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Shekhar N, Thakur AK. Evaluation of the protective effect of capric acid on behavioral and biochemical alterations in valproic acid-induced model of autism. Neurochem Int 2024; 177:105767. [PMID: 38750962 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2024.105767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024]
Abstract
AIM AND OBJECTIVE The purpose of the study is to determine the neuroprotective effect of capric acid on sodium valproate-induced model of autism. METHODS In this study, the effect of CA was observed in animals with single dose of valproic acid (600 mg/kg, i. p.) where the disease condition was confirmed by developmental impairment in pups. Behavioral tests that assess anxiety, depression, stereotypical and repetitive behavior, social interaction, learning and memory, and other confounding variables were performed. Subsequently, oxidative stress parameters, pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and mitochondrial complex activities in the selected brain regions were analyzed. RESULTS Valproic acid successfully produced autism-like symptoms from post-natal day 7 and also demonstrated impairment in social behavior, learning and memory, and anxiety and depression. Valproic acid was found to produce oxidative stress and neuro-inflammation in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and cerebellum. Treatment with capric acid produced a positive effect on the alterations with maximum effects evident at 400 mg/kg, p. o. through amelioration of behavioral as well as biochemical changes. CONCLUSION The current study concluded that capric acid could act as a likely candidate for the treatment and management of autism via significant modulation of neurobehavioral parameters, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammatory markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikhila Shekhar
- Neuropharmacology Research Laboratory, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University, New Delhi, 110 017, India
| | - Ajit Kumar Thakur
- Neuropharmacology Research Laboratory, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University, New Delhi, 110 017, India.
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Sakaguchi K, Tawata S. Giftedness and atypical sexual differentiation: enhanced perceptual functioning through estrogen deficiency instead of androgen excess. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1343759. [PMID: 38752176 PMCID: PMC11094242 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1343759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Syndromic autism spectrum conditions (ASC), such as Klinefelter syndrome, also manifest hypogonadism. Compared to the popular Extreme Male Brain theory, the Enhanced Perceptual Functioning model explains the connection between ASC, savant traits, and giftedness more seamlessly, and their co-emergence with atypical sexual differentiation. Overexcitability of primary sensory inputs generates a relative enhancement of local to global processing of stimuli, hindering the abstraction of communication signals, in contrast to the extraordinary local information processing skills in some individuals. Weaker inhibitory function through gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptors and the atypicality of synapse formation lead to this difference, and the formation of unique neural circuits that process external information. Additionally, deficiency in monitoring inner sensory information leads to alexithymia (inability to distinguish one's own emotions), which can be caused by hypoactivity of estrogen and oxytocin in the interoceptive neural circuits, comprising the anterior insular and cingulate gyri. These areas are also part of the Salience Network, which switches between the Central Executive Network for external tasks and the Default Mode Network for self-referential mind wandering. Exploring the possibility that estrogen deficiency since early development interrupts GABA shift, causing sensory processing atypicality, it helps to evaluate the co-occurrence of ASC with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, and schizophrenia based on phenotypic and physiological bases. It also provides clues for understanding the common underpinnings of these neurodevelopmental disorders and gifted populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kikue Sakaguchi
- Research Department, National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education (NIAD-QE), Kodaira-shi, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shintaro Tawata
- Graduate School of Human Sciences, Sophia University, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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Tan C, Song H, Ma S, Liu X, Zhao Y. Autistic Traits and Aggressive Behavior in Chinese College Students: A Serial Mediation Model and the Gender Difference. Psychol Res Behav Manag 2024; 17:1385-1397. [PMID: 38529081 PMCID: PMC10962467 DOI: 10.2147/prbm.s451028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The existence of aggressive behavior in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) raises questions about whether cognitive and emotional factors in social information processing play a role between autistic traits (ATs) and aggressive behavior in the general population, especially in the context of Chinese culture. Moreover, given a possible gender difference in these variables, the study aimed to examine the effect of ATs on aggressive behavior, and the potential mediating role of hostile attribution bias and alexithymia on this association, as well as gender difference. Methods 850 Chinese college students participated in the assessment, including their ATs, hostile attribution bias, alexithymia, and aggressive behavior. Pearson correlation, mediation effects analyses, and multiple-group comparison were conducted. Results The results indicated that ATs indirectly predicted increased aggressive behavior through attribution bias and alexithymia. Gender difference in mediating effects was revealed: ATs indirectly predicted increased aggressive behavior through the serial mediating effect only in males. Conclusion Hostile attribution bias and alexithymia completely mediated the association between ATs and aggressive behavior, which contained the separate mediating effects of (a) hostile attribution bias and (b) alexithymia and the serial mediating effect of (c) hostile attribution bias and alexithymia. Gender differences in mediating effects were found only in the serial mediating effect, which was significant in males but not in females. The findings revealed the internal mechanism of ATs affecting aggressive behavior and gender difference, which have implications for the intervention of aggressive behavior of individuals with autism and those with high levels of ATs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenghui Tan
- Department of Psychology, Renmin University of China, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huan Song
- School of Educational Science, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang, People’s Republic of China
- School of Education, Soochow University, Suzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shanshan Ma
- School of Education, Soochow University, Suzhou, People’s Republic of China
- School of Marxism, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xinyu Liu
- School of Education, Soochow University, Suzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Psychology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuan Zhao
- Police Officer Academy, Shandong University of Political Science and Law, Jinan, People’s Republic of China
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Zarate-Lopez D, Torres-Chávez AL, Gálvez-Contreras AY, Gonzalez-Perez O. Three Decades of Valproate: A Current Model for Studying Autism Spectrum Disorder. Curr Neuropharmacol 2024; 22:260-289. [PMID: 37873949 PMCID: PMC10788883 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x22666231003121513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with increased prevalence and incidence in recent decades. Its etiology remains largely unclear, but it seems to involve a strong genetic component and environmental factors that, in turn, induce epigenetic changes during embryonic and postnatal brain development. In recent decades, clinical studies have shown that inutero exposure to valproic acid (VPA), a commonly prescribed antiepileptic drug, is an environmental factor associated with an increased risk of ASD. Subsequently, prenatal VPA exposure in rodents has been established as a reliable translational model to study the pathophysiology of ASD, which has helped demonstrate neurobiological changes in rodents, non-human primates, and brain organoids from human pluripotent stem cells. This evidence supports the notion that prenatal VPA exposure is a valid and current model to replicate an idiopathic ASD-like disorder in experimental animals. This review summarizes and describes the current features reported with this animal model of autism and the main neurobiological findings and correlates that help elucidate the pathophysiology of ASD. Finally, we discuss the general framework of the VPA model in comparison to other environmental and genetic ASD models.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Zarate-Lopez
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, School of Psychology, University of Colima, Colima 28040, México
- Physiological Science Ph.D. Program, School of Medicine, University of Colima, Colima 28040, Mexico
| | - Ana Laura Torres-Chávez
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, School of Psychology, University of Colima, Colima 28040, México
- Physiological Science Ph.D. Program, School of Medicine, University of Colima, Colima 28040, Mexico
| | - Alma Yadira Gálvez-Contreras
- Department of Neuroscience, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, México
| | - Oscar Gonzalez-Perez
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, School of Psychology, University of Colima, Colima 28040, México
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Yenkoyan K, Ounanian Z, Mirumyan M, Hayrapetyan L, Zakaryan N, Sahakyan R, Bjørklund G. Advances in the Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Current and Promising Strategies. Curr Med Chem 2024; 31:1485-1511. [PMID: 37888815 PMCID: PMC11092563 DOI: 10.2174/0109298673252910230920151332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an umbrella term for developmental disorders characterized by social and communication impairments, language difficulties, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors. Current management approaches for ASD aim to resolve its clinical manifestations based on the type and severity of the disability. Although some medications like risperidone show potential in regulating ASD-associated symptoms, a comprehensive treatment strategy for ASD is yet to be discovered. To date, identifying appropriate therapeutic targets and treatment strategies remains challenging due to the complex pathogenesis associated with ASD. Therefore, a comprehensive approach must be tailored to target the numerous pathogenetic pathways of ASD. From currently viable and basic treatment strategies, this review explores the entire field of advancements in ASD management up to cutting-edge modern scientific research. A novel systematic and personalized treatment approach is suggested, combining the available medications and targeting each symptom accordingly. Herein, summarize and categorize the most appropriate ways of modern ASD management into three distinct categories: current, promising, and prospective strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantin Yenkoyan
- Neuroscience Laboratory, Cobrain Center, Yerevan State Medical University after M. Heratsi, Yerevan, Armenia
- Department of Biochemistry, Yerevan State Medical University after M. Heratsi, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Zadik Ounanian
- Neuroscience Laboratory, Cobrain Center, Yerevan State Medical University after M. Heratsi, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Margarita Mirumyan
- Neuroscience Laboratory, Cobrain Center, Yerevan State Medical University after M. Heratsi, Yerevan, Armenia
- Department of Biochemistry, Yerevan State Medical University after M. Heratsi, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Liana Hayrapetyan
- Neuroscience Laboratory, Cobrain Center, Yerevan State Medical University after M. Heratsi, Yerevan, Armenia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital and Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Naira Zakaryan
- Department of Biochemistry, Yerevan State Medical University after M. Heratsi, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Raisa Sahakyan
- Department of Biochemistry, Yerevan State Medical University after M. Heratsi, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Geir Bjørklund
- Department of Research, Council for Nutritional and Environmental Medicine, Mo i Rana, Norway
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Seyedinia SA, Tarahomi P, Abbarin D, Sedaghat K, Rashidy-Pour A, Yaribeygi H, Vafaei AA, Raise-Abdullahi P. Saffron and crocin ameliorate prenatal valproic acid-induced autistic-like behaviors and brain oxidative stress in the male offspring rats. Metab Brain Dis 2023; 38:2231-2241. [PMID: 37566156 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-023-01275-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Autism is a neurobehavioral disease that induces cognitive and behavioral alterations, usually accompanied by oxidative stress in the brain. Crocus sativus (saffron) and its active ingredient, crocin, have potent antioxidative effects that may benefit autistic behaviors. This study aimed to determine the effects of saffron extract and crocin against brain oxidative stress and behavioral, motor, and cognitive deficits in an animal model of autism in male offspring rats. 14 female rats were randomly divided into the saline and valproic acid (VPA) groups. Then, they were placed with mature male rats to mate and produce offspring. VPA (500 mg/kg, i.p.) was injected on day 12.5 of pregnancy (gestational day, GD 12.5) to induce an experimental model of autism. 48 male pups were left undisturbed for 29 days. First-round behavioral tests (before treatments) were performed on 30-33 post-natal days (PND), followed by 28 days of treatment (PND 34-61) with saffron (30 mg/kg, IP), crocin (15 or 30 mg/kg, i.p.), or saline (2 ml/kg, i.p.). The second round of behavioral tests (after treatments) was performed on PND 62-65 to assess the effects of the treatments on behavioral and cognitive features. In the end, animals were sacrificed under deep anesthesia, and their brains were dissected to evaluate the brain oxidative stress parameters, including malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and catalase (CAT). VPA injection into female rats increased anxiety-like behaviors, enhanced pain threshold, impaired motor functions, disturbed balance power, increased MDA, and decreased GSH and CAT in their male offspring. 28 days of treatment with saffron or crocin significantly ameliorated behavioral abnormalities, reduced MDA, and increased GSH and CAT levels. Brain oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathophysiology of autistic-like behaviors. Saffron and crocin ameliorate anxiety-like behaviors, pain responses, motor functions, and brain oxidative stress parameters in an experimental model of autism. Saffron and crocin may hold promise as herbal-based pharmacological treatments for individuals with autism. However, further histological evidence is needed to confirm their efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyed Ali Seyedinia
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Parnia Tarahomi
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Davood Abbarin
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Katayoun Sedaghat
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Ali Rashidy-Pour
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Habib Yaribeygi
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Abbas Ali Vafaei
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.
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Mishra A, Singla R, Kumar R, Sharma A, Joshi R, Sarma P, Kaur G, Prajapat M, Bhatia A, Medhi B. Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor Improved Core Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder via Modulating Glutamatergic Receptors in the Prefrontal Cortex and Hippocampus of Rat Brains. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:2942-2961. [PMID: 36166499 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic neuroinflammation-induced anomalous glutamate receptor activation has been identified as one of the important factors in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Thus, the current study was designed to elucidate the neuroprotective effect of the granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), a haemopoietic growth factor, an anti-inflammatory, and a neuroprotectant to decipher the underlying mechanism(s) in the valproic acid (VPA)-induced experimental model of ASD. Experimentally, the ASD rat model was induced by a single dose of VPA (600 mg/kg; i.p.) on gestation day 12.5 to the pregnant female rats. After birth, pups were treated with vehicle, normal saline 0.9% i.p., risperidone (2.5 mg/kg; i.p.), and G-CSF (10, 35, and 70 μg/kg; i.p.) from postnatal day (PND) 23 to 43. All the groups were subjected to various developmental and behavior tests from birth. The rats were sacrificed on PND 55, and their brain was excised and processed for biochemical parameters (oxidative stress, inflammatory markers, BDNF), histological examination (H&E, Nissl staining), NMDA, and AMPA receptor expression by immunohistochemistry, western blot, and real-time polymerase chain reaction evaluation. Also, the possible interaction of the G-CSF with NMDA and AMPA receptors was evaluated using the in-silico method. The results of the study showed that in VPA-exposed rats, postnatal treatment of G-CSF rescued all the behavioral abnormalities, oxidative stress, and inflammatory parameters in a dose-dependent manner while risperidone did not show any significant results. The in-silico analysis showed the direct interaction of G-CSF with NMDA and AMPA receptors. The upregulated expression of NMDA and AMPA both in the prefrontal cortex as well as hippocampus was alleviated by G-CSF thereby validating its anti-inflammatory and excitoprotective properties. Thus, G-CSF demonstrated neuroprotection against the core symptoms of autism in the VPA-induced rodent model, making it a potential candidate for the treatment of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek Mishra
- Department of Pharmacology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh160012, India
| | - Rubal Singla
- Department of Pharmacology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh160012, India
| | - Rohit Kumar
- Department of Pharmacology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh160012, India
| | - AmitRaj Sharma
- Department of Neurology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh160012, India
| | - Rupa Joshi
- Department of Pharmacology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh160012, India
| | - Phulen Sarma
- Department of Pharmacology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh160012, India
| | - Gurjeet Kaur
- Department of Pharmacology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh160012, India
| | - Manisha Prajapat
- Department of Pharmacology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh160012, India
| | - Alka Bhatia
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Biotechnology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh160012, India
| | - Bikash Medhi
- Department of Pharmacology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh160012, India
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Derieux C, Léauté A, Brugoux A, Jaccaz D, Terrier C, Pin JP, Kniazeff J, Le Merrer J, Becker JAJ. Chronic sodium bromide treatment relieves autistic-like behavioral deficits in three mouse models of autism. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:1680-1692. [PMID: 35418620 PMCID: PMC9283539 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01317-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are neurodevelopmental disorders whose diagnosis relies on deficient social interaction and communication together with repetitive behavior. To date, no pharmacological treatment has been approved that ameliorates social behavior in patients with ASD. Based on the excitation/inhibition imbalance theory of autism, we hypothesized that bromide ions, long used as an antiepileptic medication, could relieve core symptoms of ASD. We evaluated the effects of chronic sodium bromide (NaBr) administration on autistic-like symptoms in three genetic mouse models of autism: Oprm1-/-, Fmr1-/- and Shank3Δex13-16-/- mice. We showed that chronic NaBr treatment relieved autistic-like behaviors in these three models. In Oprm1-/- mice, these beneficial effects were superior to those of chronic bumetanide administration. At transcriptional level, chronic NaBr in Oprm1 null mice was associated with increased expression of genes coding for chloride ions transporters, GABAA receptor subunits, oxytocin and mGlu4 receptor. Lastly, we uncovered synergistic alleviating effects of chronic NaBr and a positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of mGlu4 receptor on autistic-like behavior in Oprm1-/- mice. We evidenced in heterologous cells that bromide ions behave as PAMs of mGlu4, providing a molecular mechanism for such synergy. Our data reveal the therapeutic potential of bromide ions, alone or in combination with a PAM of mGlu4 receptor, for the treatment of ASDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cécile Derieux
- grid.464126.30000 0004 0385 4036Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, INRAE UMR0085, CNRS UMR7247, IFCE, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37380 Nouzilly, France ,grid.12366.300000 0001 2182 6141UMR1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, CNRS, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Parc de Grandmont, 37200 Tours, France ,grid.121334.60000 0001 2097 0141Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle (IGF), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, Inserm, 34094 Montpellier, France
| | - Audrey Léauté
- grid.464126.30000 0004 0385 4036Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, INRAE UMR0085, CNRS UMR7247, IFCE, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - Agathe Brugoux
- grid.464126.30000 0004 0385 4036Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, INRAE UMR0085, CNRS UMR7247, IFCE, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37380 Nouzilly, France ,grid.12366.300000 0001 2182 6141UMR1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, CNRS, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Parc de Grandmont, 37200 Tours, France
| | - Déborah Jaccaz
- Unité Expérimentale de Physiologie Animale de l’Orfrasière, INRAE UE0028, 37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - Claire Terrier
- grid.464126.30000 0004 0385 4036Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, INRAE UMR0085, CNRS UMR7247, IFCE, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37380 Nouzilly, France ,grid.12366.300000 0001 2182 6141UMR1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, CNRS, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Parc de Grandmont, 37200 Tours, France
| | - Jean-Philippe Pin
- grid.121334.60000 0001 2097 0141Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle (IGF), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, Inserm, 34094 Montpellier, France
| | - Julie Kniazeff
- grid.121334.60000 0001 2097 0141Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle (IGF), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, Inserm, 34094 Montpellier, France
| | - Julie Le Merrer
- Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, INRAE UMR0085, CNRS UMR7247, IFCE, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37380, Nouzilly, France. .,UMR1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, CNRS, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Parc de Grandmont, 37200, Tours, France.
| | - Jerome A. J. Becker
- grid.464126.30000 0004 0385 4036Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, INRAE UMR0085, CNRS UMR7247, IFCE, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37380 Nouzilly, France ,grid.12366.300000 0001 2182 6141UMR1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, CNRS, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Parc de Grandmont, 37200 Tours, France
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Abhishek M, Rubal S, Rohit K, Rupa J, Phulen S, Gurjeet K, Raj SA, Manisha P, Alka B, Ramprasad P, Bikash M. Neuroprotective effect of the standardised extract of Bacopa monnieri (BacoMind) in valproic acid model of autism spectrum disorder in rats. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2022; 293:115199. [PMID: 35346813 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2022.115199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Bacopa monnieri (BM) is commonly employed in the Indian traditional system of medicines, i.e. Ayurveda as a memory booster, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, analgesic, sedative and anti-epileptic for decades. AIM OF THE STUDY To evaluate the neuroprotective effect of Bacopa monnieri (BM) in experimental model of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Wistar rats and explore its mechanism of action. MATERIALS AND METHODS BacoMind, was evaluated for its neuroprotective effect in valproic acid (VPA) model of ASD. For in-vivo study, the pregnant female Wistar rats were divided in two groups; normal control (NC) and VPA group who received single dose of normal saline (0.9%) or 600 mg/kg dose of VPA respectively on gestation day (G.D) 12.5. After the birth, all pups were segregated according to the sex. All the male pups from the dams were divided into six groups: Group 1 (NC, treated with only 0.9% normal saline, group 2 (VPA, treated 600 mg/kg on G.D12.5 and normal saline from post natal day (PND) 23 to 43), group 3 (risperidone 2.5 mg/kg, PND 23 to 43) and groups 4, 5 and 6 (BM 20, 40, 80 mg/kg, PND 23 to 43). All experimental groups were subjected to batteries of behavior parameters (three chamber sociability test, Morris Water Maze, elevated plus maze, open field and rota rod test), biochemical parameters such as oxidative stress (GSH, SOD, Catalase, MDA), inflammatory cytokines (Il-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α), histopathological examination (cresyl violet staining) of hippocampus (HC) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) regions. Further, the mRNA as well as protein expression of AMPA receptor was evaluated using RT-PCR and western blot respectively to study the mechanism of neuroprotective effect of BM. The in-silico analysis followed evaluating the binding profile of different constituents of BacoMind with AMPA receptor. RESULTS The results of the in-vivo study indicated BM at 80 mg/kg ameliorated abnormal behavioral paradigms such as social deficits, repetitive behavior, learning and memory impairments, and motor coordination exhibited by the VPA model of ASD in rats. Furthermore, BM was found to have a significant anti-oxidant (increasing GSH, SOD, and catalase and decreasing MDA levels) and anti-inflammatory properties (decreasing IL-1β, 6, TNF- α). The histopathological score was also found to be significantly improved by BM in a dose dependent manner in both HC and PFC. In addition to this, the up-regulated mRNA as well as protein expression of AMPA receptor was significantly reduced by 80 mg/kg dose of BM in both HC and PFC. Further, the in-silico analysis of different constituents of BacoMind with AMPA receptor demonstrated that luteolin and apigenin showed good binding to both the competitive antagonist binding site, non-competitive antagonist binding site and allosteric modulator site while Bacosaponin C showed good binding to the non-competitive antagonist binding site. CONCLUSION The present study concluded that BM can be a potential candidate for ameliorating the ASD symptoms in rats and acts via modulating the up-regulated AMPA receptor expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mishra Abhishek
- Dept. of Pharmacology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
| | - Singla Rubal
- Dept. of Pharmacology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
| | - Kumar Rohit
- Dept. of Pharmacology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
| | - Joshi Rupa
- Dept. of Pharmacology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
| | - Sarma Phulen
- Dept. of Pharmacology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
| | - Kaur Gurjeet
- Dept. of Pharmacology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
| | - Sharma Amit Raj
- Dept. of Neurology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
| | - Prajapat Manisha
- Dept. of Pharmacology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
| | - Bhatia Alka
- Dept. of Experimental Medicine and Biotechnology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
| | | | - Medhi Bikash
- Dept. of Pharmacology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
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10
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Tsurugizawa T. Translational Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Autism Spectrum Disorder From the Mouse Model to Human. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:872036. [PMID: 35585926 PMCID: PMC9108701 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.872036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous syndrome characterized by behavioral features such as impaired social communication, repetitive behavior patterns, and a lack of interest in novel objects. A multimodal neuroimaging using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with ASD shows highly heterogeneous abnormalities in function and structure in the brain associated with specific behavioral features. To elucidate the mechanism of ASD, several ASD mouse models have been generated, by focusing on some of the ASD risk genes. A specific behavioral feature of an ASD mouse model is caused by an altered gene expression or a modification of a gene product. Using these mouse models, a high field preclinical MRI enables us to non-invasively investigate the neuronal mechanism of the altered brain function associated with the behavior and ASD risk genes. Thus, MRI is a promising translational approach to bridge the gap between mice and humans. This review presents the evidence for multimodal MRI, including functional MRI (fMRI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and volumetric analysis, in ASD mouse models and in patients with ASD and discusses the future directions for the translational study of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomokazu Tsurugizawa
- Human Informatics and Interaction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
- Faculty of Engineering, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- *Correspondence: Tomokazu Tsurugizawa,
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11
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Scala M, Grasso EA, Di Cara G, Riva A, Striano P, Verrotti A. The Pathophysiological Link Between Reelin and Autism: Overview and New Insights. Front Genet 2022; 13:869002. [PMID: 35422848 PMCID: PMC9002092 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.869002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Reelin is a secreted extracellular matrix protein playing pivotal roles in neuronal migration and cortical stratification during embryonal brain development. In the adult brain, its activity is crucial for synaptic plasticity, memory processing, and cognition. Genetic alterations in RELN have been variably reported as possible contributors to the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). In particular, GCCs repeats in the 5′UTR, and single nucleotide polymorphysms (SNPs) in RELN have been suggested to affect brain development and predispose to autism. We reviewed pertinent literature on RELN expression and haplotypes transmission in children with ASD, critically analyzing available evidence in support of the pathophysiological association between Reelin deficiency and ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcello Scala
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal, and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppe Di Cara
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Pediatric Clinic, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Antonella Riva
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal, and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Pasquale Striano
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal, and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alberto Verrotti
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Pediatric Clinic, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
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12
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The Emerging Role of the Gut-Brain-Microbiota Axis in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1383:141-156. [PMID: 36587154 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-05843-1_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD; autism) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder associated with changes in gut-brain axis communication. Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are experienced by a large proportion of individuals diagnosed with autism. Several mutations associated with autism modify cellular communication via neuronal synapses. It has been suggested that modifications to the enteric nervous system, an intrinsic nervous system of the GI tract, could contribute to GI dysfunction. Changes in gut motility, permeability, and the mucosal barrier as well as shifts in the large population of microbes inhabiting the GI tract could contribute to GI symptoms. Preclinical research has demonstrated that mice expressing the well-studied R451C missense mutation in Nlgn3 gene, which encodes cell adhesion protein neuroligin-3 at neuronal synapses, exhibit GI dysfunction. Specifically, NL3R451C mice show altered colonic motility and faster small intestinal transit. As well as dysmotility, macrophages located within the gut-associated lymphoid tissue of the NL3R451C mouse caecum show altered morphology, suggesting that neuro-inflammation pathways are modified in this model. Interestingly, NL3R451C mice maintained in a shared environment demonstrate fecal microbial dysbiosis indicating a role for the nervous system in regulating gut microbial populations. To better understand host-microbe interactions, further clarification and comparison of clinical and animal model profiles of dysbiosis should be obtained, which in turn will provide better insights into the efforts taken to design personalized microbial therapies. In addition to changes in neurophysiological measures, the mucosal component of the GI barrier may contribute to GI dysfunction more broadly in individuals diagnosed with a wide range of neurological disorders. As the study of GI dysfunction advances to encompass multiple components of the gut-brain-microbiota axis, findings will help understand future directions such as microbiome engineering and optimisation of the mucosal barrier for health.
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13
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Fertan E, Wong AA, Purdon MK, Weaver ICG, Brown RE. The effect of background strain on the behavioral phenotypes of the MDGA2 +/- mouse model of autism spectrum disorder. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2020; 20:e12696. [PMID: 32808443 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The membrane-associated mucin (MAM) domain containing glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor 2 protein single knock-out mice (MDGA2+/- ) are models of ASD. We examined the behavioral phenotypes of male and female MDGA2+/- and wildtype mice on C57BL6/NJ and C57BL6/N backgrounds at 2 months of age and measured MDGA2, neuroligin 1 and neuroligin 2 levels at 7 months. Mice on the C57BL6/NJ background performed better than those on the C57BL6/N background in visual ability and in learning and memory performance in the Morris water maze and differed in measures of motor behavior and anxiety. Mice with the MDGA2+/- genotype differed from WT mice in motor, social and repetitive behavior and anxiety, but most of these effects involved interactions between MDGA2+/- genotype and background strain. The background strain also influenced MDGA2 levels and NLGN2 association in MDGA2+/- mice. Our findings emphasize the importance of the background strain used in studies of genetically modified mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emre Fertan
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Aimée A Wong
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Michaela K Purdon
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Ian C G Weaver
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.,Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.,Brain Repair Centre, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Richard E Brown
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.,Brain Repair Centre, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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14
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Missig G, McDougle CJ, Carlezon WA. Sleep as a translationally-relevant endpoint in studies of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Neuropsychopharmacology 2020; 45:90-103. [PMID: 31060044 PMCID: PMC6879602 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-019-0409-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 04/19/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Sleep has numerous advantages for aligning clinical and preclinical (basic neuroscience) studies of neuropsychiatric illness. Sleep has high translational relevance, because the same endpoints can be studied in humans and laboratory animals. In addition, sleep experiments are conducive to continuous data collection over long periods (hours/days/weeks) and can be based on highly objective neurophysiological measures. Here, we provide a translationally-oriented review on what is currently known about sleep in the context of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including ASD-related conditions, thought to have genetic, environmental, or mixed etiologies. In humans, ASD is frequently associated with comorbid medical conditions including sleep disorders. Animal models used in the study of ASD frequently recapitulate dysregulation of sleep and biological (diurnal, circadian) rhythms, suggesting common pathophysiologies across species. As our understanding of the neurobiology of ASD and sleep each become more refined, it is conceivable that sleep-derived metrics may offer more powerful biomarkers of altered neurophysiology in ASD than the behavioral tests currently used in humans or lab animals. As such, the study of sleep in animal models for ASD may enable fundamentally new insights on the condition and represent a basis for strategies that enable the development of more effective therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galen Missig
- 0000 0000 8795 072Xgrid.240206.2Basic Neuroscience Division, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA USA
| | - Christopher J. McDougle
- 0000 0004 0386 9924grid.32224.35Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital, Lexington, MA USA ,000000041936754Xgrid.38142.3cDepartment of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - William A. Carlezon
- 0000 0000 8795 072Xgrid.240206.2Basic Neuroscience Division, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA USA
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15
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Prenatal valproate in rodents as a tool to understand the neural underpinnings of social dysfunctions in autism spectrum disorder. Neuropharmacology 2019; 159:107477. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.12.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Revised: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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16
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Pisu MG, Boero G, Garau A, Casula C, Cisci S, Biggio F, Concas A, Follesa P, Maciocco E, Porcu P, Serra M. Are preconceptional stressful experiences crucial elements for the aetiology of autism spectrum disorder? Insights from an animal model. Neuropharmacology 2019; 157:107686. [PMID: 31247268 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.107686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by changes in social interactions, impaired language and communication, fear responses and presence of repetitive behaviours. Although the genetic bases of ASD are well documented, the recent increase in clinical cases of idiopathic ASD indicates that several environmental risk factors could play a role in ASD aetiology. Among these, maternal exposure to psychosocial stressors during pregnancy has been hypothesized to affect the risk for ASD in offspring. Here, we tested the hypothesis that preconceptional stressful experiences might also represent crucial elements in the aetiology of ASD. We previously showed that social isolation stress during adolescence results in a marked decrease in the brain and plasma concentrations of progesterone and in the quality of maternal care that these female rats later provide to their young. Here we report that male offspring of socially isolated parents showed decreased agonistic behaviour and social transmission of flavour preference, impairment in reversal learning, increased seizure susceptibility, reduced plasma oxytocin levels, and increased plasma and brain levels of BDNF, all features resembling an ASD-like phenotype. These alterations came with no change in spatial learning, aggression, anxiety and testosterone plasma levels, and were sex-dependent. Altogether, the results suggest that preconceptional stressful experiences should be considered as crucial elements for the aetiology of ASD, and indicate that male offspring of socially isolated parents may be a useful animal model to further study the neurobiological bases of ASD, avoiding the adaptations that may occur in other genetic or pharmacologic experimental models of these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Giorgia Boero
- Department of Psychiatry and Pharmacology, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Anna Garau
- Department of Life and Environment Sciences and Center of Excellence for Neurobiology of Dependence, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Claudia Casula
- Department of Life and Environment Sciences and Center of Excellence for Neurobiology of Dependence, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Sonia Cisci
- Department of Life and Environment Sciences and Center of Excellence for Neurobiology of Dependence, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Francesca Biggio
- Department of Life and Environment Sciences and Center of Excellence for Neurobiology of Dependence, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy; Center of Excellence for Neurobiology of Dependence, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Alessandra Concas
- Department of Life and Environment Sciences and Center of Excellence for Neurobiology of Dependence, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy; Center of Excellence for Neurobiology of Dependence, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Paolo Follesa
- Department of Life and Environment Sciences and Center of Excellence for Neurobiology of Dependence, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy; Center of Excellence for Neurobiology of Dependence, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Maciocco
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Cagliari, Italy
| | - Patrizia Porcu
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Cagliari, Italy
| | - Mariangela Serra
- Department of Life and Environment Sciences and Center of Excellence for Neurobiology of Dependence, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy; Center of Excellence for Neurobiology of Dependence, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
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17
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Inhibitory control in BALB/c mice sub-strains during extinction learning. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2019; 29:509-518. [PMID: 30851996 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2019.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Revised: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 02/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Dysregulation of executive function (EF) involves alterations in cognitive flexibility / control and is underscored by learning impairments in neurodevelopmental disorders. Here, we examine cognitive inflexibility in BALB/cJ mice (a mouse model showing diminished sociability, increased anxiety and inattentive behaviour) and closely related "reference" BALB/cByJ mice. We used an appetitive extinction paradigm to investigate if cognitive flexibility measures are different between learning acquisition and extinction. The two BALB/c sub-strains learned to respond to a stimulus in a touchscreen operant chamber, after which the reward was removed and responses should be inhibited. Both mice sub-strains showed a different rate of learning while acquiring the task, in which the BALB/cJ mice were faster learners compared to the BALB/cByJ mice. This was not observed during the extinction phase, in which the BALB/cJ mice were able to extinguish responding to unrewarded stimuli equally. Within the BALB/cJ sub-strain, variation in the ability to inhibit a learnt response was observed when comparing them to similar grouped BALB/cByJ mice: BALB/cJ animals that reached the criterion were more reward driven, while BALB/cJ mice failing to reach the set criterion during extinction processing make more mistakes. Additionally, the changes observed during acquisition, were driven by animals not reaching the extinction criterion. Our results suggest that the BALB/c mice sub-strains may use different strategies to learn during appetitive extinction. This may be useful in the phenotypic dissection of cognitive flexibility in BALB/c sub-strains and their mapping on genetic variance revealed by next-generation sequencing in future studies.
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18
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Pujol CN, Pellissier LP, Clément C, Becker JAJ, Le Merrer J. Back-translating behavioral intervention for autism spectrum disorders to mice with blunted reward restores social abilities. Transl Psychiatry 2018; 8:197. [PMID: 30242222 PMCID: PMC6155047 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0247-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Revised: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The mu opioid receptor (MOR) plays a critical role in modulating social behavior in humans and animals. Accordingly, MOR null mice display severe alterations in their social repertoire as well as multiple other behavioral deficits, recapitulating core and secondary symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Such behavioral profile suggests that MOR dysfunction, and beyond this, altered reward processes may contribute to ASD etiopathology. Interestingly, the only treatments that proved efficacy in relieving core symptoms of ASD, early behavioral intervention programs, rely principally on positive reinforcement to ameliorate behavior. The neurobiological underpinnings of their beneficial effects, however, remain poorly understood. Here we back-translated applied behavior analysis (ABA)-based behavioral interventions to mice lacking the MOR (Oprm1-/-), as a model of autism with blunted reward processing. By associating a positive reinforcement, palatable food reward, to daily encounter with a wild-type congener, we were able to rescue durably social interaction and preference in Oprm1-/- mice. Along with behavioral improvements, the expression of marker genes of neuronal activity and plasticity as well as genes of the oxytocin/vasopressin system were remarkably normalized in the reward/social circuitry. Our study provides further evidence for a critical involvement of reward processes in driving social behavior and opens new perspectives regarding therapeutic intervention in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille N. Pujol
- 0000 0001 2157 9291grid.11843.3fMédecine Translationelle et Neurogénétique, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Inserm U-964, CNRS UMR-7104, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France ,0000 0004 0383 2080grid.461890.2Present Address: Département de Neurosciences, Institut de Génomique fonctionnelle, Inserm U-661, CNRS UMR 5203, 34094 Montpellier, France
| | - Lucie P. Pellissier
- 0000 0001 2182 6141grid.12366.30Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, INRA UMR-0085, CNRS UMR-7247, IFCE, Université de Tours, Inserm, Nouzilly, France ,0000 0004 0383 2080grid.461890.2Present Address: Département de Neurosciences, Institut de Génomique fonctionnelle, Inserm U-661, CNRS UMR 5203, 34094 Montpellier, France
| | - Céline Clément
- 0000 0001 2157 9291grid.11843.3fLaboratoire Interuniversitaire en Sciences de l’Education et de la Communication, EA 2310, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Jérôme A. J. Becker
- 0000 0001 2157 9291grid.11843.3fMédecine Translationelle et Neurogénétique, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Inserm U-964, CNRS UMR-7104, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France ,0000 0001 2182 6141grid.12366.30Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, INRA UMR-0085, CNRS UMR-7247, IFCE, Université de Tours, Inserm, Nouzilly, France ,0000 0004 0383 2080grid.461890.2Present Address: Département de Neurosciences, Institut de Génomique fonctionnelle, Inserm U-661, CNRS UMR 5203, 34094 Montpellier, France
| | - Julie Le Merrer
- Médecine Translationelle et Neurogénétique, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Inserm U-964, CNRS UMR-7104, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France. .,Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, INRA UMR-0085, CNRS UMR-7247, IFCE, Université de Tours, Inserm, Nouzilly, France.
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19
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Frantz MC, Pellissier LP, Pflimlin E, Loison S, Gandía J, Marsol C, Durroux T, Mouillac B, Becker JAJ, Le Merrer J, Valencia C, Villa P, Bonnet D, Hibert M. LIT-001, the First Nonpeptide Oxytocin Receptor Agonist that Improves Social Interaction in a Mouse Model of Autism. J Med Chem 2018; 61:8670-8692. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b00697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Céline Frantz
- Laboratoire d’Innovation Thérapeutique, Faculté de Pharmacie, UMR7200 CNRS/Université de Strasbourg, 74 Route du Rhin, F-67412 Illkirch, France
| | - Lucie P. Pellissier
- Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, INRA UMR-0085, CNRS UMR-7247, IFCE, Inserm, Université François Rabelais de Tours, F-37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - Elsa Pflimlin
- Laboratoire d’Innovation Thérapeutique, Faculté de Pharmacie, UMR7200 CNRS/Université de Strasbourg, 74 Route du Rhin, F-67412 Illkirch, France
| | - Stéphanie Loison
- Laboratoire d’Innovation Thérapeutique, Faculté de Pharmacie, UMR7200 CNRS/Université de Strasbourg, 74 Route du Rhin, F-67412 Illkirch, France
| | - Jorge Gandía
- Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, INRA UMR-0085, CNRS UMR-7247, IFCE, Inserm, Université François Rabelais de Tours, F-37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - Claire Marsol
- Laboratoire d’Innovation Thérapeutique, Faculté de Pharmacie, UMR7200 CNRS/Université de Strasbourg, 74 Route du Rhin, F-67412 Illkirch, France
- LabEx MEDALIS, Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
- PCBIS Plateforme de Chimie Biologique Intégrative de Strasbourg, UMS3286, CNRS/Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Thierry Durroux
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, CNRS UMR5203, INSERM U661, Université de Montpellier (IFR3), 141 Rue de la Cardonille, F-34094 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Bernard Mouillac
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, CNRS UMR5203, INSERM U661, Université de Montpellier (IFR3), 141 Rue de la Cardonille, F-34094 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Jérôme A. J. Becker
- Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, INRA UMR-0085, CNRS UMR-7247, IFCE, Inserm, Université François Rabelais de Tours, F-37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - Julie Le Merrer
- Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, INRA UMR-0085, CNRS UMR-7247, IFCE, Inserm, Université François Rabelais de Tours, F-37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - Christel Valencia
- LabEx MEDALIS, Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
- PCBIS Plateforme de Chimie Biologique Intégrative de Strasbourg, UMS3286, CNRS/Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Pascal Villa
- LabEx MEDALIS, Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
- PCBIS Plateforme de Chimie Biologique Intégrative de Strasbourg, UMS3286, CNRS/Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Dominique Bonnet
- Laboratoire d’Innovation Thérapeutique, Faculté de Pharmacie, UMR7200 CNRS/Université de Strasbourg, 74 Route du Rhin, F-67412 Illkirch, France
- LabEx MEDALIS, Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Marcel Hibert
- Laboratoire d’Innovation Thérapeutique, Faculté de Pharmacie, UMR7200 CNRS/Université de Strasbourg, 74 Route du Rhin, F-67412 Illkirch, France
- LabEx MEDALIS, Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
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20
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Hosie S, Malone DT, Liu S, Glass M, Adlard PA, Hannan AJ, Hill-Yardin EL. Altered Amygdala Excitation and CB1 Receptor Modulation of Aggressive Behavior in the Neuroligin-3 R451C Mouse Model of Autism. Front Cell Neurosci 2018; 12:234. [PMID: 30123111 PMCID: PMC6085410 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding neuronal mechanisms underlying aggression in patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) could lead to better treatments and prognosis. The Neuroligin-3 (NL3)R451C mouse model of ASD has a heightened aggressive phenotype, however the biological mechanisms underlying this behavior are unknown. It is well established that NL3R451C mice have imbalanced excitatory and inhibitory synaptic activity in the hippocampus and somatosensory cortex. The amygdala plays a role in modulating aggressive behavior, however potential changes in synaptic activity in this region have not previously been assessed in this model. We investigated whether aggressive behavior is robustly present in mice expressing the R451C mutation, following back-crossing onto a congenic background strain. Endocannabinoids influence social interaction and aggressive behavior, therefore we also studied the effects of cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) agonist on NL3R451C mice. We report that NL3R451C mice have increased amplitude of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) with a concomitant decrease in the amplitude of inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) in the basolateral amygdala. Importantly, we demonstrated that NL3R451C mice bred on a C57Bl/6 background strain exhibit an aggressive phenotype. Following non-sedating doses (0.3 and 1.0 mg/kg) of the CB1 receptor agonist WIN55,212-2 (WIN), we observed a significant reduction in aggressive behavior in NL3R451C mice. These findings demonstrate altered synaptic activity in the basolateral amygdala and suggest that the NL3R451C mouse model is a useful preclinical tool to understand the role of CB1 receptor function in aggressive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Hosie
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Daniel T Malone
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Stephanie Liu
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Michelle Glass
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Paul Anthony Adlard
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Anthony John Hannan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Elisa L Hill-Yardin
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia.,Department of Physiology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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21
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Li W, Huang L, Zeng J, Lin W, Li K, Sun J, Huang W, Chen J, Wang G, Ke Q, Duan J, Lai X, Chen R, Liu M, Liu Y, Wang T, Yang X, Chen Y, Xia H, Xiang AP. Characterization and transplantation of enteric neural crest cells from human induced pluripotent stem cells. Mol Psychiatry 2018; 23:499-508. [PMID: 27777423 PMCID: PMC5822467 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2016.191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2015] [Revised: 08/07/2015] [Accepted: 09/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The enteric nervous system (ENS) is recognized as a second brain because of its complexity and its largely autonomic control of bowel function. Recent progress in studying the interactions between the ENS and the central nervous system (CNS) has implicated alterations of the gut/brain axis as a possible mechanism in the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), Parkinson's disease (PD) and other human CNS disorders, whereas the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown because of the lack of good model systems. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have the ability to proliferate indefinitely and differentiate into cells of all three germ layers, thus making iPSCs an ideal source of cells for disease modelling and cell therapy. Here, hiPSCs were induced to differentiate into neural crest stem cells (NCSCs) efficiently. When co-cultured with smooth muscle layers of ganglionic gut tissue, the NCSCs differentiated into different subtypes of mature enteric-like neurons expressing nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) or calretinin with typical electrophysiological characteristics of functional neurons. Furthermore, when they were transplanted into aneural or aganglionic chick, mouse or human gut tissues in ovo, in vitro or in vivo, hiPSC-derived NCSCs showed extensive migration and neural differentiation capacity, generating neurons and glial cells that expressed phenotypic markers characteristic of the enteric nervous system. Our results indicate that enteric NCSCs derived from hiPSCs supply a powerful tool for studying the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal disorders and brain/gut dysfunction and represent a potentially ideal cell source for enteric neural transplantation treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Li
- Program of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Affiliated Guangzhou Women and Children’s Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Center for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan Medical School, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Guangdong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - L Huang
- Program of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Affiliated Guangzhou Women and Children’s Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Center for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - J Zeng
- Program of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Affiliated Guangzhou Women and Children’s Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Department of Pediatric Surgery, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Centre, Guangzhou, China
| | - W Lin
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - K Li
- Department of Ultrasound, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - J Sun
- Program of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Affiliated Guangzhou Women and Children’s Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Center for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - W Huang
- Program of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Affiliated Guangzhou Women and Children’s Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Center for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - J Chen
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - G Wang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Q Ke
- Program of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Affiliated Guangzhou Women and Children’s Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Center for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Department of Cell Biology, Zhongshan Medical School, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - J Duan
- Center for Neurobiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - X Lai
- Program of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Affiliated Guangzhou Women and Children’s Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Center for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - R Chen
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Key Laboratory for Reproductive Medicine of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - M Liu
- Program of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Affiliated Guangzhou Women and Children’s Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Center for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Y Liu
- Shenzhen Beike Cell Engineering Research Institute, Shenzhen, China
| | - T Wang
- Program of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Affiliated Guangzhou Women and Children’s Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Center for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan Medical School, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - X Yang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Y Chen
- Center for Neurobiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - H Xia
- Program of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Affiliated Guangzhou Women and Children’s Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Department of Pediatric Surgery, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Centre, Guangzhou, China,Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Centre, No. 9, Jinsui Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510623, China
| | - A P Xiang
- Program of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Affiliated Guangzhou Women and Children’s Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Center for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan Medical School, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,Guangdong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China,Center for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 74, Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China. E-mail: or
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22
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Increased Sensory Processing Atypicalities in Parents of Multiplex ASD Families Versus Typically Developing and Simplex ASD Families. J Autism Dev Disord 2017; 47:535-548. [PMID: 27538965 PMCID: PMC5352777 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-016-2888-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have suggested that sensory processing atypicalities may share genetic influences with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To further investigate this, the adolescent/adult sensory profile (AASP) questionnaire was distributed to 85 parents of typically developing children (P-TD), 121 parents from simplex ASD families (SPX), and 54 parents from multiplex ASD families (MPX). After controlling for gender and presence of mental disorders, results showed that MPX parents significantly differed from P-TD parents in all four subscales of the AASP. Differences between SPX and MPX parents reached significance in the Sensory Sensitivity subscale and also in subsequent modality-specific analyses in the auditory and visual domains. Our finding that parents with high genetic liability for ASD (i.e., MPX) had more sensory processing atypicalities than parents with low (i.e., SPX) or no (i.e., P-TD) ASD genetic liability suggests that sensory processing atypicalities may contribute to the genetic susceptibility for ASD.
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23
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Nomura J, Kannan G, Takumi T. Rodent models of genetic and chromosomal variations in psychiatric disorders. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2017; 71:508-517. [PMID: 28317218 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.12524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2016] [Revised: 03/02/2017] [Accepted: 03/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Elucidating the molecular basis of complex human psychiatric disorders is challenging due to the multitude of factors that underpin these disorders. Genetic and chromosomal changes are two factors that have been suggested to be involved in psychiatric disorders. Indeed, numerous risk loci have been identified in autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia, and related psychiatric disorders. Here, we introduce genetic animal models that disturb excitatory-inhibitory balance in the brain and animal models mirroring human chromosomal abnormalities, both of which may be implicated in autism spectrum disorder pathophysiology. In addition, we discuss recent unique translational research using rodent models, such as Cntnap2 knockout mouse, Mecp2 mutant mouse, Pick1 knockout mouse, and neonatal ventral hippocampal lesion rat. By using these models, several types of drugs are administered during the developmental period to see the effect on psychotic symptoms and neural activities in adults. The accumulating evidence from recent animal studies provides an informative intervention strategy as a translational research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Nomura
- RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama, Japan
| | - Geetha Kannan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
| | - Toru Takumi
- RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama, Japan
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24
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Nithianantharajah J, Balasuriya GK, Franks AE, Hill-Yardin EL. Using Animal Models to Study the Role of the Gut-Brain Axis in Autism. CURRENT DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS REPORTS 2017; 4:28-36. [PMID: 28680792 PMCID: PMC5488132 DOI: 10.1007/s40474-017-0111-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) commonly also suffer from gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction; however, few animal model studies have systematically examined both ASD and GI dysfunction. In this review, we highlight studies investigating GI dysfunction and alterations in gut microbiota in animal models of ASD with the aim of determining if routinely used microbiology and enteric neurophysiology assays could expand our understanding of the link between the two. RECENT FINDINGS Gut-brain axis research is expanding, and several ASD models demonstrate GI dysfunction. The integration of well-established assays for detecting GI dysfunction into standard behavioural testing batteries is needed. SUMMARY Advances in understanding the role of the gut-brain axis in ASD are emerging; however, we outline standard assays for investigating gut-brain axis function in rodents to strengthen future phenotyping studies. Integrating these findings to the field of animal behaviour is one of the next major challenges in autism research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jess Nithianantharajah
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, 30 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052 Australia
| | - Gayathri K Balasuriya
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, Melbourne, VIC 3083 Australia
| | - Ashley E Franks
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Plenty Road, Bundoora, Melbourne, VIC 3086 Australia
| | - Elisa L Hill-Yardin
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, Melbourne, VIC 3083 Australia
- Department of Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Corner of Royal Parade and Grattan St, Parkville, VIC 3010 Australia
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25
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Extracerebral Dysfunction in Animal Models of Autism Spectrum Disorder. ADVANCES IN ANATOMY, EMBRYOLOGY, AND CELL BIOLOGY 2017; 224:159-187. [PMID: 28551756 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-52498-6_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Genetic factors might be largely responsible for the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that alone or in combination with specific environmental risk factors trigger the pathology. Multiple mutations identified in ASD patients that impair synaptic function in the central nervous system are well studied in animal models. How these mutations might interact with other risk factors is not fully understood though. Additionally, how systems outside of the brain are altered in the context of ASD is an emerging area of research. Extracerebral influences on the physiology could begin in utero and contribute to changes in the brain and in the development of other body systems and further lead to epigenetic changes. Therefore, multiple recent studies have aimed at elucidating the role of gene-environment interactions in ASD. Here we provide an overview on the extracerebral systems that might play an important associative role in ASD and review evidence regarding the potential roles of inflammation, trace metals, metabolism, genetic susceptibility, enteric nervous system function and the microbiota of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract on the development of endophenotypes in animal models of ASD. By influencing environmental conditions, it might be possible to reduce or limit the severity of ASD pathology.
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26
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Homberg JR, Kyzar EJ, Nguyen M, Norton WH, Pittman J, Poudel MK, Gaikwad S, Nakamura S, Koshiba M, Yamanouchi H, Scattoni ML, Ullman JF, Diamond DM, Kaluyeva AA, Parker MO, Klimenko VM, Apryatin SA, Brown RE, Song C, Gainetdinov RR, Gottesman II, Kalueff AV. Understanding autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders through experimental translational neurobehavioral models. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 65:292-312. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2015] [Revised: 03/11/2016] [Accepted: 03/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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27
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Monogenic mouse models of autism spectrum disorders: Common mechanisms and missing links. Neuroscience 2015; 321:3-23. [PMID: 26733386 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.12.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2015] [Revised: 11/30/2015] [Accepted: 12/22/2015] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) present unique challenges in the fields of genetics and neurobiology because of the clinical and molecular heterogeneity underlying these disorders. Genetic mutations found in ASD patients provide opportunities to dissect the molecular and circuit mechanisms underlying autistic behaviors using animal models. Ongoing studies of genetically modified models have offered critical insight into possible common mechanisms arising from different mutations, but links between molecular abnormalities and behavioral phenotypes remain elusive. The challenges encountered in modeling autism in mice demand a new analytic paradigm that integrates behavioral assessment with circuit-level analysis in genetically modified models with strong construct validity.
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28
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Mabunga DFN, Gonzales ELT, Kim JW, Kim KC, Shin CY. Exploring the Validity of Valproic Acid Animal Model of Autism. Exp Neurobiol 2015; 24:285-300. [PMID: 26713077 PMCID: PMC4688329 DOI: 10.5607/en.2015.24.4.285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2015] [Revised: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 12/02/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The valproic acid (VPA) animal model of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is one of the most widely used animal model in the field. Like any other disease models, it can't model the totality of the features seen in autism. Then, is it valid to model autism? This model demonstrates many of the structural and behavioral features that can be observed in individuals with autism. These similarities enable the model to define relevant pathways of developmental dysregulation resulting from environmental manipulation. The uncovering of these complex pathways resulted to the growing pool of potential therapeutic candidates addressing the core symptoms of ASD. Here, we summarize the validity points of VPA that may or may not qualify it as a valid animal model of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darine Froy N Mabunga
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, and Neuroscience Research Center, SMART-IABS and KU Open Innovation Center, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - Edson Luck T Gonzales
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, and Neuroscience Research Center, SMART-IABS and KU Open Innovation Center, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - Ji-Woon Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, and Neuroscience Research Center, SMART-IABS and KU Open Innovation Center, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - Ki Chan Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, and Neuroscience Research Center, SMART-IABS and KU Open Innovation Center, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - Chan Young Shin
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, and Neuroscience Research Center, SMART-IABS and KU Open Innovation Center, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea. ; Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea
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29
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Sundberg M, Sahin M. Cerebellar Development and Autism Spectrum Disorder in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex. J Child Neurol 2015; 30:1954-62. [PMID: 26303409 PMCID: PMC4644486 DOI: 10.1177/0883073815600870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2015] [Accepted: 07/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Approximately 50% of patients with the genetic disease tuberous sclerosis complex present with autism spectrum disorder. Although a number of studies have investigated the link between autism and tuberous sclerosis complex, the etiology of autism spectrum disorder in these patients remains unclear. Abnormal cerebellar function during critical phases of development could disrupt functional processes in the brain, leading to development of autistic features. Accordingly, the authors review the potential role of cerebellar dysfunction in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder in tuberous sclerosis complex. The authors also introduce conditional knockout mouse models of Tsc1 and Tsc2 that link cerebellar circuitry to the development of autistic-like features. Taken together, these preclinical and clinical investigations indicate the cerebellum has a profound regulatory role during development of social communication and repetitive behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Sundberg
- The F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mustafa Sahin
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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30
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Burrows EL, Laskaris L, Koyama L, Churilov L, Bornstein JC, Hill-Yardin EL, Hannan AJ. A neuroligin-3 mutation implicated in autism causes abnormal aggression and increases repetitive behavior in mice. Mol Autism 2015; 6:62. [PMID: 26583067 PMCID: PMC4650404 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-015-0055-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2015] [Accepted: 11/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aggression is common in patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) along with the core symptoms of impairments in social communication and repetitive behavior. Risperidone, an atypical antipsychotic, is widely used to treat aggression in ASD. In order to understand the neurobiological underpinnings of these challenging behaviors, a thorough characterisation of behavioral endophenotypes in animal models is required. METHODS We investigated aggression in mice containing the ASD-associated R451C (arginine to cysteine residue 451 substitution) mutation in neuroligin-3 (NL3). Furthermore, we sought to verify social interaction impairments and assess olfaction, anxiety, and repetitive and restrictive behavior in NL3(R451C) mutant mice. RESULTS We show a pronounced elevation in aggressive behavior in NL3(R451C) mutant mice. Treatment with risperidone reduced this aggression to wild-type (WT) levels. Juvenile and adult social interactions were also investigated, and subtle differences in initiation of interaction were seen in juvenile NL3(R451C) mice. No genotype differences in olfactory discrimination or anxiety were observed indicating that aggression was not dependent on altered olfaction, stress response, or social preference. We also describe repetitive behavior in NL3(R451C) mice as assessed by a clinically relevant object exploration task. CONCLUSIONS The presence of aberrant aggression and other behavioral phenotypes in NL3(R451C) mice consistent with clinical traits strengthen face validity of this model of ASD. Furthermore, we demonstrate predictive validity in this model through the reversal of the aggressive phenotype with risperidone. This is the first demonstration that risperidone can ameliorate aggression in an animal model of ASD and will inform mechanistic and therapeutic research into the neurobiology underlying abnormal behaviors in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma L Burrows
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Kenneth Myer Building, Melbourne Brain Centre, Cnr Genetics Lane and Royal Pde, Parkville, Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Liliana Laskaris
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Kenneth Myer Building, Melbourne Brain Centre, Cnr Genetics Lane and Royal Pde, Parkville, Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Lynn Koyama
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Kenneth Myer Building, Melbourne Brain Centre, Cnr Genetics Lane and Royal Pde, Parkville, Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Leonid Churilov
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, 245 Burgundy St, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084 Australia
| | - Joel C Bornstein
- Department of Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Royal Pde, Parkville, Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Elisa L Hill-Yardin
- Department of Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Royal Pde, Parkville, Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Anthony J Hannan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Kenneth Myer Building, Melbourne Brain Centre, Cnr Genetics Lane and Royal Pde, Parkville, Victoria 3010 Australia.,Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Royal Pde, Parkville, Victoria 3010 Australia
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31
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Ayhan Y, McFarland R, Pletnikov MV. Animal models of gene-environment interaction in schizophrenia: A dimensional perspective. Prog Neurobiol 2015; 136:1-27. [PMID: 26510407 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2015.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2015] [Revised: 09/07/2015] [Accepted: 10/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia has long been considered as a disorder with multifactorial origins. Recent discoveries have advanced our understanding of the genetic architecture of the disease. However, even with the increase of identified risk variants, heritability estimates suggest an important contribution of non-genetic factors. Various environmental risk factors have been proposed to play a role in the etiopathogenesis of schizophrenia. These include season of birth, maternal infections, obstetric complications, adverse events at early childhood, and drug abuse. Despite the progress in identification of genetic and environmental risk factors, we still have a limited understanding of the mechanisms whereby gene-environment interactions (G × E) operate in schizophrenia and psychoses at large. In this review we provide a critical analysis of current animal models of G × E relevant to psychotic disorders and propose that dimensional perspective will advance our understanding of the complex mechanisms of these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yavuz Ayhan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, USA; Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Turkey
| | - Ross McFarland
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, USA; Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA
| | - Mikhail V Pletnikov
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, USA; Solomon H Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, USA; Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, USA; Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA.
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32
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Kumar H, Sharma BM, Sharma B. Benefits of agomelatine in behavioral, neurochemical and blood brain barrier alterations in prenatal valproic acid induced autism spectrum disorder. Neurochem Int 2015; 91:34-45. [PMID: 26498253 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2015.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2015] [Revised: 10/15/2015] [Accepted: 10/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Valproic acid administration during gestational period causes behavior and biochemical deficits similar to those observed in humans with autism spectrum disorder. Although worldwide prevalence of autism spectrum disorder has been increased continuously, therapeutic agents to ameliorate the social impairment are very limited. The present study has been structured to investigate the therapeutic potential of melatonin receptor agonist, agomelatine in prenatal valproic acid (Pre-VPA) induced autism spectrum disorder in animals. Pre-VPA has produced reduction in social interaction (three chamber social behavior apparatus), spontaneous alteration (Y-Maze), exploratory activity (Hole board test), intestinal motility, serotonin levels (prefrontal cortex and ileum) and prefrontal cortex mitochondrial complex activity (complex I, II, IV). Furthermore, Pre-VPA has increased locomotor activity (actophotometer), anxiety, brain oxidative stress (thiobarbituric acid reactive species, glutathione, and catalase), nitrosative stress (nitrite/nitrate), inflammation (brain and ileum myeloperoxidase activity), calcium levels and blood brain barrier leakage in animals. Treatment with agomelatine has significantly attenuated Pre-VPA induced reduction in social interaction, spontaneous alteration, exploratory activity intestinal motility, serotonin levels and prefrontal cortex mitochondrial complex activity. Furthermore, agomelatine also attenuated Pre-VPA induced increase in locomotion, anxiety, brain oxidative stress, nitrosative stress, inflammation, calcium levels and blood brain barrier leakage. It is concluded that, Pre-VPA has induced autism spectrum disorder, which was attenuated by agomelatine. Agomelatine has shown ameliorative effect on behavioral, neurochemical and blood brain barrier alteration in Pre-VPA exposed animals. Thus melatonin receptor agonists may provide beneficial therapeutic strategy for managing autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hariom Kumar
- CNS Research Lab, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Bharat Institute of Technology, Partapur Bypass, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India.
| | - B M Sharma
- School of Pharmacy, Bharat Institute of Technology, Partapur Bypass, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India.
| | - Bhupesh Sharma
- Amity Institute of Pharmacy, Amity University, Sector-125, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India; CNS Pharmacology, Conscience Research, Pocket F-233, B, Dilshad Garden, Delhi 110095, India.
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33
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Favre MR, La Mendola D, Meystre J, Christodoulou D, Cochrane MJ, Markram H, Markram K. Predictable enriched environment prevents development of hyper-emotionality in the VPA rat model of autism. Front Neurosci 2015; 9:127. [PMID: 26089770 PMCID: PMC4452729 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2015] [Accepted: 03/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the effects of environmental stimulation in autism can improve therapeutic interventions against debilitating sensory overload, social withdrawal, fear and anxiety. Here, we evaluate the role of environmental predictability on behavior and protein expression, and inter-individual differences, in the valproic acid (VPA) model of autism. Male rats embryonically exposed (E11.5) either to VPA, a known autism risk factor in humans, or to saline, were housed from weaning into adulthood in a standard laboratory environment, an unpredictably enriched environment, or a predictably enriched environment. Animals were tested for sociability, nociception, stereotypy, fear conditioning and anxiety, and for tissue content of glutamate signaling proteins in the primary somatosensory cortex, hippocampus and amygdala, and of corticosterone in plasma, amygdala and hippocampus. Standard group analyses on separate measures were complemented with a composite emotionality score, using Cronbach's Alpha analysis, and with multivariate profiling of individual animals, using Hierarchical Cluster Analysis. We found that predictable environmental enrichment prevented the development of hyper-emotionality in the VPA-exposed group, while unpredictable enrichment did not. Individual variation in the severity of the autistic-like symptoms (fear, anxiety, social withdrawal and sensory abnormalities) correlated with neurochemical profiles, and predicted their responsiveness to predictability in the environment. In controls, the association between socio-affective behaviors, neurochemical profiles and environmental predictability was negligible. This study suggests that rearing in a predictable environment prevents the development of hyper-emotional features in animals exposed to an autism risk factor, and demonstrates that unpredictable environments can lead to negative outcomes, even in the presence of environmental enrichment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mônica R Favre
- Laboratory of Neural Microcircuits, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Deborah La Mendola
- Laboratory of Neural Microcircuits, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Julie Meystre
- Laboratory of Neural Microcircuits, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Dimitri Christodoulou
- Laboratory of Neural Microcircuits, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Melissa J Cochrane
- Laboratory of Neural Microcircuits, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Henry Markram
- Laboratory of Neural Microcircuits, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Kamila Markram
- Laboratory of Neural Microcircuits, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Lausanne, Switzerland
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Eapen V, Clarke RA. Autism spectrum disorders: from genotypes to phenotypes. Front Hum Neurosci 2014; 8:914. [PMID: 25429265 PMCID: PMC4228832 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2014] [Accepted: 10/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Valsamma Eapen
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales and Academic Unit of Child Psychiatry, Ingham Institute, South West Sydney (AUCS), Liverpool Hospital , Sydney, NSW , Australia
| | - Raymond A Clarke
- Ingham Institute, School of Medicine, University of Western Sydney , Sydney, NSW , Australia
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Shultz SR, Aziz NAB, Yang L, Sun M, MacFabe DF, O'Brien TJ. Intracerebroventricular injection of propionic acid, an enteric metabolite implicated in autism, induces social abnormalities that do not differ between seizure-prone (FAST) and seizure-resistant (SLOW) rats. Behav Brain Res 2014; 278:542-8. [PMID: 25446754 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.10.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2014] [Revised: 10/27/2014] [Accepted: 10/30/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by social abnormalities. Genetic, dietary and gut-related factors are implicated in autism, however the causal properties of these factors and how they may interact are unclear. Propionic acid (PPA) is a product of gut microbiota and a food preservative. PPA has been linked to autism, and PPA administration to rats is an animal model of the condition. Seizure-prone (FAST) and seizure-resistant (SLOW) rats were initially developed to investigate differential vulnerability to developing epilepsy. However, FAST rats also display autistic-like features, and have been proposed as a genetic model of autism. Here we examined the effects of PPA on social behavior in FAST and SLOW rats. A single intracerebroventricular injection of PPA, or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), was administered to young-adult male FAST and SLOW rats. Immediately after treatment, rats were placed in same-treatment and same-strain pairs, and underwent social behavior testing. PPA induced social abnormalities in both FAST and SLOW rat strains. While there was no evidence of social impairment in FAST rats that were not treated with PPA, these rats were hyperactive relative to SLOW rats. Post-mortem immunofluorescence analysis of brain tissue indicated that PPA treatment resulted in increased astrogliosis in the corpus callosum and cortex compared to PBS treatment. FAST rats had increased astrogliosis in the cortex compared to SLOW rats. Together these findings support the use of PPA as a rat model of autism, but indicate there are no interactive effects between the PPA and FAST models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandy R Shultz
- Melbourne Brain Centre, Department of Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
| | - Noor A B Aziz
- Melbourne Brain Centre, Department of Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Li Yang
- Melbourne Brain Centre, Department of Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia; Department of Histology and Embryology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Mujun Sun
- Melbourne Brain Centre, Department of Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Derrick F MacFabe
- The Kilee Patchell-Evans Autism Research Group, Department of Psychology and Psychiatry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Terence J O'Brien
- Melbourne Brain Centre, Department of Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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Mayer EA, Padua D, Tillisch K. Altered brain-gut axis in autism: comorbidity or causative mechanisms? Bioessays 2014; 36:933-9. [PMID: 25145752 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201400075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 199] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The concept that alterated communications between the gut microbiome and the brain may play an important role in human brain disorders has recently received considerable attention. This is the result of provocative preclinical and some clinical evidence supporting early hypotheses about such communication in health and disease. Gastrointestinal symptoms are a common comorbidity in patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), even though the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. In addition, alteration in the composition and metabolic products of the gut microbiome has long been implicated as a possible causative mechanism contributing to ASD pathophysiology, and this hypothesis has been supported by several recently published evidence from rodent models of autism induced by prenatal insults to the mother. Recent evidence in one such model involving maternal infection, that is characterized by alterations in behavior, gut physiology, microbial composition, and related metabolite profile, suggests a possible benefit of probiotic treatment on several of the observed abnormal behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emeran A Mayer
- Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress, Division of Digestive Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Autistic-like syndrome in mu opioid receptor null mice is relieved by facilitated mGluR4 activity. Neuropsychopharmacology 2014; 39:2049-60. [PMID: 24619243 PMCID: PMC4104328 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2014.59] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2013] [Revised: 02/28/2014] [Accepted: 02/28/2014] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The etiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) remains largely unknown. Identifying vulnerability genes for autism represents a major challenge in the field and allows the development of animal models for translational research. Mice lacking the mu opioid receptor gene (Oprm1(-/-)) were recently proposed as a monogenic mouse model of autism, based on severe deficits in social behavior and communication skills. We confirm this hypothesis by showing that adult Oprm1(-/-) animals recapitulate core and multiple comorbid behavioral symptoms of autism and also display anatomical, neurochemical, and genetic landmarks of the disease. Chronic facilitation of mGluR4 signaling, which we identified as a novel pharmacological target in ASDs in these mice, was more efficient in alleviating behavioral deficits than the reference molecule risperidone. Altogether, our data provide first evidence that disrupted mu opioid receptor signaling is sufficient to trigger a comprehensive autistic syndrome, maybe through blunted social reward processes, and this mouse model opens promising avenues for therapeutic innovation.
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Abstract
Descriptions of epileptic seizures and epilepsy date back to antiquity, and research into fundamental mechanisms of epilepsy in animal models, as well as patients, has been carried out for over a century. Studies of epileptogenesis, however, as distinct from ictogenesis, have been pursued for only a few decades, and antiepileptogenesis, the prevention of epilepsy or its progression, and the reversal of the epileptogenic process or cure, are relatively recent interests of the basic research community. The goal to develop antiepileptogenic interventions would be greatly facilitated by the identification of reliable biomarkers of epileptogenesis that could be used to create cost-effective, high-throughput screening models for potential antiepileptogenic compounds, as well as enrich patient populations and serve as surrogate endpoints for clinical trials. Without such biomarkers, the cost for clinical validation of antiepileptogenic interventions would be prohibitive. Epileptogenic mechanisms, antiepileptogenic interventions, and biomarkers are likely to be specific for the many different causes of epilepsy, which include genetic influences, cell loss and synaptic plasticity, malformations of cortical development, and autoimmune disorders, to name but a few. A high priority is currently being placed on investigations to elucidate fundamental mechanisms of epileptogenesis and identify biomarkers for specific models of human epilepsy, such as mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, and a variety of pediatric diseases, including tuberous sclerosis and West syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asla Pitkänen
- />Department of Neurobiology, A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
- />Department of Neurology, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jerome Engel
- />Department of Neurology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 710 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1769 USA
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Kleijer KTE, Schmeisser MJ, Krueger DD, Boeckers TM, Scheiffele P, Bourgeron T, Brose N, Burbach JPH. Neurobiology of autism gene products: towards pathogenesis and drug targets. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2014; 231:1037-62. [PMID: 24419271 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-013-3403-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2013] [Accepted: 12/14/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE The genetic heterogeneity of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) is enormous, and the neurobiology of proteins encoded by genes associated with ASD is very diverse. Revealing the mechanisms on which different neurobiological pathways in ASD pathogenesis converge may lead to the identification of drug targets. OBJECTIVE The main objective is firstly to outline the main molecular networks and neuronal mechanisms in which ASD gene products participate and secondly to answer the question how these converge. Finally, we aim to pinpoint drug targets within these mechanisms. METHOD Literature review of the neurobiological properties of ASD gene products with a special focus on the developmental consequences of genetic defects and the possibility to reverse these by genetic or pharmacological interventions. RESULTS The regulation of activity-dependent protein synthesis appears central in the pathogenesis of ASD. Through sequential consequences for axodendritic function, neuronal disabilities arise expressed as behavioral abnormalities and autistic symptoms in ASD patients. Several known ASD gene products have their effect on this central process by affecting protein synthesis intrinsically, e.g., through enhancing the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signal transduction pathway or through impairing synaptic function in general. These are interrelated processes and can be targeted by compounds from various directions: inhibition of protein synthesis through Lovastatin, mTOR inhibition using rapamycin, or mGluR-related modulation of synaptic activity. CONCLUSIONS ASD gene products may all feed into a central process of translational control that is important for adequate glutamatergic regulation of dendritic properties. This process can be modulated by available compounds but may also be targeted by yet unexplored routes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristel T E Kleijer
- Department Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3984 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Neuropathology and animal models of autism: genetic and environmental factors. AUTISM RESEARCH AND TREATMENT 2013; 2013:731935. [PMID: 24151553 PMCID: PMC3787615 DOI: 10.1155/2013/731935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2013] [Revised: 08/07/2013] [Accepted: 08/09/2013] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Autism is a heterogeneous behaviorally defined neurodevelopmental disorder. It is defined by the presence of marked social deficits, specific language abnormalities, and stereotyped repetitive patterns of behavior. Because of the variability in the behavioral phenotype of the disorder among patients, the term autism spectrum disorder has been established. In the first part of this review, we provide an overview of neuropathological findings from studies of autism postmortem brains and identify the cerebellum as one of the key brain regions that can play a role in the autism phenotype. We review research findings that indicate possible links between the environment and autism including the role of mercury and immune-related factors. Because both genes and environment can alter the structure of the developing brain in different ways, it is not surprising that there is heterogeneity in the behavioral and neuropathological phenotypes of autism spectrum disorders. Finally, we describe animal models of autism that occur following insertion of different autism-related genes and exposure to environmental factors, highlighting those models which exhibit both autism-like behavior and neuropathology.
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