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Asraf K, Zaidan H, Natoor B, Gaisler-Salomon I. Synergistic, long-term effects of glutamate dehydrogenase 1 deficiency and mild stress on cognitive function and mPFC gene and miRNA expression. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:248. [PMID: 37419882 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02534-y] [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: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Glutamate abnormalities in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) are associated with cognitive deficits. We previously showed that homozygous deletion of CNS glutamate dehydrogenase 1 (Glud1), a metabolic enzyme critical for glutamate metabolism, leads to schizophrenia-like behavioral abnormalities and increased mPFC glutamate; mice heterozygous for CNS Glud1 deletion (C-Glud1+/- mice) showed no cognitive or molecular abnormalities. Here, we examined the protracted behavioral and molecular effects of mild injection stress on C-Glud1+/- mice. We found spatial and reversal learning deficits, as well as large-scale mPFC transcriptional changes in pathways associated with glutamate and GABA signaling, in stress-exposed C-Glud1+/- mice, but not in their stress-naïve or C-Glud1+/+ littermates. These effects were observed several weeks following stress exposure, and the expression levels of specific glutamatergic and GABAergic genes differentiated between high and low reversal learning performance. An increase in miR203-5p expression immediately following stress may provide a translational regulatory mechanism to account for the delayed effect of stress exposure on cognitive function. Our findings show that chronic glutamate abnormalities interact with acute stress to induce cognitive deficits, and resonate with gene x environment theories of schizophrenia. Stress-exposed C-Glud1+/- mice may model a schizophrenia high-risk population, which is uniquely sensitive to stress-related 'trigger' events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kfir Asraf
- School of Psychological Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
- The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Hiba Zaidan
- School of Psychological Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
- The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Baylasan Natoor
- School of Psychological Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
- The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Inna Gaisler-Salomon
- School of Psychological Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel.
- The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel.
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Ping J, Zhang J, Wan J, Huang C, Luo J, Du B, Jiang T. A Polymorphism in the BDNF Gene (rs11030101) is Associated With Negative Symptoms in Chinese Han Patients With Schizophrenia. Front Genet 2022; 13:849227. [PMID: 35368680 PMCID: PMC8974295 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.849227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the association between brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein (CREB) gene polymorphisms and schizophrenia.Methods: This study used a case-control design, and diagnoses were made based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition criteria. One hundred and thirty-four patients with schizophrenia were recruited from the Third People’s Hospital of Zhongshan City from January 2018 to April 2020. Sixty-four healthy controls were recruited from the same region. Genotypes at the BDNF gene single nucleotide polymorphisms rs11030101, rs2030324, and rs6265 and the CREB gene single nucleotide polymorphisms rs6740584 and rs2551640 were determined using a MassARRAY mass spectrometer. Linkage disequilibrium and haplotype analyses were performed, and genotype and allele frequencies were compared between groups. The positive and negative symptom scale (PANSS) was used to evaluate the association between the BDNF and CREB gene polymorphisms and schizophrenic symptoms.Results: There was no significant difference in genotype or allele frequencies for rs11030101, rs2030324, rs6265, rs6740584, or rs2551640 between schizophrenic patients and controls (p > 0.05). In addition, there were no significant differences in rs11030101, rs2030324, rs6265, rs6740584, or rs2551640 genotype frequencies between the two groups in the dominant, recessive, or over-dominant models (p > 0.05). Three loci in the BDNF gene and two loci in the CREB gene were in a state of strong linkage disequilibrium. The frequency of haplotype AAC (rs11030101/rs2030324/rs626), composed of three loci in the BDNF gene, was significantly increased in schizophrenic patients compared with control subjects. There were significant differences in the subscores of PANSSS for negative symptoms, in patients with different rs11030101 genotypes of the BDNF gene (p < 0.05). There was also significant differences in the PANSS scores for the general symptom G12 (judgment and lack of insight) in patients with different rs6265 genotypes of the BDNF gene (p < 0.05).Conclusion: The BDNF gene rs11030101/rs2030324/rs6265 AAC haplotype was potentially associated with an increased risk of schizophrenia. In addition, genotypes at the rs11030101 and rs6265 loci may affect the negative symptoms and general symptoms of schizophrenic patients, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjiao Ping
- Department of Psychiatry, The Third People’s Hospital of Zhongshan City, Zhongshan, China
- Joint Laboratory of Psychiatric Genetic Research, The Third People’s Hospital of Zhongshan, Zhongshan, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, The Third People’s Hospital of Zhongshan City, Zhongshan, China
- Joint Laboratory of Psychiatric Genetic Research, The Third People’s Hospital of Zhongshan, Zhongshan, China
- Department of Psychiatry, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
| | - Jing Wan
- Department of Early Intervention, Third People’s Hospital of Zhongshan City, Zhongshan, China
| | - Caiying Huang
- Department of Early Intervention, Third People’s Hospital of Zhongshan City, Zhongshan, China
| | - Jiali Luo
- Department of Psychiatry, The Third People’s Hospital of Zhongshan City, Zhongshan, China
- Joint Laboratory of Psychiatric Genetic Research, The Third People’s Hospital of Zhongshan, Zhongshan, China
| | - Baoguo Du
- Department of Clinical Psychology, The Third People’s Hospital of Zhongshan City, Zhongshan, China
- *Correspondence: Baoguo Du, ; Tingyun Jiang,
| | - Tingyun Jiang
- Department of Psychiatry, The Third People’s Hospital of Zhongshan City, Zhongshan, China
- *Correspondence: Baoguo Du, ; Tingyun Jiang,
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Magwai T, Shangase KB, Oginga FO, Chiliza B, Mpofana T, Xulu KR. DNA Methylation and Schizophrenia: Current Literature and Future Perspective. Cells 2021; 10:2890. [PMID: 34831111 PMCID: PMC8616184 DOI: 10.3390/cells10112890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by dissociation of thoughts, idea, identity, and emotions. It has no central pathophysiological mechanism and precise diagnostic markers. Despite its high heritability, there are also environmental factors implicated in the development of schizophrenia. Epigenetic factors are thought to mediate the effects of environmental factors in the development of the disorder. Epigenetic modifications like DNA methylation are a risk factor for schizophrenia. Targeted gene approach studies attempted to find candidate gene methylation, but the results are contradictory. Genome-wide methylation studies are insufficient in literature and the available data do not cover different populations like the African populations. The current genome-wide studies have limitations related to the sample and methods used. Studies are required to control for these limitations. Integration of DNA methylation, gene expression, and their effects are important in the understanding of the development of schizophrenia and search for biomarkers. There are currently no precise and functional biomarkers for the disorder. Several epigenetic markers have been reported to be common in functional and peripheral tissue. This makes the peripheral tissue epigenetic changes a surrogate of functional tissue, suggesting common epigenetic alteration can be used as biomarkers of schizophrenia in peripheral tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thabo Magwai
- Department of Physiology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa; (K.B.S.); (F.O.O.); (T.M.)
- National Health Laboratory Service, Department of Chemical Pathology, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban 4085, South Africa
| | - Khanyiso Bright Shangase
- Department of Physiology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa; (K.B.S.); (F.O.O.); (T.M.)
| | - Fredrick Otieno Oginga
- Department of Physiology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa; (K.B.S.); (F.O.O.); (T.M.)
| | - Bonginkosi Chiliza
- Department of Psychiatry, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa;
| | - Thabisile Mpofana
- Department of Physiology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa; (K.B.S.); (F.O.O.); (T.M.)
| | - Khethelo Richman Xulu
- Department of Physiology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa; (K.B.S.); (F.O.O.); (T.M.)
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Chamera K, Szuster-Głuszczak M, Basta-Kaim A. Shedding light on the role of CX3CR1 in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Pharmacol Rep 2021; 73:1063-1078. [PMID: 34021899 PMCID: PMC8413165 DOI: 10.1007/s43440-021-00269-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia has a complex and heterogeneous molecular and clinical picture. Over the years of research on this disease, many factors have been suggested to contribute to its pathogenesis. Recently, the inflammatory processes have gained particular interest in the context of schizophrenia due to the increasing evidence from epidemiological, clinical and experimental studies. Within the immunological component, special attention has been brought to chemokines and their receptors. Among them, CX3C chemokine receptor 1 (CX3CR1), which belongs to the family of seven-transmembrane G protein-coupled receptors, and its cognate ligand (CX3CL1) constitute a unique system in the central nervous system. In the view of regulation of the brain homeostasis through immune response, as well as control of microglia reactivity, the CX3CL1–CX3CR1 system may represent an attractive target for further research and schizophrenia treatment. In the review, we described the general characteristics of the CX3CL1–CX3CR1 axis and the involvement of this signaling pathway in the physiological processes whose disruptions are reported to participate in mechanisms underlying schizophrenia. Furthermore, based on the available clinical and experimental data, we presented a guide to understanding the implication of the CX3CL1–CX3CR1 dysfunctions in the course of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Chamera
- Laboratory of Immunoendocrinology, Department of Experimental Neuroendocrinology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smętna St., 31-343, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Magdalena Szuster-Głuszczak
- Laboratory of Immunoendocrinology, Department of Experimental Neuroendocrinology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smętna St., 31-343, Kraków, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Basta-Kaim
- Laboratory of Immunoendocrinology, Department of Experimental Neuroendocrinology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smętna St., 31-343, Kraków, Poland
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Chang YC, Li WY, Lee LJH, Lee LJ. Interplay of Prenatal and Postnatal Risk Factors in the Behavioral and Histological Features of a "Two-Hit" Non-Genetic Mouse Model of Schizophrenia. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21228518. [PMID: 33198225 PMCID: PMC7697169 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a multifactorial developmental neuropsychiatric disorder. This study examined the interplay of maternal infection and postweaning social isolation, which are prenatal and postnatal risk factors, respectively. Pregnant mice received poly I:C or saline injection on gestation day 9 and the pups were weaned at postnatal day 28. After weaning, male offspring were randomly assigned into group-rearing and isolation-rearing groups. In their adulthood, we performed behavioral tests and characterized the histochemical features of their mesocorticolimbic structures. The sociability and anxiety levels were not affected by either manipulation, but synergistic effects of the two hits on stress-coping behavior was observed. Either of the single manipulations caused defects in sensorimotor gating, novel object recognition and spatial memory tests, but the combination of the two hits did not further exacerbate the disabilities. Prenatal infection increased the number of dopaminergic neurons in midbrain, whereas postweaning isolation decreased the GABAergic neurons in cortex. Single manipulation reduced the dendritic complexity and spine densities of neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and dentate gyrus. Our results support the current perspective that disturbances in brain development during the prenatal or postnatal period influence the structure and function of the brain and together augment the susceptibility to mental disorders, such as schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Chun Chang
- Graduate Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10048, Taiwan; (Y.-C.C.); (W.-Y.L.)
| | - Wai-Yu Li
- Graduate Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10048, Taiwan; (Y.-C.C.); (W.-Y.L.)
| | - Lukas Jyuhn-Hsiarn Lee
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan;
| | - Li-Jen Lee
- Graduate Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10048, Taiwan; (Y.-C.C.); (W.-Y.L.)
- Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10048, Taiwan
- Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
- Correspondence:
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Antonucci LA, Pergola G, Pigoni A, Dwyer D, Kambeitz-Ilankovic L, Penzel N, Romano R, Gelao B, Torretta S, Rampino A, Trojano M, Caforio G, Falkai P, Blasi G, Koutsouleris N, Bertolino A. A Pattern of Cognitive Deficits Stratified for Genetic and Environmental Risk Reliably Classifies Patients With Schizophrenia From Healthy Control Subjects. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 87:697-707. [PMID: 31948640 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Revised: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schizophrenia risk is associated with both genetic and environmental risk factors. Furthermore, cognitive abnormalities are established core characteristics of schizophrenia. We aim to assess whether a classification approach encompassing risk factors, cognition, and their associations can discriminate patients with schizophrenia (SCZs) from healthy control subjects (HCs). We hypothesized that cognition would demonstrate greater HC-SCZ classification accuracy and that combined gene-environment stratification would improve the discrimination performance of cognition. METHODS Genome-wide association study-based genetic, environmental, and neurocognitive classifiers were trained to separate 337 HCs from 103 SCZs using support vector classification and repeated nested cross-validation. We validated classifiers on independent datasets using within-diagnostic (SCZ) and cross-diagnostic (clinically isolated syndrome for multiple sclerosis, another condition with cognitive abnormalities) approaches. Then, we tested whether gene-environment multivariate stratification modulated the discrimination performance of the cognitive classifier in iterative subsamples. RESULTS The cognitive classifier discriminated SCZs from HCs with a balanced accuracy (BAC) of 88.7%, followed by environmental (BAC = 65.1%) and genetic (BAC = 55.5%) classifiers. Similar classification performance was measured in the within-diagnosis validation sample (HC-SCZ BACs, cognition = 70.5%; environment = 65.8%; genetics = 49.9%). The cognitive classifier was relatively specific to schizophrenia (HC-clinically isolated syndrome for multiple sclerosis BAC = 56.7%). Combined gene-environment stratification allowed cognitive features to classify HCs from SCZs with 89.4% BAC. CONCLUSIONS Consistent with cognitive deficits being core features of the phenotype of SCZs, our results suggest that cognitive features alone bear the greatest amount of information for classification of SCZs. Consistent with genes and environment being risk factors, gene-environment stratification modulates HC-SCZ classification performance of cognition, perhaps providing another target for refining early identification and intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda A Antonucci
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Munich, Germany; Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy; Department of Education, Psychology and Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
| | - Giulio Pergola
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy; Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Alessandro Pigoni
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Munich, Germany; Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Dominic Dwyer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Nora Penzel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Raffaella Romano
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Barbara Gelao
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Silvia Torretta
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Antonio Rampino
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy; Bari University Hospital, Bari, Italy
| | - Maria Trojano
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy; Bari University Hospital, Bari, Italy
| | - Grazia Caforio
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy; Bari University Hospital, Bari, Italy
| | - Peter Falkai
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Giuseppe Blasi
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy; Bari University Hospital, Bari, Italy
| | - Nikolaos Koutsouleris
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Alessandro Bertolino
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy; Bari University Hospital, Bari, Italy.
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Bauman MD, Van de Water J. Translational opportunities in the prenatal immune environment: Promises and limitations of the maternal immune activation model. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 141:104864. [PMID: 32278881 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.104864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Revised: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The prenatal environment, and in particular, the maternal-fetal immune environment, has emerged as a targeted area of research for central nervous system (CNS) diseases with neurodevelopmental origins. Converging evidence from both clinical and preclinical research indicates that changes in the maternal gestational immune environment can alter fetal brain development and increase the risk for certain neurodevelopmental disorders. Here we focus on the translational potential of one prenatal animal model - the maternal immune activation (MIA) model. This model stems from the observation that a subset of pregnant women who are exposed to infection during pregnancy have an increased risk of giving birth to a child who will later be diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or schizophrenia (SZ). The preclinical MIA model provides a system in which to explore causal relationships, identify underlying neurobiological mechanisms, and, ultimately, develop novel therapeutic interventions and preventative strategies. In this review, we will highlight converging evidence from clinical and preclinical research that links changes in the maternal-fetal immune environment with lasting changes in offspring brain and behavioral development. We will then explore the promises and limitations of the MIA model as a translational tool to develop novel therapeutic interventions. As the translational potential of the MIA model has been the focus of several excellent review articles, here we will focus on what is perhaps the least well developed area of MIA model research - novel preventative strategies and therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa D Bauman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, United States of America; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, United States of America; The MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, United States of America.
| | - Judy Van de Water
- The MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, United States of America; Rheumatology/Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California, Davis, United States of America
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Sultana R, Lee CC. Expression of Behavioral Phenotypes in Genetic and Environmental Mouse Models of Schizophrenia. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:29. [PMID: 32184711 PMCID: PMC7058961 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.00029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by multifactorial etiology involving complex interactions among genetic and environmental factors. "Multiple-hit" models of the disorder can explain its variable incidence and prevalence in related individuals. Hence, there is a dire need to understand these interactions in the emergence of schizophrenia. To test these factors in the emergence of schizophrenia-like behaviors, we employed a genetic mouse model of the disorder (harboring the DISC1 mutation) along with various environmental insults, such as early life stress (maternal separation of pups) and/or pharmacological interventions (ketamine injections). When assessed on a battery of behavioral tests, we found that environmental interventions affect the severity of behavioral phenotypes in terms of increased negative behavior, as shown by reduced mobility in the forced swim and tail suspension tests, and changes to positive and cognitive symptoms, such as increased locomotion and disrupted PPI along with reduced working memory, respectively. Among the various interventions, the genetic mutation had the most profound effect on behavioral aberrations, followed by an environmental intervention by ketamine injections and ketamine-injected animals that were maternally separated during early postnatal days. We conclude that although environmental factors increased the prevalence of aberrant behavioral phenotypes, genetic background is still the predominant influence on phenotypic alterations in these mouse models of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Razia Sultana
- Neural Systems Laboratory, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
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Czarny P, Bialek K, Ziolkowska S, Strycharz J, Sliwinski T. DNA damage and repair in neuropsychiatric disorders. What do we know and what are the future perspectives? Mutagenesis 2019; 35:79-106. [DOI: 10.1093/mutage/gez035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractOver the past two decades, extensive research has been done to elucidate the molecular etiology and pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders. In majority of them, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), bipolar disorder (BD), schizophrenia and major depressive disorder, increased oxidative and nitrosative stress was found. This stress is known to induce oxidative damage to biomolecules, including DNA. Accordingly, increased mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, as well as RNA damage, were observed in patients suffering from these diseases. However, recent findings indicate that the patients are characterised by impaired DNA repair pathways, which may suggest that these DNA lesions could be also a result of their insufficient repair. In the current systematic, critical review, we aim to sum up, using available literature, the knowledge about the involvement of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA damage and repair, as well as about damage to RNA in pathoetiology of neuropsychiatric disorders, i.e., AD, PD, ALS, BD, schizophrenia and major depressive disorder, as well as the usefulness of the discussed factors as being diagnostic markers and targets for new therapies. Moreover, we also underline the new directions to which future studies should head to elucidate these phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Czarny
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Bialek
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Sylwia Ziolkowska
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Justyna Strycharz
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Tomasz Sliwinski
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
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Les troubles de comportement durant l’enfance et l’adolescence des schizophrènes : étude rétrospective. Encephale 2019; 45:221-225. [DOI: 10.1016/j.encep.2018.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2018] [Revised: 08/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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al-Haddad BJS, Jacobsson B, Chabra S, Modzelewska D, Olson EM, Bernier R, Enquobahrie DA, Hagberg H, Östling S, Rajagopal L, Adams Waldorf KM, Sengpiel V. Long-term Risk of Neuropsychiatric Disease After Exposure to Infection In Utero. JAMA Psychiatry 2019; 76:594-602. [PMID: 30840048 PMCID: PMC6551852 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2019.0029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The developmental origins of mental illness are incompletely understood. Although the development of autism and schizophrenia are linked to infections during fetal life, it is unknown whether more common psychiatric conditions such as depression might begin in utero. OBJECTIVE To estimate the risk of psychopathologic conditions imparted from fetal exposure to any maternal infection while hospitalized during pregnancy. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A total of 1 791 520 Swedish children born between January 1, 1973, and December 31, 2014, were observed for up to 41 years using linked population-based registries. Children were excluded if they were born too late to contribute person-time, died before being at risk for the outcome, or were missing particular model data. Infection and psychiatric diagnoses were derived using codes from hospitalizations. Directed acyclic graphs were developed from a systematic literature review to determine Cox proportional hazards regression models for risk of psychopathologic conditions in the children. Results were evaluated using probabilistic and simple bias analyses. Statistical analysis was conducted from February 10 to October 17, 2018. EXPOSURES Hospitalization during pregnancy with any maternal infection, severe maternal infection, and urinary tract infection. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Inpatient diagnosis of autism, depression, bipolar disorder, or psychosis among offspring. RESULTS A total of 1 791 520 Swedish-born children (48.6% females and 51.4% males) were observed from birth up to age 41 years, with a total of 32 125 813 person-years. Within the directed acyclic graph framework of assumptions, fetal exposure to any maternal infection increased the risk of an inpatient diagnosis in the child of autism (hazard ratio [HR], 1.79; 95% CI, 1.34-2.40) or depression (HR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.08-1.42). Effect estimates for autism and depression were similar following a severe maternal infection (autism: HR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.18-2.78; depression: HR, 1.24; 95% CI, 0.88-1.73) or urinary tract infection (autism: HR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.23-2.90; depression: HR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.04-1.61) and were robust to moderate unknown confounding. Within the directed acyclic graph framework of assumptions, the relationship between infection and depression was vulnerable to bias from loss to follow-up, but separate data from the Swedish Death Registry demonstrated increased risk of suicide among individuals exposed to pregnancy infection. No evidence was found for increased risk of bipolar disorder or psychosis among children exposed to infection in utero. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE These findings suggest that fetal exposure to a maternal infection while hospitalized increased the risk for autism and depression, but not bipolar or psychosis, during the child's life. These results emphasize the importance of avoiding infections during pregnancy, which may impart subtle fetal brain injuries contributing to development of autism and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bo Jacobsson
- Centre for Perinatal Medicine & Health, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden,Division of Health Data and Digitalisation, Department of Genetics and Bioinformatics, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Shilpi Chabra
- Department of Pediatrics, Seattle Children’s Hospital and University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Dominika Modzelewska
- Centre for Perinatal Medicine & Health, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Erin M. Olson
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle,Department of School Psychology, College of Education, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Raphael Bernier
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Daniel A. Enquobahrie
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Henrik Hagberg
- Centre for Perinatal Medicine & Health, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden,Centre for the Developing Brain, King’s College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Svante Östling
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Lakshmi Rajagopal
- Department of Pediatrics, Seattle Children’s Hospital and University of Washington, Seattle,Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington,Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Kristina M. Adams Waldorf
- Centre for Perinatal Medicine & Health, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden,Center for Innate Immunity and Immune Disease, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Verena Sengpiel
- Centre for Perinatal Medicine & Health, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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12
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Clarke DJ, Chohan TW, Kassem MS, Smith KL, Chesworth R, Karl T, Kuligowski MP, Fok SY, Bennett MR, Arnold JC. Neuregulin 1 Deficiency Modulates Adolescent Stress-Induced Dendritic Spine Loss in a Brain Region-Specific Manner and Increases Complement 4 Expression in the Hippocampus. Schizophr Bull 2019; 45:339-349. [PMID: 29566220 PMCID: PMC6403066 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sby029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
One neuropathological feature of schizophrenia is a diminished number of dendritic spines in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. The neuregulin 1 (Nrg1) system is involved in the plasticity of dendritic spines, and chronic stress decreases dendritic spine densities in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Here, we aimed to assess whether Nrg1 deficiency confers vulnerability to the effects of adolescent stress on dendritic spine plasticity. We also assessed other schizophrenia-relevant neurobiological changes such as microglial cell activation, loss of parvalbumin (PV) interneurons, and induction of complement factor 4 (C4). Adolescent male wild-type (WT) and Nrg1 heterozygous mice were subjected to chronic restraint stress before their brains underwent Golgi impregnation or immunofluorescent staining of PV interneurons, microglial cells, and C4. Stress in WT mice promoted dendritic spine loss and microglial cell activation in the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus. However, Nrg1 deficiency rendered mice resilient to stress-induced dendritic spine loss in the infralimbic cortex and the CA3 region of the hippocampus without affecting stress-induced microglial cell activation in these brain regions. Nrg1 deficiency and adolescent stress combined to trigger increased dendritic spine densities in the prelimbic cortex. In the hippocampal CA1 region, Nrg1 deficiency accentuated stress-induced dendritic spine loss. Nrg1 deficiency increased C4 protein and decreased C4 mRNA expression in the hippocampus, and the number of PV interneurons in the basolateral amygdala. This study demonstrates that Nrg1 modulates the impact of stress on the adolescent brain in a region-specific manner. It also provides first evidence of a link between Nrg1 and C4 systems in the hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Clarke
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia,Department of Pharmacology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Tariq W Chohan
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia,Department of Pharmacology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Kristie L Smith
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Rose Chesworth
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Tim Karl
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia,Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, Australia,School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Michael P Kuligowski
- Australian Microscopy & Microanalysis Research Facility, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia
| | - Sandra Y Fok
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Jonathon C Arnold
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia,Department of Pharmacology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia,To whom correspondence should be addressed; Brain and Mind Centre, Level 6, Building F, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia; tel: +61-29351-0812, e-mail:
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13
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Volgin AD, Yakovlev OA, Demin KA, de Abreu MS, Alekseeva PA, Friend AJ, Lakstygal AM, Amstislavskaya TG, Bao W, Song C, Kalueff AV. Zebrafish models for personalized psychiatry: Insights from individual, strain and sex differences, and modeling gene x environment interactions. J Neurosci Res 2018; 97:402-413. [PMID: 30320468 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Revised: 08/16/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Currently becoming widely recognized, personalized psychiatry focuses on unique physiological and genetic profiles of patients to best tailor their therapy. However, the role of individual differences, as well as genetic and environmental factors, in human psychiatric disorders remains poorly understood. Animal experimental models are a valuable tool to improve our understanding of disease pathophysiology and its molecular mechanisms. Due to high reproduction capability, fully sequenced genome, easy gene editing, and high genetic and physiological homology with humans, zebrafish (Danio rerio) are emerging as a novel powerful model in biomedicine. Mounting evidence supports zebrafish as a useful model organism in CNS research. Robustly expressed in these fish, individual, strain, and sex differences shape their CNS responses to genetic, environmental, and pharmacological manipulations. Here, we discuss zebrafish as a promising complementary translational tool to further advance patient-centered personalized psychiatry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey D Volgin
- Almazov National Medical Research Centre, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, Russia.,Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia.,Military Medical Academy, St Petersburg, Russia
| | - Oleg A Yakovlev
- Almazov National Medical Research Centre, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, Russia.,Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia.,Military Medical Academy, St Petersburg, Russia
| | - Konstantin A Demin
- Almazov National Medical Research Centre, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, Russia.,Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Murilo S de Abreu
- Bioscience Institute, University of Passo Fundo (UPF), Passo Fundo, Brazil.,Postgraduate Program in Pharmacology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil
| | - Polina A Alekseeva
- Almazov National Medical Research Centre, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ashton J Friend
- Tulane University School of Science and Engineering, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Anton M Lakstygal
- Almazov National Medical Research Centre, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, Russia.,Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Tamara G Amstislavskaya
- Laboratory of Translational Biopsychiatry, Scientific Research Institute of Physiology and Basic Medicine, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Wandong Bao
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Cai Song
- Research Institute of Marine Drugs and Nutrition, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Allan V Kalueff
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.,Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg, Russia.,ZENEREI Research Center, Slidell, Louisiana.,Institute of Experimental Medicine, Almazov National Medical Research Centre, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, Russia.,Granov Russian Scientific Center of Radiology and Surgical Technologies, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, Russia.,Scientific Research Institute of Physiology and Basic Medicine, Novosibirsk, Russia.,Laboratory of Biological Psychiatry, Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
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14
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Olaya JC, Heusner CL, Matsumoto M, Sinclair D, Kondo MA, Karl T, Shannon Weickert C. Overexpression of Neuregulin 1 Type III Confers Hippocampal mRNA Alterations and Schizophrenia-Like Behaviors in Mice. Schizophr Bull 2018; 44:865-875. [PMID: 28981869 PMCID: PMC6007747 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbx122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) is a schizophrenia candidate gene whose protein product is involved in neuronal migration, survival, and synaptic plasticity via production of specific isoforms. Importantly, NRG1 type III (NRG1 III) mRNA is increased in humans inheriting a schizophrenia risk haplotype for the NRG1 gene (HapICE), and NRG1 protein levels can be elevated in schizophrenia. The nature by which NRG1 type III overexpression results in schizophrenia-like behavior and brain pathology remains unclear, therefore we constructed a transgenic mouse with Nrg1 III overexpression in forebrain neurons (CamKII kinase+). Here, we demonstrate construct validity for this mouse model, as juvenile and adult Nrg1 III transgenic mice exhibit an overexpression of Nrg1 III mRNA and Nrg1 protein in multiple brain regions. Furthermore, Nrg1 III transgenic mice have face validity as they exhibit schizophrenia-relevant behavioral phenotypes including deficits in social preference, impaired fear-associated memory, and reduced prepulse inhibition. Additionally, microarray assay of hippocampal mRNA uncovered transcriptional alterations downstream of Nrg1 III overexpression, including changes in serotonin receptor 2C and angiotensin-converting enzyme. Transgenic mice did not exhibit other schizophrenia-relevant behaviors including hyperactivity, social withdrawal, or an increased vulnerability to the effects of MK-801 malate. Our results indicate that this novel Nrg1 III mouse is valid for modeling potential pathological mechanisms of some schizophrenia-like behaviors, for determining what other neurobiological changes may be downstream of elevated NRG1 III levels and for preclinically testing therapeutic strategies that may be specifically efficacious in patients with the NRG1 (HapICE) risk genotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan C Olaya
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW, Australia,School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | | | | | - Duncan Sinclair
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW, Australia,School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Mari A Kondo
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW, Australia,School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Tim Karl
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW, Australia,School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, Australia
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW, Australia,School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia,To whom correspondence should be addressed; Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker Street, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia; tel: +61-2-9399-1117, fax: +61-2-9399-1005, e-mail:
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15
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Maroteaux G, Arefin TM, Harsan LA, Darcq E, Ben Hamida S, Kieffer BL. Lack of anticipatory behavior in Gpr88 knockout mice showed by automatized home cage phenotyping. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2018; 17:e12473. [PMID: 29575471 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2017] [Revised: 03/06/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Mouse models are widely used to understand genetic bases of behavior. Traditional testing typically requires multiple experimental settings, captures only snapshots of behavior and involves human intervention. The recent development of automated home cage monitoring offers an alternative method to study mouse behavior in their familiar and social environment, and over weeks. Here, we used the IntelliCage system to test this approach for mouse phenotyping, and studied mice lacking Gpr88 that have been extensively studied using standard testing. We monitored mouse behavior over 22 days in 4 different phases. In the free adaptation phase, Gpr88 -/- mice showed delayed habituation to the home cage, and increased frequency of same corner returns behavior in their alternation pattern. In the following nose-poke adaptation phase, non-habituation continued, however, mutant mice acquired nose-poke conditioning similar to controls. In the place learning and reversal phase, Gpr88-/- mice developed preference for the water/sucrose corner with some delay, but did not differ from controls for reversal. Finally, in a fixed schedule-drinking phase, control animals showed higher activity during the hour preceding water accessibility, and reduced activity after access to water was terminated. Mutant mice did not show this behavior, showing lack of anticipatory behavior. Our data therefore confirm hyperactivity, non-habituation and altered exploratory behaviors that were reported previously. Learning deficits described in other settings were barely detectable, and a novel phenotype was discovered. Home cage monitoring therefore extends previous findings and shows yet another facet of GPR88 function that deserves further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Maroteaux
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - T M Arefin
- IGBMC-Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, INSERM U-964, CNRS UMR-7104, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.,Departments of Radiology, Medical Physics, Medical Center University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Department of Radiology, Bernard and Irene Schwartz Center for Biomedical Imaging, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - L-A Harsan
- Departments of Radiology, Medical Physics, Medical Center University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Engineering Science, Computer Science and Imaging Laboratory (ICube), Integrative Multimodal Imaging in Healthcare, University of Strasbourg - CNRS, Strasbourg, France.,Department of Biophysics and Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - E Darcq
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - S Ben Hamida
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,IGBMC-Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, INSERM U-964, CNRS UMR-7104, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - B L Kieffer
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,IGBMC-Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, INSERM U-964, CNRS UMR-7104, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
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16
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Chesworth R, Long LE, Weickert CS, Karl T. The Endocannabinoid System across Postnatal Development in Transmembrane Domain Neuregulin 1 Mutant Mice. Front Psychiatry 2018; 9:11. [PMID: 29467679 PMCID: PMC5808294 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2017] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of cannabis is a well-established component risk factor for schizophrenia, particularly in adolescent individuals with genetic predisposition for the disorder. Alterations to the endocannabinoid system have been found in the prefrontal cortex of patients with schizophrenia. Thus, we assessed whether molecular alterations exist in the endocannabinoid signalling pathway during brain development in a mouse model for the schizophrenia risk gene neuregulin 1 (Nrg1). We analysed transcripts encoding key molecules of the endocannabinoid system in heterozygous transmembrane domain Nrg1 mutant mice (Nrg1 TM HET), which is known to have increased sensitivity to cannabis exposure. Tissue from the prelimbic cortex and hippocampus of male and female Nrg1 TM HET mice and wild type-like littermates was collected at postnatal days (PNDs) 7, 10, 14, 21, 28, 35, 49, and 161. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was conducted to assess mRNA levels of cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) and enzymes for the synthesis and breakdown of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol [i.e., diacylglycerol lipase alpha (DAGLα), monoglyceride lipase (MGLL), and α/β-hydrolase domain-containing 6 (ABHD6)]. No sex differences were found for any transcripts in either brain region; thus, male and female data were pooled. Hippocampal and cortical mRNA expression of DAGLα, MGLL, and ABHD6 increased until PND 21-35 and then decreased and stabilised for the rest of postnatal development. Hippocampal CB1R mRNA expression increased until PND 21 and decreased after this age. Expression levels of these endocannabinoid markers did not differ in Nrg1 TM HET compared to control mice at any time point. Here, we demonstrate dynamic changes in the developmental trajectory of several key endocannabinoid system transcripts in the mouse brain, which may correspond with periods of endocannabinoid system maturation. Nrg1 TM HET mutation did not alter the developmental trajectory of the endocannabinoid markers assessed, suggesting that other mechanisms may be responsible for the exaggerated cannabinoid susceptibility in these mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rose Chesworth
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia
| | - Leonora E Long
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW, Australia.,School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Tim Karl
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia.,Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW, Australia
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17
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Nimgaonkar VL, Prasad KM, Chowdari KV, Severance EG, Yolken RH. The complement system: a gateway to gene-environment interactions in schizophrenia pathogenesis. Mol Psychiatry 2017; 22:1554-1561. [PMID: 28761078 PMCID: PMC5656502 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2017.151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2016] [Revised: 05/15/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The pathogenesis of schizophrenia is considered to be multi-factorial, with likely gene-environment interactions (GEI). Genetic and environmental risk factors are being identified with increasing frequency, yet their very number vastly increases the scope of possible GEI, making it difficult to identify them with certainty. Accumulating evidence suggests a dysregulated complement pathway among the pathogenic processes of schizophrenia. The complement pathway mediates innate and acquired immunity, and its activation drives the removal of damaged cells, autoantigens and environmentally derived antigens. Abnormalities in complement functions occur in many infectious and autoimmune disorders that have been linked to schizophrenia. Many older reports indicate altered serum complement activity in schizophrenia, though the data are inconclusive. Compellingly, recent genome-wide association studies suggest repeat polymorphisms incorporating the complement 4A (C4A) and 4B (C4B) genes as risk factors for schizophrenia. The C4A/C4B genetic associations have re-ignited interest not only in inflammation-related models for schizophrenia pathogenesis, but also in neurodevelopmental theories, because rodent models indicate a role for complement proteins in synaptic pruning and neurodevelopment. Thus, the complement system could be used as one of the 'staging posts' for a variety of focused studies of schizophrenia pathogenesis. They include GEI studies of the C4A/C4B repeat polymorphisms in relation to inflammation-related or infectious processes, animal model studies and tests of hypotheses linked to autoimmune diseases that can co-segregate with schizophrenia. If they can be replicated, such studies would vastly improve our understanding of pathogenic processes in schizophrenia through GEI analyses and open new avenues for therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishwajit L. Nimgaonkar
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Konasale M. Prasad
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Kodavali V. Chowdari
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Emily G. Severance
- Stanley Division of Neurovirology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md
| | - Robert H. Yolken
- Stanley Division of Neurovirology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md
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18
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Corsi-Zuelli FMDG, Brognara F, Quirino GFDS, Hiroki CH, Fais RS, Del-Ben CM, Ulloa L, Salgado HC, Kanashiro A, Loureiro CM. Neuroimmune Interactions in Schizophrenia: Focus on Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Activation of the Alpha-7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor. Front Immunol 2017; 8:618. [PMID: 28620379 PMCID: PMC5449450 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 05/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is one of the most debilitating mental disorders and is aggravated by the lack of efficacious treatment. Although its etiology is unclear, epidemiological studies indicate that infection and inflammation during development induces behavioral, morphological, neurochemical, and cognitive impairments, increasing the risk of developing schizophrenia. The inflammatory hypothesis of schizophrenia is also supported by clinical studies demonstrating systemic inflammation and microglia activation in schizophrenic patients. Although elucidating the mechanism that induces this inflammatory profile remains a challenge, mounting evidence suggests that neuroimmune interactions may provide therapeutic advantages to control inflammation and hence schizophrenia. Recent studies have indicated that vagus nerve stimulation controls both peripheral and central inflammation via alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR). Other findings have indicated that vagal stimulation and α7nAChR-agonists can provide therapeutic advantages for neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression and epilepsy. This review analyzes the latest results regarding: (I) the immune-to-brain pathogenesis of schizophrenia; (II) the regulation of inflammation by the autonomic nervous system in psychiatric disorders; and (III) the role of the vagus nerve and α7nAChR in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fernanda Brognara
- Department of Physiology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Carlos Hiroji Hiroki
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rafael Sobrano Fais
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Cristina Marta Del-Ben
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luis Ulloa
- Department of Surgery, Center of Immunology and Inflammation, Rutgers University-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Helio Cesar Salgado
- Department of Physiology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Kanashiro
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Camila Marcelino Loureiro
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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19
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Engel M, Snikeris P, Matosin N, Newell KA, Huang XF, Frank E. mGluR2/3 agonist LY379268 rescues NMDA and GABAA receptor level deficits induced in a two-hit mouse model of schizophrenia. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2016; 233:1349-59. [PMID: 26861891 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-016-4230-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2015] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE An imbalance of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission underlies the glutamate hypothesis of schizophrenia. Agonists of group II metabotropic glutamate receptors, mGluR2/3, have been proposed as novel therapeutic agents to correct this imbalance. However, the influence of mGluR2/3 activity on excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors has not been explored. OBJECTIVES We aimed to investigate the ability of a novel mGluR2/3 agonist, LY379268, to modulate the availability of the excitatory N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA-R) and the inhibitory gamma-aminobutyrate-A receptor (GABAA-R), in a two-hit mouse model of schizophrenia. METHODS Wild type (WT) and heterozygous neuregulin 1 transmembrane domain mutant mice (NRG1 HET) were treated daily with phencyclidine (10 mg/kg ip) or saline for 14 days. After a 14-day washout, an acute dose of the mGluR2/3 agonist LY379268 (3 mg/kg), olanzapine (antipsychotic drug comparison, 1.5 mg/kg), or saline was administered. NMDA-R and GABAA-R binding densities were examined by receptor autoradiography in several schizophrenia-relevant brain regions. RESULTS In both WT and NRG1 HET mice, phencyclidine treatment significantly reduced NMDA-R and GABAA-R binding density in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and nucleus accumbens. Acute treatment with LY379268 restored NMDA-R and GABAA-R levels in the two-hit mouse model comparable to olanzapine. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate that the mGluR2/3 agonist LY379268 restores excitatory and inhibitory deficits with similar efficiency as olanzapine in our two-hit schizophrenia mouse model. This study significantly contributes to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of LY379268 and supports the use of agents aimed at mGluR2/3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Engel
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, Australia. .,Faculty of Science Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia. .,Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia. .,School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.
| | - Peta Snikeris
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, Australia.,Faculty of Science Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.,Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Natalie Matosin
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, Australia.,Faculty of Science Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.,Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Kelly Anne Newell
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, Australia.,Faculty of Science Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.,Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Xu-Feng Huang
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, Australia.,Faculty of Science Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.,Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Elisabeth Frank
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, Australia.,Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
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20
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Holm-Hansen S, Low JK, Zieba J, Gjedde A, Bergersen LH, Karl T. Behavioural effects of high fat diet in a mutant mouse model for the schizophrenia risk gene neuregulin 1. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2016; 15:295-304. [PMID: 26707035 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2015] [Revised: 07/29/2015] [Accepted: 07/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia patients are often obese or overweight and poor dietary choices appear to be a factor in this phenomenon. Poor diet has been found to have complex consequences for the mental state of patients. Thus, this study investigated whether an unhealthy diet [i.e. high fat diet (HFD)] impacts on the behaviour of a genetic mouse model for the schizophrenia risk gene neuregulin 1 (i.e. transmembrane domain Nrg1 mutant mice: Nrg1 HET). Female Nrg1 HET and wild-type-like littermates (WT) were fed with either HFD or a control chow diet. The mice were tested for baseline (e.g. anxiety) and schizophrenia-relevant behaviours after 7 weeks of diet exposure. HFD increased body weight and impaired glucose tolerance in all mice. Only Nrg1 females on HFD displayed a hyper-locomotive phenotype as locomotion-suppressive effects of HFD were only evident in WT mice. HFD also induced an anxiety-like response and increased freezing in the context and the cued version of the fear conditioning task. Importantly, CHOW-fed Nrg1 females displayed impaired social recognition memory, which was absent in HFD-fed mutants. Sensorimotor gating deficits of Nrg1 females were not affected by diet. In summary, HFD had complex effects on the behavioural phenotype of test mice and attenuated particular cognitive deficits of Nrg1 mutant females. This topic requires further investigations thereby also considering other dietary factors of relevance for schizophrenia as well as interactive effects of diet with medication and sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Holm-Hansen
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Brain and Muscle Energy Group, Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Institute of Oral Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - J K Low
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia.,Schizophrenia Research Institute, Randwick, Australia
| | - J Zieba
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia.,Schizophrenia Research Institute, Randwick, Australia
| | - A Gjedde
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Center for Healthy Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - L H Bergersen
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Brain and Muscle Energy Group, Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Institute of Oral Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Center for Healthy Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - T Karl
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia.,Schizophrenia Research Institute, Randwick, Australia.,School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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21
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Cancel A, Comte M, Truillet R, Boukezzi S, Rousseau PF, Zendjidjian XY, Sage T, Lazerges PE, Guedj E, Khalfa S, Azorin JM, Blin O, Fakra E. Childhood neglect predicts disorganization in schizophrenia through grey matter decrease in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2015; 132:244-56. [PMID: 26038817 DOI: 10.1111/acps.12455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Psychosocial trauma during childhood is associated with schizophrenia vulnerability. The pattern of grey matter decrease is similar to brain alterations seen in schizophrenia. Our objective was to explore the links between childhood trauma, brain morphology and schizophrenia symptoms. METHOD Twenty-one patients with schizophrenia stabilized with atypical antipsychotic monotherapy and 30 healthy control subjects completed the study. Anatomical MRI images were analysed using optimized voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Childhood trauma was assessed with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, and symptoms were rated on the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) and Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS) (disorganization, positive and negative symptoms). In the schizophrenia group, we used structural equation modelling in a path analysis. RESULTS Total grey matter volume was negatively associated with emotional neglect (EN) in patients with schizophrenia. Whole-brain VBM analyses of grey matter in the schizophrenia group revealed a specific inversed association between EN and the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Path analyses identified a well-fitted model in which EN predicted grey matter density in DLPFC, which in turn predicted the disorganization score. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that EN during childhood could have an impact on psychopathology in schizophrenia, which would be mediated by developmental effects on brain regions such as the DLPFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Cancel
- Timone Institute of Neuroscience, UMR 7289, CNRS and Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.,Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - M Comte
- Timone Institute of Neuroscience, UMR 7289, CNRS and Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - R Truillet
- Public Assistance for Marseille Hospitals (APHM) Unit for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutic Evaluation (CIC-UPCET), CHU Timone Hospital, Marseille, France
| | - S Boukezzi
- Timone Institute of Neuroscience, UMR 7289, CNRS and Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - P-F Rousseau
- Timone Institute of Neuroscience, UMR 7289, CNRS and Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.,Psychiatry Unit, Saint Anne Military Training Hospital, Toulon, France
| | - X Y Zendjidjian
- Department of Psychiatry, La Conception University Hospital, Marseille, France
| | - T Sage
- Clinic of Mental Health, L'escale, Orpea-Clinéa, Saint-Victoret, France
| | - P-E Lazerges
- Department of Psychiatry, Sainte Marguerite University Hospital, Marseille, France
| | - E Guedj
- Timone Institute of Neuroscience, UMR 7289, CNRS and Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.,Biophysics and Nuclear Medicine Department, Timone Hospital, Marseille, France
| | - S Khalfa
- Timone Institute of Neuroscience, UMR 7289, CNRS and Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - J-M Azorin
- Timone Institute of Neuroscience, UMR 7289, CNRS and Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.,Department of Psychiatry, Sainte Marguerite University Hospital, Marseille, France
| | - O Blin
- Timone Institute of Neuroscience, UMR 7289, CNRS and Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.,Public Assistance for Marseille Hospitals (APHM) Unit for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutic Evaluation (CIC-UPCET), CHU Timone Hospital, Marseille, France
| | - E Fakra
- Timone Institute of Neuroscience, UMR 7289, CNRS and Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.,Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France
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