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Ren Y, Savadlou A, Park S, Siska P, Epp JR, Sargin D. The impact of loneliness and social isolation on the development of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's Disease. Front Neuroendocrinol 2023; 69:101061. [PMID: 36758770 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia, observed at a higher incidence in women compared with men. Treatments aimed at improving pathology in AD remain ineffective to stop disease progression. This makes the detection of the early intervention strategies to reduce future disease risk extremely important. Isolation and loneliness have been identified among the major risk factors for AD. The increasing prevalence of both loneliness and AD emphasizes the urgent need to understand this association to inform treatment. Here we present a comprehensive review of both clinical and preclinical studies that investigated loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for AD. We discuss that understanding the mechanisms of how loneliness exacerbates cognitive impairment and AD with a focus on sex differences will shed the light for the underlying mechanisms regarding loneliness as a risk factor for AD and to develop effective prevention or treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Ren
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Canada; Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Canada
| | - Aisouda Savadlou
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Canada
| | - Soobin Park
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Canada
| | - Paul Siska
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Canada
| | - Jonathan R Epp
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Canada; Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Canada
| | - Derya Sargin
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Canada; Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Canada.
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2
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Goldman AW. Olfaction in (Social) Context: The Role of Social Complexity in Trajectories of Older Adults' Olfactory Abilities. J Aging Health 2023; 35:108-124. [PMID: 35739641 DOI: 10.1177/08982643221108020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Objectives: Olfaction is an important correlate of later-life health, including cognition and mortality risk. Environmental enrichment protects against olfactory decline, yet little research considers the social context as a source of sensory enrichment or stimulation. This study examines how exposure to social complexity (i.e., diversity or novelty in social networks and activities) shapes later-life olfaction. Methods: Cross-sectional and longitudinal ordered logit models analyze data from 1,447 older adults interviewed at Rounds 1 and 2 of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. Results: Exposure to greater social complexity (larger social networks, greater network diversity) is associated with significantly better olfaction at baseline. Increases in network diversity and fewer network losses significantly protect against olfactory decline over time. Discussion: Findings highlight the social context as an important, yet relatively overlooked source of sensory enrichment, and underscore the need for biological applications to integrate social life dynamics into studies of health trajectories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa W Goldman
- Department of Sociology, 6019Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
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3
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The Long-Term Public Health Impact of Social Distancing on Brain Health: Topical Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18147307. [PMID: 34299756 PMCID: PMC8305633 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18147307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 07/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Social distancing has been a critical public health measure for the COVID-19 pandemic, yet a long history of research strongly suggests that loneliness and social isolation play a major role in several cognitive health issues. What is the true severity and extent of risks involved and what are potential approaches to balance these competing risks? This review aimed to summarize the neurological context of social isolation and loneliness in population health and the long-term effects of social distancing as it relates to neurocognitive aging, health, and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The full scope of the underlying causal mechanisms of social isolation and loneliness in humans remains unclear partly because its study is not amenable to randomized controlled trials; however, there are many detailed experimental and observational studies that may provide a hypothesis-generating theoretical framework to better understand the pathophysiology and underlying neurobiology. To address these challenges and inform future studies, we conducted a topical review of extant literature investigating associations of social isolation and loneliness with relevant biological, cognitive, and psychosocial outcomes, and provide recommendations on how to approach the need to fill key knowledge gaps in this important area of research.
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4
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Xu L, Liu J, Wroblewski KE, McClintock MK, Pinto JM. Odor Sensitivity Versus Odor Identification in Older US Adults: Associations With Cognition, Age, Gender, and Race. Chem Senses 2021; 45:321-330. [PMID: 32406505 DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjaa018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability to identify odors predicts morbidity, mortality, and quality of life. It varies by age, gender, and race and is used in the vast majority of survey and clinical literature. However, odor identification relies heavily on cognition. Other facets of olfaction, such as odor sensitivity, have a smaller cognitive component. Whether odor sensitivity also varies by these factors has not been definitively answered. We analyzed data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project, a nationally representative study of older US adults (n = 2081). Odor identification was measured using 5 validated odors presented with Sniffin' Stick pens as was odor sensitivity in a 6-dilution n-butanol constant stimuli detection test. Multivariate ordinal logistic regression modeled relationships between olfaction and age, gender, race, cognition, education, socioeconomic status, social network characteristics, and physical and mental health. Odor sensitivity was worse in older adults (P < 0.01), without gender (P = 0.56) or race (P = 0.79) differences. Odor identification was also worse in older adults, particularly men (both P ≤ 0.01), without differences by race. Decreased cognitive function was associated with worse odor identification (P ≤ 0.01) but this relationship was weaker for odor sensitivity (P = 0.02) in analyses that adjusted for other covariates. Odor sensitivity was less strongly correlated with cognitive ability than odor identification, confirming that it may be a more specific measure of peripheral olfactory processing. Investigators interested in associations between olfaction and health should consider both odor sensitivity and identification when attempting to understand underlying neurosensory mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Xu
- Pritzker School of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
| | - Jia Liu
- Beijing An Zhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, An Zhen Hospital, Beijing, China
| | | | - Martha K McClintock
- Department of Comparative Human Development, The University of Chicago, Chicago, USA.,Center on Demography and Aging, The University of Chicago, Chicago, USA.,Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, Institute for Mind and Biology, Chicago, USA
| | - Jayant M Pinto
- Section of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Chicago, Chicago, USA.,Institute for Population and Precision Health, The University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
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5
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Luo H, Song B, Xiong G, Zhang B, Zuo Z, Zhou Z, Chang X. Cadmium inhibits neural stem/progenitor cells proliferation via MitoROS-dependent AKT/GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling pathway. J Appl Toxicol 2021; 41:1998-2010. [PMID: 33977565 DOI: 10.1002/jat.4179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal widely found in the environment. Cd is also a potential neurotoxicant, and its exposure is associated with impairment of cognitive function. However, the underlying mechanisms by which Cd induces neurotoxicity are unclear. In this study, we investigated the in vitro effect of Cd on primary murine neural stem/progenitor cells (mNS/PCs) isolated from the subventricular zone. Our results show that Cd exposure leads to mNS/PCs G1/S arrest, promotes cell apoptosis, and inhibits cell proliferation. In addition, Cd increases intracellular and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) that activates mitochondrial oxidative stress, decreases ATP production, and increases mitochondrial proton leak and glycolysis rate in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, Cd exposure decreases phosphorylation of protein kinase B (AKT) and glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK3β) in mNS/PCs. In addition, pretreatment mNS/PCs with MitoTEMPO, a mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant, improves mitochondrial morphology and functions and attenuates Cd-induced inhibition of mNS/PCs proliferation. It also effectively reverses Cd-induced changes of phosphorylation of AKT and the expression of β-catenin and its downstream genes. Taken together, our data suggested that AKT/GSK3β/β-catenin signaling pathway is involved in Cd-induced mNS/PCs proliferation inhibition via MitoROS-dependent pattern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Luo
- School of Public Health and Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bo Song
- School of Public Health and Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guiya Xiong
- School of Public Health and Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bing Zhang
- School of Public Health and Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhenzi Zuo
- School of Public Health and Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhijun Zhou
- School of Public Health and Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiuli Chang
- School of Public Health and Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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6
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Du Preez A, Onorato D, Eiben I, Musaelyan K, Egeland M, Zunszain PA, Fernandes C, Thuret S, Pariante CM. Chronic stress followed by social isolation promotes depressive-like behaviour, alters microglial and astrocyte biology and reduces hippocampal neurogenesis in male mice. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 91:24-47. [PMID: 32755644 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) is one of the most commonly used, robust and translatable models for studying the neurobiological basis of major depression. Although the model currently has multiple advantages, it does not entirely follow the trajectory of the disorder, whereby depressive symptomology can often present months after exposure to stress. Furthermore, patients with depression are more likely to withdraw in response to their stressful experience, or as a symptom of their depression, and, in turn, this withdrawal/isolation can further exacerbate the stressful experience and the depressive symptomology. Therefore, we investigated the effect(s) of 6 weeks of UCMS followed by another 6 weeks of social isolation (referred to as UCMSI), on behaviour, corticosterone stress responsivity, immune system functioning, and hippocampal neurogenesis, in young adult male mice. We found that UCMSI induced several behavioural changes resembling depression but did not induce peripheral inflammation. However, UCMSI animals showed increased microglial activation in the ventral dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus and astrocyte activation in both the dorsal and ventral DG, with increased GFAP-positive cell immunoreactivity, GFAP-positive cell hypertrophy and process extension, and increased s100β-positive cell density. Moreover, UCMSI animals had significantly reduced neurogenesis in the DG and reduced levels of peripheral vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) - a trophic factor produced by astrocytes and that stimulates neurogenesis. Finally, UCMSI mice also had normal baseline corticosterone levels but a smaller increase in corticosterone following acute stress, that is, the Porsolt Swim Test. Our work gives clinically relevant insights into the role that microglial and astrocyte functioning, and hippocampal neurogenesis may play in the context of stress, social isolation and depression, offering a potentially new avenue for therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Du Preez
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK.
| | - Diletta Onorato
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Inez Eiben
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Ksenia Musaelyan
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Martin Egeland
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Patricia A Zunszain
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Cathy Fernandes
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK; MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Sandrine Thuret
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Carmine M Pariante
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
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7
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Gellner AK, Voelter J, Schmidt U, Beins EC, Stein V, Philipsen A, Hurlemann R. Molecular and neurocircuitry mechanisms of social avoidance. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 78:1163-1189. [PMID: 32997200 PMCID: PMC7904739 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-020-03649-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Humans and animals live in social relationships shaped by actions of approach and avoidance. Both are crucial for normal physical and mental development, survival, and well-being. Active withdrawal from social interaction is often induced by the perception of threat or unpleasant social experience and relies on adaptive mechanisms within neuronal networks associated with social behavior. In case of confrontation with overly strong or persistent stressors and/or dispositions of the affected individual, maladaptive processes in the neuronal circuitries and its associated transmitters and modulators lead to pathological social avoidance. This review focuses on active, fear-driven social avoidance, affected circuits within the mesocorticolimbic system and associated regions and a selection of molecular modulators that promise translational potential. A comprehensive review of human research in this field is followed by a reflection on animal studies that offer a broader and often more detailed range of analytical methodologies. Finally, we take a critical look at challenges that could be addressed in future translational research on fear-driven social avoidance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Kathrin Gellner
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jella Voelter
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Hermann-Ehlers-Str. 7, 26160, Bad Zwischenahn, Germany
| | - Ulrike Schmidt
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry Und Psychotherapy, University of Göttingen, Von-Siebold-Str. 5, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Eva Carolina Beins
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Valentin Stein
- Institute of Physiology II, University Hospital Bonn, 53115, Bonn, Germany
| | - Alexandra Philipsen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - René Hurlemann
- Division of Medical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany. .,Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Hermann-Ehlers-Str. 7, 26160, Bad Zwischenahn, Germany. .,Research Center Neurosensory Science, University of Oldenburg, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany.
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8
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Jorgensen C, Wang Z. Hormonal Regulation of Mammalian Adult Neurogenesis: A Multifaceted Mechanism. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10081151. [PMID: 32781670 PMCID: PMC7465680 DOI: 10.3390/biom10081151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Adult neurogenesis—resulting in adult-generated functioning, integrated neurons—is still one of the most captivating research areas of neuroplasticity. The addition of new neurons in adulthood follows a seemingly consistent multi-step process. These neurogenic stages include proliferation, differentiation, migration, maturation/survival, and integration of new neurons into the existing neuronal network. Most studies assessing the impact of exogenous (e.g., restraint stress) or endogenous (e.g., neurotrophins) factors on adult neurogenesis have focused on proliferation, survival, and neuronal differentiation. This review will discuss the multifaceted impact of hormones on these various stages of adult neurogenesis. Specifically, we will review the evidence for hormonal facilitation (via gonadal hormones), inhibition (via glucocorticoids), and neuroprotection (via recruitment of other neurochemicals such as neurotrophin and neuromodulators) on newly adult-generated neurons in the mammalian brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Jorgensen
- Behavioral Science Department, Utah Valley University, Orem, UT 84058, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Zuoxin Wang
- Psychology Department and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA;
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9
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Wang L, Nabi G, Zhang T, Wu Y, Li D. Potential Neurochemical and Neuroendocrine Effects of Social Distancing Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2020; 11:582288. [PMID: 33162938 PMCID: PMC7580381 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.582288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Yuefeng Wu
- *Correspondence: Yuefeng Wu, ; Dongming Li,
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10
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Excitation/inhibition imbalance and impaired neurogenesis in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. Rev Neurosci 2019; 30:807-820. [DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2019-0014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance controls the synaptic inputs to prevent the inappropriate responses of neurons to input strength, and is required to restore the initial pattern of network activity. Various neurotransmitters affect synaptic plasticity within neural networks via the modulation of neuronal E/I balance in the developing and adult brain. Less is known about the role of E/I balance in the control of the development of the neural stem and progenitor cells in the course of neurogenesis and gliogenesis. Recent findings suggest that neural stem and progenitor cells appear to be the target for the action of GABA within the neurogenic or oligovascular niches. The same might be true for the role of neuropeptides (i.e. oxytocin) in neurogenic niches. This review covers current understanding of the role of E/I balance in the regulation of neuroplasticity associated with social behavior in normal brain, and in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases. Further studies are required to decipher the GABA-mediated regulation of postnatal neurogenesis and synaptic integration of newly-born neurons as a potential target for the treatment of brain diseases.
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11
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Herrera-Morales WV, Herrera-Solís A, Núñez-Jaramillo L. Sexual Behavior and Synaptic Plasticity. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2019; 48:2617-2631. [PMID: 31270644 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-019-01483-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Revised: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 06/01/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Although sex drive is present in many animal species, sexual behavior is not static and, like many other behaviors, can be modified by experience. This modification relies on synaptic plasticity, a sophisticated mechanism through which neurons change how they process a given stimulus, and the neurophysiological basis of learning. This review addresses the main plastic effects of steroid sex hormones in the central nervous system (CNS) and the effects of sexual experience on the CNS, including effects on neurogenesis, intracellular signaling, gene expression, and changes in dendritic spines, as well as behavioral changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy Verónica Herrera-Morales
- División de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Quintana Roo, Av. Erick Paolo Martínez S/N esquina Av 4 de marzo. Colonia Magisterial, 77039, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - Andrea Herrera-Solís
- Laboratorio Efectos Terapéuticos de los Canabinoides, Subdirección de Investigación Biomédica, Hospital General Dr. Manuel Gea González, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Luis Núñez-Jaramillo
- División de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Quintana Roo, Av. Erick Paolo Martínez S/N esquina Av 4 de marzo. Colonia Magisterial, 77039, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico.
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12
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The Impact of Ethologically Relevant Stressors on Adult Mammalian Neurogenesis. Brain Sci 2019; 9:brainsci9070158. [PMID: 31277460 PMCID: PMC6680763 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci9070158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Revised: 06/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Adult neurogenesis—the formation and functional integration of adult-generated neurons—remains a hot neuroscience topic. Decades of research have identified numerous endogenous (such as neurotransmitters and hormones) and exogenous (such as environmental enrichment and exercise) factors that regulate the various neurogenic stages. Stress, an exogenous factor, has received a lot of attention. Despite the large number of reviews discussing the impact of stress on adult neurogenesis, no systematic review on ethologically relevant stressors exists to date. The current review details the effects of conspecifically-induced psychosocial stress (specifically looking at the lack or disruption of social interactions and confrontation) as well as non-conspecifically-induced stress on mammalian adult neurogenesis. The underlying mechanisms, as well as the possible functional role of the altered neurogenesis level, are also discussed. The reviewed data suggest that ethologically relevant stressors reduce adult neurogenesis.
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13
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Pregnancy Promotes Maternal Hippocampal Neurogenesis in Guinea Pigs. Neural Plast 2019; 2019:5765284. [PMID: 31097956 PMCID: PMC6487096 DOI: 10.1155/2019/5765284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Revised: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Adult neurogenesis in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) modulates cognition and behavior in mammals, while motherhood is associated with cognitive and behavioral changes essential for the care of the young. In mice and rats, hippocampal neurogenesis is reported to be reduced or unchanged during pregnancy, with few data available from other species. In guinea pigs, pregnancy lasts ~9 weeks; we set to explore if hippocampal neurogenesis is altered in these animals, relative to gestational stages. Time-pregnant primigravidas (3-5 months old) and age-matched nonpregnant females were examined, with neurogenic potential evaluated via immunolabeling of Ki67, Sp8, doublecortin (DCX), and neuron-specific nuclear antigen (NeuN) combined with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) birth-dating. Relative to control, subgranular Ki67, Sp8, and DCX-immunoreactive (+) cells tended to increase from early gestation to postpartum and peaked at the late gestational stage. In BrdU pulse-chasing experiments in nonpregnant females surviving for different time points (2-120 days), BrdU+ cells in the DG colocalized with DCX partially from 2 to 42 days (most frequently at 14-30 days) and with NeuN increasingly from 14 to 120 days. In pregnant females that received BrdU at early, middle, and late gestational stages and survived for 42 days, the density of BrdU+ cells in the DG was mostly high in the late gestational group. The rates of BrdU/DCX and BrdU/NeuN colocalization were similar among these groups and comparable to those among the corresponding control group. Together, the findings suggest that pregnancy promotes maternal hippocampal neurogenesis in guinea pigs, at least among primigravidas.
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14
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Abstract
Adult neurogenesis continues to captivate the curiosity of the scientific community; and researchers seem to have a particular interest in identifying the functional implications of such plasticity. While the majority of research focuses on the association between adult neurogenesis and learning and memory (including spatial learning associated with hippocampal neurogenesis and olfactory discrimination associated with neurogenesis in the olfactory system), the following review will explore the link to motivated behaviors. In particular, goal-directed behaviors such as sociosexual, parental, aggressive, as well as depression- and anxiety-like behaviors and their reciprocal association to adult neurogenesis will be evaluated. The review will detail research in humans and other mammalian species. Furthermore, the potential mechanisms underlying these neurogenic alterations will be highlighted. Lastly, the review will conclude with a discussion on the functional significance of these newly generated cells in mediating goal-directed behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Jorgensen
- Behavioral Science Department, Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah, USA
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15
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Coppola F. Valuing Emotions in Punishment: an Argument for Social Rehabilitation with the Aid of Social and Affective Neuroscience. NEUROETHICS-NETH 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s12152-018-9393-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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16
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Mumtaz F, Khan MI, Zubair M, Dehpour AR. Neurobiology and consequences of social isolation stress in animal model-A comprehensive review. Biomed Pharmacother 2018; 105:1205-1222. [PMID: 30021357 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2018.05.086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 200] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2017] [Revised: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain is a vital organ, susceptible to alterations under genetic influences and environmental experiences. Social isolation (SI) acts as a stressor which results in alterations in reactivity to stress, social behavior, function of neurochemical and neuroendocrine system, physiological, anatomical and behavioral changes in both animal and humans. During early stages of life, acute or chronic SIS has been proposed to show signs and symptoms of psychiatric and neurological disorders such as anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, epilepsy and memory loss. Exposure to social isolation stress induces a variety of endocrinological changes including the activation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, culminating in the release of glucocorticoids (GCs), release of catecholamines, activation of the sympatho-adrenomedullary system, release of Oxytocin and vasopressin. In several regions of the central nervous system (CNS), SIS alters the level of neurotransmitter such as dopamine, serotonin, gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate, nitrergic system and adrenaline as well as leads to alteration in receptor sensitivity of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and opioid system. A change in the function of oxidative and nitrosative stress (O&NS) mediated mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammatory factors, neurotrophins and neurotrophicfactors (NTFs), early growth response transcription factor genes (Egr) and C-Fos expression are also involved as a pathophysiological consequences of SIS which induce neurological and psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faiza Mumtaz
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Experimental Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Muhammad Imran Khan
- Department of Pharmacy, Kohat University of Science and Technology, 26000 Kohat, KPK, Pakistan; Drug Detoxification Health Welfare Research Center, Bannu, KPK, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Zubair
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agriculture University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Ahmad Reza Dehpour
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Experimental Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Oosthuizen MK. From Mice to Mole-Rats: Species-Specific Modulation of Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:602. [PMID: 29163007 PMCID: PMC5670158 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Rodent populations living in their natural environments have very diverse ecological and life history profiles that may differ substantially from that of conventional laboratory rodents. Free-living rodents show species-specific neurogenesis that are dependent on their unique biology and ecology. This perspective aims to illustrate the benefit of studying wild rodent species in conjunction with laboratory rodents. African mole-rats are discussed in terms of habitat complexity, social structures, and longevity. African mole-rats are a group of subterranean rodents, endemic to Africa, that show major differences in both intrinsic and extrinsic traits compared to the classical rodent models. Mole-rats exhibit a spectrum of sociality within a single family, ranging from solitary to eusocial. This continuum of sociality provides a platform for comparative testing of hypotheses. Indeed, species differences are apparent both in learning ability and hippocampal neurogenesis. In addition, social mole-rat species display a reproductive division of labor that also results in differential hippocampal neurogenesis, independent of age, offering further scope for comparison. In conclusion, it is evident that neurogenesis studies on conventional laboratory rodents are not necessarily representative, specifically because of a lack of diversity in life histories, uniform habitats, and low genetic variability. The observed level of adult neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus is the result of an intricate balance between many contributing factors, which appear to be specific to distinct groups of animals. The ultimate understanding of the functional and adaptive role of adult neurogenesis will involve research on both laboratory animals and natural rodent populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria K Oosthuizen
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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18
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Pereira M. Structural and Functional Plasticity in the Maternal Brain Circuitry. New Dir Child Adolesc Dev 2017; 2016:23-46. [PMID: 27589496 DOI: 10.1002/cad.20163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Parenting recruits a distributed network of brain structures (and neuromodulators) that coordinates caregiving responses attuned to the young's affect, needs, and developmental stage. Many of these structures and connections undergo significant structural and functional plasticity, mediated by the interplay between maternal hormones and social experience while the reciprocal relationship between the mother and her infant forms and develops. These alterations account for the remarkable behavioral plasticity of mothers. This review will examine the molecular and neurobiological modulation and plasticity through which parenting develops and adjusts in new mothers, primarily discussing recent findings in nonhuman animals. A better understanding of how parenting impacts the brain at the molecular, cellular, systems/network, and behavioral levels is likely to significantly contribute to novel strategies for treating postpartum neuropsychiatric disorders in new mothers, and critical for both the mother's physiological and mental health and the development and well-being of her young.
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19
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Chan JNM, Lee JCD, Lee SSP, Hui KKY, Chan AHL, Fung TKH, Sánchez-Vidaña DI, Lau BWM, Ngai SPC. Interaction Effect of Social Isolation and High Dose Corticosteroid on Neurogenesis and Emotional Behavior. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:18. [PMID: 28270754 PMCID: PMC5318437 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2016] [Accepted: 01/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypercortisolemia is one of the clinical features found in depressed patients. This clinical feature has been mimicked in animal studies via application of exogenous corticosterone (CORT). Previous studies suggested that CORT can induce behavioral disturbance in anxious-depressive like behavior, which is associated with suppressed neurogenesis. Hippocampal neurogenesis plays an important role in adult cognitive and behavioral regulation. Its suppression may thus lead to neuropsychiatric disorders. Similar to the effects of CORT on the animals’ depression-like behaviors and neurogenesis, social deprivation has been regarded as one factor that predicts poor prognosis in depression. Furthermore, social isolation is regarded as a stressor to social animals including experimental rodents. Hence, this study aims to examine if social isolation would induce further emotional or anxiety-like behavior disturbance and suppress neurogenesis in an experimental model that was repeatedly treated with CORT. Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study to determine the effects of different housing conditions, either social isolated or group housing, in vehicle-treated control and CORT-treated animals. Forced swimming test (FST), open field test (OFT) and social interaction test (SIT) were used to assess depression-like, anxiety-like and social behaviors respectively. Immunohistochemistry was performed to quantify the number of proliferative cells and immature neurons in the hippocampus, while dendritic maturation of immature neurons was analyzed by Sholl analysis. Social isolation reduced latency to immobility in FST. Furthermore, social isolation could significantly reduce the ratio of doublecortin and bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) positive cells of the neurogenesis assay under CORT-treated condition. The current findings suggested that the behavioral and neurological effect of social isolation is dependent on the condition of hypercortisolemia. Furthermore, social isolation may possibly augment the signs and symptoms of depressed patients with potential alteration in neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jackie N-M Chan
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Jada C-D Lee
- Department of Ophthalmology, The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Sylvia S P Lee
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Katy K Y Hui
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Alan H L Chan
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Timothy K-H Fung
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Dalinda I Sánchez-Vidaña
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Benson W-M Lau
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Shirley P-C Ngai
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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20
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Lieberwirth C, Pan Y, Liu Y, Zhang Z, Wang Z. Hippocampal adult neurogenesis: Its regulation and potential role in spatial learning and memory. Brain Res 2016; 1644:127-40. [PMID: 27174001 PMCID: PMC5064285 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2016.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2015] [Revised: 05/05/2016] [Accepted: 05/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Adult neurogenesis, defined here as progenitor cell division generating functionally integrated neurons in the adult brain, occurs within the hippocampus of numerous mammalian species including humans. The present review details various endogenous (e.g., neurotransmitters) and environmental (e.g., physical exercise) factors that have been shown to influence hippocampal adult neurogenesis. In addition, the potential involvement of adult-generated neurons in naturally-occurring spatial learning behavior is discussed by summarizing the literature focusing on traditional animal models (e.g., rats and mice), non-traditional animal models (e.g., tree shrews), as well as natural populations (e.g., chickadees and Siberian chipmunk).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yongliang Pan
- Program in Molecular and Translational Medicine, School of Medicine, Huzhou University, Huzhou 313000, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, PR China.
| | - Yan Liu
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1270, USA
| | - Zhibin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, PR China
| | - Zuoxin Wang
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1270, USA
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21
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He Z, Cui L, Paule MG, Ferguson SA. Estrogen Selectively Mobilizes Neural Stem Cells in the Third Ventricle Stem Cell Niche of Postnatal Day 21 Rats. Mol Neurobiol 2016; 52:927-33. [PMID: 26041664 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-015-9244-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The neuroprotective properties of stem cells have been described for various pathophysiological states. Here, we determined the effects of exogenous perinatal estrogen treatment on endogenous neural stem cell activity in the third ventricle stem cell niche (3VSCN) and the caudal third ventricle (C3V). Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were gavaged with ethinyl estradiol (EE2, 10 μg/kg/day) or vehicle on gestational days 6-21, and their offspring were similarly treated from birth to weaning on postnatal day 21. At weaning, neural stem cell activity was investigated using the stem cell markers nestin, Ki-67, phosphohistone H3 (PHH3), and doublecortin (DCX). The 3VSCN was characterized by nestin labeling, but little DCX labeling, while both the subventricular (SVZ) and subgranular zones (SGZ) displayed robust DCX expression. Ki-67 cell counts in the 3VSCN were 2.2 to 6.4 times those of the C3V. In the 3VSCN, EE2 treatment significantly increased Ki-67, PHH3, and co-labeled cell counts by 135-207 %, effects which appeared stronger in females. EE2 treatment had only marginally significant effects in the C3V, mildly increasing PHH3 and co-labeled cell counts. Perinatal estrogen treatment selectively increased and mobilized proliferative cells in the 3VSCN at weaning, potentially providing increased neuroprotection. Because PHH3 cells are thought to be in the mitotic phase of the cell cycle and Ki-67 cells can be found in most phases of the cycle, the effect of estrogen treatment on 3VSCN cells appears to involve enhancement of mitosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen He
- HFT-132, Division of Neurotoxicology, National Center for Toxicological Research/FDA, 3900 NCTR Road, Jefferson, AR, 72079, USA,
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22
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Trading new neurons for status: Adult hippocampal neurogenesis in eusocial Damaraland mole-rats. Neuroscience 2016; 324:227-37. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2015] [Revised: 02/19/2016] [Accepted: 03/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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23
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Holmes MM. Social regulation of adult neurogenesis: A comparative approach. Front Neuroendocrinol 2016; 41:59-70. [PMID: 26877107 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2016.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2015] [Revised: 02/07/2016] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The social environment sculpts the mammalian brain throughout life. Adult neurogenesis, the birth of new neurons in the mature brain, can be up- or down-regulated by various social manipulations. These include social isolation, social conflict, social status, socio-sexual interactions, and parent/offspring interactions. However, socially-mediated changes in neuron production are often species-, sex-, and/or region-specific. In order to reconcile the variability of social effects on neurogenesis, we need to consider species-specific social adaptations and other contextual variables (e.g. age, social status, reproductive status, etc.) that shift the valence of social stimuli. Using a comparative approach to understand how adult-generated neurons in turn influence social behaviors will shed light on how adult neurogenesis contributes to survival and reproduction in diverse species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa M Holmes
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Canada; Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Canada; Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Canada.
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24
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Leuner B, Sabihi S. The birth of new neurons in the maternal brain: Hormonal regulation and functional implications. Front Neuroendocrinol 2016; 41:99-113. [PMID: 26969795 PMCID: PMC4942360 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2016.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2015] [Revised: 02/25/2016] [Accepted: 02/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The maternal brain is remarkably plastic and exhibits multifaceted neural modifications. Neurogenesis has emerged as one of the mechanisms by which the maternal brain exhibits plasticity. This review highlights what is currently known about peripartum-associated changes in adult neurogenesis and the underlying hormonal mechanisms. We also consider the functional consequences of neurogenesis in the peripartum brain and extent to which this process may play a role in maternal care, cognitive function and postpartum mood. Finally, while most work investigating the effects of parenting on adult neurogenesis has focused on mothers, a few studies have examined fathers and these results are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedetta Leuner
- The Ohio State University, Department of Psychology, Columbus, OH, USA; The Ohio State University, Department of Neuroscience, Columbus, OH, USA; The Ohio State University, Behavioral Neuroendocrinology Group, Columbus, OH, USA.
| | - Sara Sabihi
- The Ohio State University, Department of Psychology, Columbus, OH, USA
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25
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Spritzer MD, Curtis MG, DeLoach JP, Maher J, Shulman LM. Sexual interactions with unfamiliar females reduce hippocampal neurogenesis among adult male rats. Neuroscience 2016; 318:143-56. [PMID: 26794592 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2015] [Revised: 01/05/2016] [Accepted: 01/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Recent experiments have shown that sexual interactions prior to cell proliferation cause an increase in neurogenesis in adult male rats. Because adult neurogenesis is critical for some forms of memory, we hypothesized that sexually induced changes in neurogenesis may be involved in mate recognition. Sexually naive adult male rats were either exposed repeatedly to the same sexual partner (familiar group) or to a series of novel sexual partners (unfamiliar group), while control males never engaged in sexual interactions. Ovariectomized female rats were induced into estrus every four days. Males were given two injections of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) (200mg/kg) to label proliferating cells, and the first sexual interactions occurred three days later. Males in the familiar and unfamiliar groups engaged in four, 30-min sexual interactions at four-day intervals, and brain tissue was collected the day after the last sexual interaction. Immunohistochemistry followed by microscopy was used to quantify BrdU-labeled cells. Sexual interactions with unfamiliar females caused a significant reduction in neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus compared to males that interacted with familiar females and compared to the control group. The familiar group showed no difference in neurogenesis compared to the control group. Males in the familiar group engaged in significantly more sexual behavior (ejaculations and intromissions) than did males in the unfamiliar group, suggesting that level of sexual activity may influence neurogenesis levels. In a second experiment, we tested whether this effect was unique to sexual interactions by replicating the entire procedure using anestrus females. We found that interactions with unfamiliar anestrus females reduced neurogenesis relative to the other groups, but this effect was not statistically significant. In combination, these results indicate that interactions with unfamiliar females reduce adult neurogenesis and the effect is stronger for sexual interactions than for social interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- M D Spritzer
- Department of Biology, Middlebury College, McCardell Bicentennial Hall, Middlebury, VT 05753, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Middlebury College, McCardell Bicentennial Hall, Middlebury, VT 05753, USA.
| | - M G Curtis
- Program in Neuroscience, Middlebury College, McCardell Bicentennial Hall, Middlebury, VT 05753, USA.
| | - J P DeLoach
- Department of Biology, Middlebury College, McCardell Bicentennial Hall, Middlebury, VT 05753, USA.
| | - J Maher
- Program in Neuroscience, Middlebury College, McCardell Bicentennial Hall, Middlebury, VT 05753, USA.
| | - L M Shulman
- Program in Neuroscience, Middlebury College, McCardell Bicentennial Hall, Middlebury, VT 05753, USA.
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26
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Pan Y, Liu Y, Lieberwirth C, Zhang Z, Wang Z. Species differences in behavior and cell proliferation/survival in the adult brains of female meadow and prairie voles. Neuroscience 2015; 315:259-70. [PMID: 26708743 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.12.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2015] [Revised: 12/10/2015] [Accepted: 12/14/2015] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Microtine rodents display diverse patterns of social organization and behaviors, and thus provide a useful model for studying the effects of the social environment on physiology and behavior. The current study compared the species differences and the effects of oxytocin (OT) on anxiety-like, social affiliation, and social recognition behaviors in female meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) and prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). Furthermore, cell proliferation and survival in the brains of adult female meadow and prairie voles were compared. We found that female meadow voles displayed a higher level of anxiety-like behavior but lower levels of social affiliation and social recognition compared to female prairie voles. In addition, meadow voles showed lower levels of cell proliferation (measured by Ki67 staining) and cell survival (measured by BrdU staining) in the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) and amygdala (AMY), but not the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus (DG), than prairie voles. Interestingly, the numbers of new cells in the VMH and AMY, but not DG, also correlated with anxiety-like, social affiliation, and social recognition behaviors in a brain region-specific manner. Finally, central OT treatment (200 ng/kg, icv) did not lead to changes in behavior or cell proliferation/survival in the brain. Together, these data indicate a potential role of cell proliferation/survival in selected brain areas on different behaviors between vole species with distinct life strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Pan
- Program in Molecular and Translational Medicine, School of Medicine, Huzhou University, Huzhou 313000, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, PR China; Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1270, USA
| | - Y Liu
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1270, USA
| | - C Lieberwirth
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1270, USA; Behavioral Science Department, Utah Valley University, Orem, UT, 84058, USA
| | - Z Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, PR China
| | - Z Wang
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1270, USA.
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27
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Social isolation increases cell proliferation in male and cell survival in female California mice (Peromyscus californicus). Physiol Behav 2015; 151:570-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.08.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2014] [Revised: 05/28/2015] [Accepted: 08/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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28
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Sexton CA. The overlooked potential for social factors to improve effectiveness of brain-computer interfaces. Front Syst Neurosci 2015; 9:70. [PMID: 25999824 PMCID: PMC4422002 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2015.00070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2015] [Accepted: 04/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl Ann Sexton
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University, School of Medicine Winston-Salem, NC, USA
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29
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Amrein I. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis in natural populations of mammals. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2015; 7:7/5/a021295. [PMID: 25934014 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a021295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
This review will discuss adult hippocampal neurogenesis in wild mammals of different taxa and outline similarities with and differences from laboratory animals. It begins with a review of evidence for hippocampal neurogenesis in various mammals, and shows the similar patterns of age-dependent decline in cell proliferation in wild and domesticated mammals. In contrast, the pool of immature neurons that originate from proliferative activity varies between species, implying a selective advantage for mammals that can make use of a large number of these functionally special neurons. Furthermore, rapid adaptation of hippocampal neurogenesis to experimental challenges appears to be a characteristic of laboratory rodents. Wild mammals show species-specific, rather stable hippocampal neurogenesis, which appears related to demands that characterize the niche exploited by a species rather than to acute events in the life of its members. Studies that investigate adult neurogenesis in wild mammals are not numerous, but the findings of neurogenesis under natural conditions can provide new insights, and thereby also address the question to which cognitive demands neurogenesis may respond during selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irmgard Amrein
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Zürich-Irchel, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland
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30
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Kapoor R, Fanibunda SE, Desouza LA, Guha SK, Vaidya VA. Perspectives on thyroid hormone action in adult neurogenesis. J Neurochem 2015; 133:599-616. [DOI: 10.1111/jnc.13093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2014] [Revised: 02/18/2015] [Accepted: 02/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Richa Kapoor
- Department of Biological Sciences; Tata Institute of Fundamental Research; Mumbai India
| | - Sashaina E. Fanibunda
- Department of Biological Sciences; Tata Institute of Fundamental Research; Mumbai India
| | - Lynette A. Desouza
- Department of Biological Sciences; Tata Institute of Fundamental Research; Mumbai India
| | - Suman K. Guha
- Department of Biological Sciences; Tata Institute of Fundamental Research; Mumbai India
| | - Vidita A. Vaidya
- Department of Biological Sciences; Tata Institute of Fundamental Research; Mumbai India
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31
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Beery AK, Kaufer D. Stress, social behavior, and resilience: insights from rodents. Neurobiol Stress 2015; 1:116-127. [PMID: 25562050 PMCID: PMC4281833 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2014.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 239] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2014] [Accepted: 10/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The neurobiology of stress and the neurobiology of social behavior are deeply intertwined. The social environment interacts with stress on almost every front: social interactions can be potent stressors; they can buffer the response to an external stressor; and social behavior often changes in response to stressful life experience. This review explores mechanistic and behavioral links between stress, anxiety, resilience, and social behavior in rodents, with particular attention to different social contexts. We consider variation between several different rodent species and make connections to research on humans and non-human primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annaliese K. Beery
- Department of Psychology, Department of Biology, Neuroscience Program, Smith College, Northampton, MA, USA
| | - Daniela Kaufer
- Department of Integrative Biology, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
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32
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Abstract
Social isolation has been recognized as a major risk factor for morbidity and mortality in humans for more than a quarter century. The brain is the key organ of social connections and processes, however, and the same objective social relationship can be experienced as caring and protective or as exploitive and isolating. We review evidence that the perception of social isolation (i.e., loneliness) impacts brain and behavior and is a risk factor for broad-based morbidity and mortality. However, the causal role of loneliness on neural mechanisms and mortality is difficult to test conclusively in humans. Mechanistic animal studies provide a lens through which to evaluate the neurological effects of a member of a social species living chronically on the social perimeter. Experimental studies show that social isolation produces significant changes in brain structures and processes in adult social animals. These effects are not uniform across the brain or across species but instead are most evident in brain regions that reflect differences in the functional demands of solitary versus social living for a particular species. The human and animal literatures have developed independently, however, and significant gaps also exist. The current review underscores the importance of integrating human and animal research to delineate the mechanisms through which social relationships impact the brain, health, and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Cacioppo
- High Performance Electrical NeuroImaging (HPEN) Laboratory of the Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience, and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago
| | - John P Capitanio
- California National Primate Research Center and Department of Psychology, University of California-Davis
| | - John T Cacioppo
- High Performance Electrical NeuroImaging (HPEN) Laboratory of the Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience, and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago
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Involvement of pregnane xenobiotic receptor in mating-induced allopregnanolone formation in the midbrain and hippocampus and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the hippocampus among female rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2014; 231:3375-90. [PMID: 24781516 PMCID: PMC4135012 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-014-3569-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2013] [Accepted: 03/31/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Given that the pregnane neurosteroid, 5α-pregnan-3α-ol-20-one (3α,5α-THP), is increased following behavioral challenges (e.g., mating), and that there is behavioral-induced biosynthesis of 3α,5α-THP in midbrain and mesocorticolimbic structures, 3α,5α-THP likely has a role in homeostasis and motivated reproduction and reproduction-related behaviors (e.g., affect, affiliation). The role of pregnane xenobiotic receptor (PXR), involved in cholesterol metabolism, for these effects is of continued interest. OBJECTIVES We hypothesized that there would be differences in brain levels of 3α,5α-THP following varied behavioral experiences, an effect abrogated by knockdown of PXR in the midbrain. METHODS Proestrous rats were infused with PXR antisense oligonucleotides (AS-ODNs) or vehicle to the ventral tegmental area before different behavioral manipulations and assessments. Endpoints were expression levels of PXR in the midbrain, 3α,5α-THP, and ovarian steroids (estradiol, progesterone, dihydroprogesterone) in the midbrain, striatum, hippocampus, hypothalamus, prefrontal cortex, and plasma. RESULTS Across experiments, knocking down PXR reduced PXR expression and 3α,5α-THP levels in the midbrain and hippocampus. There were differences in terms of the behavioral manipulations, such that paced mating had the most robust effects to increase 3α,5α-THP levels and reduce open field exploration and social interaction. An additional question that was addressed is whether brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a downstream factor for regulating effects of behavioral-induced 3α,5α-THP biosynthesis. Rats infused with PXR AS-ODNs had lower levels of BDNF in the hippocampus. CONCLUSION Thus, PXR may be a regulator of mating-induced 3α,5α-THP formation and behavioral changes and neural plasticity, such as BDNF.
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Amrein I, Becker AS, Engler S, Huang SH, Müller J, Slomianka L, Oosthuizen MK. Adult neurogenesis and its anatomical context in the hippocampus of three mole-rat species. Front Neuroanat 2014; 8:39. [PMID: 24904308 PMCID: PMC4033039 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2014.00039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2014] [Accepted: 04/30/2014] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
African mole-rats (family Bathyergidae) are small to medium sized, long-lived, and strictly subterranean rodents that became valuable animal models as a result of their longevity and diversity in social organization. The formation and integration of new hippocampal neurons in adult mammals (adult hippocampal neurogenesis, AHN) correlates negatively with age and positively with habitat complexity. Here we present quantitative data on AHN in wild-derived mole-rats of 1 year and older, and briefly describe its anatomical context including markers of neuronal function (calbindin and parvalbumin). Solitary Cape mole-rats (Georychus capensis), social highveld mole-rats (Cryptomys hottentotus pretoriae), and eusocial naked mole-rats (Heterocephalus glaber) were assessed. Compared to other rodents, the hippocampal formation in mole-rats is small, but shows a distinct cytoarchitecture in the dentate gyrus and CA1. Distributions of the calcium-binding proteins differ from those seen in rodents; e.g., calbindin in CA3 of naked mole-rats distributes similar to the pattern seen in early primate development, and calbindin staining extends into the stratum lacunosum-moleculare of Cape mole-rats. Proliferating cells and young neurons are found in low numbers in the hippocampus of all three mole-rat species. Resident granule cell numbers are low as well. Proliferating cells expressed as a percentage of resident granule cells are in the range of other rodents, while the percentage of young neurons is lower than that observed in surface dwelling rodents. Between mole-rat species, we observed no difference in the percentage of proliferating cells. The percentages of young neurons are high in social highveld and naked mole-rats, and low in solitary Cape mole-rats. The findings support that proliferation is regulated independently of average life expectancy and habitat. Instead, neuronal differentiation reflects species-specific demands, which appear lower in subterranean rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irmgard Amrein
- Division of Functional Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy, University of ZürichZürich, Switzerland
| | - Anton S. Becker
- Division of Functional Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy, University of ZürichZürich, Switzerland
| | - Stefanie Engler
- Division of Functional Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy, University of ZürichZürich, Switzerland
| | - Shih-hui Huang
- Division of Functional Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy, University of ZürichZürich, Switzerland
| | - Julian Müller
- Division of Functional Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy, University of ZürichZürich, Switzerland
| | - Lutz Slomianka
- Division of Functional Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy, University of ZürichZürich, Switzerland
| | - Maria K. Oosthuizen
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of PretoriaPretoria, South Africa
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Peragine D, Simpson J, Mooney S, Lovern M, Holmes M. Social regulation of adult neurogenesis in a eusocial mammal. Neuroscience 2014; 268:10-20. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.02.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2013] [Revised: 01/27/2014] [Accepted: 02/26/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Pan Y, Li M, Lieberwirth C, Wang Z, Zhang Z. Social defeat and subsequent isolation housing affect behavior as well as cell proliferation and cell survival in the brains of male greater long-tailed hamsters. Neuroscience 2014; 265:226-37. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.01.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2013] [Revised: 01/28/2014] [Accepted: 01/29/2014] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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Liu Y, Lieberwirth C, Jia X, Curtis JT, Meredith M, Wang ZX. Chemosensory cues affect amygdaloid neurogenesis and alter behaviors in the socially monogamous prairie vole. Eur J Neurosci 2014; 39:1632-41. [PMID: 24641515 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2013] [Revised: 01/24/2014] [Accepted: 01/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The current study examined the effects of pheromonal exposure on adult neurogenesis and revealed the role of the olfactory pathways on adult neurogenesis and behavior in the socially monogamous prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster). Subjects were injected with a cell proliferation marker [5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU)] and then exposed to their own soiled bedding or bedding soiled by a same- or opposite-sex conspecific. Exposure to opposite-sex bedding increased BrdU labeling in the amygdala (AMY), but not the dentate gyrus (DG), of female, but not male, voles, indicating a sex-, stimulus-, and brain region-specific effect. The removal of the main olfactory bulbs or lesioning of the vomeronasal organ (VNOX) in females reduced BrdU labeling in the AMY and DG, and inhibited the male bedding-induced BrdU labeling in the AMY, revealing the importance of an intact olfactory pathway for amygdaloid neurogenesis. VNOX increased anxiety-like behavior and altered social preference, but it did not affect social recognition memory in female voles. VNOX also reduced the percentage of BrdU-labeled cells that co-expressed the neuronal marker TuJ1 in the AMY, but not the DG. Together, our data indicate the importance of the olfactory pathway in mediating brain plasticity in the limbic system as well as its role in behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Liu
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, 1107 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, 1107 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
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38
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Grégoire CA, Bonenfant D, Le Nguyen A, Aumont A, Fernandes KJL. Untangling the influences of voluntary running, environmental complexity, social housing and stress on adult hippocampal neurogenesis. PLoS One 2014; 9:e86237. [PMID: 24465980 PMCID: PMC3900491 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0086237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2013] [Accepted: 12/10/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmental enrichment (EE) exerts powerful effects on brain physiology, and is widely used as an experimental and therapeutic tool. Typical EE paradigms are multifactorial, incorporating elements of physical exercise, environmental complexity, social interactions and stress, however the specific contributions of these variables have not been separable using conventional housing paradigms. Here, we evaluated the impacts of these individual variables on adult hippocampal neurogenesis by using a novel "Alternating EE" paradigm. For 4 weeks, adult male CD1 mice were alternated daily between two enriched environments; by comparing groups that differed in one of their two environments, the individual and combinatorial effects of EE variables could be resolved. The Alternating EE paradigm revealed that (1) voluntary running for 3 days/week was sufficient to increase both mitotic and post-mitotic stages of hippocampal neurogenesis, confirming the central importance of exercise; (2) a complex environment (comprised of both social interactions and rotated inanimate objects) had no effect on neurogenesis itself, but enhanced depolarization-induced c-Fos expression (attributable to social interactions) and buffered stress-induced plasma corticosterone levels (attributable to inanimate objects); and (3) neither social isolation, group housing, nor chronically increased levels of plasma corticosterone had a prolonged impact on neurogenesis. Mouse strain, handling and type of running apparatus were tested and excluded as potential confounding factors. These findings provide valuable insights into the relative effects of key EE variables on adult neurogenesis, and this "Alternating EE" paradigm represents a useful tool for exploring the contributions of individual EE variables to mechanisms of neural plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine-Alexandra Grégoire
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Groupe de recherche sur le système nerveux central (GRSNC), and Center of Excellence in Neuroscience of the Université de Montréal (CENUM), Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - David Bonenfant
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Groupe de recherche sur le système nerveux central (GRSNC), and Center of Excellence in Neuroscience of the Université de Montréal (CENUM), Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Adalie Le Nguyen
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Groupe de recherche sur le système nerveux central (GRSNC), and Center of Excellence in Neuroscience of the Université de Montréal (CENUM), Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Anne Aumont
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Groupe de recherche sur le système nerveux central (GRSNC), and Center of Excellence in Neuroscience of the Université de Montréal (CENUM), Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Karl J. L. Fernandes
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Groupe de recherche sur le système nerveux central (GRSNC), and Center of Excellence in Neuroscience of the Université de Montréal (CENUM), Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
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Dunlap KD, Chung M, Castellano JF. Influence of long-term social interaction on chirping behavior, steroid levels and neurogenesis in weakly electric fish. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 216:2434-41. [PMID: 23761468 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.082875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Social interactions dramatically affect the brain and behavior of animals. Studies in birds and mammals indicate that socially induced changes in adult neurogenesis participate in the regulation of social behavior, but little is known about this relationship in fish. Here, we review studies in electric fish (Apteronotus leptorhychus) that link social stimulation, changes in electrocommunication behavior and adult neurogenesis in brain regions associated with electrocommunication. Compared with isolated fish, fish living in pairs have greater production of chirps, an electrocommunication signal, during dyadic interactions and in response to standardized artificial social stimuli. Social interaction also promotes neurogenesis in the periventricular zone, which contributes born cells to the prepacemaker nucleus, the brain region that regulates chirping. Both long-term chirp rate and periventricular cell addition depend on the signal dynamics (amplitude and waveform variation), modulations (chirps) and novelty of the stimuli from the partner fish. Socially elevated cortisol levels and cortisol binding to glucocorticoid receptors mediate, at least in part, the effect of social interaction on chirping behavior and brain cell addition. In a closely related electric fish (Brachyhypopomus gauderio), social interaction enhances cell proliferation specifically in brain regions for electrocommunication and only during the breeding season, when social signaling is most elaborate. Together, these studies demonstrate a consistent correlation between brain cell addition and environmentally regulated chirping behavior across many social and steroidal treatments and suggest a causal relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kent D Dunlap
- Department of Biology, Trinity College, Hartford, CT 06106, USA.
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Monteiro BM, Moreira FA, Massensini AR, Moraes MF, Pereira GS. Enriched environment increases neurogenesis and improves social memory persistence in socially isolated adult mice. Hippocampus 2013; 24:239-48. [DOI: 10.1002/hipo.22218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2013] [Revised: 09/25/2013] [Accepted: 09/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Brisa M.M. Monteiro
- Núcleo de Neurociências; Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica; Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Brazil
| | | | - André R. Massensini
- Núcleo de Neurociências; Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica; Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Brazil
| | - Márcio F.D. Moraes
- Núcleo de Neurociências; Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica; Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Brazil
| | - Grace S. Pereira
- Núcleo de Neurociências; Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica; Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Brazil
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Sorteni C, Clavenzani P, De Giorgio R, Portnoy O, Sirri R, Mordenti O, Di Biase A, Parmeggiani A, Menconi V, Chiocchetti R. Enteric neuroplasticity in seawater-adapted European eel (Anguilla anguilla). J Anat 2013; 224:180-91. [PMID: 24433383 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/26/2013] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
European eels live most of their lives in freshwater until spawning migration to the Sargasso Sea. During seawater adaptation, eels modify their physiology, and their digestive system adapts to the new environment, drinking salt water to compensate for the continuous water loss. In that period, eels stop feeding until spawning. Thus, the eel represents a unique model to understand the adaptive changes of the enteric nervous system (ENS) to modified salinity and starvation. To this purpose, we assessed and compared the enteric neuronal density in the cranial portion of the intestine of freshwater eels (control), lagoon eels captured in brackish water before their migration to the Sargasso Sea (T0), and starved seawater eels hormonally induced to sexual maturity (T18; 18 weeks of starvation and treatment with standardized carp pituitary extract). Furthermore, we analyzed the modification of intestinal neuronal density of hormonally untreated eels during prolonged starvation (10 weeks) in seawater and freshwater. The density of myenteric (MP) and submucosal plexus (SMP) HuC/D-immunoreactive (Hu-IR) neurons was assessed in wholemount preparations and cryosections. The number of MP and SMP HuC/D-IR neurons progressively increased from the freshwater to the salty water habitat (control > T0 > T18; P < 0.05). Compared with freshwater eels, the number of MP and SMP HuC/D-IR neurons significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the intestine of starved untreated salt water eels. In conclusion, high salinity evokes enteric neuroplasticity as indicated by the increasing number of HuC/D-IR MP and SMP neurons, a mechanism likely contributing to maintaining the body homeostasis of this fish in extreme conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Sorteni
- Department of Veterinary Medical Science (UNI EN ISO 9001:2008), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; Centro interdipartimentale di ricerca sull'alimentazione umana, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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Lieberwirth C, Wang Y, Jia X, Liu Y, Wang Z. Fatherhood reduces the survival of adult-generated cells and affects various types of behavior in the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster ). Eur J Neurosci 2013; 38:3345-55. [PMID: 23899240 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2013] [Revised: 06/23/2013] [Accepted: 06/25/2013] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Motherhood has profound effects on physiology, neuronal plasticity, and behavior. We conducted a series of experiments to test the hypothesis that fatherhood, similarly to motherhood, affects brain plasticity (such as cell proliferation and survival) and various behaviors in the highly social prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster). In Experiment 1, adult males were housed with their same-sex cage mate (control), single-housed (isolation), or housed with a receptive female to mate and produce offspring (father) for 6 weeks. Fatherhood significantly reduced cell survival (assessed by bromodeoxyuridine labeling), but not cell proliferation (assessed by Ki67-labeling), in the amygdala, dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, and ventromedial hypothalamus, suggesting that fatherhood affects brain plasticity. In Experiment 2, neither acute (20 min) nor chronic (20 min daily for 10 consecutive days) pup exposure altered cell proliferation or survival in the brain, but chronic pup exposure increased circulating corticosterone levels. These data suggest that reduced cell survival in the brain of prairie vole fathers was unlikely to be due to the level of pup exposure and display of paternal behavior, and may not be mediated by circulating corticosterone. The effects of fatherhood on various behaviors (including anxiety-like, depression-like, and social behaviors) were examined in Experiment 3. The data indicated that fatherhood increased anxiety- and depression-like behaviors as well as altered aggression and social recognition memory in male prairie voles. These results warrant further investigation of a possible link between brain plasticity and behavioral changes observed due to fatherhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Lieberwirth
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, 1107 West Call Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32306-1270, USA
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Mura G, Carta MG. Physical activity in depressed elderly. A systematic review. Clin Pract Epidemiol Ment Health 2013; 9:125-35. [PMID: 24009640 PMCID: PMC3758953 DOI: 10.2174/1745017901309010125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2013] [Revised: 06/06/2013] [Accepted: 06/07/2013] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Background: exercise may reduce depressive symptoms both in healthy aged populations and in old patients diagnosed with MDD, but few specific analysis were conducted on the efficacy of exercise as an adjunctive treatment with antidepressants, which may be probably more useful in clinical practice, considered the high prevalence of treatment resistant depression in late life, the low cost and safety of physical activity interventions. Objective: to establish the new findings on the effectiveness of exercise on depression in elderlies, with particular focus on the efficacy of the exercise as an adjunctive treatment with antidepressants drug therapy. Method: the search of significant articles was carried out in PubMed/Medline with the following key words: “exercise”, “physical activity”, “physical fitness”, “depressive disorder”, “depression”, “depressive symptoms”, “late life”, “old people”, and “elderly”. Results: 44 papers were retrieved by the search. Among the 10 included randomized controlled trials, treatment allocation was adequately conceived in 4 studies, intention-to-treat analysis was performed in 6 studies, but no study had a double-blinded assessment. We examined and discussed the results of all these trials. Conclusion: in the last 20 years, few progresses were done in showing the efficacy of exercise on depression, due in part to the persistent lack of high quality research, in part to clinical issues of management of depression in late life, in part to the difficult to establish the real effectiveness of exercise on depressive symptoms in elderlies. However, there are some promising findings on physical activity combined with antidepressants in treatment resistant late life depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gioia Mura
- Department of Public Health and Clinical and Molecular Medicine, University of Cagliari, Italy
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Wu JH, Han YT, Yu JY, Wang TW. Pheromones from males of different familiarity exert divergent effects on adult neurogenesis in the female accessory olfactory bulb. Dev Neurobiol 2013; 73:632-45. [PMID: 23696538 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2013] [Revised: 03/15/2013] [Accepted: 05/10/2013] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Pheromones from urine of unfamiliar conspecific male animals can reinitiate a female's estrus cycle to cause pregnancy block through the vomeronasal organ (VNO)-accessory olfactory bulb (AOB)-hypothalamic pathway. This phenomenon is called the Bruce effect. Pheromones from the mate of the female, however, do not trigger re-entrance of the estrus cycle because an olfactory memory toward its mate is formed. The activity of the VNO-AOB-hypothalamic pathway is negatively modulated by GABAergic granule cells in the AOB. Since these cells are constantly replenished by neural stem cells in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricle throughout adulthood and adult neurogenesis is required for mate recognition and fertility, we tested the hypothesis that pheromones from familiar and unfamiliar males may have different effects on adult AOB neurogenesis in female mice. When female mice were exposed to bedding used by a male or lived with one, cell proliferation and neuroblast production in the SVZ were increased. Furthermore, survival of newly generated cells in the AOB was enhanced. This survival effect was transient and mediated by norepinephrine. Interestingly, male bedding-induced newborn cell survival in the AOB but not cell proliferation in the SVZ was attenuated when females were subjected to bedding from an unfamiliar male. Our results indicate that male pheromones from familiar and unfamiliar males exert different effects on neurogenesis in the adult female AOB. Given that adult neurogenesis is required for reproductive behaviors, these divergent pheromonal effects may provide a mechanism for the Bruce effect. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 73: 632-645, 2013.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyun-Han Wu
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, 116, Taiwan
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Markowitsch HJ. Memory and self-neuroscientific landscapes. ISRN NEUROSCIENCE 2013; 2013:176027. [PMID: 24967303 PMCID: PMC4045540 DOI: 10.1155/2013/176027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2013] [Accepted: 04/22/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Relations between memory and the self are framed from a number of perspectives-developmental aspects, forms of memory, interrelations between memory and the brain, and interactions between the environment and memory. The self is seen as dividable into more rudimentary and more advanced aspects. Special emphasis is laid on memory systems and within them on episodic autobiographical memory which is seen as a pure human form of memory that is dependent on a proper ontogenetic development and shaped by the social environment, including culture. Self and episodic autobiographical memory are seen as interlocked in their development and later manifestation. Aside from content-based aspects of memory, time-based aspects are seen along two lines-the division between short-term and long-term memory and anterograde-future-oriented-and retrograde-past-oriented memory. The state dependency of episodic autobiographical is stressed and implications of it-for example, with respect to the occurrence of false memories and forensic aspects-are outlined. For the brain level, structural networks for encoding, consolidation, storage, and retrieval are discussed both by referring to patient data and to data obtained in normal participants with functional brain imaging methods. It is elaborated why descriptions from patients with functional or dissociative amnesia are particularly apt to demonstrate the facets in which memory, self, and personal temporality are interwoven.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans J. Markowitsch
- Physiological Psychology, University of Bielefeld, Universitaetsstraße 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
- Center of Excellence “Cognitive Interaction Technology” (CITEC), University of Bielefeld, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
- Hanse Institute of Advanced Science, P. O. Box 1344, 27733 Delmenhorst, Germany
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