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Ornelas LC, Fish EW, Dooley JC, Carroll M, Parnell SE, Besheer J. The impact of prenatal alcohol, synthetic cannabinoid and co-exposure on behavioral adaptations in adolescent offspring and alcohol self-administration in adulthood. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2024; 102:107341. [PMID: 38490565 PMCID: PMC11000688 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2024.107341] [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: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to alcohol or cannabinoids can produce enduring neurobiological, cognitive, and behavioral changes in the offspring. Furthermore, prenatal co-exposure to alcohol and cannabinoids induces malformations in brain regions associated with reward and stress-related circuitry. This study examined the effects of co-exposure to alcohol and the synthetic cannabinoid (SCB) CP55,940 throughout gastrulation and neurulation in rats on basal corticosterone levels and a battery of behavioral tests during adolescence and alcohol self-administration in adulthood. Importantly, we find that prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) caused lower baseline corticosterone levels in adolescent males and females. Co-exposure to alcohol + CP produced hyperactivity during open field test in males, but not females. During the two-bottle choice alcohol-drinking procedure, prenatal cannabinoid exposed male and female adolescent rats drank more alcohol than their vehicle-exposed controls. In adulthood, female rats treated with prenatal cannabinoid exposure (PCE), showed an overall total increase in alcohol intake during alcohol self-administration; but this was not found in males. When the reinforcer was changed to a 1% sucrose solution, male rats exposed to PCE, showed a reduced self-administration compared to vehicle-exposed males, potentially indicative of an anhedonic response. This lower self-administration persisted when 20% alcohol was reintroduced to the sucrose solution. Lastly, following an abstinence period, there were no changes due to prenatal drug exposure in either males or females. Overall, these data suggest lasting consequences of prenatal alcohol and cannabinoid exposure during adolescence and adulthood in male and female rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura C Ornelas
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States of America
| | - Eric W Fish
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States of America
| | - Jacob C Dooley
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States of America
| | - Megan Carroll
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States of America
| | - Scott E Parnell
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States of America; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States of America
| | - Joyce Besheer
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States of America; Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States of America.
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2
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Villalba NM, Madarnas C, Bressano J, Sanchez V, Brusco A. Perinatal ethanol exposure affects cell populations in adult dorsal hippocampal neurogenic niche. Neurosci Res 2024; 198:8-20. [PMID: 37419388 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2023.07.001] [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: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Neurodevelopment is highly affected by perinatal ethanol exposure (PEE). In the adult brain, neurogenesis takes place in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus and in the subventricular zone. This work aimed to analyze the effect of PEE on the cellular types involved in adult dorsal hippocampal neurogenesis phases using a murine model. For this purpose, primiparous female CD1 mice consumed only ethanol 6% v/v from 20 days prior to mating and along pregnancy and lactation to ensure that the pups were exposed to ethanol throughout pre- and early postnatal development. After weaning, pups had no further contact with ethanol. Cell types of the adult male dorsal DG were studied by immunofluorescence. A lower percentage of type 1 cells and immature neurons and a higher percentage of type 2 cells were observed in PEE animals. This decrease in type 1 cells suggests that PEE reduces the population of remnant progenitors of the dorsal DG present in adulthood. The increase in type 2 cells and the decrease in immature neurons indicate that, during neurodevelopment, ethanol alters the capacity of neuroblasts to become neurons in the adult neurogenic niche. These results suggest that pathways implicated in cell determination are affected by PEE and remain affected in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nerina M Villalba
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia Prof. E. De Robertis (IBCN), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, 1° Unidad Académica del Departamento de Histología, Biología Celular, Embriología y Genética, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Catalina Madarnas
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia Prof. E. De Robertis (IBCN), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Julieta Bressano
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia Prof. E. De Robertis (IBCN), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Viviana Sanchez
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, 1° Unidad Académica del Departamento de Histología, Biología Celular, Embriología y Genética, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alicia Brusco
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia Prof. E. De Robertis (IBCN), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, 1° Unidad Académica del Departamento de Histología, Biología Celular, Embriología y Genética, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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3
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Ornelas LC, Fish EW, Dooley JC, Carroll M, Parnell SE, Besheer J. The impact of prenatal alcohol and synthetic cannabinoid exposure on behavioral adaptations in adolescent offspring and alcohol self-administration in adulthood. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.09.561571. [PMID: 37873078 PMCID: PMC10592743 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.09.561571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to alcohol or cannabinoids can produce enduring neurobiological, cognitive, and behavioral changes in the offspring. Furthermore, prenatal co-exposure to alcohol and cannabinoids induces malformations in brain regions associated with reward and stress-related circuitry. This study examined the effects of co-exposure to alcohol and the synthetic cannabinoid (SCB) CP55,940 throughout gastrulation and neurulation in rats on basal corticosterone levels and a battery of behavioral tests during adolescence and alcohol self-administration in adulthood. Importantly, we find that prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) caused lower baseline corticosterone levels in adolescent males and females. Co-exposure to alcohol + CP produced hyperactivity during open field test in males, but not females. During the two-bottle choice alcohol-drinking procedure, prenatal cannabinoid exposed male and female adolescent rats drank more alcohol than their vehicle-exposed controls. In adulthood, female rats treated with prenatal cannabinoid exposure (PCE), showed an overall total increase in alcohol intake during alcohol self-administration; but this was not found in males. When the reinforcer was changed to a 1% sucrose solution, male rats exposed to PCE, showed a reduced self-administration compared to vehicle-exposed males, potentially indicative of an anhedonic response. This lower self-administration persisted when 20% alcohol was reintroduced to the sucrose solution. Lastly, following an abstinence period, there were no changes due to prenatal drug exposure in either males or females. Overall, these data suggest lasting consequences of prenatal alcohol and cannabinoid exposure during adolescence and adulthood in male and female rats.
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Bake S, Rouzer SK, Mavuri S, Miranda RC, Mahnke AH. The interaction of genetic sex and prenatal alcohol exposure on health across the lifespan. Front Neuroendocrinol 2023; 71:101103. [PMID: 37802472 PMCID: PMC10922031 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101103] [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: 04/09/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can reprogram the development of cells and tissues, resulting in a spectrum of physical and neurobehavioral teratology. PAE immediately impacts fetal growth, but its effects carry forward post-parturition, into adolescence and adulthood, and can result in a cluster of disabilities, collectively termed Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Emerging preclinical and clinical research investigating neurological and behavioral outcomes in exposed offspring point to genetic sex as an important modifier of the effects of PAE. In this review, we discuss the literature on sex differences following PAE, with studies spanning the fetal period through adulthood, and highlight gaps in research where sex differences are likely, but currently under-investigated. Understanding how sex and PAE interact to affect offspring health outcomes across the lifespan is critical for identifying the full complement of PAE-associated secondary conditions, and for refining targeted interventions to improve the quality of life for individuals with PAE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shameena Bake
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Medical Research and Education Building I, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3620, United States
| | - Siara K Rouzer
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Medical Research and Education Building I, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3620, United States
| | - Shruti Mavuri
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Medical Research and Education Building I, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3620, United States
| | - Rajesh C Miranda
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Medical Research and Education Building I, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3620, United States
| | - Amanda H Mahnke
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Medical Research and Education Building I, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3620, United States.
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Chaudoin TR, Bonasera SJ, Dunaevsky A, Padmashri R. Exploring behavioral phenotypes in a mouse model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Dev Neurobiol 2023; 83:184-204. [PMID: 37433012 PMCID: PMC10546278 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22922] [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: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are one of the leading causes of developmental abnormalities worldwide. Maternal consumption of alcohol during pregnancy leads to a diverse range of cognitive and neurobehavioral deficits. Although moderate-to-heavy levels of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) have been associated with adverse offspring outcomes, there is limited data on the consequences of chronic low-level PAE. Here, we use a model of maternal voluntary alcohol consumption throughout gestation in a mouse model to investigate the effects of PAE on behavioral phenotypes during late adolescence and early adulthood in male and female offspring. Body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Baseline behaviors, including feeding, drinking, and movement, were examined by performing home cage monitoring studies. The impact of PAE on motor function, motor skill learning, hyperactivity, acoustic reactivity, and sensorimotor gating was investigated by performing a battery of behavioral tests. PAE was found to be associated with altered body composition. No differences in overall movement, food, or water consumption were observed between control and PAE mice. Although PAE offspring of both sexes exhibited deficits in motor skill learning, no differences were observed in basic motor skills such as grip strength and motor coordination. PAE females exhibited a hyperactive phenotype in a novel environment. PAE mice exhibited increased reactivity to acoustic stimuli, and PAE females showed disrupted short-term habituation. Sensorimotor gating was not altered in PAE mice. Collectively, our data show that chronic low-level exposure to alcohol in utero results in behavioral impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tammy R Chaudoin
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Stephen J Bonasera
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Anna Dunaevsky
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Ragunathan Padmashri
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
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Bariselli S, Reuveni N, Westcott N, Mateo Y, Lovinger DM. Postnatal ethanol exposure impairs social behavior and operant extinction in the adult female mouse offspring. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1160185. [PMID: 37260840 PMCID: PMC10229070 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1160185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) comprises a group of neurodevelopmental deficits caused by alcohol exposure during pregnancy. Clinical studies suggest that while the male progeny experiences serious neurodevelopmental defects, female patients have more severe cognitive, social, and affective symptoms. Other than sex, dose, frequency, and timing of exposure determine the neurobehavioral outcomes in young and adult progeny. In this regard, human studies indicate that some individuals relapse during late-term gestational periods. In mice, this interval corresponds to the first 10 days after birth (postnatal, P0-P10). In our model of postnatal ethanol exposure (PEEP0-P10), we tested whether adult female and male offspring show deficits in sociability, anxiety-like, reward consumption, and action-outcome associations. We report that female PEEP0-P10 offspring have mild social impairments and altered extinction of operant responding in the absence of anxiety-like traits and reward consumption defects. None of these deficits were detected in the male PEEP0-P10 offspring. Our data provide novel information on sex-specific neurobehavioral outcomes of postnatal ethanol exposure in female adult offspring.
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Przybysz KR, Spodnick MB, Johnson JM, Varlinskaya EI, Diaz MR. Moderate prenatal alcohol exposure produces sex-specific social impairments and attenuates prelimbic excitability and amygdala-cortex modulation of adult social behaviour. Addict Biol 2023; 28:e13252. [PMID: 36577734 PMCID: PMC10509785 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13252] [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: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Lifelong social impairments are common in individuals with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), and preclinical studies have identified gestational day (G)12 as a vulnerable timepoint for producing social deficits following binge-level PAE. While moderate (m)PAE also produces social impairments, the long-term neuroadaptations underlying them are poorly understood. Activity of the projection from the basolateral amygdala to the prelimbic cortex (BLA → PL) leads to social avoidance, and the PL is implicated in negative social behaviours, making each of these potential candidates for the neuroadaptations underlying mPAE-induced social impairments. To examine this, we first established that G12 mPAE produced sex-specific social impairments lasting into adulthood in Sprague-Dawley rats. We then chemogenetically inhibited the BLA → PL using clozapine N-oxide (CNO) during adult social testing. This revealed that CNO reduced social investigation in control males but had no effect on mPAE males or females of either exposure, indicating that mPAE attenuated the role of this projection in regulating male social behaviour and highlighting one potential mechanism by which mPAE affects male social behaviour more severely. Using whole-cell electrophysiology, we also examined mPAE-induced changes to PL pyramidal cell physiology and determined that mPAE reduced cell excitability, likely due to increased suppression by inhibitory interneurons. Overall, this work identified two mPAE-induced neuroadaptations that last into adulthood and that may underlie the sex-specific vulnerability to mPAE-induced social impairments. Future research is necessary to expand upon how these circuits modulate both normal and pathological social behaviours and to identify sex-specific mechanisms, leading to differential vulnerability in males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn R. Przybysz
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
| | - Mary B. Spodnick
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
| | - Julia M. Johnson
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
| | - Elena I. Varlinskaya
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
| | - Marvin R. Diaz
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
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Wang AL, Micov VB, Kwarteng F, Wang R, Hausknecht KA, Oubraim S, Haj-Dahmane S, Shen RY. Prenatal ethanol exposure leads to persistent anxiety-like behavior during adulthood indicated by reduced horizontal and vertical exploratory behaviors. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1163575. [PMID: 37090801 PMCID: PMC10117440 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1163575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) caused by prenatal ethanol exposure (PE) consist of many cognitive/behavioral deficits. Studies have reported that PE leads to impairments of learning and memory, attention, executive function, and anxiety. Open field (OF) is a common behavioral model which offers comprehensive ethological information. Here, we analyzed multiple parameters of OF to examine anxiety behavior and habituation after PE. Material and Methods Pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were gavaged twice/day with 0 or 3 g/kg/treatment ethanol (15% w/v) during gestational day (GD) 8-20, mimicking second-trimester heavy PE in humans. The control and PE adult offspring were subjected to OF task in different ambient light levels with or without acute stress. Results Prenatal ethanol exposure did not influence the overall locomotor activities or habituation in the OF. In lower ambient light, no PE effects could be detected. In higher ambient light, female PE rats showed less activities in the center zone, indicative of increased anxiety. Males show lower activities in the center zone only after acute stress. Rats spent <2% of the time in the center zone compared to >75% of the time in the corner zone where they engaged in frequent rearing activities (vertical exploration; exploratory rearing). Prenatal ethanol exposure led to lower rearing activities in the corner in both males and females. Acute stress masks the PE effects in males but not in females. Discussion The results support that heavy PE leads to persistent anxiety-like behavior during adulthood in both sexes. This conclusion is supported by using multiple parameters of exploratory behavior in the OF, including the rearing activities in the corner to reach reliable quantification of anxiety-like behavior.
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Cross-Generational Impact of Epigenetic Male Influence on Physical Activity in Rat. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11111606. [DOI: 10.3390/biology11111606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this work was to study whether epigenetic events at conception influence the formation of behavioral features found in adult rats. First generational inheritance of activity level, anxiety like behavior, and learning ability was studied. To separate genetic and non-genetic inheritance, mating of males and females with average motor activity was carried out in the presence anesthetized or conscious males with high or low activity. Our results show that offspring of parents who mated in the presence of males with a high motor activity were significantly more active than offspring of parents that were paired in the presence of males with low activity. Anxiety like behavior and learning ability were not inherited in this way. It is possible that the phenomenon we discovered is important for maintaining a certain level of activity of specific populations of animals. It counteracts natural selection, which should lead to a constant increase in the activity of animals.
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Rouzer SK, Diaz MR. Moderate prenatal alcohol exposure modifies sex-specific CRFR1 activity in the central amygdala and anxiety-like behavior in adolescent offspring. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:2140-2149. [PMID: 35478009 PMCID: PMC9556708 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01327-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent among individuals with a history of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), and adolescent rodents demonstrate anxiety-like behavior following moderate PAE on Gestational Day (G) 12. A likely systemic target of PAE is the stress peptide corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), as activation of CRF receptor 1 (CRFR1) in the medial nucleus of the central amygdala (CeM) is known to increase anxiety-like behavior in adults. To determine if CRF-CRFR1 interactions underly PAE-induced anxiety, functional changes in CRF system activity were investigated in adolescent male and female Sprague Dawley rats following G12 PAE. Compared to air-exposed controls, PAE increased basal spontaneous (s) inhibitory postsynaptic current (IPSC) frequency in the CeM of males, but not females. Furthermore, PAE blunted CRFR1-regulated miniature (m) IPSCs in a sex- and concentration-specific manner, and only PAE males demonstrated tonic CRFR1 activity in the CeM. It was further determined that G12 PAE decreased CRFR1 mRNA in the CeM of males while increasing regional expression in females. Finally, infusion of a CRFR1 agonist into the CeM of adolescents produced a blunted expression of CRFR1-induced anxiety-like behavior exclusively in PAE males, mirroring the blunted physiology demonstrated by PAE males. Cumulatively, these data suggest that CRFR1 function within the CeM is age- and sex-specific, and PAE not only increases the expression of anxiety-like behavior, but may reduce the efficacy of treatment for PAE-induced anxiety through CRFR1-associated mechanisms. Therefore, future research will be necessary to develop targeted treatment of anxiety disorders in individuals with a history of PAE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siara Kate Rouzer
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
| | - Marvin R Diaz
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA.
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA.
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Binge-like Prenatal Ethanol Exposure Causes Impaired Cellular Differentiation in the Embryonic Forebrain and Synaptic and Behavioral Defects in Adult Mice. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12060793. [PMID: 35741678 PMCID: PMC9220802 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12060793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
An embryo’s in-utero exposure to ethanol due to a mother’s alcohol drinking results in a range of deficits in the child that are collectively termed fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). Prenatal ethanol exposure is one of the leading causes of preventable intellectual disability. Its neurobehavioral underpinnings warrant systematic research. We investigated the immediate effects on embryos of acute prenatal ethanol exposure during gestational days (GDs) and the influence of such exposure on persistent neurobehavioral deficits in adult offspring. We administered pregnant C57BL/6J mice with ethanol (1.75 g/kg) (GDE) or saline (GDS) intraperitoneally (i.p.) at 0 h and again at 2 h intervals on GD 8 and GD 12. Subsequently, we assessed apoptosis, differentiation, and signaling events in embryo forebrains (E13.5; GD13.5). Long-lasting effects of GDE were evaluated via a behavioral test battery. We also determined the long-term potentiation and synaptic plasticity-related protein expression in adult hippocampal tissue. GDE caused apoptosis, inhibited differentiation, and reduced pERK and pCREB signaling and the expression of transcription factors Pax6 and Lhx2. GDE caused persistent spatial and social investigation memory deficits compared with saline controls, regardless of sex. Interestingly, GDE adult mice exhibited enhanced repetitive and anxiety-like behavior, irrespective of sex. GDE reduced synaptic plasticity-related protein expression and caused hippocampal synaptic plasticity (LTP and LTD) deficits in adult offspring. These findings demonstrate that binge-like ethanol exposure at the GD8 and GD12 developmental stages causes defects in pERK–pCREB signaling and reduces the expression of Pax6 and Lhx2, leading to impaired cellular differentiation during the embryonic stage. In the adult stage, binge-like ethanol exposure caused persistent synaptic and behavioral abnormalities in adult mice. Furthermore, the findings suggest that combining ethanol exposure at two sensitive stages (GD8 and GD12) causes deficits in synaptic plasticity-associated proteins (Arc, Egr1, Fgf1, GluR1, and GluN1), leading to persistent FASD-like neurobehavioral deficits in mice.
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12
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A Framework for Developing Translationally Relevant Animal Models of Stress-Induced Changes in Eating Behavior. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 91:888-897. [PMID: 34433512 PMCID: PMC8720907 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Stress often affects eating behaviors, leading to increased eating in some individuals and decreased eating in others. Identifying physiological and psychological factors that determine the direction of eating responses to stress has been a major goal of epidemiological and clinical studies. However, challenges of standardizing the stress exposure in humans hinder efforts to uncover the underlying mechanisms. The issue of what determines the direction of stress-induced feeding responses has not been directly addressed in animal models, but assays that combine stress with a feeding-related task are commonly used as readouts of other behaviors, such as anxiety. Sex, estrous cyclicity, circadian cyclicity, caloric restriction, palatable diets, elevated body weight, and properties of the stressors similarly influence feeding behavior in humans and rodent models. Yet, most rodent studies do not use conditions that are most relevant for studying feeding behavior in humans. This review proposes a conceptual framework for incorporating these influences to develop reproducible and translationally relevant assays to study effects of stress on food intake. Such paradigms have the potential to uncover links between emotional eating and obesity as well as to the etiology of eating disorders.
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Osterlund Oltmanns JR, Schaeffer EA, Goncalves Garcia M, Donaldson TN, Acosta G, Sanchez LM, Davies S, Savage DD, Wallace DG, Clark BJ. Sexually dimorphic organization of open field behavior following moderate prenatal alcohol exposure. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2022; 46:861-875. [PMID: 35315075 PMCID: PMC9117438 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14813] [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: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can produce deficits in a wide range of cognitive functions but is especially detrimental to behaviors requiring accurate spatial information processing. In open field environments, spatial behavior is organized such that animals establish "home bases" marked by long stops focused around one location. Progressions away from the home base are circuitous and slow, while progressions directed toward the home base are non-circuitous and fast. The impact of PAE on the organization of open field behavior has not been experimentally investigated. METHODS In the present study, adult female and male rats with moderate PAE or saccharin exposure locomoted a circular high walled open field for 30 minutes under lighted conditions. RESULTS The findings indicate that PAE and sex influence the organization of open field behavior. Consistent with previous literature, PAE rats exhibited greater locomotion in the open field. Novel findings from the current study indicate that PAE and sex also impact open field measures specific to spatial orientation. While all rats established a home base on the periphery of the open field, PAE rats, particularly males, exhibited significantly less clustered home base stopping with smaller changes in heading between stops. PAE also impaired progression measures specific to distance estimation, while sex alone impacted progression measures specific to direction estimation. CONCLUSIONS These findings support the conclusion that adult male rats have an increased susceptibility to the effects of PAE on the organization of open field behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ericka A Schaeffer
- Department of Psychology, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, Illinois, USA
| | | | - Tia N Donaldson
- Department of Psychology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Gabriela Acosta
- Department of Psychology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Lilliana M Sanchez
- Department of Psychology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Suzy Davies
- Department of Neurosciences, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Daniel D Savage
- Department of Psychology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.,Department of Neurosciences, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Douglas G Wallace
- Department of Psychology, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, Illinois, USA
| | - Benjamin J Clark
- Department of Psychology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.,Department of Neurosciences, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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14
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Licheri V, Brigman JL. Altering Cell-Cell Interaction in Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Models: Insight on Cell-Adhesion Molecules During Brain Development. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 14:753537. [PMID: 34975396 PMCID: PMC8715949 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.753537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol exposure during pregnancy disrupts the development of the brain and produces long lasting behavioral and cognitive impairments collectively known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs). FASDs are characterized by alterations in learning, working memory, social behavior and executive function. A large body of literature using preclinical prenatal alcohol exposure models reports alcohol-induced changes in architecture and activity in specific brain regions affecting cognition. While multiple putative mechanisms of alcohol’s long-lasting effects on morphology and behavior have been investigated, an area that has received less attention is the effect of alcohol on cell adhesion molecules (CAMs). The embryo/fetal development represents a crucial period for Central Nervous System (CNS) development during which the cell-cell interaction plays an important role. CAMs play a critical role in neuronal migration and differentiation, synaptic organization and function which may be disrupted by alcohol. In this review, we summarize the physiological structure and role of CAMs involved in brain development, review the current literature on prenatal alcohol exposure effects on CAM function in different experimental models and pinpoint areas needed for future study to better understand how CAMs may mediate the morphological, sensory and behavioral outcomes in FASDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Licheri
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States.,New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, United States
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15
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Pinheiro-da-Silva J, Agues-Barbosa T, Luchiari AC. Embryonic Exposure to Ethanol Increases Anxiety-Like Behavior in Fry Zebrafish. Alcohol Alcohol 2021; 55:581-590. [PMID: 32886092 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agaa087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is an umbrella term to describe the effects of ethanol (Eth) exposure during embryonic development, including several conditions from malformation to cognitive deficits. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are a translational model popularly applied in brain disorders and drug screening studies due to its genetic and physiology homology to humans added to its transparent eggs and fast development. In this study, we investigated how early ethanol exposure affects zebrafish behavior during the initial growth phase. METHODS Fish eggs were exposed to 0.0 (control), 0.25 and 0.5% ethanol at 24 h post-fertilization. Later, fry zebrafish (10 days old) were tested in a novel tank task and an inhibitory avoidance protocol to inquire about morphology and behavioral alterations. RESULTS Analysis of variance showed that ethanol doses of 0.25 and 0.5% do not cause morphological malformations and did not impair associative learning but increased anxiety-like behavior responses and lower exploratory behavior when compared to the control. CONCLUSION Our results demonstrate that one can detect behavioral abnormalities in the zebrafish induced by embryonic ethanol as early as 10 days post-fertilization and that alcohol increases anxious behavior during young development in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thais Agues-Barbosa
- Department of Physiology and Behavior, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina Luchiari
- Department of Physiology and Behavior, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
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16
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Rouzer SK, Diaz MR. Factors of sex and age dictate the regulation of GABAergic activity by corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 1 in the medial sub-nucleus of the central amygdala. Neuropharmacology 2021; 189:108530. [PMID: 33741404 PMCID: PMC10538372 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Adolescents are phenotypically characterized with hyper-sensitivity to stress and inappropriate response to stress-inducing events. Despite behavioral distinctions from adults, investigations of developmental shifts in the function of stress peptide corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) are generally limited. Rodent models have determined that CRF receptor 1 (CRFR1) activation within the central amygdala is associated with a stress response and induces increased GABAergic synaptic neurotransmission within adult males. To investigate age- and sex-specific function of this system, we performed whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology in brain slices from naive adolescent (postnatal days (P) 40-49) and adult (>P70) male and female Sprague Dawley rats to assess GABAergic activity in the medial central amygdala (CeM). Our results indicate a dynamic influence of age and sex on neuronal excitability within this region, as well as basal spontaneous and miniature (m) inhibitory post-synaptic currents (IPSCs) in the CeM. In addition to replicating prior findings of CRFR1-regulated increases in mIPSC frequency in adult males, we found that the selective CRFR1 agonist, Stressin-1, attenuated mIPSC frequency in adolescent males, at a concentration that did not produce an effect in adult males. Importantly, this age-specific distinction was absent in females, as Stressin-1 attenuated mIPSC frequency in both adolescent and adult females. Finally, an increase in mIPSC frequency in response to the CRF1R antagonist, NBI 35965, was observed only in the CeM of adult males. Together, these data emphasize the robust influence of age and sex on neurophysiological function of a brain region involved in the production of the stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siara Kate Rouzer
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902, United States; Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902, United States
| | - Marvin R Diaz
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902, United States; Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902, United States.
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17
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Asiedu B, Nyakudya TT, Lembede BW, Chivandi E. Early-life exposure to alcohol and the risk of alcohol-induced liver disease in adulthood. Birth Defects Res 2021; 113:451-468. [PMID: 33577143 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol consumption remains prevalent among pregnant and nursing mothers despite the well-documented adverse effects this may have on the offspring. Moderate-to-high levels of alcohol consumption in pregnancy result in fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) disorders, with brain defects being chief among the abnormalities. Recent findings indicate that while light-to-moderate levels may not cause FAS, it may contribute to epigenetic changes that make the offspring prone to adverse health outcomes including metabolic disorders and an increased propensity in the adolescent-onset of drinking alcohol. On the one hand, prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) causes epigenetic changes that affect lipid and glucose transcript regulating genes resulting in metabolic abnormalities. On the other hand, it can program offspring for increased alcohol intake, enhance its palatability, and increase acceptance of alcohol's flavor through associative learning, making alcohol a plausible second hit for the development of alcohol-induced liver disease. Adolescent drinking results in alcohol dependence and abuse in adulthood. Adolescent drinking results in alcohol dependence and abuse in adulthood. Alterations on the opioid system, particularly, the mu-opioid system, has been implicated in the mechanism that induces increased alcohol consumption and acceptance. This review proposes a mechanism that links PAE to the development of alcoholism and eventually to alcoholic liver disease (ALD), which results from prolonged alcohol consumption. While PAE may not lead to ALD development in childhood, there are chances that it may lead to ALD in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernice Asiedu
- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Physiology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Trevor Tapiwa Nyakudya
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Pretoria, Gezina, South Africa
| | - Busisani Wiseman Lembede
- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Physiology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Eliton Chivandi
- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Physiology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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18
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Diaz MR, Johnson JM, Varlinskaya EI. Increased ethanol intake is associated with social anxiety in offspring exposed to ethanol on gestational day 12. Behav Brain Res 2020; 393:112766. [PMID: 32535179 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can result in physical, cognitive, and neurological deficits termed Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Deficits in social functioning associated with PAE are frequently observed and persist throughout the lifespan. Social impairments, such as social anxiety, are associated with increased alcohol abuse, which is also highly pervasive following PAE. Yet, the relationship between PAE-induced social alterations and alcohol intake later in life is not well understood. In order to test this relationship, we exposed pregnant female Sprague Dawley rats to a single instance of PAE on gestational day 12, a period of substantial neural development, and tested offspring in adulthood (postnatal day 63) in a modified social interaction test followed by alternating alone and social ethanol intake sessions. Consistent with our previous findings, we found that, in general, PAE reduced social preference (measure of social anxiety-like behavior) in female but not male adults. However, ethanol intake was significantly higher in the PAE group regardless of sex. When dividing subjects according to level of social anxiety-like behavior (low, medium, or high), PAE males (under both drinking contexts) and control females (under the social drinking context) with a high social anxiety phenotype showed the highest level of ethanol intake. Taken together, these data indicate that PAE differentially affects the interactions between social anxiety, ethanol intake, and drinking context in males and females. These findings extend our understanding of the complexity and persistence of PAE's sex-dependent effects into adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marvin R Diaz
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY13902, United States; Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Baltimore MD21201, Binghamton NY 13902, Syracuse NY13210, United States.
| | - Julia M Johnson
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Baltimore MD21201, Binghamton NY 13902, Syracuse NY13210, United States
| | - Elena I Varlinskaya
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY13902, United States; Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Baltimore MD21201, Binghamton NY 13902, Syracuse NY13210, United States
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19
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Przybysz KR, Varlinskaya EI, Diaz MR. Age and sex regulate kappa opioid receptor-mediated anxiety-like behavior in rats. Behav Brain Res 2020; 379:112379. [PMID: 31765725 PMCID: PMC10466214 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Revised: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Anxiety occurs across ontogeny, but there is evidence that its etiology may vary across the lifespan. The kappa opioid receptor (KOR) system mediates some of the anxiogenic effects of stress and drug exposure, and is involved in aversive responses to environmental stimuli. However, much of this work has been conducted in adult males. Work assessing the effects of KOR activation in younger males has demonstrated that this system produces an anxiolytic/no response, indicating that that this system may be developmentally regulated. Despite these discrepancies, a direct comparison of KOR-induced anxiety in stress-naïve adolescents and adults has not been done. Additionally, the effects of KOR activation in females are poorly understood. Therefore, we assessed the impact of KOR activation on anxiety-like behavior in adolescent and adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. Animals were given an i.p. injection of the KOR agonist U69593 (0.01, 0.1, 1.0 mg/kg or vehicle) and were tested using the elevated plus maze. U69593 decreased open arm time in adult males, indicating increased anxiety-like behavior. Adolescents exhibited decreased stretch attend postures when collapsed across sex, suggesting reduced anxiety-like behavior. Adult females were not affected by U69593 administration. These data support studies that have identified age-dependent changes in the KOR system in males, and provide novel evidence that females may not exhibit this ontogenetic change. Given the prevalence of stress and drug exposure during the adolescent period, differences in how the KOR system may mediate the effects of these exposures across age and sex should be explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn R Przybysz
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, United States; Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902, United States
| | - Elena I Varlinskaya
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, United States; Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902, United States
| | - Marvin R Diaz
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, United States; Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902, United States.
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20
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Raineki C, Morgan EJ, Ellis L, Weinberg J. Glucocorticoid receptor expression in the stress-limbic circuitry is differentially affected by prenatal alcohol exposure and adolescent stress. Brain Res 2019; 1718:242-251. [PMID: 31102593 PMCID: PMC6579044 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2019.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Revised: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The dense expression of glucocorticoid receptors (GR) within the amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus (PVN) mediates many aspects of emotional and stress regulation. Importantly, both prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and adolescent stress are known to induce emotional and stress dysregulation. Little is known, however, about how PAE and/or adolescent stress may alter the expression of GR in the amygdala, mPFC, and PVN. To fill this gap, we exposed PAE and control adolescent male and female rats to chronic mild stress (CMS) and assessed GR mRNA expression in the amygdala, mPFC, and PVN immediately following stress or in adulthood. We found that the effects of PAE on GR expression were more prevalent in the amygdala, while effects of adolescent stress on GR expression were more prevalent in the mPFC. Moreover, PAE effects in the amygdala were more pronounced during adolescence and adolescent stress effects in the mPFC were more pronounced in adulthood. GR expression in the PVN was affected by both PAE and adolescent stress. Finally, PAE and/or adolescent stress effects were distinct between males and females. Together, these results suggest that PAE and adolescent CMS induce dynamic alterations in GR expression in the amygdala, mPFC, and PVN, which manifest differently depending on the brain area, age, and sex of the animal. Additionally, these data indicate that PAE-induced hyperresponsiveness to stress and increased vulnerability to mental health problems may be mediated by different neural mechanisms depending on the sex and age of the animal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlis Raineki
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
| | - Erin J Morgan
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Linda Ellis
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Joanne Weinberg
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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21
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Lam VYY, Raineki C, Wang LY, Chiu M, Lee G, Ellis L, Yu W, Weinberg J. Role of corticosterone in anxiety- and depressive-like behavior and HPA regulation following prenatal alcohol exposure. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 90:1-15. [PMID: 30367959 PMCID: PMC6449057 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Revised: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 10/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is known to cause dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, including hyperresponsivity to stressors. Dysregulation of the HPA axis plays a role in vulnerability to stress-related disorders, such as anxiety and depression. Thus, the effects of PAE on HPA function may result in increased vulnerability to the effects of stress and, in turn, lead to the development of stress-related disorders. Indeed, individuals prenatally exposed to alcohol have an increased risk of developing anxiety and depression. However, it is unclear whether hypersecretion of corticosterone (CORT) in response to stress per se is involved with mediating differential effects of stress in PAE and control animals. To investigate the role of CORT in mediating effects of stress in both adult females and males following PAE, adrenalectomy with CORT replacement (ADXR) was utilized to produce similar CORT levels among prenatal treatment groups before exposure to chronic unpredictable stress (CUS). Anxiety-like behavior was evaluated using the open field and elevated plus maze, and depressive-like behavior was examined in the forced swim test. Mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mRNA expression was assessed in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), amygdala, and hippocampal formation. Under the non-CUS condition, PAE alone differentially altered anxiety-like behavior in sham but not ADXR females and males, with females showing decreased anxiety-like behavior but males exhibiting increased anxiety-like behavior compared to their control counterparts. There were no effects of PAE alone on depressive-like in females or males. PAE also decreased GR mRNA expression in the hippocampal formation in females but had no effects on MR or GR mRNA expression in any brain region in males. CUS had differential effects on anxiety- and depressive-like behavior in PAE and control animals, and these effects were sex dependent. Importantly, ADXR unmasked differences between PAE and control animals, demonstrating that CORT may play a differential role in modulating behavior and HPA activity/regulation in PAE and control animals, and may do so in a sex-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivian YY Lam
- Corresponding author: Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
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22
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Lam VY, Raineki C, Ellis L, Yu W, Weinberg J. Interactive effects of prenatal alcohol exposure and chronic stress in adulthood on anxiety-like behavior and central stress-related receptor mRNA expression: Sex- and time-dependent effects. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018; 97:8-19. [PMID: 29990678 PMCID: PMC6424330 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2018] [Revised: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Children and adults prenatally exposed to alcohol show higher rates of mental health problems than unexposed individuals, with depression and anxiety being among the more commonly encountered disorders. Previous studies in rats showed that prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can indeed increase depressive- and anxiety-like behavior in adulthood; however, depression and anxiety are often observed in the context of stress and/or a dysregulated stress response system (the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal [HPA] axis). PAE can dysregulate the HPA axis, resulting in hyperresponsivity to stress. In turn, this may predispose individuals prenatally exposed to alcohol to the adverse effects of stress compared to unexposed individuals. We have shown previously that PAE animals may be more sensitive to the effects of chronic stress on behavior, showing increased anxiety- and depressive-like behavior following chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) exposure. Here, we investigated the independent and interactive effects of PAE and adult CUS on anxiety-like behavior and receptor systems (corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor type 1 [CRHR1], mineralocorticoid receptor [MR], and glucocorticoid receptor [GR]), and underlying stress and emotional regulation, and whether exposure to CUS differentially results in immediate or delayed effects. Adult male and female offspring from PAE, pair-fed (PF), and ad libitum-fed control (C) dams were exposed to either 10 days of CUS or left undisturbed. Behavioral testing began 1 or 14 days post-CUS, and brains were collected following testing. Anxiety-like behaviors were evaluated using the open field, elevated plus maze and dark-light emergence tests. CRHR1, MR, and GR mRNA expression were assessed in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), amygdala, and hippocampal formation, brain areas key to both stress and emotional regulation. We found that PAE differentially increased anxiety-like behavior and altered GR mRNA in males and females compared to their control counterparts. Furthermore, depending on the timing of testing, CUS unmasked alterations in GR and CRHR1 mRNA expression in the mPFC and amygdala in PAE males, and MR mRNA in the hippocampal formation in PAE females compared to their C counterparts. Overall, the changes observed in these receptor systems may underlie the increase in anxiety-like behavior following PAE and CUS exposure in adulthood. That CUS differentially affected brain and behavioral outcome of PAE and C animals, and did so in a sexually-dimorphic manner, has important implications for understanding the etiology of psychopathology in individuals prenatally exposed to alcohol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivian Y.Y. Lam
- Corresponding author at: Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada. (V.Y.Y. Lam)
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23
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Bahi A, Dreyer JL. Dopamine transporter (DAT) knockdown in the nucleus accumbens improves anxiety- and depression-related behaviors in adult mice. Behav Brain Res 2018; 359:104-115. [PMID: 30367968 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.10.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Revised: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Many epidemiological and clinical studies have demonstrated a strong comorbidity between anxiety and depression, and a number of experimental studies indicates that the dopamine transporter (DAT) is involved in the pathophysiology of anxiety and depression. However, studies using laboratory animals have yielded inconclusive results. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of DAT manipulation on anxiety- and depression-like behaviors in mice. For this purpose, animals were stereotaxically injected with DAT siRNA-expressing lentiviral vectors (siDAT) in the caudate putamen (CPu) or in the nucleus accumbens (Nacc) and the behavioral outcomes were assessed using the open-field (OF), elevated-plus maze (EPM), light-dark box (LDB), sucrose preference (SPT), novelty suppressed feeding (NSF), and forced-swim (FST) tests. The results showed that in the Nacc, but not in the CPu, siDAT increased the time spent at the center of the arena and decreased the number of fecal boli in the OF test. In the EPM and LDB tests, Nacc siDAT injection increased the entries and time spent on open arms, and increased the time spent in the light side of the box, respectively, suggesting an anxiolytic-like activity. In addition, siDAT, in the Nacc, induced significant antidepressant-like effects, evidenced by increased sucrose preference, shorter latency to feed in the NSF test, and decreased immobility time in the FST. Most importantly, Pearson's test clearly showed significant correlations between DAT mRNA in the Nacc with anxiety and depression parameters. Overall, these results suggest that low DAT levels, in the Nacc, might act as protective factors against anxiety and depression. Therefore, targeting DAT activity might be a very attractive approach to tackle affective disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amine Bahi
- Department of Anatomy, Tawam Medical Campus, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
| | - Jean-Luc Dreyer
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Medicine, University of Fribourg, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
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24
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Hershey JD, Gifford JJ, Zizza LJ, Pavlenko DA, Wagner GC, Miller S. Effects of Various Cleaning Agents on the Performance of Mice in Behavioral Assays of Anxiety. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR LABORATORY ANIMAL SCIENCE 2018; 57:335-339. [PMID: 29950249 DOI: 10.30802/aalas-jaalas-17-000161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Cleaning behavioral equipment between rodent subjects is important to prevent disease transmission and reduce odor cues from previous subjects. However, the reporting regarding the cleansing procedures used during such experiments is sporadic and often incomplete. In addition, some investigators are reluctant to clean devices between subjects because they are concerned that animals will react negatively to the smell of the cleansing agents. We hypothesized that mice tested on an elevated plus maze (EPM) soiled with excretions from conspecifics would test as being more stressed than mice tested on the same apparatus that was cleaned between animals. We tested the performance of C57BL/6J mice on an EPM sanitized with 3 common cleaning agents-isopropyl alcohol, chlorine dioxide, and bleach-and on an EPM soiled with rodent urine, feces, and presumably pheromones. We further tested the potentially aversive nature of the cleansing agents by using the classic light:dark box and a 2-choice light:dark box. Our data indicate that cleaning the EPM compared with leaving it soiled did not affect performance in male or female C57 mice, nor did cleaning agent choice. In addition, test subjects did not react to the presence of the cleaning agents when incorporated into the classic light:dark test. However, in the 2-choice light:dark test, mice given the option to avoid an area containing a cleaning agent showed aversion to all 3 agents, when all other conditions were equal. Given the lack of an observable effect of cleaning on EPM performance, we recommend cleaning of the EPM device between C57 mice to minimize the potential spread of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- John D Hershey
- Comparative Medicine Resources, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey;,
| | - Janace J Gifford
- Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey
| | - Lauren J Zizza
- Office of Research Regulatory Affairs, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey
| | - Darya A Pavlenko
- Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey
| | - George C Wagner
- Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey
| | - Shoreh Miller
- Research Animal Facility, Rowan School of Medicine, Stratford, New Jersey
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25
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Bhattacharya D, Majrashi M, Ramesh S, Govindarajulu M, Bloemer J, Fujihashi A, Crump BR, Hightower H, Bhattacharya S, Moore T, Suppiramaniam V, Dhanasekaran M. Assessment of the cerebellar neurotoxic effects of nicotine in prenatal alcohol exposure in rats. Life Sci 2017; 194:177-184. [PMID: 29225110 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2017.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Revised: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The adverse effects of prenatal nicotine and alcohol exposure on human reproductive outcomes are a major scientific and public health concern. In the United States, substantial percentage of women (20-25%) of childbearing age currently smoke cigarettes and consume alcohol, and only a small percentage of these individuals quit after learning of their pregnancy. However, there are very few scientific reports on the effect of nicotine in prenatal alcohol exposure on the cerebellum of the offspring. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the cerebellar neurotoxic effects of nicotine in a rodent model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). In this study, we evaluated the behavioral changes, biochemical markers of oxidative stress and apoptosis, mitochondrial functions and the molecular mechanisms associated with nicotine in prenatal alcohol exposure on the cerebellum. Prenatal nicotine and alcohol exposure induced oxidative stress, did not affect the mitochondrial functions, increased the monoamine oxidase activity, increased caspase expression and decreased ILK, PSD-95 and GLUR1 expression without affecting the GSK-3β. Thus, our current study of prenatal alcohol and nicotine exposure on cerebellar neurotoxicity may lead to new scientific perceptions and novel and suitable therapeutic actions in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mohammed Majrashi
- Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, USA
| | - Sindhu Ramesh
- Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, USA
| | - Manoj Govindarajulu
- Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, USA
| | - Jenna Bloemer
- Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, USA
| | - Ayaka Fujihashi
- Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, USA
| | - Bailee-Ryan Crump
- Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, USA
| | - Harrison Hightower
- Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, USA
| | | | - Timothy Moore
- Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, USA
| | - Vishnu Suppiramaniam
- Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, USA
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