeat. A calcium imaging study in the NAcSh of females before and after stress exposure showed that neural activity increased immediately following the expression of social avoidance but not during freezing behavior. This observation is consistent with previous studies that identified populations of neurons in the NAc that drive avoidance. Intriguingly, calcium transients were not affected by stress. These data suggest that hypocretin acting in the NAcSh plays a key role in modulating stress-induced social avoidance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei X Luo
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Nou Vang
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Emily C Wright
- Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | | | | | - Alexis M Black
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Alyssa A Lake
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Alison V Ramirez
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Lauren E Lozier
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Melvin D Perez
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Irvin Bhangal
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Nile M Desta
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Brian C Trainor
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
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4
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Martins LA, Schiavo A, Paz LV, Xavier LL, Mestriner RG. Neural underpinnings of fine motor skills under stress and anxiety: A review. Physiol Behav 2024; 282:114593. [PMID: 38782244 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2024.114593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
This review offers a comprehensive examination of how stress and anxiety affect motor behavior, particularly focusing on fine motor skills and gait adaptability. We explore the role of several neurochemicals, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and dopamine, in modulating neural plasticity and motor control under these affective states. The review highlights the importance of developing therapeutic strategies that enhance motor performance by leveraging the interactions between key neurochemicals. Additionally, we investigate the complex interplay between emotional-cognitive states and sensorimotor behaviors, showing how stress and anxiety disrupt neural integration, leading to impairments in skilled movements and negatively impacting quality of life. Synthesizing evidence from human and rodent studies, we provide a detailed understanding of the relationships among stress, anxiety, and motor behavior. Our findings reveal neurophysiological pathways, behavioral outcomes, and potential therapeutic targets, emphasizing the intricate connections between neurobiological mechanisms, environmental factors, and motor performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Athaydes Martins
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Graduate Program in Biomedical Gerontology, Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Neuroscience, Motor Behavior, and Rehabilitation Research Group (NECORE-CNPq), Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Aniuska Schiavo
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Graduate Program in Biomedical Gerontology, Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Neuroscience, Motor Behavior, and Rehabilitation Research Group (NECORE-CNPq), Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Lisiê Valéria Paz
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Léder Leal Xavier
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Neuroscience, Motor Behavior, and Rehabilitation Research Group (NECORE-CNPq), Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Régis Gemerasca Mestriner
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Graduate Program in Biomedical Gerontology, Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Neuroscience, Motor Behavior, and Rehabilitation Research Group (NECORE-CNPq), Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
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5
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Talaee N, Azadvar S, Khodadadi S, Abbasi N, Asli-Pashaki ZN, Mirabzadeh Y, Kholghi G, Akhondzadeh S, Vaseghi S. Comparing the effect of fluoxetine, escitalopram, and sertraline, on the level of BDNF and depression in preclinical and clinical studies: a systematic review. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2024; 80:983-1016. [PMID: 38558317 DOI: 10.1007/s00228-024-03680-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) dysfunction is one of the most important mechanisms underlying depression. It seems that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) improve depression via affecting BDNF level. In this systematic review, for the first time, we aimed to review the effect of three SSRIs including fluoxetine, escitalopram, and sertraline, on both depression and BDNF level in preclinical and clinical studies. PubMed electronic database was searched, and 193 articles were included in this study. After reviewing all manuscripts, only one important difference was found: subjects. We found that SSRIs induce different effects in animals vs. humans. Preclinical studies showed many controversial effects, while human studies showed only two effects: improvement of depression, with or without the improvement of BDNF. However, most studies used chronic SSRIs treatment, while acute SSRIs were not effectively used and evaluated. In conclusion, it seems that SSRIs are reliable antidepressants, and the improvement effect of SSRIs on depression is not dependent to BDNF level (at least in human studies).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nastaran Talaee
- Department of Psychology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shataw Azadvar
- Department of Power Electronic, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Sanaz Khodadadi
- Student Research Committee, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nahal Abbasi
- Department of Health Psychology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Yasaman Mirabzadeh
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IBB), University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Gita Kholghi
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences, Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran
| | - Shahin Akhondzadeh
- Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Roozbeh Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Salar Vaseghi
- Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Medicinal Plants Research Center, Institute of Medicinal Plants, ACECR, Karaj, 1419815477, Iran.
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6
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Kuske JX, Godoy AS, Ramirez AV, Trainor BC. Sex differences in responses to aggressive encounters among California mice. Horm Behav 2024; 162:105537. [PMID: 38582062 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Despite how widespread female aggression is across the animal kingdom, there remains much unknown about its neuroendocrine mechanisms, especially in females that engage in aggression outside the peripartum period. Although the impact of aggressive experience on steroid hormone responses have been described, little is known about the impact of these experiences on female behavior or the subsequent neuropeptide responses to performing aggression. In this study, we compared behavioral responses in both male and female adult California mice based on if they had 0, 1, or 3 aggressive encounters using a resident intruder paradigm. We measured how arginine vasopressin and oxytocin cells in the paraventricular nucleus responded to aggression using c-fos immunohistochemistry. We saw that both sexes disengaged from intruders with repeated aggressive encounters, but that on the final day of testing females were more likely to freeze when they encountered intruders compared to no aggression controls - which was not significant in males. Finally, we saw that percent of arginine vasopressin and c-fos co-localizations in the posterior region of the paraventricular nucleus increased in males who fought compared to no aggression controls. No difference was observed in females. Overall, there is evidence that engaging in aggression induces stress responses in both sexes, and that females may be more sensitive to the effects of fighting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jace X Kuske
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - Alexandra Serna Godoy
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - Alison V Ramirez
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - Brian C Trainor
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America.
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7
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Lake AA, Trainor BC. Leveraging the unique social organization of California mice to study circuit-specific effects of oxytocin on behavior. Horm Behav 2024; 160:105487. [PMID: 38281444 PMCID: PMC11391860 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Oxytocin is a versatile neuropeptide that modulates many different forms of social behavior. Recent hypotheses pose that oxytocin enhances the salience of rewarding and aversive social experiences, and the field has been working to identify mechanisms that allow oxytocin to have diverse effects on behavior. Here we review studies conducted on the California mouse (Peromyscus californicus) that shed light on how oxytocin modulates social behavior following stressful experiences. In this species, both males and females exhibit high levels of aggression, which has facilitated the study of how social stress impacts both sexes. We review findings of short- and long-term effects of social stress on the reactivity of oxytocin neurons. We also consider the results of pharmacological studies which show that oxytocin receptors in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and nucleus accumbens have distinct but overlapping effects on social approach behaviors. These findings help explain how social stress can have different behavioral effects in males and females, and how oxytocin can have such divergent effects on behavior. Finally, we consider how new technological developments and innovative research programs take advantage of the unique social organization of California mice to address questions that can be difficult to study in conventional rodent model species. These new methods and questions have opened new avenues for studying the neurobiology of social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa A Lake
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - Brian C Trainor
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America.
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8
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Wright EC, Luo PX, Zakharenkov HC, Serna Godoy A, Lake AA, Prince ZD, Sekar S, Culkin HI, Ramirez AV, Dwyer T, Kapoor A, Corbett C, Tian L, Fox AS, Trainor BC. Sexual differentiation of neural mechanisms of stress sensitivity during puberty. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2306475120. [PMID: 37847733 PMCID: PMC10614610 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2306475120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are a major public health concern and current treatments are inadequate for many individuals. Anxiety is more common in women than men and this difference arises during puberty. Sex differences in physiological stress responses may contribute to this variability. During puberty, gonadal hormones shape brain structure and function, but the extent to which these changes affect stress sensitivity is unknown. We examined how pubertal androgens shape behavioral and neural responses to social stress in California mice (Peromyscus californicus), a model species for studying sex differences in stress responses. In adults, social defeat reduces social approach and increases social vigilance in females but not males. We show this sex difference is absent in juveniles, and that prepubertal castration sensitizes adult males to social defeat. Adult gonadectomy does not alter behavioral responses to defeat, indicating that gonadal hormones act during puberty to program behavioral responses to stress in adulthood. Calcium imaging in the medioventral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) showed that social threats increased neural activity and that prepubertal castration generalized these responses to less threatening social contexts. These results support recent hypotheses that the BNST responds to immediate threats. Prepubertal treatment with the nonaromatizable androgen dihydrotestosterone acts in males and females to reduce the effects of defeat on social approach and vigilance in adults. These data indicate that activation of androgen receptors during puberty is critical for programming behavioral responses to stress in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily C. Wright
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA95616
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA95616
| | - Pei X. Luo
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA95616
| | | | | | - Alyssa A. Lake
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA95616
| | - Zhana D. Prince
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA95616
| | - Shwetha Sekar
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA95616
| | - Hannah I. Culkin
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA95616
| | | | - Tjien Dwyer
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA95616
| | - Amita Kapoor
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI53715
| | - Cody Corbett
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI53715
| | - Lin Tian
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA95616
| | - Andrew S. Fox
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA95616
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA95616
| | - Brian C. Trainor
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA95616
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9
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Williams AV, Peña CJ, Ramos-Maciel S, Laman-Maharg A, Ordoñez-Sanchez E, Britton M, Durbin-Johnson B, Settles M, Hao R, Yokoyama S, Xu C, Luo PX, Dwyer T, Bhela S, Black AM, Labonté B, Serafini RA, Ruiz A, Neve RL, Zachariou V, Nestler EJ, Trainor BC. Comparative Transcriptional Analyses in the Nucleus Accumbens Identifies RGS2 as a Key Mediator of Depression-Related Behavior. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 92:942-951. [PMID: 36075764 PMCID: PMC9794384 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.06.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Major depressive disorder is one of the most commonly diagnosed mental illnesses worldwide, with a higher prevalence in women than in men. Although currently available pharmacological therapeutics help many individuals, they are not effective for most. Animal models have been important for the discovery of molecular alterations in stress and depression, but difficulties in adapting animal models of depression for females has impeded progress in developing novel therapeutic treatments that may be more efficacious for women. METHODS Using the California mouse social defeat model, we took a multidisciplinary approach to identify stress-sensitive molecular targets that have translational relevance for women. We determined the impact of stress on transcriptional profiles in male and female California mouse nucleus accumbens (NAc) and compared these results with data from postmortem samples of the NAc from men and women diagnosed with major depressive disorder. RESULTS Our cross-species computational analyses identified Rgs2 (regulator of G protein signaling 2) as a transcript downregulated by social defeat stress in female California mice and in women with major depressive disorder. RGS2 plays a key role in signal regulation of neuropeptide and neurotransmitter receptors. Viral vector-mediated overexpression of Rgs2 in the NAc restored social approach and sucrose preference in stressed female California mice. CONCLUSIONS These studies show that Rgs2 acting in the NAc has functional properties that translate to changes in anxiety- and depression-related behavior. Future studies should investigate whether targeting Rgs2 represents a novel target for treatment-resistant depression in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexia V Williams
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Catherine J Peña
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton, New Jersey
| | | | | | - Evelyn Ordoñez-Sanchez
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California; Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Monica Britton
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, UC Davis Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | | | - Matt Settles
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, UC Davis Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Rebecca Hao
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Sae Yokoyama
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Christine Xu
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Pei X Luo
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Tjien Dwyer
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Shanu Bhela
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Alexis M Black
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Benoit Labonté
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Laval University, Québec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Randal Alex Serafini
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Anne Ruiz
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Rachael L Neve
- Gene Delivery Technology Core, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Venetia Zachariou
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Brian C Trainor
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California.
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10
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Choi JE, Choi DI, Lee J, Kim J, Kim MJ, Hong I, Jung H, Sung Y, Kim JI, Kim T, Yu NK, Lee SH, Choe HK, Koo JW, Kim JH, Kaang BK. Synaptic ensembles between raphe and D 1R-containing accumbens shell neurons underlie postisolation sociability in males. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabo7527. [PMID: 36223467 PMCID: PMC9555785 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo7527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Social animals expend considerable energy to maintain social bonds throughout their life. Male and female mice show sexually dimorphic behaviors, yet the underlying neural mechanisms of sociability and their dysregulation during social disconnection remain unknown. Dopaminergic neurons in dorsal raphe nucleus (DRNTH) is known to contribute to a loneliness-like state and modulate sociability. We identified that activated subpopulations in DRNTH and nucleus accumbens shell (NAcsh) during 24 hours of social isolation underlie the increase in isolation-induced sociability in male but not in female mice. This effect was reversed by chemogenetically and optogenetically inhibiting the DRNTH-NAcsh circuit. Moreover, synaptic connectivity among the activated neuronal ensembles in this circuit was increased, primarily in D1 receptor-expressing neurons in NAcsh. The increase in synaptic density functionally correlated with elevated dopamine release into NAcsh. Overall, specific synaptic ensembles in DRNTH-NAcsh mediate sex differences in isolation-induced sociability, indicating that sex-dependent circuit dynamics underlie the expression of sexually dimorphic behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ja Eun Choi
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Dong Il Choi
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Jisu Lee
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Jooyoung Kim
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Min Jung Kim
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Ilgang Hong
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Hyunsu Jung
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Yongmin Sung
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Ji-il Kim
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - TaeHyun Kim
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Nam-Kyung Yu
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Seung-Hee Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-701, South Korea
| | - Han Kyoung Choe
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), 333 Technojoongang-daero, Dalseong-gun, Daegu 42988, South Korea
| | - Ja Wook Koo
- Emotion, Cognition & Behavior Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, 61, Cheomdan-ro, Dong-gu, Daegu 41062, South Korea
| | - Joung-Hun Kim
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 77, Cheongam-ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang 37673, South Korea
| | - Bong-Kiun Kaang
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, South Korea
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11
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Luo PX, Zakharenkov HC, Torres LY, Rios RA, Gegenhuber B, Black AM, Xu CK, Minie VA, Tran AM, Tollkuhn J, Trainor BC. Oxytocin receptor behavioral effects and cell types in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Horm Behav 2022; 143:105203. [PMID: 35636023 PMCID: PMC9827713 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin is a neuropeptide that can produce anxiolytic effects and promote social approach. However, emerging evidence shows that under some conditions, oxytocin can instead induce anxiety-related behaviors. These diverse effects of oxytocin appear to be mediated by circuit-specific actions. Recent data showed that inhibition of oxytocin receptors (OTRs) in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) was sufficient to increase social approach and decrease social vigilance in female California mice (Peromyscus californicus) exposed to social defeat stress. As a member of the G-protein coupled receptor family, OTRs can induce distinct downstream pathways by coupling to different G-protein isoforms. We show that infusion of carbetocin, a biased OTR-Gq agonist, in the BNST reduced social approach in both female and male California mice. In both females and males, carbetocin also increased social vigilance. To gain insight into cell types that could be mediating this effect, we analyzed previously published single-cell RNAseq data from the BNST and nucleus accumbens (NAc). In the NAc, we and others showed that OTR activation promotes social approach behaviors. In the BNST, Oxtr was expressed in over 40 cell types, that span both posterior and anterior subregions of the BNST. The majority of Oxtr-expressing neurons were GABAergic. In the anterior regions of BNST targeted in our carbetocin experiments, Cyp26b1-expressing neurons had high average Oxtr expression. In the NAc, most Oxtr+ cells were D1 dopamine receptor-expressing neurons and interneurons. These differences in Oxtr cell type distribution may help explain how activation of OTR in BNST versus NAc can have different effects on social approach and social vigilance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei X Luo
- Department of Psychology, University of California, 1 Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | | | - Lisette Y Torres
- Department of Psychology, University of California, 1 Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Roberto A Rios
- Department of Psychology, University of California, 1 Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Bruno Gegenhuber
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Alexis M Black
- Department of Psychology, University of California, 1 Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Christine K Xu
- Department of Psychology, University of California, 1 Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Vanessa A Minie
- Department of Psychology, University of California, 1 Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Amy M Tran
- Department of Psychology, University of California, 1 Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Jessica Tollkuhn
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Brian C Trainor
- Department of Psychology, University of California, 1 Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616, USA.
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12
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Trainor BC, Falkner AL. Quantifying Sex Differences in Behavior in the Era of "Big" Data. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2022; 14:a039164. [PMID: 34607831 PMCID: PMC9159265 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a039164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Sex differences are commonly observed in behaviors that are closely linked to adaptive function, but sex differences can also be observed in behavioral "building blocks" such as locomotor activity and reward processing. Modern neuroscientific inquiry, in pursuit of generalizable principles of functioning across sexes, has often ignored these more subtle sex differences in behavioral building blocks that may result from differences in these behavioral building blocks. A frequent assumption is that there is a default (often male) way to perform a behavior. This approach misses fundamental drivers of individual variability within and between sexes. Incomplete behavioral descriptions of both sexes can lead to an overreliance on reduced "single-variable" readouts of complex behaviors, the design of which may be based on male-biased samples. Here, we advocate that the incorporation of new machine-learning tools for collecting and analyzing multimodal "big behavior" data allows for a more holistic and richer approach to the quantification of behavior in both sexes. These new tools make behavioral description more robust and replicable across laboratories and species, and may open up new lines of neuroscientific inquiry by facilitating the discovery of novel behavioral states. Having more accurate measures of behavioral diversity in males and females could serve as a hypothesis generator for where and when we should look in the brain for meaningful neural differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C Trainor
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA
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13
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Flanigan ME, Kash TL. Coordination of social behaviors by the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Eur J Neurosci 2022; 55:2404-2420. [PMID: 33006806 PMCID: PMC9906816 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is a sexually dimorphic, neuropeptide-rich node of the extended amygdala that has been implicated in responses to stress, drugs of abuse, and natural rewards. Its function is dysregulated in neuropsychiatric disorders that are characterized by stress- or drug-induced alterations in mood, arousal, motivation, and social behavior. However, compared to the BNST's role in mood, arousal, and motivation, its role in social behavior has remained relatively understudied. Moreover, the precise cell types and circuits underlying the BNST's role in social behavior have only recently begun to be explored using modern neuroscience techniques. Here, we systematically review the existing literature investigating the neurobiological substrates within the BNST that contribute to the coordination of various sex-dependent and sex-independent social behavioral repertoires, focusing largely on pharmacological and circuit-based behavioral studies in rodents. We suggest that the BNST coordinates social behavior by promoting appropriate assessment of social contexts to select relevant behavioral outputs and that disruption of socially relevant BNST systems by stress and drugs of abuse may be an important factor in the development of social dysfunction in neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan E. Flanigan
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Thomas L. Kash
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC,Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC,Correspondence: Thomas L. Kash, John R. Andrews Distinguished Professor, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA, , (919) 843-7867
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14
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Goodwin NL, Nilsson SRO, Choong JJ, Golden SA. Toward the explainability, transparency, and universality of machine learning for behavioral classification in neuroscience. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2022; 73:102544. [PMID: 35487088 PMCID: PMC9464364 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2022.102544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The use of rigorous ethological observation via machine learning techniques to understand brain function (computational neuroethology) is a rapidly growing approach that is poised to significantly change how behavioral neuroscience is commonly performed. With the development of open-source platforms for automated tracking and behavioral recognition, these approaches are now accessible to a wide array of neuroscientists despite variations in budget and computational experience. Importantly, this adoption has moved the field toward a common understanding of behavior and brain function through the removal of manual bias and the identification of previously unknown behavioral repertoires. Although less apparent, another consequence of this movement is the introduction of analytical tools that increase the explainabilty, transparency, and universality of the machine-based behavioral classifications both within and between research groups. Here, we focus on three main applications of such machine model explainabilty tools and metrics in the drive toward behavioral (i) standardization, (ii) specialization, and (iii) explainability. We provide a perspective on the use of explainability tools in computational neuroethology, and detail why this is a necessary next step in the expansion of the field. Specifically, as a possible solution in behavioral neuroscience, we propose the use of Shapley values via Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) as a diagnostic resource toward explainability of human annotation, as well as supervised and unsupervised behavioral machine learning analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nastacia L Goodwin
- University of Washington, Department of Biological Structure, Seattle, WA, USA; University of Washington, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Seattle, WA, USA. https://twitter.com/NastaciaGoodwin
| | - Simon R O Nilsson
- University of Washington, Department of Biological Structure, Seattle, WA, USA. https://twitter.com/nilssonsro
| | - Jia Jie Choong
- University of Washington, Department of Biological Structure, Seattle, WA, USA; University of Washington, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Seattle, WA, USA. https://twitter.com/inoejj
| | - Sam A Golden
- University of Washington, Department of Biological Structure, Seattle, WA, USA; University of Washington, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Seattle, WA, USA; University of Washington, Center of Excellence in Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (NAPE), Seattle, WA, USA.
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15
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Grieb ZA, Voisin DA, Terranova JI, Norvelle A, Michopoulos V, Huhman KL, Albers HE. Acute administration of fluoxetine increases social avoidance and risk assessment behaviors in a sex- and social stress-dependent manner in Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2022; 214:173353. [PMID: 35150728 PMCID: PMC8915384 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2022.173353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Most studies investigating the effects of acute administration of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) on responses to social stress have been conducted with males. This is despite the fact that SSRIs remain the primary pharmacotherapy for social stress-related disorders for both sexes and that the prevalence of these disorders is twofold higher in women than in men. To determine whether acute treatment with the SSRI, fluoxetine, alters behavioral responses to social defeat stress in a sex- or social stress-dependent manner, male and female Syrian hamsters were subjected to one of three social defeat conditions: no defeat (placed into an empty resident aggressor (RA) cage), a single defeat by one RA for 15 min, or three consecutive defeats using different RAs for 5 min each. The day following social defeat, subjects were infused with either vehicle or fluoxetine (20 mg/kg, I.P.) 2 h prior to a 5 min social avoidance test. Overall, we found that fluoxetine increased social vigilance regardless of sex or defeat condition. We also found that fluoxetine affected social avoidance in a sex by stress intensity interaction, such that fluoxetine increased avoidance in no defeat males and in males defeated once but significantly increased avoidance in females only after three defeats. These data suggest that treatment with an SSRI could initially exacerbate the effects of social stress in both sexes. These data also emphasize the importance of including sex as a biological variable when investigating the efficacy of pharmacotherapy for stress-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary A. Grieb
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA,To whom correspondence should be addressed, , Telephone: 1-404-413-6337
| | - Dené A. Voisin
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Joseph I. Terranova
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA,Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Alisa Norvelle
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Vasiliki Michopoulos
- Yerkes National Primate Center, Atlanta, GA,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Kim L. Huhman
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA
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16
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Bent MAM, Pais AC, Wolstenholme JT. Comparing behavior following binge ethanol in adolescent and adult DBA/2 J mice. Behav Brain Res 2022; 419:113703. [PMID: 34864163 PMCID: PMC8765084 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The adolescent brain undergoes maturation in areas critically involved in reward, addiction, and memory. Adolescents consume alcohol more than any other drug, typically in a binge-like manner. While adults also binge on alcohol, the adolescent brain is more susceptible to ethanol-related damages due to its ongoing development, which may result in persistent behavioral and physical changes, including differences in myelination in the frontal cortex. Sex also impacts ethanol metabolism and addiction progression, suggesting females are more sensitive than males. This study addressed memory, sociability, ethanol sensitivity, and myelin gene expression changes due to binge ethanol, sex, and age. DBA/2 J males and females were exposed to intermittent binge ethanol (4 g/kg, i.g.) from postnatal day (PND) 29-42 or as adults from PND 64-77. Age groups were tested for behaviors at the early phase (24 h - 7 days) and late phase (starting 3 weeks) after the last dose. Adult prefrontal cortex was collected at both phases. Adolescent ethanol impaired late phase memory while adult ethanol showed no impairment. Meanwhile, adolescent males showed early phase tolerance to ethanol-induced locomotor activation, while adult females showed tolerance at both phases. Adult-treated mice displayed reductions in social interaction. Adult ethanol decreased Mal expression, a gene involved in myelin integrity, at the early phase. No differences in myelin gene expression were observed at the late phase. Thus, adolescent binge ethanol more severely impacts memory and myelin gene expression compared to adult exposure, while adult mice display ethanol-induced reductions in social interaction and tolerance to ethanol's locomotor activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Alexis M. Bent
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
| | - A. Christian Pais
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA,,VCU Alcohol Research Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
| | - Jennifer T. Wolstenholme
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA,,VCU Alcohol Research Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
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17
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Abstract
Social stressors are known to have strong negative impacts on mental health. There is a long history of preclinical social defeat stress studies in rodents focusing on males that has produced important insights into the neural mechanisms that modulate depression- and anxiety-related behavior. Despite these impressive results, a historical weakness of rodent social stress models has been an under-representation of studies in females. This is problematic because rates of depression and anxiety are higher in women versus men. Recently there has been a surge of interest in adapting social stress methods for female rodents. Here we review new rodent models that have investigated numerous facets of social stress in females. The different models have different strengths and weaknesses, with some model systems having stronger ethological validity with other models having better access to molecular tools to manipulate neural circuits. Continued use and refinement of these complementary models will be critical for addressing gaps in understanding the function of neural circuits modulating depression- and anxiety-related behavior in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jace X Kuske
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Brian C Trainor
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
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18
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Lopez J, Bagot RC. Defining Valid Chronic Stress Models for Depression With Female Rodents. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 90:226-235. [PMID: 33965195 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Women are twice as likely to experience depression than men, yet until recently, preclinical studies in rodents have focused almost exclusively on males. As interest in sex differences and sex-specific mechanisms of stress susceptibility increases, chronic stress models for inducing depression-relevant behavioral and physiological changes in male rodents are being applied to females, and several new models have emerged to include both males and females, yet not all models have been systematically validated in females. An increasing number of researchers seek to include female rodents in their experimental designs, asking the question "what is the ideal chronic stress model for depression in females?" We review criteria for assessing female model validity in light of key research questions and the fundamental distinction between studying sex differences and studying both sexes. In overviewing current models, we explore challenges inherent to establishing an ideal female chronic stress model, with particular emphasis on the need for standardization and adoption of validated behavioral tests sensitive to stress effects in females. Taken together, these considerations will empower female chronic stress models to provide a better understanding of stress susceptibility and allow the development of efficient sex-specific treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joëlle Lopez
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Rosemary C Bagot
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.
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19
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Minie VA, Petric R, Ramos-Maciel S, Wright EC, Trainor BC, Duque-Wilckens N. Enriched laboratory housing increases sensitivity to social stress in female California mice ( Peromyscus californicus). Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021; 241. [PMID: 34366522 DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Domesticated mice and rats have shown to be powerful model systems for biomedical research, but there are cases in which the biology of species is a poor match for the hypotheses under study. The California mouse (Peromyscus californicus) has unique traits that make it an ideal model for studying biological mechanisms underlying human-relevant behaviors such as intra-female aggression, biparental care, and monogamy. Indeed, peer-reviewed scientific publications using California mouse as a model for behavioral research have more than doubled in the past decade. Critically, behavioral outcomes in captive animals can be profoundly affected by housing conditions, but there is very limited knowledge regarding species-specific housing needs in California mice. Currently, California mouse investigators have to rely on guidelines aimed for more common laboratory species that show vastly different physiology, behavior, and/or ecological niche. This not only could be suboptimal for animals' welfare, but also result in lack of standardization that could potentially compromise experimental reproducibility and replicability across laboratories. With the aim of assessing how different housing systems can affect California mouse behavior both in the home cage as well as the open field and social interaction tests before and after social defeat stress, here we tested three different caging systems: 1. Standard mouse cage, 2. Large cage, and 3. Large cage + environmental enrichment (EE), which focused on increasing vertical complexity based on observations that California mice are semiarboreal in the wild. We found that the effects of housing were largely sex specific: compared to standard cages, in females large + EE reduced home cage stereotypic-like backflipping and rearing behaviors, while large cage increased social interactions. In males, the large+EE cage reduced rearing and digging but did not significantly affect backflipping behavior. Interestingly, while there were no significant differences in the open field and social interaction pre-stress behaviors, large and large+EE housing increased the sensitivity of these tests to detect stress induced phenotypes in females. Together, these results suggest that increasing social and environmental complexity affects home cage behaviors in male and female California mice without interfering with, but rather increasing the magnitude of, the effects of defeat stress on the open field and social interaction tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa A Minie
- Department of Psychology, University of California Davis, CA 95616
| | - Radmila Petric
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, United States
| | | | - Emily C Wright
- Department of Psychology, University of California Davis, CA 95616
| | - Brian C Trainor
- Department of Psychology, University of California Davis, CA 95616
| | - Natalia Duque-Wilckens
- Department of Psychology, University of California Davis, CA 95616.,Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing MI 48824.,Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
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20
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Salivary markers of stress system activation and social withdrawal in humans. J Psychiatr Res 2021; 136:435-443. [PMID: 33160608 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Social withdrawal is an early and common feature of psychiatric disorders. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis activation through increased salivary cortisol (sC) and sympathetic activation through increased salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) may play a role. We aimed to study whether the link between increased sC and sAA on the one hand and depression on the other hand is mediated by social withdrawal. In this cross-sectional, observational study, sC and sAA measures were measured in seven saliva samples in 843 participants (231 psychiatric patients and 612 healthy controls). Social withdrawal was assessed through the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI)-, the Short Form 36-, and the Dutch Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology social withdrawal subscales, and analyzed using linear regression and mediation analyses. On average, participants were 44.0 years old (SD = 12.8; 64.1% female). Basal and diurnal sAA were unrelated to any social withdrawal scale and depression. Certain sC measures were positively associated with the BSI social withdrawal subscale (i.e., area under the curve with respect to the increase, beta = 0.082, p = 0.02; evening sC value: beta = 0.110, p = 0.003; and mean sC value: beta = 0.097; p = 0.01). We found limited support for statistical mediation by social withdrawal (measured using a composite social withdrawal score) on the relationship between evening sC and depression. Thus, although we found no support for a role of basal and diurnal sAA in social withdrawal, HPA-axis activation may partly aggravate social withdrawal in depressive disorders.
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21
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Luo PX, Manning CE, Fass JN, Williams AV, Hao R, Campi KL, Trainor BC. Sex-specific effects of social defeat stress on miRNA expression in the anterior BNST. Behav Brain Res 2021; 401:113084. [PMID: 33358922 PMCID: PMC7864284 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.113084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Women are more likely to suffer from stress-related affective disorders than men, but the underlying mechanisms of sex differences remain unclear. Previous works show that microRNA (miRNA) profiles are altered in stressed animals and patients with depression and anxiety disorders. In this study, we investigated how miRNA expression in the anterior bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BNST) was affected by social defeat stress in female and male California mice (Peromyscus californicus). We performed sequencing to identify miRNA transcripts in the whole brain and anterior BNST followed by qPCR analysis to compare miRNA expression between control and stressed animals. The results showed that social defeat stress induced sex-specific miRNA expression changes in the anterior BNST. Let-7a, let-7f and miR-181a-5p were upregulated in stressed female but not male mice. Our study provided evidence that social stress produces distinct molecular responses in the BNST of males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei X Luo
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Claire E Manning
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Joe N Fass
- Bioinformatics Core and Genome Center, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Alexia V Williams
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Rebecca Hao
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Katharine L Campi
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Brian C Trainor
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
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22
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Peen NF, Duque-Wilckens N, Trainor BC. Convergent neuroendocrine mechanisms of social buffering and stress contagion. Horm Behav 2021; 129:104933. [PMID: 33465346 PMCID: PMC7965339 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.104933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Social interactions play a key role in modulating the impact of stressful experiences. In some cases, social interactions can result in social buffering, the process in which the presence of one individual reduces the physiological and behavioral impact of stress in another individual. On the other hand, there is growing evidence that a key initiating factor of social buffering behaviors is the initiation of an anxiogenic state in the individual that was not directly exposed to the stress. This is referred to as stress contagion (a form of emotion contagion). Both processes involve the transmission of social information, suggesting that contagion and buffering could share similar neural mechanisms. In general, mechanistic studies of contagion and buffering are considered separately, even though behavioral studies show that a degree of contagion is usually necessary for social buffering behaviors to occur. Here we consider the extent to which the neuropeptides corticotropin releasing hormone and oxytocin are involved in contagion and stress buffering. We also assess the importance that frontal cortical areas such as the anterior cingulate cortex and infralimbic cortex play in these behavioral processes. We suggest that further work that directly compares neural mechanisms during stress contagion and stress buffering will be important for identifying what appear to be distinct but overlapping circuits mediating these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natanja F Peen
- Department of Neurobiology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA. USA
| | - Natalia Duque-Wilckens
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA. USA; Departments of Physiology and Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI. USA
| | - Brian C Trainor
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA. USA.
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23
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Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/Tropomyosin Receptor Kinase B Signaling Controls Excitability and Long-Term Depression in Oval Nucleus of the BNST. J Neurosci 2021; 41:435-445. [PMID: 33234610 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1104-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Dysregulation of proteins involved in synaptic plasticity is associated with pathologies in the CNS, including psychiatric disorders. The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), a brain region of the extended amygdala circuit, has been identified as the critical hub responsible for fear responses related to stress coping and pathologic systems states. Here, we report that one particular nucleus, the oval nucleus of the BNST (ovBNST), is rich in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) receptor. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings of neurons from male mouse ovBNST in vitro showed that the BDNF/TrkB interaction causes a hyperpolarizing shift of the membrane potential from resting value, mediated by an inwardly rectifying potassium current, resulting in reduced neuronal excitability in all major types of ovBNST neurons. Furthermore, BDNF/TrkB signaling mediated long-term depression (LTD) at postsynaptic sites in ovBNST neurons. LTD of ovBNST neurons was prevented by a BDNF scavenger or in the presence of TrkB inhibitors, indicating the contribution to LTD induction. Our data identify BDNF/TrkB signaling as a critical regulator of synaptic activity in ovBNST, which acts at postsynaptic sites to dampen excitability at short and long time scales. Given the central role of ovBNST in mediating maladaptive behaviors associated with stress exposure, our findings suggest a synaptic entry point of the BDNF/TrkB system for adaptation to stressful environmental encounters.
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Meyer MAA, Anstötz M, Ren LY, Fiske MP, Guedea AL, Grayson VS, Schroth SL, Cicvaric A, Nishimori K, Maccaferri G, Radulovic J. Stress-related memories disrupt sociability and associated patterning of hippocampal activity: a role of hilar oxytocin receptor-positive interneurons. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:428. [PMID: 33311459 PMCID: PMC7733596 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-01091-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2020] [Revised: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In susceptible individuals, memories of stressful experiences can give rise to debilitating socio-affective symptoms. This occurs even when the ability to retrieve such memories is limited, as seen in patients suffering from traumatic amnesia. We therefore hypothesized that the encoding, rather than retrieval, mechanisms of stress-related memories underlie their impact on social and emotional behavior. To test this hypothesis, we used combinations of stress-enhanced and state-dependent fear conditioning, which engage different encoding mechanisms for the formation of stress-related memories. We found that the encoding of stress-enhanced state-dependent memories robustly and sex specifically impairs sociability in male mice and disrupts the asymmetry of dentate gyrus (DG)/CA3 activity accompanying social interactions. These deficits were restored by chemogenetic inactivation of oxytocin receptor-positive interneurons localized in the hilus (Oxtr-HI), and by inactivation of dorsohippocampal efferents to the caudal lateral septum. Together, our data suggest that disrupted patterning of dorsohippocampal DG/CA3 activity underlies stress-induced sociability deficits, and that Oxtr-HI can be a cellular target for improving these deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariah A. A. Meyer
- grid.16753.360000 0001 2299 3507Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611 USA
| | - Max Anstötz
- grid.16753.360000 0001 2299 3507Department of Physiology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611 USA
| | - Lynn Y. Ren
- grid.16753.360000 0001 2299 3507Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611 USA
| | - Michael P. Fiske
- grid.16753.360000 0001 2299 3507Department of Physiology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611 USA
| | - Anita L. Guedea
- grid.16753.360000 0001 2299 3507Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611 USA
| | - Viktoriya S. Grayson
- grid.16753.360000 0001 2299 3507Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611 USA
| | - Samantha L. Schroth
- grid.16753.360000 0001 2299 3507Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611 USA
| | - Ana Cicvaric
- grid.16753.360000 0001 2299 3507Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611 USA
| | - Katsuhiko Nishimori
- grid.411582.b0000 0001 1017 9540Department of Obesity and Internal Inflammation, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, 960-1295 Japan
| | - Gianmaria Maccaferri
- grid.16753.360000 0001 2299 3507Department of Physiology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611 USA
| | - Jelena Radulovic
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. .,Department of Physiology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. .,Department of Neuroscience and Department of Psychiatry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, The Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
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25
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Duque-Wilckens N, Torres LY, Yokoyama S, Minie VA, Tran AM, Petkova SP, Hao R, Ramos-Maciel S, Rios RA, Jackson K, Flores-Ramirez FJ, Garcia-Carachure I, Pesavento PA, Iñiguez SD, Grinevich V, Trainor BC. Extrahypothalamic oxytocin neurons drive stress-induced social vigilance and avoidance. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020. [PMID: 33020267 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2011890117/suppl_file/pnas.2011890117.sm01.mp4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin increases the salience of both positive and negative social contexts and it is thought that these diverse actions on behavior are mediated in part through circuit-specific action. This hypothesis is based primarily on manipulations of oxytocin receptor function, leaving open the question of whether different populations of oxytocin neurons mediate different effects on behavior. Here we inhibited oxytocin synthesis in a stress-sensitive population of oxytocin neurons specifically within the medioventral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNSTmv). Oxytocin knockdown prevented social stress-induced increases in social vigilance and decreases in social approach. Viral tracing of BNSTmv oxytocin neurons revealed fibers in regions controlling defensive behaviors, including lateral hypothalamus, anterior hypothalamus, and anteromedial BNST (BNSTam). Oxytocin infusion into BNSTam in stress naïve mice increased social vigilance and reduced social approach. These results show that a population of extrahypothalamic oxytocin neurons plays a key role in controlling stress-induced social anxiety behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Duque-Wilckens
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
| | - Lisette Y Torres
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Sae Yokoyama
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Vanessa A Minie
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Amy M Tran
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Stela P Petkova
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Rebecca Hao
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
| | | | - Roberto A Rios
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Kenneth Jackson
- Department of Pathobiology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
| | | | | | - Patricia A Pesavento
- Department of Pathobiology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Sergio D Iñiguez
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79902
| | - Valery Grinevich
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Brian C Trainor
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616;
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26
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Extrahypothalamic oxytocin neurons drive stress-induced social vigilance and avoidance. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:26406-26413. [PMID: 33020267 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2011890117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin increases the salience of both positive and negative social contexts and it is thought that these diverse actions on behavior are mediated in part through circuit-specific action. This hypothesis is based primarily on manipulations of oxytocin receptor function, leaving open the question of whether different populations of oxytocin neurons mediate different effects on behavior. Here we inhibited oxytocin synthesis in a stress-sensitive population of oxytocin neurons specifically within the medioventral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNSTmv). Oxytocin knockdown prevented social stress-induced increases in social vigilance and decreases in social approach. Viral tracing of BNSTmv oxytocin neurons revealed fibers in regions controlling defensive behaviors, including lateral hypothalamus, anterior hypothalamus, and anteromedial BNST (BNSTam). Oxytocin infusion into BNSTam in stress naïve mice increased social vigilance and reduced social approach. These results show that a population of extrahypothalamic oxytocin neurons plays a key role in controlling stress-induced social anxiety behaviors.
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27
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Brouillard C, Carrive P, Sévoz-Couche C. Social defeat: Vagal reduction and vulnerability to ventricular arrhythmias. Neurobiol Stress 2020; 13:100245. [PMID: 33344701 PMCID: PMC7739042 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2020.100245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Previously, a sub-population of defeated anesthetized rats (Dlow) was characterized by persistent low blood levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) at day 29 and autonomic alteration at day 30 after social challenge, while the other population (Dhigh) was similar to non-defeated (ND) animals. The aims of this study were to determine the time-course of autonomic dysfunction in awake animals, and whether Dhigh and/or Dlow were vulnerable to cardiac events. Defeated animals were exposed to four daily episodes of social defeats from day 1 to day 4. At day 30, anesthetized Dlow displayed decreased experimental and spontaneous reflex responses reflecting lower parasympathetic efficiency. In addition, Dlow but not Dhigh were characterized by left ventricular hypertrophy at day 30. Telemetric recordings revealed that Dlow had increased low frequency-to-high frequency ratio (LF/HF) and diastolic (DBP) and systolic (SBP) blood pressure, associated with decreased HF and spontaneous baroreflex responses (BRS) from day 3 to day 29. LF/HF, DBP and SBP recovered at day 5, and HF and BRS recovered at day 15 in Dhigh. Ventricular premature beats (VPBs) occurred in Dlow and Dhigh animals from day 5. Time course of VBP fluctuations in Dhigh mirrored that of HF and BRS, but not that of LF/HF, DBP and SBP. These results suggest that a psychosocial stress associated to low serum BDNF levels can lead to vulnerability to persistent autonomic dysfunction, cardiac hypertrophy and ventricular ectopic beats. The parasympathetic recovery seen in Dhigh may provide protection against cardiac events in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charly Brouillard
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, UMRS1158 Neurophysiologie Respiratoire Expérimentale et Clinique, F-75005, Paris, France
| | - Pascal Carrive
- Blood Pressure, Brain and Behavior Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Caroline Sévoz-Couche
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, UMRS1158 Neurophysiologie Respiratoire Expérimentale et Clinique, F-75005, Paris, France
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28
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Williams AV, Duque-Wilckens N, Ramos-Maciel S, Campi KL, Bhela SK, Xu CK, Jackson K, Chini B, Pesavento PA, Trainor BC. Social approach and social vigilance are differentially regulated by oxytocin receptors in the nucleus accumbens. Neuropsychopharmacology 2020; 45:1423-1430. [PMID: 32198453 PMCID: PMC7360746 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-0657-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin is currently being considered as a novel therapeutic for anxiety disorders due to its ability to promote affiliative behaviors. In the nucleus accumbens (NAc) activation of oxytocin receptors (OTR) promotes social approach (time spent near an unfamiliar individual). Here, we show that stressful social experiences reduce the expression of NAc OTR mRNA, coinciding with decreases in social approach. Social stressors also increase social vigilance, characterized as orienting to an unfamiliar individual without approaching. Vigilance is a key component of behavioral inhibition, a personality trait that is a risk factor for anxiety disorders. To understand whether NAc OTR can modulate both social approach and vigilance, we use pharmacological approaches to assess the impact of activation or inhibition of NAc OTR downstream pathways on these behaviors. First, we show that in unstressed male and female California mice, inhibition of OTR by an unbiased antagonist (L-368,899) reduces social approach but does not induce social vigilance. Next, we show that infusion of Atosiban, an OTR-Gq antagonist/OTR-Gi agonist, has the same effect in unstressed females. Finally, we show that Carbetocin, a biased OTR-Gq agonist, increases social approach in stressed females while simultaneously inhibiting social vigilance. Taken together these data suggest that OTR in the NAc differentially modulate social approach and social vigilance, primarily through an OTR-Gq mechanism. Importantly, pharmacological inhibition of OTR alone is insufficient to induce vigilance in unstressed mice, suggesting that mechanisms modulating social approach may be distinct from mechanisms modulating social vigilance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexia V. Williams
- 0000 0004 1936 9684grid.27860.3bDepartment of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA USA
| | - Natalia Duque-Wilckens
- 0000 0004 1936 9684grid.27860.3bDepartment of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA USA
| | - Stephanie Ramos-Maciel
- 0000 0004 1936 9684grid.27860.3bDepartment of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA USA
| | - Katharine L. Campi
- 0000 0004 1936 9684grid.27860.3bDepartment of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA USA
| | - Shanu K. Bhela
- 0000 0004 1936 9684grid.27860.3bDepartment of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA USA
| | - Christine K. Xu
- 0000 0004 1936 9684grid.27860.3bDepartment of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA USA
| | - Kenneth Jackson
- 0000 0004 1936 9684grid.27860.3bDepartment of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA USA
| | - Bice Chini
- 0000 0001 2174 1754grid.7563.7Isnstitute of Neuroscience of National Research Council and NEUROMI Milan Center for Neuroscience, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Patricia A. Pesavento
- 0000 0004 1936 9684grid.27860.3bDepartment of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA USA
| | - Brian C. Trainor
- 0000 0004 1936 9684grid.27860.3bDepartment of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA USA
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29
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Wright EC, Hostinar CE, Trainor BC. Anxious to see you: Neuroendocrine mechanisms of social vigilance and anxiety during adolescence. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 52:2516-2529. [PMID: 31782841 PMCID: PMC7255921 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2019] [Revised: 10/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Social vigilance is a behavioral strategy commonly used in adverse or changing social environments. In animals, a combination of avoidance and vigilance allows an individual to evade potentially dangerous confrontations while monitoring the social environment to identify favorable changes. However, prolonged use of this behavioral strategy in humans is associated with increased risk of anxiety disorders, a major burden for human health. Elucidating the mechanisms of social vigilance in animals could provide important clues for new treatment strategies for social anxiety. Importantly, during adolescence the prevalence of social anxiety increases significantly. We hypothesize that many of the actions typically characterized as anxiety behaviors begin to emerge during this time as strategies for navigating more complex social structures. Here, we consider how the social environment and the pubertal transition shape neural circuits that modulate social vigilance, focusing on the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and prefrontal cortex. The emergence of gonadal hormone secretion during adolescence has important effects on the function and structure of these circuits, and may play a role in the emergence of a notable sex difference in anxiety rates across adolescence. However, the significance of these changes in the context of anxiety is still uncertain, as not enough studies are sufficiently powered to evaluate sex as a biological variable. We conclude that greater integration between human and animal models will aid the development of more effective strategies for treating social anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily C Wright
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | - Brian C Trainor
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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30
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Emmons R, Sadok T, Rovero NG, Belnap MA, Henderson HJM, Quan AJ, Del Toro NJ, Halladay LR. Chemogenetic manipulation of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis counteracts social behavioral deficits induced by early life stress in C57BL/6J mice. J Neurosci Res 2020; 99:90-109. [PMID: 32476178 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Trauma during critical periods of development can induce long-lasting adverse effects. To study neural aberrations resulting from early life stress (ELS), many studies utilize rodent maternal separation, whereby pups are intermittently deprived of maternal care necessary for proper development. This can produce adulthood behavioral deficits related to anxiety, reward, and social behavior. The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) encodes aspects of anxiety-like and social behaviors, and also undergoes developmental maturation during the early postnatal period, rendering it vulnerable to effects of ELS. Mice underwent maternal separation (separation 4 hr/day during postnatal day (PD)2-5 and 8 hr/day on PD6-16) with early weaning on PD17, which induced behavioral deficits in adulthood performance on two-part social interaction task designed to test social motivation (choice between a same-sex novel conspecific or an empty cup) and social novelty preference (choice between the original-novel conspecific vs. a new-novel conspecific). We used chemogenetics to non-selectively silence or activate neurons in the BNST to examine its role in social motivation and social novelty preference, in mice with or without the history of ELS. Manipulation of BNST produced differing social behavior effects in non-stressed versus ELS mice; social motivation was decreased in non-stressed mice following BNST activation, but unchanged following BNST silencing, while ELS mice showed no change in social behavior after BNST activation, but exhibited enhancement of social motivation-for which they were deficient prior-following BNST silencing. Findings emphasize the BNST as a potential therapeutic target for social anxiety disorders instigated by childhood trauma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randi Emmons
- Department of Psychology, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, USA
| | - Tasneem Sadok
- Department of Psychology, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, USA
| | - Natalie G Rovero
- Department of Psychology, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, USA
| | - Malia A Belnap
- Department of Psychology, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, USA
| | | | - Alex J Quan
- Department of Psychology, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, USA
| | - Noël J Del Toro
- Department of Psychology, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, USA
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31
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Brivio E, Lopez JP, Chen A. Sex differences: Transcriptional signatures of stress exposure in male and female brains. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2020; 19:e12643. [PMID: 31989757 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
More than two-thirds of patients suffering from stress-related disorders are women but over two-thirds of suicide completers are men. These are just some examples of the many sex differences in the prevalence and manifestations of stress-related disorders, such as major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety disorders, which have been extensively documented in clinical research. Nonetheless, the molecular origins of this sex dimorphism are still quite obscure. In response to this lack of knowledge, the NIH recently advocated implementing sex as biological variable in the design of preclinical studies across disciplines. As a result, a newly emerging field within psychiatry is trying to elucidate the molecular causes underlying the clinically described sex dimorphism. Several studies in rodents and humans have already identified many stress-related genes that are regulated by acute and chronic stress in a sex-specific fashion. Furthermore, current transcriptomic studies have shown that pathways and networks in male and female individuals are not equally affected by stress exposure. In this review, we give an overview of transcriptional studies designed to understand how sex influences stress-specific transcriptomic changes in rodent models, as well as human psychiatric patients, highlighting the use of different methodological techniques. Understanding which mechanisms are more affected in males, and which in females, may lead to the identification of sex-specific mechanisms, their selective contribution to stress susceptibility, and their role in the development of stress-related psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Brivio
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.,International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Juan Pablo Lopez
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Alon Chen
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.,Department of Neurobiology, Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for Neurological Diseases, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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32
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Wang Q, Liu Y, Zhang J, Wang W. Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Receptors in the Locus Coeruleus Modulate the Enhancement of Active Coping Behaviors Induced by Chronic Predator Odor Inoculation in Mice. Front Psychol 2020; 10:3028. [PMID: 31998206 PMCID: PMC6965494 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.03028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress inoculation has been proved to induce active coping behaviors to subsequent stress. However, the specific neural mechanisms underlying this effect remain unclear. In this study, a chronic and mild predator odor exposure model was established to investigate the effect of predator odor stress inoculation on behaviors in novel predator odor exposure, open field test and forced swimming test (FST), and on the expression of CRF receptors in locus coeruleus (LC) and dorsal raphe nuclei (DRN). The results showed that predator odor stress inoculation increased the active coping of mice under the severe stress environment without changing the stress response to a new predator odor. Meanwhile, in LC, the CRFR1 expression was increased by predator odor stress inoculation. These results suggested that predator odor stress inoculation can be used as an effective training method to improve active response to later severe stress and the function of CRFR1 in LC might be a potential underlying biological mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Wang
- School of Education, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yingjuan Liu
- School of Life Sciences and Technology, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, China
| | - Jianxu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Weiwen Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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33
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Yohn CN, Ashamalla SA, Bokka L, Gergues MM, Garino A, Samuels BA. Social instability is an effective chronic stress paradigm for both male and female mice. Neuropharmacology 2019; 160:107780. [PMID: 31536736 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.107780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/14/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Despite stress-associated disorders having a higher incidence rate in females, preclinical research mainly focuses on males. Chronic stress paradigms, such as chronic social defeat and chronic corticosterone (CORT) administration, were mainly designed and validated in males and subsequent attempts to use these paradigms in females has demonstrated sex differences in the behavioral and HPA axis response to stress. Here, we assessed the behavioral response to chronic CORT exposure and developed a social stress paradigm, social instability stress (SIS), which exposes adult mice to unstable social hierarchies every 3 days for 7 weeks. Sex differences in response to chronic CORT emerged, with negative valence behaviors induced in CORT treated males, not females. SIS effectively induces negative valence behaviors in the open field, light dark, and novelty suppressed feeding tests, increases immobility in the forced swim test, and activates the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in both males and females. Importantly, while there were effects of estrous cycle on behavior, this variability did not impact the overall effects of SIS on behavior, suggesting estrous does not need to be tracked while utilizing SIS. Furthermore, the effects of SIS on negative valence behaviors were also reversed following chronic antidepressant treatment with fluoxetine (FLX) in both males and females. SIS also reduced adult hippocampal neurogenesis in female mice, while chronic FLX treatment increased adult hippocampal neurogenesis in both males and females. Overall, these data demonstrate that the SIS paradigm is an ethologically valid approach that effectively induces chronic stress in both adult male and adult female mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine N Yohn
- Behavioral & Systems Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 152 Frelinghuysen Rd, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Sandra A Ashamalla
- Behavioral & Systems Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 152 Frelinghuysen Rd, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Leshya Bokka
- Behavioral & Systems Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 152 Frelinghuysen Rd, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Mark M Gergues
- Behavioral & Systems Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 152 Frelinghuysen Rd, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Alexander Garino
- Behavioral & Systems Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 152 Frelinghuysen Rd, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Benjamin A Samuels
- Behavioral & Systems Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 152 Frelinghuysen Rd, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
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34
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Azogu I, Cossette I, Mukunzi J, Ibeke O, Plamondon H. Sex-specific differences in adult cognition and neuroplasticity following repeated combinatory stress and TrkB receptor antagonism in adolescence. Horm Behav 2019; 113:21-37. [PMID: 30995444 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Revised: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Evidence supports brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its primary receptor tyrosine-related kinase B (TrkB) as targets in the treatment of mood disorders. This study characterized the impact of a 10-day combinatory stress paradigm (alternating days of restraint stress and forced swim) and administration of the selective TrkB antagonist ANA-12 (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) during adolescence in male and female Wistar rats on adulthood behavioral and neurochemical responses. The social interaction/preference (SIT/SP), and Y maze conditioned place preference (YMCPP) and passive avoidance tests (YMPAT), initiated on PND 62, served to determine sex-related behavioral responses. Results support reduced sociability in females in the SIT/SP, but no impact of ANA-12 to regulate sociability or social memory. Blockade of TrkB during adolescence facilitated YMCPP-related reward behavior in both sexes, and reduced YMPAT fear conditioning in females. Following behavioral testing, rats were exposed to 5-min acute forced swim and brains collected 2 h post swim to determine effects of adolescent TrkB blockade and stress exposure on neurochemical regulators of stress and plasticity. Findings show elevated glucocorticoid receptor (GR-) and TrkB-immunoreactivity (ir) in the amygdalar central nucleus, and GR-ir in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus of females compared to males. In the hippocampal CA1, BDNF-ir was lower in females versus males, and GR-ir was elevated in stress versus non-stress males. Together, we demonstrate that inherent sex-specific differences, which may modulate impact of adolescence stress exposure and TrkB inhibition, differentially affect male and female adulthood behavior and biochemical response profiles, suggesting that these responses are in part conditioned by prior experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Idu Azogu
- Behavioral Neuroscience Group, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 136 Jean-Jacques Lussier, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Isabelle Cossette
- Behavioral Neuroscience Group, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 136 Jean-Jacques Lussier, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Joana Mukunzi
- Behavioral Neuroscience Group, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 136 Jean-Jacques Lussier, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Ogechi Ibeke
- Behavioral Neuroscience Group, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 136 Jean-Jacques Lussier, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Helene Plamondon
- Behavioral Neuroscience Group, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 136 Jean-Jacques Lussier, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
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Steinman MQ, Duque-Wilckens N, Trainor BC. Complementary Neural Circuits for Divergent Effects of Oxytocin: Social Approach Versus Social Anxiety. Biol Psychiatry 2019; 85:792-801. [PMID: 30503164 PMCID: PMC6709863 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2018] [Revised: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) is widely known for promoting social interactions, but there is growing appreciation that it can sometimes induce avoidance of social contexts. The social salience hypothesis posed an innovative solution to these apparently opposing actions by proposing that OT enhances the salience of both positive and negative social interactions. The mesolimbic dopamine system was put forth as a likely system to evaluate social salience owing to its well-described role in motivation. Evidence from several sources supports the premise that OT acting within the nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area facilitates social reward and approach behavior. However, in aversive social contexts, additional pathways play critical roles in mediating the effects of OT. Recent data indicate that OT acts in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis to induce avoidance of potentially dangerous social contexts. Here, we review evidence for neural circuits mediating the effects of OT in appetitive and aversive social contexts. Specifically, we propose that distinct but potentially overlapping circuits mediate OT-dependent social approach or social avoidance. We conclude that a broader and more inclusive consideration of neural circuits of social approach and avoidance is needed as the field continues to evaluate the potential of OT-based therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Q Steinman
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Natalia Duque-Wilckens
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences and Department of Physiology/Neuroscience, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | - Brian C Trainor
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California.
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Miles OW, Maren S. Role of the Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis in PTSD: Insights From Preclinical Models. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:68. [PMID: 31024271 PMCID: PMC6461014 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) afflicts approximately 8% of the United States population and represents a significant public health burden, but the underlying neural mechanisms of this and other anxiety- and stressor-related disorders are largely unknown. Within the last few decades, several preclinical models of PSTD have been developed to help elucidate the mechanisms underlying dysregulated fear states. One brain area that has emerged as a critical mediator of stress-related behavioral processing in both clinical and laboratory settings is the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). The BNST is interconnected with essential emotional processing regions, including prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and amygdala. It is activated by stressor exposure and undergoes neurochemical and morphological alterations as a result of stressor exposure. Stress-related neuro-peptides including corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide (PACAP) are also abundant in the BNST, further implicating an involvement of BNST in stress responses. Behaviorally, the BNST is critical for acquisition and expression of fear and is well positioned to regulate fear relapse after periods of extinction. Here, we consider the role of the BNST in stress and memory processes in the context of preclinical models of PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia W. Miles
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
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Finnell JE, Wood SK. Putative Inflammatory Sensitive Mechanisms Underlying Risk or Resilience to Social Stress. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:240. [PMID: 30416436 PMCID: PMC6212591 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been well recognized that exposure to stress can lead to the onset of psychosocial disorders such as depression. While there are a number of antidepressant therapies currently available and despite producing immediate neurochemical alterations, they require weeks of continuous use in order to exhibit antidepressant efficacy. Moreover, up to 30% of patients do not respond to typical antidepressants, suggesting that our understanding of the pathophysiology underlying stress-induced depression is still limited. In recent years inflammation has become a major focus in the study of depression as several clinical and preclinical studies have demonstrated that peripheral and central inflammatory mediators, including interleukin (IL)-1β, are elevated in depressed patients. Moreover, it has been suggested that inflammation and particularly neuroinflammation may be a direct and immediate link in the emergence of stress-induced depression due to the broad neural and glial effects that are elicited by proinflammatory cytokines. Importantly, individual differences in inflammatory reactivity may further explain why certain individuals exhibit differing susceptibility to the consequences of stress. In this review article, we discuss sources of individual differences such as age, sex and coping mechanisms that are likely sources of distinct changes in stress-induced neuroimmune factors and highlight putative sources of exaggerated neuroinflammation in susceptible individuals. Furthermore, we review the current literature of specific neural and glial mechanisms that are regulated by stress and inflammation including mitochondrial function, oxidative stress and mechanisms of glutamate excitotoxicity. Taken together, the impetus for this review is to move towards a better understanding of mechanisms regulated by inflammatory cytokines and chemokines that are capable of contributing to the emergence of depressive-like behaviors in susceptible individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie E Finnell
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Susan K Wood
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States.,WJB Dorn Veterans Administration Medical Center, Columbia, SC, United States
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Wright EC, Parks TV, Alexander JO, Supra R, Trainor BC. Activation of kappa opioid receptors in the dorsal raphe have sex dependent effects on social behavior in California mice. Behav Brain Res 2018; 351:83-92. [PMID: 29768187 PMCID: PMC6120584 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Revised: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 05/12/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Kappa opioid receptor activation has been linked to stress and anxiety behavior, thus leading to kappa antagonists being popularized in research as potential anxiolytics. However, while these findings may hold true in standard models, the neuromodulatory effects of social defeat may change the behavioral outcome of kappa opioid receptor activation. Previous research has shown that social defeat can lead to hyperactivity of serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus, and that inhibition of this increase blocks the social deficits caused by defeat. Kappa opioid receptor activation in the dorsal raphe nucleus works to decrease serotonergic activity. We injected the kappa opioid receptor U50,488 directly into the dorsal raphe nucleus of male and female, defeat and control adult California mice. Here we show evidence that U50,488 induces anxiety behavior in control male California mice, but helps relieve it in defeated males. Consistent with previous literature, we find little effect in females adding evidence that there are marked and important sex differences in the kappa opioid system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily C Wright
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Tiffany V Parks
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA; McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Rajesh Supra
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Brian C Trainor
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
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Williams AV, Laman-Maharg A, Armstrong CV, Ramos-Maciel S, Minie VA, Trainor BC. Acute inhibition of kappa opioid receptors before stress blocks depression-like behaviors in California mice. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2018; 86:166-174. [PMID: 29879438 PMCID: PMC6054130 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Revised: 06/02/2018] [Accepted: 06/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Kappa opioid receptors (KOR) are considered to be a promising therapeutic target for stress-induced psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression. Preclinical data show that KOR antagonists have greater efficacy if administered before stressful experiences as opposed to afterwards. However, almost all of these studies use long-acting antagonists, leaving it unclear whether inhibition of KOR after stress is required for efficacy. Here we show that administration of the short-acting KOR antagonist AZ-MTAB before episodes of social defeat stress block the induction of anhedonia (both males and females) and social avoidance responses (females) that persist two weeks after stress. In both males and females pre-stress AZ-MTAB treatment also blunted anticipatory autogrooming behavior immediately prior to the third episode of defeat. In contrast when AZ-MTAB was administered two weeks after defeat (immediately before behavior testing) in female California mice, it was ineffective at reversing anhedonia and social avoidance. These results suggest that short-acting KOR antagonists may have greater therapeutic potential if administered before exposure to psychosocial stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexia V Williams
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Abigail Laman-Maharg
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Crystal V Armstrong
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | | | - Vanessa A Minie
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Brian C Trainor
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States; Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States.
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40
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Ueno H, Suemitsu S, Murakami S, Kitamura N, Wani K, Matsumoto Y, Okamoto M, Aoki S, Ishihara T. Juvenile stress induces behavioral change and affects perineuronal net formation in juvenile mice. BMC Neurosci 2018; 19:41. [PMID: 30012101 PMCID: PMC6048828 DOI: 10.1186/s12868-018-0442-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Many neuropsychiatric disorders develop in early life. Although the mechanisms involved have not been elucidated, it is possible that functional abnormalities of parvalbumin-positive interneurons (PV neurons) are present. Several previous studies have shown that juvenile stress is implicated in the development of neuropsychiatric disorders. We aimed to clarify the effects of juvenile stress on behavior and on the central nervous system. We investigated behavioral abnormalities of chronically-stressed mice during juvenilehood and the effect of juvenile stress on PV neurons and WFA-positive perineuronal nets (PNNs), which are associated with vulnerability and plasticity in the mouse brain. Results Due to juvenile stress, mice showed neurodevelopmental disorder-like behavior. Juvenile stressed mice did not show depressive-like behaviors, but on the contrary, they showed increased activity and decreased anxiety-like behavior. In the central nervous system of juvenile stressed mice, the fluorescence intensity of WFA-positive PNNs decreased, which may signify increased vulnerability. Conclusion This study suggested that juvenile stressed mice showed behavioral abnormalities, resembling those seen in neuropsychiatric disorders, and increased brain vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Ueno
- Department of Medical Technology, Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare, 288, Matsushima, Kurashiki, Okayama, 701-0193, Japan. .,Department of Medical Technology, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan.
| | - Shunsuke Suemitsu
- Department of Psychiatry, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, 701-0192, Japan
| | - Shinji Murakami
- Department of Psychiatry, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, 701-0192, Japan
| | - Naoya Kitamura
- Department of Psychiatry, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, 701-0192, Japan
| | - Kenta Wani
- Department of Psychiatry, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, 701-0192, Japan
| | - Yosuke Matsumoto
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan
| | - Motoi Okamoto
- Department of Medical Technology, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan
| | - Shozo Aoki
- Department of Psychiatry, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, 701-0192, Japan
| | - Takeshi Ishihara
- Department of Psychiatry, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, 701-0192, Japan
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41
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Williams AV, Trainor BC. The impact of sex as a biological variable in the search for novel antidepressants. Front Neuroendocrinol 2018; 50:107-117. [PMID: 29859882 PMCID: PMC6139050 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2018.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Revised: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A roadblock to successful treatment for anxiety and depression is the high proportion of individuals that do not respond to existing treatments. Different underlying neurobiological mechanisms may drive similar symptoms, so a more personalized approach to treatment could be more successful. There is increasing evidence that sex is an important biological variable modulating efficacy of antidepressants and anxiolytics. We review evidence for sex-specific effects of traditional monoamine based antidepressants and newer pharmaceuticals targeting kappa opioid receptors (KOR), oxytocin receptors (OTR), and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (ketamine). In some cases, similar behavioral effects are observed in both sexes while in other cases strong sex-specific effects are observed. Most intriguing are cases such as ketamine which has similar behavioral effects in males and females, perhaps through sex-specific neurobiological mechanisms. These results show how essential it is to include both males and females in both clinical and preclinical evaluations of novel antidepressants and anxiolytics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexia V Williams
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States.
| | - Brian C Trainor
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States.
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Brague JC, Lenchur CN, Hayden JM, Davidson RH, Corrigan K, Santini GT, Swann JM. BDNF infusion into the MPN mag is sufficient to restore copulatory behavior in the castrated Syrian hamster. Horm Behav 2018; 102:69-75. [PMID: 29750970 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Revised: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 05/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Testosterone plays a key role in the expression of male sex behavior by influencing cellular activity and synapses within the magnocellular medial preoptic nucleus (MPN mag), a sub-nucleus of the medial preoptic area (MPOA) in the Syrian hamster. Although the mechanisms underlying hormonally-induced synaptic plasticity in this region remain elusive, the data suggests that an increase in synaptic density may mediate testosterone's effects on copulation. As brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays an integral role in regulating synaptic plasticity and gonadal steroids regulate the levels of BDNF, we hypothesize that BDNF may mediate the effects of gonadal hormones on copulatory behavior. To test this hypothesis, we infused BDNF or controls into the MPN mag of long-term castrates. Our results indicate that BDNF, but not the controls, restored copulatory behavior in castrated male Syrian hamsters. Furthermore, the rise of BDNF expression in the MPOA preceded the rise of synaptophysin following testosterone replacement in castrated males. These data are consistent with our hypothesis, implicating a role for BDNF in mediating testosterone's action on copulation and suggest that the delay in testosterone's restoration of copulation is, in part, due to the delay in the increase of BDNF and synaptophysin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joe C Brague
- Lsehigh University, Department of Biological Sciences, Iacocca Hall, 111 Research Dr., Bethlehem, PA 18015, United States.
| | - Christine N Lenchur
- Lsehigh University, Department of Biological Sciences, Iacocca Hall, 111 Research Dr., Bethlehem, PA 18015, United States.
| | - Julia M Hayden
- Lsehigh University, Department of Biological Sciences, Iacocca Hall, 111 Research Dr., Bethlehem, PA 18015, United States.
| | - Rachel H Davidson
- Lsehigh University, Department of Biological Sciences, Iacocca Hall, 111 Research Dr., Bethlehem, PA 18015, United States.
| | - Kelly Corrigan
- Lsehigh University, Department of Biological Sciences, Iacocca Hall, 111 Research Dr., Bethlehem, PA 18015, United States.
| | - Garrett T Santini
- Lsehigh University, Department of Biological Sciences, Iacocca Hall, 111 Research Dr., Bethlehem, PA 18015, United States.
| | - Jennifer M Swann
- Lsehigh University, Department of Biological Sciences, Iacocca Hall, 111 Research Dr., Bethlehem, PA 18015, United States.
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Laman-Maharg A, Williams AV, Zufelt MD, Minie VA, Ramos-Maciel S, Hao R, Ordoñes Sanchez E, Copeland T, Silverman JL, Leigh A, Snyder R, Carroll FI, Fennell TR, Trainor BC. Sex Differences in the Effects of a Kappa Opioid Receptor Antagonist in the Forced Swim Test. Front Pharmacol 2018; 9:93. [PMID: 29491835 PMCID: PMC5817081 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
There is growing evidence that kappa opioid receptor (KOR) antagonists could be a useful class of therapeutics for treating depression and anxiety. However, the overwhelming majority of preclinical investigations examining the behavioral effects of KOR antagonists have been in male rodents. Here, we examined the effects of the long-acting KOR antagonist nor-binaltophimine (norBNI) on immobility in the forced swim test in males and females of two different rodent species (C57Bl/6J and California mice). Consistent with previous reports, norBNI (10 mg/kg) decreased immobility in the forced swim test for male C57Bl/6J and California mice. Surprisingly, dose-response studies in female C57Bl/6J and California mice showed that norBNI did not reduce immobility. Pharmacokinetic analyses showed that metabolism and brain concentrations of norBNI were similar in male and female C57Bl/6J. In the nucleus accumbens of male but not female C57Bl/6J, norBNI increased phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (pJNK), a putative mechanism for norBNI action. However, no differences in pJNK were observed in male or female California mice. Together, these results suggest that immobility in the forced swim test is less dependent on endogenous KOR signaling in female rodents and highlight the importance of examining the effects of possible therapeutic agents in both males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail Laman-Maharg
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States.,Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Alexia V Williams
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Mikaela D Zufelt
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Vanessa A Minie
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | | | - Rebecca Hao
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | | | - Tiffany Copeland
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Jill L Silverman
- MIND Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Angelina Leigh
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Rodney Snyder
- Research Triangle Institute, Durham, NC, United States
| | - F Ivy Carroll
- Research Triangle Institute, Durham, NC, United States
| | | | - Brian C Trainor
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States.,Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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Kowalczyk AS, Davila RF, Trainor BC. Effects of social defeat on paternal behavior and pair bonding behavior in male California mice (Peromyscus californicus). Horm Behav 2018; 98:88-95. [PMID: 29289657 PMCID: PMC5828991 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2017] [Revised: 12/11/2017] [Accepted: 12/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Male parental care is an important social behavior for several mammalian species. Psychosocial stress is usually found to inhibit maternal behavior, but effects on paternal behavior have been less consistent. We tested the effects of social defeat stress on pair bond formation and paternal behavior in the monogamous California mouse (Peromyscus californicus). Social defeat reduced time spent in a chamber with a stranger female during a partner preference test conducted 24h after pairing, but increased latency to the first litter. In 10min partner preference tests conducted after the birth of pups, both control and stressed males exhibited selective aggression towards stranger females. Unlike prairie voles, side by side contact was not observed in either partner preference test. Stressed male California mice engaged in more paternal behavior than controls and had reduced anxiety-like responses in the open-field test. Defeat stress enhanced prodynorphin and KOR expression in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) but not PVN. Increased KOR signaling has been linked to increased selective aggression in prairie voles. Together the results show that defeat stress enhances behaviors related to parental care and pair bonding in male California mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex S Kowalczyk
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, United States
| | - Randy F Davila
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, United States
| | - Brian C Trainor
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, United States.
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Duque-Wilckens N, Steinman MQ, Busnelli M, Chini B, Yokoyama S, Pham M, Laredo SA, Hao R, Perkeybile AM, Minie VA, Tan PB, Bales KL, Trainor BC. Oxytocin Receptors in the Anteromedial Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis Promote Stress-Induced Social Avoidance in Female California Mice. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 83:203-213. [PMID: 29066224 PMCID: PMC5743604 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.08.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2017] [Revised: 08/16/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) is a key regulator of social and emotional behaviors. The effects of OT are context dependent, and it has been proposed that OT increases the salience of both positive and negative social cues. Here we tested whether the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) mediates anxiogenic effects of OT. METHODS First, we studied the effects of systemic administration of an OT receptor (OTR) antagonist L-368,899 on social behavior in male and female California mice exposed to social defeat. We examined the effect of L-368,899 on G protein activation and used early growth response factor 1 immunohistochemistry to identify potential sites of OTR action. Finally, we examined the effects of L-368,899 infused in the BNST on behavior. RESULTS A single dose of systemic L-368,899 increased social approach in stressed female mice and decreased social approach in male mice naïve to defeat. L-368,899 prevented OT activation of G proteins and did not activate G proteins in the absence of OT. Intranasal OT, which reduces social approach in female mice but not male mice, increased early growth response factor 1 immunoreactivity in the nucleus accumbens core and anteromedial BNST in female mice but not in male mice. Stressed female mice that received an infusion of L-368,899 into the anteromedial BNST but not the nucleus accumbens core increased social approach and decreased social vigilance responses. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that OTR activation in anteromedial BNST induces a vigilance response in which individuals avoid, yet attend to, unfamiliar social contexts. Our results suggest that OTR antagonists may have unappreciated therapeutic potential for stress-induced psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael Q Steinman
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Marta Busnelli
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council, Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano Milan, and Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Rozzano, Italy
| | - Bice Chini
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council, Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano Milan, and Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Rozzano, Italy
| | - Sae Yokoyama
- Psychology Department, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Mary Pham
- Psychology Department, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Sarah A Laredo
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Rebecca Hao
- Psychology Department, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | | | - Vanessa A Minie
- Psychology Department, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Phillip B Tan
- Psychology Department, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Karen L Bales
- Psychology Department, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Brian C Trainor
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, California; Psychology Department, University of California, Davis, Davis, California.
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Iñiguez SD, Flores-Ramirez FJ, Riggs LM, Alipio JB, Garcia I, Hernandez MA, Sanchez DO, Lobo MK, Serrano PA, Braren SH, Castillo SA. Vicarious Social Defeat Stress Induces Depression-Related Outcomes in Female Mice. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 83:9-17. [PMID: 28888327 PMCID: PMC5730407 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2016] [Revised: 07/22/2017] [Accepted: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stress is a prevailing risk factor for mood-related illnesses, wherein women represent the majority of those affected by major depression. Despite the growing literature suggesting that affective disorders can arise after a traumatic event is vicariously experienced, this relationship remains understudied in female subjects at the preclinical level. Thus, the objective of the current investigation was to examine whether exposure to emotional and/or psychological stress (ES) mediates depression-related outcomes in female mice. METHODS Female C57BL/6 mice (8 weeks old, null parity) vicariously experienced the defeat bout of a male conspecific, by a male CD1 aggressor, for 10 consecutive days. Twenty-four hours after the last stress exposure, female mice were tested in the social interaction, sucrose preference, tail suspension, or elevated plus maze tests. Furthermore, we examined whether ketamine and chlordiazepoxide, pharmacological agents used to treat mood-related disorders in the clinical population, would reverse the ES-induced social dysfunction. RESULTS When compared with control mice, female mice exposed to ES displayed decreased social behavior and preference for sucrose, along with increased immobility in the tail suspension test. Also, they displayed higher levels of blood serum corticosterone, as well as decreased body weight. Lastly, the ES-induced avoidance-like phenotype was ameliorated by both ketamine and chlordiazepoxide. CONCLUSIONS Our data indicate that female mice exposed to ES display a behavioral and physiologic profile that mimics symptoms of depression in the clinical population. As such, this experimental model may be adopted to examine vicarious stress-induced mood-related disorders, as well as pharmacological antidepressant response, in a sex-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio D. Iñiguez
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
| | | | - Lace M. Riggs
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jason B. Alipio
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Israel Garcia
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
| | | | - David O. Sanchez
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Mary Kay Lobo
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | | | - Samuel A. Castillo
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
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47
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Laman-Maharg A, Trainor BC. Stress, sex, and motivated behaviors. J Neurosci Res 2017; 95:83-92. [PMID: 27870436 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2016] [Revised: 06/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Stress is a major risk factor for development of psychiatric disorders such as depression and development of substance use disorder. Although there are important sex differences in the prevalence of these disorders, most preclinical models used to study stress-induced disorders have used males only. Social defeat stress is a commonly used method to induce stress in an ethologically relevant way but has only recently begun to be used in female rodents. Using these new female models, recent studies have examined how social defeat stress affects males and females differently at the behavioral, circuit, and molecular levels. This Mini-Review discusses sex differences in the effects of social defeat stress on social behavior and drug-seeking behavior as well as its impact on the mesolimbic dopamine system and the highly connected region of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail Laman-Maharg
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, California.,Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California.,Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Brian C Trainor
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, California.,Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California.,Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
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Bangasser DA, Wicks B. Sex-specific mechanisms for responding to stress. J Neurosci Res 2017; 95:75-82. [PMID: 27870416 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2016] [Revised: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 06/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder and major depression share stress as an etiological contributor and are more common in women than in men. Traditionally, preclinical studies investigating the neurobiological underpinnings of stress vulnerability have used only male rodents; however, recent studies that include females are finding sex-specific mechanisms for responding to stress. This Mini-Review examines recent literature using a framework developed by McCarthy and colleagues (2012; J Neurosci 32:2241-2247) that highlights different types of sex differences. First, we detail how learned fear responses in rats are sexually dimorphic. Then, we contrast this finding with fear extinction, which is similar in males and females at the behavioral level but at the circuitry level is associated with sex-specific cellular changes and, thus, exemplifies a sex convergence. Next, sex differences in stress hormones are detailed. Finally, the effects of stress on learning, attention, and arousal are used to highlight the concept of a sex divergence in which the behavior of males and females is similar at baseline but diverges following stressor exposure. We argue that appreciating and investigating the diversity of sex differences in stress response systems will improve our understanding of vulnerability and resilience to stress-related psychiatric disorders and likely lead to the development of novel therapeutics for better treatment of these disorders in both men and women. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debra A Bangasser
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Brittany Wicks
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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49
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Solomon MB. Evaluating social defeat as a model for psychopathology in adult female rodents. J Neurosci Res 2017; 95:763-776. [PMID: 27870445 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2016] [Revised: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 09/27/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Social conflict is a predominant stressor in humans and is associated with increased risk for developing psychological illnesses including depression and anxiety. Overwhelmingly, more women suffer from these disorders, which may be due to increased stress sensitivity. Like humans, rodents experience a myriad of physiological and behavioral sequelae due to prolonged stress exposure. Although the motivation for social conflict may differ between humans and rodents, female rodents may provide an opportunity to explore the underlying mechanisms by which stress confers risk for psychopathology in women. Because most female rodents do not express spontaneous aggression, the majority of basic research examines the physiological and behavioral outcomes of social conflict in male rodents. However, there are instances where female rodents exhibit territorial (California mice and Syrian hamsters) and maternal aggression (rats, mice, and hamsters) creating a venue to examine sex differences in physiology and behavior in response to stress. While many studies rely upon nonsocial behavioral assays (e.g., elevated plus maze, forced swim test) to assess the impact of stress on emotionality, here we primarily focus on behavioral outcomes in social-based assays in rodents. This is critically important given that disruptions in social relationships can be a cause and consequence of neuropsychiatric diseases. Next, we briefly discuss how sex differences in the recruitment of neural circuitry and/or neurochemistry in response to stress may underlie sex differences in neuroendocrine and behavioral stress responses. Finally, the translational value of females in rodent stress models and considerations regarding behavioral interpretations of these models are discussed. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matia B Solomon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
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50
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Onaolapo OJ, Paul TB, Onaolapo AY. Comparative effects of sertraline, haloperidol or olanzapine treatments on ketamine-induced changes in mouse behaviours. Metab Brain Dis 2017; 32:1475-1489. [PMID: 28508340 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-017-0031-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2017] [Accepted: 05/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Effects of sertraline, haloperidol or olanzapine administration on ketamine-induced behaviours in mice were examined. The aim was to ascertain the degree of reversal of such behaviours by sertraline, and compare its effectiveness to haloperidol and olanzapine. Ten-week old mice (N = 120) were equally divided into main groups; 1 (open-field, radial-arm maze and elevated plus maze {EPM} tests), and 2 (social interaction test). Mice in each main group were assigned into six groups of ten (n = 10) each. Group 1 received intraperitoneal (i.p) injection of vehicle, while groups 2-6 received i.p ketamine at 15 mg/kg daily for 10 days. From day 11 to 24, mice in group 1 (vehicle) were given distilled water (i.p at 2 ml/kg and oral at 10 ml/kg), group 2 (ketamine control) received daily i.p ketamine and oral distilled water; while animals in groups 3-6 received daily i.p. ketamine and oral haloperidol (4 mg/kg), olanzapine (2 mg/kg), or one of two doses of sertraline (SERT) (2.5 or 5 mg/kg), respectively. Treatments were administered daily, and behaviours assessed on days 11 and 24. Results showed that repeated ketamine administration caused hyperlocomotion, increased self-grooming, memory loss and social withdrawal. Administration of sertraline (both doses), haloperidol, and olanzapine reversed ketamine-induced behavioural changes. However, in the EPM, sertraline and olanzapine were anxiolytic, while haloperidol was anxiogenic. Sertraline's effect on behaviours tested was comparable to olanzapine and better than haloperidol. In conclusion, this study shows that sertraline's ability to counteract ketamine-induced behavioural changes in mice is comparable to known antipsychotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- O J Onaolapo
- Department of Pharmacology, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria.
| | - T B Paul
- Department of Anatomy, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria
| | - A Y Onaolapo
- Department of Anatomy, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria.
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