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Delaney J, Nathani S, Tan V, Chavez C, Orr A, Paek J, Faraji M, Setlow B, Urs NM. Enhanced cognitive flexibility and phasic striatal dopamine dynamics in a mouse model of low striatal tonic dopamine. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024; 49:1600-1608. [PMID: 38698264 PMCID: PMC11319590 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01868-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
The catecholamine neuromodulators dopamine and norepinephrine are implicated in motor function, motivation, and cognition. Although roles for striatal dopamine in these aspects of behavior are well established, the specific roles for cortical catecholamines in regulating striatal dopamine dynamics and behavior are less clear. We recently showed that elevating cortical dopamine but not norepinephrine suppresses hyperactivity in dopamine transporter knockout (DAT-KO) mice, which have elevated striatal dopamine levels. In contrast, norepinephrine transporter knockout (NET-KO) mice have a phenotype distinct from DAT-KO mice, as they show elevated extracellular cortical catecholamines but reduced baseline striatal dopamine levels. Here we evaluated the consequences of altered catecholamine levels in NET-KO mice on cognitive flexibility and striatal dopamine dynamics. In a probabilistic reversal learning task, NET-KO mice showed enhanced reversal learning, which was consistent with larger phasic dopamine transients (dLight) in the dorsomedial striatum (DMS) during reward delivery and reward omission, compared to WT controls. Selective depletion of dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) norepinephrine in WT mice did not alter performance on the reversal learning task but reduced nestlet shredding. Surprisingly, NET-KO mice did not show altered breakpoints in a progressive ratio task, suggesting intact food motivation. Collectively, these studies show novel roles of cortical catecholamines in the regulation of tonic and phasic striatal dopamine dynamics and cognitive flexibility, updating our current views on dopamine regulation and informing future therapeutic strategies to counter multiple psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jena Delaney
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Sanya Nathani
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Victor Tan
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Carson Chavez
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Alexander Orr
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Joon Paek
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Mojdeh Faraji
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Barry Setlow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Nikhil M Urs
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
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Zhou Z, Yan Y, Gu H, Sun R, Liao Z, Xue K, Tang C. Dopamine in the prefrontal cortex plays multiple roles in the executive function of patients with Parkinson's disease. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1759-1767. [PMID: 38103242 PMCID: PMC10960281 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.389631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease can affect not only motor functions but also cognitive abilities, leading to cognitive impairment. One common issue in Parkinson's disease with cognitive dysfunction is the difficulty in executive functioning. Executive functions help us plan, organize, and control our actions based on our goals. The brain area responsible for executive functions is called the prefrontal cortex. It acts as the command center for the brain, especially when it comes to regulating executive functions. The role of the prefrontal cortex in cognitive processes is influenced by a chemical messenger called dopamine. However, little is known about how dopamine affects the cognitive functions of patients with Parkinson's disease. In this article, the authors review the latest research on this topic. They start by looking at how the dopaminergic system, is altered in Parkinson's disease with executive dysfunction. Then, they explore how these changes in dopamine impact the synaptic structure, electrical activity, and connection components of the prefrontal cortex. The authors also summarize the relationship between Parkinson's disease and dopamine-related cognitive issues. This information may offer valuable insights and directions for further research and improvement in the clinical treatment of cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihang Zhou
- Department of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yalong Yan
- Department of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Heng Gu
- Department of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Ruiao Sun
- Department of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zihan Liao
- Department of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Ke Xue
- Department of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Chuanxi Tang
- Department of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
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Hernandez CM, McCuiston MA, Davis K, Halls Y, Carcamo Dal Zotto JP, Jackson NL, Dobrunz LE, King PH, McMahon LL. In a circuit necessary for cognition and emotional affect, Alzheimer's-like pathology associates with neuroinflammation, cognitive and motivational deficits in the young adult TgF344-AD rat. Brain Behav Immun Health 2024; 39:100798. [PMID: 39022628 PMCID: PMC11253229 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2024.100798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
In addition to extracellular amyloid plaques, intracellular neurofibrillary tau tangles, and inflammation, cognitive and emotional affect perturbations are characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The cognitive and emotional domains impaired by AD include several forms of decision making (such as intertemporal choice), blunted motivation (increased apathy), and impaired executive function (such as working memory and cognitive flexibility). However, the interaction between these domains of the mind and their supporting neurobiological substrates at prodromal stages of AD, or whether these interactions can be predictive of AD severity (individual variability), remain unclear. In this study, we employed a battery of cognitive and emotional tests in the young adult (5-7 mo) transgenic Fisher-344 AD (TgF344-AD; TgAD) rat model of AD. We also assessed whether markers of inflammation or AD-like pathology in the prelimbic cortex (PrL) of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), basolateral amygdala (BLA), or nucleus accumbens (NAc), all structures that directly support the aforementioned behaviors, were predictive of behavioral deficits. We found TgAD rats displayed maladaptive decision making, greater apathy, and impaired working memory that was indeed predicted by AD-like pathology in the relevant brain structures, even at an early age. Moreover, we report that the BLA is an early epicenter of inflammation, and notably, AD-like pathology in the PrL, BLA, and NAc was predictive of BLA inflammation. These results suggest that operant-based battery testing may be sensitive enough to determine pathology trajectories, including neuroinflammation, from early stages of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caesar M. Hernandez
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
| | - Macy A. McCuiston
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Kristian Davis
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Yolanda Halls
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Juan Pablo Carcamo Dal Zotto
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Nateka L. Jackson
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, USA
| | - Lynn E. Dobrunz
- Department of Neurobiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
| | - Peter H. King
- Department of Neurology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
- Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Lori L. McMahon
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, USA
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Kirschner H, Molla HM, Nassar MR, de Wit H, Ullsperger M. Methamphetamine-induced adaptation of learning rate dynamics depend on baseline performance. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.04.602054. [PMID: 39026741 PMCID: PMC11257491 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.04.602054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
The ability to calibrate learning according to new information is a fundamental component of an organism's ability to adapt to changing conditions. Yet, the exact neural mechanisms guiding dynamic learning rate adjustments remain unclear. Catecholamines appear to play a critical role in adjusting the degree to which we use new information over time, but individuals vary widely in the manner in which they adjust to changes. Here, we studied the effects of a low dose of methamphetamine (MA), and individual differences in these effects, on probabilistic reversal learning dynamics in a within-subject, double-blind, randomized design. Participants first completed a reversal learning task during a drug-free baseline session to provide a measure of baseline performance. Then they completed the task during two sessions, one with MA (20 mg oral) and one with placebo (PL). First, we showed that, relative to PL, MA modulates the ability to dynamically adjust learning from prediction errors. Second, this effect was more pronounced in participants who performed poorly at baseline. These results present novel evidence for the involvement of catecholaminergic transmission on learning flexibility and highlights that baseline performance modulates the effect of the drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans Kirschner
- Institute of Psychology, Otto-von-Guericke University, D-39106 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Hanna M Molla
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Matthew R Nassar
- Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence RI 02912-1821, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence RI 02912-1821, USA
| | - Harriet de Wit
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Markus Ullsperger
- Institute of Psychology, Otto-von-Guericke University, D-39106 Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, D-39106 Magdeburg, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Center for Intervention and Research on Adaptive and Maladaptive Brain Circuits Underlying Mental Health (C-I-R-C), Halle-Jena-Magdeburg, Germany
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Kritzer MF, Adler A, Locklear M. Androgen effects on mesoprefrontal dopamine systems in the adult male brain. Neuroscience 2024:S0306-4522(24)00306-3. [PMID: 38977069 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2024.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Epidemiological data show that males are more often and/or more severely affected by symptoms of prefrontal cortical dysfunction in schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease and other disorders in which dopamine circuits associated with the prefrontal cortex are dysregulated. This review focuses on research showing that these dopamine circuits are powerfully regulated by androgens. It begins with a brief overview of the sex differences that distinguish prefrontal function in health and prefrontal dysfunction or decline in aging and/or neuropsychiatric disease. This review article then spotlights data from human subjects and animal models that specifically identify androgens as potent modulators of prefrontal cortical operations and of closely related, functionally critical measures of prefrontal dopamine level or tone. Candidate mechanisms by which androgens dynamically control mesoprefrontal dopamine systems and impact prefrontal states of hypo- and hyper-dopaminergia in aging and disease are then considered. This is followed by discussion of a working model that identifies a key locus for androgen modulation of mesoprefrontal dopamine systems as residing within the prefrontal cortex itself. The last sections of this review critically consider the ways in which the organization and regulation of mesoprefrontal dopamine circuits differ in the adult male and female brain, and highlights gaps where more research is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary F Kritzer
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5230, United States.
| | - Alexander Adler
- Department of Oncology and Immuno-Oncology, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Tarrytown, NY 10591, United States
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Ohtake M, Abe K, Hasegawa M, Itokazu T, Selvakumar V, Matunis A, Stacy E, Froebrich E, Huynh N, Lee H, Kambe Y, Yamamoto T, Sato TK, Sato TR. Encoding of self-initiated actions in axon terminals of the mesocortical pathway. NEUROPHOTONICS 2024; 11:033408. [PMID: 38726349 PMCID: PMC11080647 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.11.3.033408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Significance The initiation of goal-directed actions is a complex process involving the medial prefrontal cortex and dopaminergic inputs through the mesocortical pathway. However, it is unclear what information the mesocortical pathway conveys and how it impacts action initiation. In this study, we unveiled the indispensable role of mesocortical axon terminals in encoding the execution of movements in self-initiated actions. Aim To investigate the role of mesocortical axon terminals in encoding the execution of movements in self-initiated actions. Approach We designed a lever-press task in which mice internally determine the timing of the press, receiving a larger reward for longer waiting periods. Results Our study revealed that self-initiated actions depend on dopaminergic signaling mediated by D2 receptors, whereas sensory-triggered lever-press actions do not involve D2 signaling. Microprism-mediated two-photon calcium imaging further demonstrated ramping activity in mesocortical axon terminals approximately 0.5 s before the self-initiated lever press. Remarkably, the ramping patterns remained consistent whether the mice responded to cues immediately for a smaller reward or held their response for a larger reward. Conclusions We conclude that mesocortical dopamine axon terminals encode the timing of self-initiated actions, shedding light on a crucial aspect of the intricate neural mechanisms governing goal-directed behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Ohtake
- Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Neuroscience, Charleston, South Carolina, United States
- Yokohama City University, Department of Neurosurgery, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Kenta Abe
- Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Neuroscience, Charleston, South Carolina, United States
| | - Masashi Hasegawa
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Piscataway, New Jersey, United States
| | - Takahide Itokazu
- Osaka University, Department of Neuro-Medical Science, Osaka, Japan
| | - Vihashini Selvakumar
- Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Neuroscience, Charleston, South Carolina, United States
| | - Ashley Matunis
- Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Neuroscience, Charleston, South Carolina, United States
- College of Charleston, Department of Biology, Charleston, South Carolina, United States
| | - Emma Stacy
- Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Neuroscience, Charleston, South Carolina, United States
- College of Charleston, Department of Biology, Charleston, South Carolina, United States
| | - Emily Froebrich
- Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Neuroscience, Charleston, South Carolina, United States
- College of Charleston, Department of Biology, Charleston, South Carolina, United States
| | - Nathan Huynh
- Kagoshima University, Department of Pharmacology, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Haesuk Lee
- Kagoshima University, Department of Pharmacology, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Yuki Kambe
- Kagoshima University, Department of Pharmacology, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Yamamoto
- Yokohama City University, Department of Neurosurgery, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Tatsuo K. Sato
- Kagoshima University, Department of Pharmacology, Kagoshima, Japan
- FOREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama, Japan
| | - Takashi R. Sato
- Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Neuroscience, Charleston, South Carolina, United States
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Martinez MX, Alizo Vera V, Ruiz CM, Floresco SB, Mahler SV. Adolescent THC impacts on mPFC dopamine-mediated cognitive processes in male and female rats. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.12.588937. [PMID: 38826339 PMCID: PMC11142049 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.12.588937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Rationale Adolescent cannabis use is linked to later-life changes in cognition, learning, and memory. Rodent experimental studies suggest Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) influences development of circuits underlying these processes, especially in the prefrontal cortex, which matures during adolescence. Objective We determined how 14 daily THC injections (5mg/kg) during adolescence persistently impacts medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) dopamine-dependent cognition. Methods In adult Long Evans rats treated as adolescents with THC (AdoTHC), we quantify performance on two mPFC dopamine-dependent reward-based tasks-strategy set shifting and probabilistic discounting. We also determined how acute dopamine augmentation with amphetamine (0, 0.25, 0.5 mg/kg), or specific chemogenetic stimulation of ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons and their projections to mPFC impacts probabilistic discounting. Results AdoTHC sex-dependently impacts acquisition of cue-guided instrumental reward seeking, but has minimal effects on set-shifting or probabilistic discounting in either sex. When we challenged dopamine circuits acutely with amphetamine during probabilistic discounting, we found reduced discounting of improbable reward options, with AdoTHC rats being more sensitive to these effects than controls. In contrast, neither acute chemogenetic stimulation of VTA dopamine neurons nor pathway-specific chemogenetic stimulation of their projection to mPFC impacted probabilistic discounting in control rats, although stimulation of this cortical dopamine projection slightly disrupted choices in AdoTHC rats. Conclusions These studies confirm a marked specificity in the cognitive processes impacted by AdoTHC exposure. They also suggest that some persistent AdoTHC effects may alter amphetamine-induced cognitive changes in a manner independent of VTA dopamine projections to mPFC, or via alterations of non-VTA dopamine neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maricela X. Martinez
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine. 1203 McGaugh Hall. Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Vanessa Alizo Vera
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine. 1203 McGaugh Hall. Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Christina M Ruiz
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine. 1203 McGaugh Hall. Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Stan B Floresco
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Stephen V Mahler
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine. 1203 McGaugh Hall. Irvine, CA 92697
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Burghardt GM, Pellis SM, Schank JC, Smaldino PE, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Palagi E. Animal play and evolution: Seven timely research issues about enigmatic phenomena. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 160:105617. [PMID: 38458553 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
The nature of play in animals has been long debated, but progress is being made in characterizing play and its variants, documenting its distribution across vertebrate and invertebrate taxa, describing its mechanisms and development, and proposing testable theories about its origins, evolution, and adaptive functions. To achieve a deeper understanding of the functions and evolution of play, integrative and conceptual advances are needed in neuroscience, computer modeling, phylogenetics, experimental techniques, behavior development, and inter- and intra-specific variation. The special issue contains papers documenting many of these advances. Here, we describe seven timely areas where further research is needed to understand this still enigmatic class of phenomena more fully. Growing empirical and theoretical evidence reveals that play has been crucial in the evolution of behavior and psychology but has been underestimated, if not ignored, in both empirical and theoretical areas of evolutionary biology and neuroscience. Play research has important ramifications for understanding the evolution of cognition, emotion, and culture, and research on animals can be both informative and transformative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gordon M Burghardt
- Departments of Psychology and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
| | - Sergio M Pellis
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jeffrey C Schank
- Department of Psychology and Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Paul E Smaldino
- Department of Cognitive and Information Sciences, University of California, Merced, CA, USA, and Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM, USA
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Elisabetta Palagi
- Unit of Ethology, Department of Biology, University of Pisa and Natural History Museum, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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Lallai V, Congiu C, Craig G, Manca L, Chen YC, Dukes AJ, Fowler CD, Dazzi L. Social isolation postweaning alters reward-related dopamine dynamics in a region-specific manner in adolescent male rats. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 30:100620. [PMID: 38486879 PMCID: PMC10937317 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2024.100620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Early development is characterized by dynamic transitions in brain maturation, which may be impacted by environmental factors. Here, we sought to determine the effects of social isolation from postweaning and during adolescence on reward behavior and dopaminergic signaling in male rats. Subjects were socially isolated or group housed at postnatal day 21. Three weeks later, extracellular dopamine concentrations were examined in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and nucleus accumbens shell (NAc) during a feeding bout. Surprisingly, opposing effects were found in which increased mPFC dopamine concentrations were observed in group housed, but not isolated, rats. In stark contrast, increased dopamine levels were found in the NAc of isolated, but not group housed, rats. Moreover, the absence of an effect in the mPFC of the isolated rats could not be reversed by subsequent group housing, demonstrating the remarkable long-term effects on dopamine signaling dynamics. When provided a highly palatable food, the isolated subjects exhibited a dramatic increase in mPFC dopamine levels when the chocolate was novel, but no effects following chronic chocolate consumption. In contrast, the group housed subjects showed significantly increased dopamine levels only with chronic chocolate consumption. The dopamine changes were correlated with differences in behavioral measures. Importantly, the deficit in reward-related behavior during isolation could be reversed by microinjection of either dopamine or cocaine into the mPFC. Together, these data provide evidence that social isolation from postweaning and during adolescence alters reward-induced dopamine levels in a brain region-specific manner, which has important functional implications for reward-related behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Lallai
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Anthropology, Centre of Excellence for the Neurobiology of Dependence, University of Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, CA, Italy
| | - Cristina Congiu
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Anthropology, Centre of Excellence for the Neurobiology of Dependence, University of Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, CA, Italy
| | - Giulia Craig
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Anthropology, Centre of Excellence for the Neurobiology of Dependence, University of Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, CA, Italy
| | - Letizia Manca
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Anthropology, Centre of Excellence for the Neurobiology of Dependence, University of Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, CA, Italy
| | - Yen-Chu Chen
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Angeline J. Dukes
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Christie D. Fowler
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Laura Dazzi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Anthropology, Centre of Excellence for the Neurobiology of Dependence, University of Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, CA, Italy
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Moloney RA, Palliser HK, Dyson RM, Pavy CL, Berry M, Hirst JJ, Shaw JC. Ongoing effects of preterm birth on the dopaminergic and noradrenergic pathways in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of guinea pigs. Dev Neurobiol 2024; 84:93-110. [PMID: 38526217 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22937] [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: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Children born preterm have an increased likelihood of developing neurobehavioral disorders such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and anxiety. These disorders have a sex bias, with males having a higher incidence of ADHD, whereas anxiety disorder tends to be more prevalent in females. Both disorders are underpinned by imbalances to key neurotransmitter systems, with dopamine and noradrenaline in particular having major roles in attention regulation and stress modulation. Preterm birth disturbances to neurodevelopment may affect this neurotransmission in a sexually dimorphic manner. Time-mated guinea pig dams were allocated to deliver by preterm induction of labor (gestational age 62 [GA62]) or spontaneously at term (GA69). The resultant offspring were randomized to endpoints as neonates (24 h after term-equivalence age) or juveniles (corrected postnatal day 40, childhood equivalence). Relative mRNA expressions of key dopamine and noradrenaline pathway genes were examined in the frontal cortex and hippocampus and quantified with real-time PCR. Myelin basic protein and neuronal nuclei immunostaining were performed to characterize the impact of preterm birth. Within the frontal cortex, there were persisting reductions in the expression of dopaminergic pathway components that occurred in preterm males only. Conversely, preterm-born females had increased expression of key noradrenergic receptors and a reduction of the noradrenergic transporter within the hippocampus. This study demonstrated that preterm birth results in major changes in dopaminergic and noradrenergic receptor, transporter, and synthesis enzyme gene expression in a sex- and region-based manner that may contribute to the sex differences in susceptibility to neurobehavioral disorders. These findings highlight the need for the development of sex-based treatments for improving these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roisin A Moloney
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, Mothers and Babies Research Centre, Newcastle, Australia
| | - Hannah K Palliser
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, Mothers and Babies Research Centre, Newcastle, Australia
| | - Rebecca M Dyson
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
- Biomedical Research Unit, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Carlton L Pavy
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, Mothers and Babies Research Centre, Newcastle, Australia
| | - Max Berry
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
- Biomedical Research Unit, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Jonathon J Hirst
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, Mothers and Babies Research Centre, Newcastle, Australia
| | - Julia C Shaw
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, Mothers and Babies Research Centre, Newcastle, Australia
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11
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Nesbit MO, Ahn S, Zou H, Floresco SB, Phillips AG. Potentiation of prefrontal cortex dopamine function by the novel cognitive enhancer d-govadine. Neuropharmacology 2024; 246:109849. [PMID: 38244888 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.109849] [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: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
Cognitive impairment is a debilitating feature of psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, mood disorders and substance use disorders for which there is a substantial lack of effective therapies. d-Govadine (d-GOV) is a tetrahydroprotoberberine recently shown to significantly enhance working memory and behavioural flexibility in several prefrontal cortex (PFC)-dependent rodent tasks. d-GOV potentiates dopamine (DA) efflux in the mPFC and not the nucleus accumbens, a unique pharmacology that sets it apart from many dopaminergic drugs and likely contributes to its effects on cognitive function. However, specific mechanisms involved in the preferential effects of d-GOV on mPFC DA function remain to be determined. The present study employs brain dialysis in male rats to deliver d-GOV into the mPFC or ventral tegmental area (VTA), while simultaneously sampling DA and norepinephrine (NE) efflux in the mPFC. Intra-PFC delivery or systemic administration of d-GOV preferentially potentiated medial prefrontal DA vs NE efflux. This differential effect of d-GOV on the primary catecholamines known to affect mPFC function further underscores its specificity for the mPFC DA system. Importantly, the potentiating effect of d-GOV on mPFC DA was disrupted when glutamatergic transmission was blocked in either the mPFC or the VTA. We hypothesize that d-GOV acts in the mPFC to engage the mesocortical feedback loop through which prefrontal glutamatergic projections activate a population of VTA DA neurons that specifically project back to the PFC. The activation of a PFC-VTA feedback loop to elevate PFC DA efflux without affecting mesolimbic DA release represents a novel approach to developing pro-cognitive drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya O Nesbit
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Soyon Ahn
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Haiyan Zou
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Stan B Floresco
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Anthony G Phillips
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
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12
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Getachew B, Hauser SR, Bennani S, El Kouhen N, Sari Y, Tizabi Y. Adolescent alcohol drinking interaction with the gut microbiome: implications for adult alcohol use disorder. ADVANCES IN DRUG AND ALCOHOL RESEARCH 2024; 4:11881. [PMID: 38322648 PMCID: PMC10846679 DOI: 10.3389/adar.2024.11881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Reciprocal communication between the gut microbiota and the brain, commonly referred to as the "gut-brain-axis" is crucial in maintaining overall physiological homeostasis. Gut microbiota development and brain maturation (neuronal connectivity and plasticity) appear to be synchronized and to follow the same timeline during childhood (immature), adolescence (expansion) and adulthood (completion). It is important to note that the mesolimbic reward circuitry develops early on, whereas the maturation of the inhibitory frontal cortical neurons is delayed. This imbalance can lead to increased acquirement of reward-seeking and risk-taking behaviors during adolescence, and consequently eventuate in heightened risk for substance abuse. Thus, there is high initiation of alcohol drinking in early adolescence that significantly increases the risk of alcohol use disorder (AUD) in adulthood. The underlying causes for heightened AUD risk are not well understood. It is suggested that alcohol-associated gut microbiota impairment during adolescence plays a key role in AUD neurodevelopment in adulthood. Furthermore, alcohol-induced dysregulation of microglia, either directly or indirectly through interaction with gut microbiota, may be a critical neuroinflammatory pathway leading to neurodevelopmental impairments and AUD. In this review article, we highlight the influence of adolescent alcohol drinking on gut microbiota, gut-brain axis and microglia, and eventual manifestation of AUD. Furthermore, novel therapeutic interventions via gut microbiota manipulations are discussed briefly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruk Getachew
- Department of Pharmacology, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Sheketha R. Hauser
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Samia Bennani
- Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Nacer El Kouhen
- Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Youssef Sari
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, United States
| | - Yousef Tizabi
- Department of Pharmacology, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC, United States
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13
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Plateau V, Baufreton J, Le Bon-Jégo M. Age-Dependent Modulation of Layer V Pyramidal Neuron Excitability in the Mouse Primary Motor Cortex by D1 Receptor Agonists and Antagonists. Neuroscience 2024; 536:21-35. [PMID: 37952579 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.11.006] [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: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
The primary motor cortex (M1) receives dopaminergic (DAergic) projections from the midbrain which play a key role in modulating motor and cognitive processes, such as motor skill learning. However, little is known at the level of individual neurons about how dopamine (DA) and its receptors modulate the intrinsic properties of the different neuronal subpopulations in M1 and if this modulation depends on age. Using immunohistochemistry, we first mapped the cells expressing the DA D1 receptor across the different layers in M1, and quantified the number of pyramidal neurons (PNs) expressing the D1 receptor in the different layers, in young and adult mice. This work reveals that the spatial distribution and the molecular profile of D1 receptor-expressing neurons (D1+) across M1 layers do not change with age. Then, combining whole-cell patch-clamp recordings and pharmacology, we explored ex vivo in young and adult mice the impact of activation or blockade of D1 receptors on D1+ PN intrinsic properties. While the bath application of the D1 receptor agonist induced an increase in the excitability of layer V PNs both in young and adult, we identified a distinct modulation of intrinsic electrical properties of layer V D1+ PNs by D1 receptor antagonist depending on the age of the animal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentin Plateau
- Université de Bordeaux, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 33076 Bordeaux, France; CNRS UMR 5293, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - Jérôme Baufreton
- Université de Bordeaux, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 33076 Bordeaux, France; CNRS UMR 5293, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - Morgane Le Bon-Jégo
- Université de Bordeaux, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 33076 Bordeaux, France; CNRS UMR 5293, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, 33076 Bordeaux, France.
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14
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Pereira AR, Alemi M, Cerqueira-Nunes M, Monteiro C, Galhardo V, Cardoso-Cruz H. Dynamics of Lateral Habenula-Ventral Tegmental Area Microcircuit on Pain-Related Cognitive Dysfunctions. Neurol Int 2023; 15:1303-1319. [PMID: 37987455 PMCID: PMC10660716 DOI: 10.3390/neurolint15040082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain is a health problem that affects the ability to work and perform other activities, and it generally worsens over time. Understanding the complex pain interaction with brain circuits could help predict which patients are at risk of developing central dysfunctions. Increasing evidence from preclinical and clinical studies suggests that aberrant activity of the lateral habenula (LHb) is associated with depressive symptoms characterized by excessive negative focus, leading to high-level cognitive dysfunctions. The primary output region of the LHb is the ventral tegmental area (VTA), through a bidirectional connection. Recently, there has been growing interest in the complex interactions between the LHb and VTA, particularly regarding their crucial roles in behavior regulation and their potential involvement in the pathological impact of chronic pain on cognitive functions. In this review, we briefly discuss the structural and functional roles of the LHb-VTA microcircuit and their impact on cognition and mood disorders in order to support future studies addressing brain plasticity during chronic pain conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Raquel Pereira
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde—Pain Neurobiology Group, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.P.); (M.A.); (M.C.-N.); (C.M.); (V.G.)
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biomedicina—Unidade de Biologia Experimental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
| | - Mobina Alemi
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde—Pain Neurobiology Group, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.P.); (M.A.); (M.C.-N.); (C.M.); (V.G.)
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biomedicina—Unidade de Biologia Experimental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
| | - Mariana Cerqueira-Nunes
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde—Pain Neurobiology Group, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.P.); (M.A.); (M.C.-N.); (C.M.); (V.G.)
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biomedicina—Unidade de Biologia Experimental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
- Programa Doutoral em Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
| | - Clara Monteiro
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde—Pain Neurobiology Group, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.P.); (M.A.); (M.C.-N.); (C.M.); (V.G.)
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biomedicina—Unidade de Biologia Experimental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
| | - Vasco Galhardo
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde—Pain Neurobiology Group, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.P.); (M.A.); (M.C.-N.); (C.M.); (V.G.)
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biomedicina—Unidade de Biologia Experimental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
| | - Helder Cardoso-Cruz
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde—Pain Neurobiology Group, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.P.); (M.A.); (M.C.-N.); (C.M.); (V.G.)
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biomedicina—Unidade de Biologia Experimental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
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15
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Mastwal S, Li X, Stowell R, Manion M, Zhang W, Kim NS, Yoon KJ, Song H, Ming GL, Wang KH. Adolescent neurostimulation of dopamine circuit reverses genetic deficits in frontal cortex function. eLife 2023; 12:RP87414. [PMID: 37830916 PMCID: PMC10575630 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87414] [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] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Dopamine system dysfunction is implicated in adolescent-onset neuropsychiatric disorders. Although psychosis symptoms can be alleviated by antipsychotics, cognitive symptoms remain unresponsive and novel paradigms investigating the circuit substrates underlying cognitive deficits are critically needed. The frontal cortex and its dopaminergic input from the midbrain are implicated in cognitive functions and undergo maturational changes during adolescence. Here, we used mice carrying mutations in Arc or Disc1 to model mesofrontal dopamine circuit deficiencies and test circuit-based neurostimulation strategies to restore cognitive functions. We found that in a memory-guided spatial navigation task, frontal cortical neurons were activated coordinately at the decision-making point in wild-type but not Arc-/- mice. Chemogenetic stimulation of midbrain dopamine neurons or optogenetic stimulation of frontal cortical dopamine axons in a limited adolescent period consistently reversed genetic defects in mesofrontal innervation, task-coordinated neuronal activity, and memory-guided decision-making at adulthood. Furthermore, adolescent stimulation of dopamine neurons also reversed the same cognitive deficits in Disc1+/- mice. Our findings reveal common mesofrontal circuit alterations underlying the cognitive deficits caused by two different genes and demonstrate the feasibility of adolescent neurostimulation to reverse these circuit and behavioral deficits. These results may suggest developmental windows and circuit targets for treating cognitive deficits in neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surjeet Mastwal
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Xinjian Li
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Rianne Stowell
- Department of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical CenterRochesterUnited States
| | - Matthew Manion
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Wenyu Zhang
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical CenterRochesterUnited States
| | - Nam-Shik Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Ki-Jun Yoon
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Hongjun Song
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Guo-Li Ming
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Kuan Hong Wang
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical CenterRochesterUnited States
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16
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Managò F, Scheggia D, Pontillo M, Mereu M, Mastrogiacomo R, Udayan G, Valentini P, Tata MC, Weinberger DR, Weickert CS, Pompa PP, De Luca MA, Vicari S, Papaleo F. Dopaminergic signalling and behavioural alterations by Comt-Dtnbp1 genetic interaction and their clinical relevance. Br J Pharmacol 2023; 180:2514-2531. [PMID: 37218669 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16147] [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: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Cognitive and motor functions are modulated by dopaminergic signalling, which is shaped by several genetic factors. The biological effects of single genetic variants might differ depending on epistatic interactions that can be functionally multi-directional and non-linear. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH We performed behavioural and neurochemical assessments in genetically modified mice and behavioural assessments and genetic screening in human patients with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS). KEY RESULTS Here, we confirm a genetic interaction between the Comt (catechol-O-methyltransferase, human orthologue: COMT) and Dtnbp1 (dystrobrevin binding protein 1, alias dysbindin, human orthologue: DTNBP1) genes that modulate cortical and striatal dopaminergic signalling in a manner not predictable by the effects of each single gene. In mice, Comt-by-Dtnbp1 concomitant reduction leads to a hypoactive mesocortical and a hyperactive mesostriatal dopamine pathway, associated with specific cognitive abnormalities. Like mice, in subjects with the 22q11.2DS (characterized by COMT hemideletion and dopamine alterations), COMT-by-DTNBP1 concomitant reduction was associated with analogous cognitive disturbances. We then developed an easy and inexpensive colourimetric kit for the genetic screening of common COMT and DTNBP1 functional genetic variants for clinical application. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS These findings illustrate an epistatic interaction of two dopamine-related genes and their functional effects, supporting the need to address genetic interaction mechanisms at the base of complex behavioural traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Managò
- Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Neuroscience Area, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
| | - Diego Scheggia
- Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Neuroscience Area, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Pontillo
- Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Maddalena Mereu
- Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Neuroscience Area, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
| | - Rosa Mastrogiacomo
- Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Neuroscience Area, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
| | - Gayatri Udayan
- Nanobiointeractions and Nanodiagnostics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Engineering for Innovation, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Paola Valentini
- Nanobiointeractions and Nanodiagnostics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Daniel R Weinberger
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins University Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Cynthia S Weickert
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia
| | - Pier Paolo Pompa
- Nanobiointeractions and Nanodiagnostics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
| | - Maria A De Luca
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Stefano Vicari
- Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Papaleo
- Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Neuroscience Area, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
- Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
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17
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Seib DR, Tobiansky DJ, Meitzen J, Floresco SB, Soma KK. Neurosteroids and the mesocorticolimbic system. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 153:105356. [PMID: 37567491 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
The mesocorticolimbic system coordinates executive functions, such as working memory and behavioral flexibility. This circuit includes dopaminergic projections from the ventral tegmental area to the nucleus accumbens and medial prefrontal cortex. In this review, we summarize evidence that cells in multiple nodes of the mesocorticolimbic system produce neurosteroids (steroids synthesized in the nervous system) and express steroid receptors. Here, we focus on neuroandrogens (androgens synthesized in the nervous system), neuroestrogens (estrogens synthesized in the nervous system), and androgen and estrogen receptors. We also summarize how (neuro)androgens and (neuro)estrogens affect dopamine signaling in the mesocorticolimbic system and regulate executive functions. Taken together, the data suggest that steroids produced in the gonads and locally in the brain modulate higher-order cognition and executive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Désirée R Seib
- Department of Psychology and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | - Daniel J Tobiansky
- Department of Biology and Neuroscience Program, St. Mary's College of Maryland, St. Mary's City, MD, USA
| | - John Meitzen
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for Human Health and the Environment, NC State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Stan B Floresco
- Department of Psychology and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Kiran K Soma
- Department of Psychology and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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18
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Chakroun K, Wiehler A, Wagner B, Mathar D, Ganzer F, van Eimeren T, Sommer T, Peters J. Dopamine regulates decision thresholds in human reinforcement learning in males. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5369. [PMID: 37666865 PMCID: PMC10477234 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41130-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Dopamine fundamentally contributes to reinforcement learning, but recent accounts also suggest a contribution to specific action selection mechanisms and the regulation of response vigour. Here, we examine dopaminergic mechanisms underlying human reinforcement learning and action selection via a combined pharmacological neuroimaging approach in male human volunteers (n = 31, within-subjects; Placebo, 150 mg of the dopamine precursor L-dopa, 2 mg of the D2 receptor antagonist Haloperidol). We found little credible evidence for previously reported beneficial effects of L-dopa vs. Haloperidol on learning from gains and altered neural prediction error signals, which may be partly due to differences experimental design and/or drug dosages. Reinforcement learning drift diffusion models account for learning-related changes in accuracy and response times, and reveal consistent decision threshold reductions under both drugs, in line with the idea that lower dosages of D2 receptor antagonists increase striatal DA release via an autoreceptor-mediated feedback mechanism. These results are in line with the idea that dopamine regulates decision thresholds during reinforcement learning, and may help to bridge action selection and response vigor accounts of dopamine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karima Chakroun
- Institute for Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Antonius Wiehler
- Motivation, Brain and Behavior Lab, Paris Brain Institute (ICM), Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Ben Wagner
- Chair of Cognitive Computational Neuroscience, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - David Mathar
- Department of Psychology, Biological Psychology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Florian Ganzer
- Integrated Psychiatry Winterthur, Winterthur, Switzerland
| | - Thilo van Eimeren
- Multimodal Neuroimaging Group, Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Tobias Sommer
- Institute for Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jan Peters
- Institute for Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
- Department of Psychology, Biological Psychology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
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19
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Tichelaar JG, Sayalı C, Helmich RC, Cools R. Impulse control disorder in Parkinson's disease is associated with abnormal frontal value signalling. Brain 2023; 146:3676-3689. [PMID: 37192341 PMCID: PMC10473575 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Dopaminergic medication is well established to boost reward- versus punishment-based learning in Parkinson's disease. However, there is tremendous variability in dopaminergic medication effects across different individuals, with some patients exhibiting much greater cognitive sensitivity to medication than others. We aimed to unravel the mechanisms underlying this individual variability in a large heterogeneous sample of early-stage patients with Parkinson's disease as a function of comorbid neuropsychiatric symptomatology, in particular impulse control disorders and depression. One hundred and ninety-nine patients with Parkinson's disease (138 ON medication and 61 OFF medication) and 59 healthy controls were scanned with functional MRI while they performed an established probabilistic instrumental learning task. Reinforcement learning model-based analyses revealed medication group differences in learning from gains versus losses, but only in patients with impulse control disorders. Furthermore, expected-value related brain signalling in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex was increased in patients with impulse control disorders ON medication compared with those OFF medication, while striatal reward prediction error signalling remained unaltered. These data substantiate the hypothesis that dopamine's effects on reinforcement learning in Parkinson's disease vary with individual differences in comorbid impulse control disorder and suggest they reflect deficient computation of value in medial frontal cortex, rather than deficient reward prediction error signalling in striatum. See Michael Browning (https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awad248) for a scientific commentary on this article.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorryt G Tichelaar
- Radboud University Medical Centre, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, 6525EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Radboud University Medical Center, Department of Neurology, Centre of Expertise for Parkinson and Movement Disorders, 6525GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ceyda Sayalı
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Rick C Helmich
- Radboud University Medical Centre, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, 6525EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Radboud University Medical Center, Department of Neurology, Centre of Expertise for Parkinson and Movement Disorders, 6525GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Roshan Cools
- Radboud University Medical Centre, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, 6525EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Radboud University Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, 6525GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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20
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Achterberg EJM, Vanderschuren LJMJ. The neurobiology of social play behaviour: Past, present and future. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105319. [PMID: 37454882 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105319] [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: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Social play behaviour is a highly energetic and rewarding activity that is of great importance for the development of brain and behaviour. Social play is abundant during the juvenile and early adolescent phases of life, and it occurs in most mammalian species, as well as in certain birds and reptiles. To date, the majority of research into the neural mechanisms of social play behaviour has been performed in male rats. In the present review we summarize studies on the neurobiology of social play behaviour in rats, including work on pharmacological and genetic models for autism spectrum disorders, early life manipulations and environmental factors that influence play in rats. We describe several recent developments that expand the field, and highlight outstanding questions that may guide future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- E J Marijke Achterberg
- Dept. of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Dept. of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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21
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Glover EJ, Margaret Starr E, Gascon A, Clayton-Stiglbauer K, Amegashie CL, Selchick AH, Vaughan DT, Wayman WN, Woodward JJ, Chandler LJ. Involvement of cortical input to the rostromedial tegmental nucleus in aversion to foot shock. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:1455-1464. [PMID: 37221326 PMCID: PMC10425416 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01612-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The rostromedial tegmental nucleus (RMTg) encodes negative reward prediction error (RPE) and plays an important role in guiding behavioral responding to aversive stimuli. Previous research has focused on regulation of RMTg activity by the lateral habenula despite studies revealing RMTg afferents from other regions including the frontal cortex. The current study provides a detailed anatomical and functional analysis of cortical input to the RMTg of male rats. Retrograde tracing uncovered dense cortical input to the RMTg spanning the medial prefrontal cortex, the orbitofrontal cortex and anterior insular cortex. Afferents were most dense in the dorsomedial subregion of the PFC (dmPFC), an area that is also implicated in both RPE signaling and aversive responding. RMTg-projecting dmPFC neurons originate in layer V, are glutamatergic, and collateralize to select brain regions. In-situ mRNA hybridization revealed that neurons in this circuit are predominantly D1 receptor-expressing with a high degree of D2 receptor colocalization. Consistent with cFos induction in this neural circuit during exposure to foot shock and shock-predictive cues, optogenetic stimulation of dmPFC terminals in the RMTg drove avoidance. Lastly, acute slice electrophysiology and morphological studies revealed that exposure to repeated foot shock resulted in significant physiological and structural changes consistent with a loss of top-down modulation of RMTg-mediated signaling. Altogether, these data reveal the presence of a prominent cortico-subcortical projection involved in adaptive behavioral responding to aversive stimuli such as foot shock and provide a foundation for future work aimed at exploring alterations in circuit function in diseases characterized by deficits in cognitive control over reward and aversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth J Glover
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - E Margaret Starr
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Andres Gascon
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Kacey Clayton-Stiglbauer
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Christen L Amegashie
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Alyson H Selchick
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Dylan T Vaughan
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Wesley N Wayman
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - John J Woodward
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - L Judson Chandler
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
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22
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Mastwal S, Li X, Stowell R, Manion M, Zhang W, Kim NS, Yoon KJ, Song H, Ming GL, Wang KH. Adolescent neurostimulation of dopamine circuit reverses genetic deficits in frontal cortex function. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.03.526987. [PMID: 36778456 PMCID: PMC9915739 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.03.526987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Dopamine system dysfunction is commonly implicated in adolescent-onset neuropsychiatric disorders. Although psychosis symptoms can be alleviated by antipsychotics, cognitive symptoms remain unresponsive to such pharmacological treatments and novel research paradigms investigating the circuit substrates underlying cognitive deficits are critically needed. The frontal cortex and its dopaminergic input from the midbrain are implicated in cognitive functions and undergo maturational changes during adolescence. Here, we used mice carrying mutations in the Arc or DISC1 genes to model mesofrontal dopamine circuit deficiencies and test circuit-based neurostimulation strategies to restore cognitive functions. We found that in a memory-guided spatial navigation task, frontal cortical neurons were activated coordinately at the decision-making point in wild-type but not Arc mutant mice. Chemogenetic stimulation of midbrain dopamine neurons or optogenetic stimulation of frontal cortical dopamine axons in a limited adolescent period consistently reversed genetic defects in mesofrontal innervation, task-coordinated neuronal activity, and memory-guided decision-making at adulthood. Furthermore, adolescent stimulation of dopamine neurons also reversed the same cognitive deficits in DISC1 mutant mice. Our findings reveal common mesofrontal circuit alterations underlying the cognitive deficits caused by two different genes and demonstrate the feasibility of adolescent neurostimulation to reverse these circuit and behavioral deficits. These results may suggest developmental windows and circuit targets for treating cognitive deficits in neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surjeet Mastwal
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Xinjian Li
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Rianne Stowell
- Department of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642
| | - Matthew Manion
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Wenyu Zhang
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
- Department of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642
| | - Nam-Shik Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Ki-jun Yoon
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Hongjun Song
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Guo-li Ming
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Kuan Hong Wang
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
- Department of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642
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23
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Chen CS, Mueller D, Knep E, Ebitz RB, Grissom NM. Dopamine and norepinephrine differentially mediate the exploration-exploitation tradeoff. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.09.523322. [PMID: 36711959 PMCID: PMC9881999 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.09.523322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The catecholamines dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) have been repeatedly implicated in neuropsychiatric vulnerability, in part via their roles in mediating the decision making processes. Although the two neuromodulators share a synthesis pathway and are co-activated under states of arousal, they engage in distinct circuits and roles in modulating neural activity across the brain. However, in the computational neuroscience literature, they have been assigned similar roles in modulating the latent cognitive processes of decision making, in particular the exploration-exploitation tradeoff. Revealing how each neuromodulator contributes to this explore-exploit process will be important in guiding mechanistic hypotheses emerging from computational psychiatric approaches. To understand the differences and overlaps of the roles of these two catecholamine systems in regulating exploration and exploitation, a direct comparison using the same dynamic decision making task is needed. Here, we ran mice in a restless two-armed bandit task, which encourages both exploration and exploitation. We systemically administered a nonselective DA receptor antagonist (flupenthixol), a nonselective DA receptor agonist (apomorphine), a NE beta-receptor antagonist (propranolol), and a NE beta-receptor agonist (isoproterenol), and examined changes in exploration within subjects across sessions. We found a bidirectional modulatory effect of dopamine receptor activity on the level of exploration. Increasing dopamine activity decreased exploration and decreasing dopamine activity increased exploration. Beta-noradrenergic receptor activity also modulated exploration, but the modulatory effect was mediated by sex. Reinforcement learning model parameters suggested that dopamine modulation affected exploration via decision noise and norepinephrine modulation affected exploration via outcome sensitivity. Together, these findings suggested that the mechanisms that govern the transition between exploration and exploitation are sensitive to changes in both catecholamine functions and revealed differential roles for NE and DA in mediating exploration.
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24
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Baeuchl C, Glöckner F, Koch C, Petzold J, Schuck NW, Smolka MN, Li SC. Dopamine differentially modulates medial temporal lobe activity and behavior during spatial navigation in young and older adults. Neuroimage 2023; 273:120099. [PMID: 37037380 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is associated with changes in spatial navigation behavior. In addition to an overall performance decline, older adults tend to rely more on proximal location cue information than on environmental boundary information during spatial navigation compared to young adults. The fact that older adults are more susceptible to errors during spatial navigation might be partly attributed to deficient dopaminergic modulation of hippocampal and striatal functioning. Hence, elevating dopamine levels might differentially modulate spatial navigation and memory performance in young and older adults. In this work, we administered levodopa (L-DOPA) in a double-blind within-subject, placebo-controlled design and recorded functional neuroimaging while young and older adults performed a 3D spatial navigation task in which boundary geometry or the position of a location cue were systematically manipulated. An age by intervention interaction on the neural level revealed an upregulation of brain responses in older adults and a downregulation of responses in young adults within the medial temporal lobe (including hippocampus and parahippocampus) and brainstem, during memory retrieval. Behaviorally, L-DOPA had no effect on older adults' overall memory performance; however, older adults whose spatial memory improved under L-DOPA also showed a shift towards more boundary processing under L-DOPA. In young adults, L-DOPA induced a decline in spatial memory performance in task-naïve participants. These results are consistent with the inverted-U-shaped hypothesis of dopamine signaling and cognitive function and suggest that increasing dopamine availability improves hippocampus-dependent place learning in some older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Baeuchl
- Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Franka Glöckner
- Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Christoph Koch
- Max Planck Research Group NeuroCode, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany; International Max Planck Research School on the Life Course (LIFE), Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany; Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Aging Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Johannes Petzold
- Department of Psychiatry, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Nicolas W Schuck
- Max Planck Research Group NeuroCode, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany; Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Aging Research, Berlin, Germany; Institute of Psychology, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, German
| | - Michael N Smolka
- Department of Psychiatry, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Shu-Chen Li
- Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Centre for Tactile Internet with Human-in-the-Loop, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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25
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Physical activity for cognitive health promotion: An overview of the underlying neurobiological mechanisms. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 86:101868. [PMID: 36736379 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.101868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Physical activity is one of the modifiable factors of cognitive decline and dementia with the strongest evidence. Although many influential reviews have illustrated the neurobiological mechanisms of the cognitive benefits of physical activity, none of them have linked the neurobiological mechanisms to normal exercise physiology to help the readers gain a more advanced, comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon. In this review, we address this issue and provide a synthesis of the literature by focusing on five most studied neurobiological mechanisms. We show that the body's adaptations to enhance exercise performance also benefit the brain and contribute to improved cognition. Specifically, these adaptations include, 1), the release of growth factors that are essential for the development and growth of neurons and for neurogenesis and angiogenesis, 2), the production of lactate that provides energy to the brain and is involved in the synthesis of glutamate and the maintenance of long-term potentiation, 3), the release of anti-inflammatory cytokines that reduce neuroinflammation, 4), the increase in mitochondrial biogenesis and antioxidant enzyme activity that reduce oxidative stress, and 5), the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and 5-HT that regulate neurogenesis and modulate cognition. We also discussed several issues relevant for prescribing physical activity, including what intensity and mode of physical activity brings the most cognitive benefits, based on their influence on the above five neurobiological mechanisms. We hope this review helps readers gain a general understanding of the state-of-the-art knowledge on the neurobiological mechanisms of the cognitive benefits of physical activity and guide them in designing new studies to further advance the field.
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26
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Barnett WH, Kuznetsov A, Lapish CC. Distinct cortico-striatal compartments drive competition between adaptive and automatized behavior. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0279841. [PMID: 36943842 PMCID: PMC10030038 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Cortical and basal ganglia circuits play a crucial role in the formation of goal-directed and habitual behaviors. In this study, we investigate the cortico-striatal circuitry involved in learning and the role of this circuitry in the emergence of inflexible behaviors such as those observed in addiction. Specifically, we develop a computational model of cortico-striatal interactions that performs concurrent goal-directed and habit learning. The model accomplishes this by distinguishing learning processes in the dorsomedial striatum (DMS) that rely on reward prediction error signals as distinct from the dorsolateral striatum (DLS) where learning is supported by salience signals. These striatal subregions each operate on unique cortical input: the DMS receives input from the prefrontal cortex (PFC) which represents outcomes, and the DLS receives input from the premotor cortex which determines action selection. Following an initial learning of a two-alternative forced choice task, we subjected the model to reversal learning, reward devaluation, and learning a punished outcome. Behavior driven by stimulus-response associations in the DLS resisted goal-directed learning of new reward feedback rules despite devaluation or punishment, indicating the expression of habit. We repeated these simulations after the impairment of executive control, which was implemented as poor outcome representation in the PFC. The degraded executive control reduced the efficacy of goal-directed learning, and stimulus-response associations in the DLS were even more resistant to the learning of new reward feedback rules. In summary, this model describes how circuits of the dorsal striatum are dynamically engaged to control behavior and how the impairment of executive control by the PFC enhances inflexible behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- William H. Barnett
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University—Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Alexey Kuznetsov
- Department of Mathematics, Indiana University—Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Christopher C. Lapish
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University—Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University—Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
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27
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Soutschek A, Tobler PN. A process model account of the role of dopamine in intertemporal choice. eLife 2023; 12:83734. [PMID: 36884013 PMCID: PMC9995109 DOI: 10.7554/elife.83734] [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: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Theoretical accounts disagree on the role of dopamine in intertemporal choice and assume that dopamine either promotes delay of gratification by increasing the preference for larger rewards or that dopamine reduces patience by enhancing the sensitivity to waiting costs. Here, we reconcile these conflicting accounts by providing empirical support for a novel process model according to which dopamine contributes to two dissociable components of the decision process, evidence accumulation and starting bias. We re-analyzed a previously published data set where intertemporal decisions were made either under the D2 antagonist amisulpride or under placebo by fitting a hierarchical drift diffusion model that distinguishes between dopaminergic effects on the speed of evidence accumulation and the starting point of the accumulation process. Blocking dopaminergic neurotransmission not only strengthened the sensitivity to whether a reward is perceived as worth the delay costs during evidence accumulation (drift rate) but also attenuated the impact of waiting costs on the starting point of the evidence accumulation process (bias). In contrast, re-analyzing data from a D1 agonist study provided no evidence for a causal involvement of D1R activation in intertemporal choices. Taken together, our findings support a novel, process-based account of the role of dopamine for cost-benefit decision making, highlight the potential benefits of process-informed analyses, and advance our understanding of dopaminergic contributions to decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Philippe N Tobler
- Zurich Center for Neuroeconomics, Department of Economics, University of ZurichZürichSwitzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ZurichZurichSwitzerland
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28
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Ely AV, Wetherill RR. Reward and inhibition in obesity and cigarette smoking: Neurobiological overlaps and clinical implications. Physiol Behav 2023; 260:114049. [PMID: 36470508 PMCID: PMC10694810 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.114049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Cigarette smoking and obesity are the leading causes of premature morbidity and mortality and increase the risk of all-cause mortality four-fold when comorbid. Individuals with these conditions demonstrate neurobiological and behavioral differences regarding how they respond to rewarding stimuli or engage in inhibitory control. This narrative review examines the role of reward and inhibition in cigarette smoking and obesity independently, as well as recent research demonstrating an effect of increased body mass index (BMI) on neurocognitive function in individuals who smoke. It is possible that chronic smoking and overeating of highly palatable food, contributing to obesity, dysregulates reward neurocircuitry, subsequently leading to hypofunction of brain networks associated with inhibitory control. These brain changes do not appear to be specific to food or nicotine and, as a result, can potentiate continued cross-use. Changes to reward and inhibitory function due to increased BMI may also make cessation more difficult for those comorbid for obesity and smoking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice V Ely
- Cooper University Health Care, Center for Healing, Division of Addiction Medicine, Camden, NJ 08103, USA.
| | - Reagan R Wetherill
- University of Pennsylvania, Department of Psychiatry, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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29
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Ball KT, Edson H. Chronic restraint stress increases sensitivity to punishment during cocaine self-administration via a dopamine D 1-like receptor-mediated mechanism in prelimbic medial prefrontal cortex. Neurosci Lett 2023; 793:136992. [PMID: 36455694 PMCID: PMC9772152 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2022.136992] [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: 09/24/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
We recently reported that male rats displayed less sensitivity to punishment during cocaine self-administration compared to females. Moreover, daily restraint stress increased sensitivity to punishment in males, while having no effect in females. The purpose of the present study was to extend these findings by determining whether chronic stress-induced dopamine release in prelimbic medial prefrontal cortex mediates the effect of stress on punished cocaine self-administration. Thus, male rats were trained to press a lever for i.v. cocaine infusions (0.50 mg/kg/infusion) paired with a discrete tone + light cue in daily 3-hr sessions. Subsequently, 50 % of the lever presses were punished by a mild footshock that gradually increased in intensity over 7 days. During the punishment phase, rats were exposed to a chronic restraint stress procedure (3 h/day) or control procedure (unstressed). Rats also received bilateral microinjections of the D1-like receptor antagonist SCH-23390 (0.25 μg/0.5 μl/side) or vehicle (0.5 μl/side) delivered to prelimbic cortex prior to daily treatments. Relapse tests were conducted 1 and 8 days after the last punishment session. Chronically stressed rats displayed reduced cocaine self-administration during punishment relative to unstressed rats, an effect prevented by co-administration of SCH-23390 to prelimbic cortex with daily restraint. Neither stress nor SCH-23390 treatment had significant effects on subsequent relapse-like behavior. These results establish a specific role for prelimbic D1-like receptors in chronic stress-induced suppression of punished cocaine self-administration in male rats. As such, these findings may inform novel methods to facilitate self-imposed abstinence in cocaine-dependent men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin T Ball
- Department of Psychology, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, 400 E. 2(nd) St., Bloomsburg, PA 17815, USA.
| | - Hunter Edson
- Department of Psychology, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, 400 E. 2(nd) St., Bloomsburg, PA 17815, USA
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30
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Kim HH, Lee SH, Ho WK, Eom K. Dopamine Receptor Supports the Potentiation of Intrinsic Excitability and Synaptic LTD in Temporoammonic-CA1 Synapse. Exp Neurobiol 2022; 31:361-375. [PMID: 36631845 PMCID: PMC9841748 DOI: 10.5607/en22028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Dopaminergic projection to the hippocampus from the ventral tegmental area or locus ceruleus has been considered to play an essential role in the acquisition of novel information. Hence, the dopaminergic modulation of synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus has been widely studied. We examined how the D1 and D2 receptors influenced the mGluR5-mediated synaptic plasticity of the temporoammonic-CA1 synapses and showed that the dopaminergic modulation of the temporoammonic-CA1 synapses was expressed in various ways. Our findings suggest that the dopaminergic system in the hippocampal CA1 region regulates the long-term synaptic plasticity and processing of the novel information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye-Hyun Kim
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea,Neuroscience Research Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
| | - Suk-Ho Lee
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea,Neuroscience Research Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
| | - Won-Kyung Ho
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea,Neuroscience Research Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea,Won-Kyung Ho, TEL: 82-2-740-8226, FAX: 82-2-763-9667, e-mail:
| | - Kisang Eom
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Keimyung University, Daegu 42601, Korea,To whom correspondence should be addressed. Kisang Eom, TEL: 82-53-258-7416, FAX: 82-53-258-7412, e-mail:
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31
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Shinohara R, Furuyashiki T. Prefrontal contributions to mental resilience: Lessons from rodent studies of stress and antidepressant actions. Neurosci Res 2022:S0168-0102(22)00305-4. [PMID: 36549388 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2022.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Individual variability of stress susceptibility led to the concept of stress resilience to adapt well upon stressors. However, the neural mechanisms of stress resilience and its relevance to antidepressant actions remain elusive. In rodents, chronic stress induces dendritic atrophy and decreases dendritic spine density in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), recapitulating prefrontal alterations in depressive patients, and the mPFC promotes stress resilience. Whereas dopamine neurons projecting to the nucleus accumbens potentiated by chronic stress promote stress susceptibility, dopamine neurons projecting to the mPFC activated upon acute stress contribute to dendritic growth of mPFC neurons via dopamine D1 receptors, leading to stress resilience. Rodent studies have also identified the roles of prefrontal D1 receptors as well as D1 receptor-expressing mPFC neurons projecting to multiple subcortical areas and dendritic spine formation in the mPFC for the sustained antidepressant-like effects of low-dose ketamine. Thus, understanding the cellular and neural-circuit mechanism of prefrontal D1 receptor actions paves the way for bridging the gap between stress resilience and the sustained antidepressant-like effects. The mechanistic understanding of stress resilience might be exploitable for developing antidepressants based on a naturally occurring mechanism, thus safer than low-dose ketamine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryota Shinohara
- Division of Pharmacology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0017, Japan.
| | - Tomoyuki Furuyashiki
- Division of Pharmacology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0017, Japan.
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32
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Obray JD, Landin JD, Vaughan DT, Scofield MD, Chandler LJ. Adolescent alcohol exposure reduces dopamine 1 receptor modulation of prelimbic neurons projecting to the nucleus accumbens and basolateral amygdala. ADDICTION NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 4:100044. [PMID: 36643604 PMCID: PMC9836047 DOI: 10.1016/j.addicn.2022.100044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Binge drinking during adolescence is highly prevalent despite increasing evidence of its long-term impact on behaviors associated with modulation of behavioral flexibility by the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). In the present study, male and female rats underwent adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure by vapor inhalation. After aging to adulthood, retrograde bead labelling and viral tagging were used to identify populations of neurons in the prelimbic region (PrL) of the mPFC that project to specific subcortical targets. Electrophysiological recording from bead-labelled neurons in PrL slices revealed that AIE did not alter the intrinsic excitability of PrL neurons that projected to either the NAc or the BLA. Similarly, recordings of spontaneous inhibitory and excitatory post-synaptic currents revealed no AIE-induced changes in synaptic drive onto either population of projection neurons. In contrast, AIE exposure was associated with a loss of dopamine receptor 1 (D1), but no change in dopamine receptor 2 (D2), modulation of evoked firing of both populations of projection neurons. Lastly, confocal imaging of proximal and apical dendritic tufts of viral-labelled PrL neurons that projected to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) revealed AIE did not alter the density of dendritic spines. Together, these observations provide evidence that AIE exposure results in disruption of D1 receptor modulation of PrL inputs to at least two major subcortical target regions that have been implicated in AIE-induced long-term changes in behavioral control.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Daniel Obray
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, 30 Courtenay Drive, Charleston SC 29425, USA
| | - Justine D. Landin
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, 30 Courtenay Drive, Charleston SC 29425, USA
| | - Dylan T. Vaughan
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, 30 Courtenay Drive, Charleston SC 29425, USA
| | - Michael D. Scofield
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, 30 Courtenay Drive, Charleston SC 29425, USA,Department of Anesthesiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston SC, USA
| | - L. Judson Chandler
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, 30 Courtenay Drive, Charleston SC 29425, USA,Corresponding author. (L.J. Chandler)
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Heldmann M, Mönch E, Kesseböhmer A, Brüggemann N, Münte TF, Ye Z. Pramipexole modulates fronto-subthalamic pathway in sequential working memory. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 48:716-723. [PMID: 36352204 PMCID: PMC10066371 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01494-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Brain dopamine may regulate the ability to maintain and manipulate sequential information online. However, the precise role of dopamine remains unclear. This pharmacological fMRI study examined whether and how the dopamine D2/3 receptor agonist pramipexole modulates fronto-subthalamic or fronto-striatal pathways during sequential working memory. This study used a double-blind, randomized crossover design. Twenty-two healthy male volunteers completed a digit ordering task during fMRI scanning after receiving a single oral dose of 0.5-mg pramipexole or placebo. The pramipexole effects on task performance, regional activity, activity pattern similarity, and functional connectivity were analyzed. Pramipexole impaired task performance, leading to less accurate and slower responses in the digit ordering task. Also, it downregulated the maintenance-related subthalamic and dorsolateral prefrontal activity, increasing reaction times for maintaining sequences. In contrast, pramipexole upregulated the manipulation-related subthalamic and dorsolateral prefrontal activity, increasing reaction time costs for manipulating sequences. In addition, it altered the dorsolateral prefrontal activity pattern similarity and fronto-subthalamic functional connectivity. Finally, pramipexole reduced maintenance-related striatal activity, which did not affect the behavior. This study confirms the role of the fronto-subthalamic pathway in sequential working memory. Furthermore, it shows that D2 transmission can regulate sequential working memory by modulating the fronto-subthalamic pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Heldmann
- Department of Neurology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, 23538, Germany.,Institute of Psychology II, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, 23538, Germany
| | - Eliana Mönch
- Department of Neurology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, 23538, Germany
| | | | - Norbert Brüggemann
- Department of Neurology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, 23538, Germany.,Institute of Neurogenetics, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, 23538, Germany
| | - Thomas F Münte
- Department of Neurology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, 23538, Germany. .,Institute of Psychology II, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, 23538, Germany.
| | - Zheng Ye
- Institute of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
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Kourosh-Arami M, Gholami M, Alavi-Kakhki SS, Komaki A. Neural correlates and potential targets for the contribution of orexin to addiction in cortical and subcortical areas. Neuropeptides 2022; 95:102259. [PMID: 35714437 DOI: 10.1016/j.npep.2022.102259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The orexin (hypocretin) is one of the hypothalamic neuropeptides that plays a critical role in some behaviors including feeding, sleep, arousal, reward processing, and drug addiction. This variety of functions can be described by a united function for orexins in translating states of heightened motivation, for example during physiological requirement states or following exposure to reward opportunities, into planned goal-directed behaviors. An addicted state is characterized by robust activation of orexin neurons from the environment, which triggers downstream circuits to facilitate behavior directed towards obtaining the drug. Two orexin receptors 1 (OX1R) and 2 (OX2R) are widely distributed in the brain. Here, we will introduce and describe the cortical and subcortical brain areas involved in addictive-like behaviors and the impact of orexin on addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masoumeh Kourosh-Arami
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Masoumeh Gholami
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran.
| | - Seyed Sajjad Alavi-Kakhki
- Student Research Committee, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran
| | - Alireza Komaki
- Neurophysiology Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
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35
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Gallo FT, Zanoni Saad MB, Silva A, Morici JF, Miranda M, Anderson MC, Weisstaub NV, Bekinschtein P. Dopamine Modulates Adaptive Forgetting in Medial Prefrontal Cortex. J Neurosci 2022; 42:6620-6636. [PMID: 35853718 PMCID: PMC9410750 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0740-21.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Active forgetting occurs in many species, but how behavioral control mechanisms influence which memories are forgotten remains unknown. We previously found that when rats need to retrieve a memory to guide exploration, it reduces later retention of other competing memories encoded in that environment. As with humans, this retrieval-induced forgetting relies on prefrontal control processes. Dopaminergic input to the prefrontal cortex is important for executive functions and cognitive flexibility. We found that, in a similar way, retrieval-induced forgetting of competing memories in male rats requires prefrontal dopamine signaling through D1 receptors. Blockade of medial prefrontal cortex D1 receptors as animals encountered a familiar object impaired active forgetting of competing object memories as measured on a later long-term memory test. Inactivation of the ventral tegmental area produced the same pattern of behavior, a pattern that could be reversed by concomitant activation of prefrontal D1 receptors. We observed a bidirectional modulation of retrieval-induced forgetting by agonists and antagonists of D1 receptors in the medial prefrontal cortex. These findings establish the essential role of prefrontal dopamine in the active forgetting of competing memories, contributing to the shaping of retention in response to the behavioral goals of an organism.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Forgetting is a ubiquitous phenomenon that is actively promoted in many species. The very act of remembering some experiences can cause forgetting of others, in both humans and rats. This retrieval-induced forgetting process is thought to be driven by inhibitory control signals from the prefrontal cortex that target areas where the memories are stored. Here we started disentangling the neurochemical signals in the prefrontal cortex that are essential to retrieval-induced forgetting. We found that, in rats, the release of dopamine in this area, acting through D1 receptors, was essential to causing active forgetting of competing memories. Inhibition of D1 receptors impaired forgetting, while activation increased forgetting. These findings are important, because the mechanisms of active forgetting and their linkage to goal-directed behavior are only beginning to be understood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Tomás Gallo
- Laboratorio de Memoria y Cognición Molecular, Instituto de Neurociencia Cognitiva y Traslacional, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas(CONICET)-Fundación INECO-Universidad Favaloro, 1071 Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Belén Zanoni Saad
- Laboratorio de Memoria y Cognición Molecular, Instituto de Neurociencia Cognitiva y Traslacional, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas(CONICET)-Fundación INECO-Universidad Favaloro, 1071 Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Azul Silva
- Grupo de Neurociencia de Sistemas, Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica "Houssay" (IFIBIO "Houssay"), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), C1121ABG Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juan Facundo Morici
- Laboratorio de Memoria y Cognición Molecular, Instituto de Neurociencia Cognitiva y Traslacional, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas(CONICET)-Fundación INECO-Universidad Favaloro, 1071 Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Magdalena Miranda
- Laboratorio de Memoria y Cognición Molecular, Instituto de Neurociencia Cognitiva y Traslacional, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas(CONICET)-Fundación INECO-Universidad Favaloro, 1071 Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Michael C Anderson
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 7EF, United Kingdom
- Behavioural and Clinical Neurosciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
| | - Noelia V Weisstaub
- Laboratorio de Memoria y Cognición Molecular, Instituto de Neurociencia Cognitiva y Traslacional, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas(CONICET)-Fundación INECO-Universidad Favaloro, 1071 Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Pedro Bekinschtein
- Laboratorio de Memoria y Cognición Molecular, Instituto de Neurociencia Cognitiva y Traslacional, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas(CONICET)-Fundación INECO-Universidad Favaloro, 1071 Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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36
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Brynildsen JK, Yang K, Lemchi C, Dani JA, De Biasi M, Blendy JA. A common SNP in Chrna5 enhances morphine reward in female mice. Neuropharmacology 2022; 218:109218. [PMID: 35973602 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) D398N (rs16969968) in CHRNA5, the gene encoding the α5 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR), has been associated with both nicotine and opiate dependence in human populations. Expression of this SNP on presynaptic VTA dopaminergic (DA) neurons is known to cause a reduction in calcium signaling, leading to alterations in transmitter signaling and altered responses to drugs of abuse. To examine the impact of the Chrna5 SNP on opiate reward and underlying dopaminergic mechanisms, mice harboring two copies of the risk-associated allele (Chrna5 A/A) at a location equivalent to human rs16969968 were generated via CRISPR/cas9 genome editing. We sought to determine whether Chrna5 A/A mice show differences in sensitivity to rewarding properties of morphine using the conditioned place preference paradigm. When mice were tested two weeks after conditioning, female Chrna5 A/A mice showed significantly enhanced preference for the morphine-paired chamber relative to WT females, suggesting that this genotype may enhance opioid reward specifically in females. In contrast, Chrna5 genotype had no effect on locomotor sensitization in male or female mice. Relative to WT females, peak amplitude of ACh-gated currents recorded from VTA DA neurons in Chrna5 A/A females was potentiated 1 day after conditioning with morphine. Increased FOS expression was also observed in Chrna5 A/A mice relative to WT mice following exposure to the morphine CPP chamber. We propose that impaired α5 nAChR subunit function alters DA neuron response following repeated morphine exposures, and that this early cellular response could contribute to enhanced opiate reward two weeks after conditioning.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Crystal Lemchi
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, USA
| | | | - Mariella De Biasi
- Department of Neuroscience, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, USA.
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Gregorio I, Mereu M, Contarini G, Bello L, Semplicini C, Burgio F, Russo L, Sut S, Dall'Acqua S, Braghetta P, Semenza C, Pegoraro E, Papaleo F, Bonaldo P, Cescon M. Collagen VI deficiency causes behavioral abnormalities and cortical dopaminergic dysfunction. Dis Model Mech 2022; 15:276265. [PMID: 35946603 PMCID: PMC9548377 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations of genes coding for Collagen VI (COL6) cause muscle diseases, including Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy (UCMD) and Bethlem myopathy (BM). Although more recently COL6 genetic variants were linked to brain pathologies, the impact of COL6 deficiency in brain function is still largely unknown. Here, a thorough behavioral characterization of COL6 null (Col6a1-/-) mice unexpectedly revealed that COL6 deficiency leads to a significant impairment in sensorimotor gating and memory/attention functions. In keeping with these behavioral abnormalities, Col6a1-/- mice displayed alterations in dopaminergic signalling, primarily in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). In vitro co-culture of SH-SY5Y neural cells with primary meningeal fibroblasts from wild-type and Col6a1-/- mice confirmed a direct link between COL6 ablation and defective dopaminergic activity, through a mechanism involving the inability of meningeal cells to sustain dopaminergic differentiation. Finally, patients affected by COL6-related myopathies were evaluated with an ad hoc neuropsychological protocol, revealing distinctive defects in attentional control abilities. Altogether, these findings point at a novel role for COL6 in the proper maintenance of dopamine circuitry function and its related neurobehavioral features in both mice and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Gregorio
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Maddalena Mereu
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, 35131, Italy.,Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Neuroscience Area, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163, Genova, Italy
| | - Gabriella Contarini
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, 35131, Italy.,Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Neuroscience Area, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163, Genova, Italy
| | - Luca Bello
- ERN Neuromuscular Center, Department of Neurosciences, University of Padova, 35129 Padova, Italy
| | - Claudio Semplicini
- ERN Neuromuscular Center, Department of Neurosciences, University of Padova, 35129 Padova, Italy
| | | | - Loris Russo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Stefania Sut
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, 35131, Italy
| | - Stefano Dall'Acqua
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, 35131, Italy
| | - Paola Braghetta
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Carlo Semenza
- ERN Neuromuscular Center, Department of Neurosciences, University of Padova, 35129 Padova, Italy.,IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, 30126 Venice, Italy
| | - Elena Pegoraro
- ERN Neuromuscular Center, Department of Neurosciences, University of Padova, 35129 Padova, Italy
| | - Francesco Papaleo
- Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Neuroscience Area, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163, Genova, Italy
| | - Paolo Bonaldo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Matilde Cescon
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
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38
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Consequences of Acute or Chronic Methylphenidate Exposure Using Ex Vivo Neurochemistry and In Vivo Electrophysiology in the Prefrontal Cortex and Striatum of Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23158588. [PMID: 35955717 PMCID: PMC9369023 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Methylphenidate (MPH) is among the main drugs prescribed to treat patients with attention-deficit and hyperactivity disease (ADHD). MPH blocks both the norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake transporters (NET and DAT, respectively). Our study was aimed at further understanding the mechanisms by which MPH could modulate neurotransmitter efflux, using ex vivo radiolabelled neurotransmitter assays isolated from rats. Here, we observed significant dopamine and norepinephrine efflux from the prefrontal cortex (PFC) after MPH (100 µM) exposure. Efflux was mediated by both dopamine and norepinephrine terminals. In the striatum, MPH (100 µM) triggered dopamine efflux through both sodium- and vesicular-dependent mechanisms. Chronic MPH exposure (4 mg/kg/day/animal, voluntary oral intake) for 15 days, followed by a 28-day washout period, increased the firing rate of PFC pyramidal neurons, assessed by in vivo extracellular single-cell electrophysiological recordings, without altering the responses to locally applied NMDA, via micro-iontophoresis. Furthermore, chronic MPH treatment resulted in decreased efficiency of extracellular dopamine to modulate NMDA-induced firing activities of medium spiny neurons in the striatum, together with lower MPH-induced (100 µM) dopamine outflow, suggesting desensitization to both dopamine and MPH in striatal regions. These results indicate that MPH can modulate neurotransmitter efflux in brain regions enriched with dopamine and/or norepinephrine terminals. Further, long-lasting alterations of striatal and prefrontal neurotransmission were observed, even after extensive washout periods. Further studies will be needed to understand the clinical implications of these findings.
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39
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Orsini CA, Truckenbrod LM, Wheeler AR. Regulation of sex differences in risk-based decision making by gonadal hormones: Insights from rodent models. Behav Processes 2022; 200:104663. [PMID: 35661794 PMCID: PMC9893517 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Men and women differ in their ability to evaluate options that vary in their rewards and the risks that are associated with these outcomes. Most studies have shown that women are more risk averse than men and that gonadal hormones significantly contribute to this sex difference. Gonadal hormones can influence risk-based decision making (i.e., risk taking) by modulating the neurobiological substrates underlying this cognitive process. Indeed, estradiol, progesterone and testosterone modulate activity in the prefrontal cortex, amygdala and nucleus accumbens associated with reward and risk-related information. The use of animal models of decision making has advanced our understanding of the intersection between the behavioral, neural and hormonal mechanisms underlying sex differences in risk taking. This review will outline the current state of this literature, identify the current gaps in knowledge and suggest the neurobiological mechanisms by which hormones regulate risky decision making. Collectively, this knowledge can be used to understand the potential consequences of significant hormonal changes, whether endogenously or exogenously induced, on risk-based decision making as well as the neuroendocrinological basis of neuropsychiatric diseases that are characterized by impaired risk taking, such as substance use disorder and schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin A. Orsini
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA,Department of Neurology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA,Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA,Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA,Correspondence to: Department of Psychology & Neurology, Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, 108 E. Dean Keaton St., Stop A8000, Austin, TX 78712, USA. (C.A. Orsini)
| | - Leah M. Truckenbrod
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA,Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA,Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Alexa-Rae Wheeler
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA,Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA,Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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40
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Cheng ST, Liu S, Ou-Yang B, Dai XY, Cheng L. Specific Effects of Characteristics of Enriched Environment on Innovative Problem Solving by Animals. Psychol Sci 2022; 33:1097-1111. [PMID: 35776087 DOI: 10.1177/09567976211070562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous studies have revealed that an enriched environment can enhance the survival-related behaviors and brain functions of animals. However, the effects and specific roles of the enrichment characteristics on animals' innovative capability, a cognitive ability crucial for survival in nature, are still not well known. In this study, we assigned mice to environment-manipulation groups (n = 15 each) to investigate the specific effects of environmental novelty (novel vs. familiar) and environmental complexity (complex vs. normal) on innovative problem solving and its possible neural mechanisms. Results showed that mice in only the novel-environment group performed better at innovative-problem-solving tasks and showed greater numbers of novel explorations and dopaminergic projections from the ventral tegmental area to the nucleus accumbens in the brain. These findings indicate that an enriched environment has the potential to promote the innovative capability of mice by enhancing their novel exploratory motivation, which depends on the novelty of the environment but not its complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sha-Te Cheng
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University.,Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior, Ministry of Education, Central China Normal University
| | - Sha Liu
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University.,Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior, Ministry of Education, Central China Normal University
| | - Bo Ou-Yang
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University.,Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior, Ministry of Education, Central China Normal University
| | - Xin-Yu Dai
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University.,Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior, Ministry of Education, Central China Normal University
| | - Liang Cheng
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University.,Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior, Ministry of Education, Central China Normal University
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Marino RA, Gaprielian P, Levy R. Systemic D1-R and D2-R antagonists in Non-Human Primates Differentially Impact Learning and Memory While Impairing Motivation and Motor Performance. Eur J Neurosci 2022; 56:4121-4140. [PMID: 35746869 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) modulates cognition in part via differential activation of D1 and D2 receptors within the striatum and prefrontal cortex, yet evidence for cognitive impairments stemming from DA blockade or deficiency is inconsistent. Given the predominance of D1 over D2 receptors (R) in the prefrontal cortex of primates, D1-R blockade should more strongly influence frontal executive function (including working memory), while D2-R blockade should impair processes more strongly associated with the dorsal striatum (including cognitive flexibility, and learning). To test how systemic DA blockade disrupts cognition, we administered D1-R and D2-R like antagonists to healthy monkeys while they performed a series of cognitive tasks. Two selective DA receptor antagonist drugs (SCH-23390 hydrochloride: D1/D5-R antagonist; or Eticlopride hydrochloride: D2/D3-R antagonist) or placebo (0.9% saline) were systemically administered. Four tasks were used: (1) 'visually guided reaching', to test response time and accuracy, (2) 'reversal learning', to test association learning and attention, (3) 'self-ordered sequential search' to test spatial working memory, and (4) 'delayed match to sample' to test object working memory. Increased reach response times and decreased motivation to work for liquid reward was observed with both the D1/D5-R and D2/D3-R antagonists at the maximum dosages that still enabled task performance. The D2/D3-R antagonist impaired performance in the reversal learning task, while object and spatial working memory performance was not consistently affected in the tested tasks for either drug. These results are consistent with the theory that systemic D2/D3-R antagonists preferentially influence striatum processes (cognitive flexibility) while systemic D1/D5-R administration is less detrimental to frontal executive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A Marino
- Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Surgery, Kingston General Hospital, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pauline Gaprielian
- Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ron Levy
- Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Surgery, Kingston General Hospital, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
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42
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Casello SM, Flores RJ, Yarur HE, Wang H, Awanyai M, Arenivar MA, Jaime-Lara RB, Bravo-Rivera H, Tejeda HA. Neuropeptide System Regulation of Prefrontal Cortex Circuitry: Implications for Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:796443. [PMID: 35800635 PMCID: PMC9255232 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.796443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuropeptides, a diverse class of signaling molecules in the nervous system, modulate various biological effects including membrane excitability, synaptic transmission and synaptogenesis, gene expression, and glial cell architecture and function. To date, most of what is known about neuropeptide action is limited to subcortical brain structures and tissue outside of the central nervous system. Thus, there is a knowledge gap in our understanding of neuropeptide function within cortical circuits. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of various families of neuropeptides and their cognate receptors that are expressed in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Specifically, we highlight dynorphin, enkephalin, corticotropin-releasing factor, cholecystokinin, somatostatin, neuropeptide Y, and vasoactive intestinal peptide. Further, we review the implication of neuropeptide signaling in prefrontal cortical circuit function and use as potential therapeutic targets. Together, this review summarizes established knowledge and highlights unknowns of neuropeptide modulation of neural function underlying various biological effects while offering insights for future research. An increased emphasis in this area of study is necessary to elucidate basic principles of the diverse signaling molecules used in cortical circuits beyond fast excitatory and inhibitory transmitters as well as consider components of neuropeptide action in the PFC as a potential therapeutic target for neurological disorders. Therefore, this review not only sheds light on the importance of cortical neuropeptide studies, but also provides a comprehensive overview of neuropeptide action in the PFC to serve as a roadmap for future studies in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanne M. Casello
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Rodolfo J. Flores
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Hector E. Yarur
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Huikun Wang
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Monique Awanyai
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Miguel A. Arenivar
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Rosario B. Jaime-Lara
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Hector Bravo-Rivera
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Hugo A. Tejeda
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
- *Correspondence: Hugo A. Tejeda,
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43
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Hones VI, Mizumori SJY. Response Flexibility: The Role of the Lateral Habenula. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:852235. [PMID: 35444521 PMCID: PMC9014270 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.852235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability to make appropriate decisions that result in an optimal outcome is critical for survival. This process involves assessing the environment as well as integrating prior knowledge about the environment with information about one’s current internal state. There are many neural structures that play critical roles in mediating these processes, but it is not yet known how such information coalesces to influence behavioral output. The lateral habenula (LHb) has often been cited as a structure critical for adaptive and flexible responding when environmental contexts and internal state changes. A challenge, however, has been understanding how LHb promotes response flexibility. In this review, we hypothesize that the LHb enables flexible responding following the integration of context memory and internal state information by signaling downstream brainstem structures known to drive hippocampal theta. In this way, animals respond more flexibly in a task situation not because the LHb selects a particular action, but rather because LHb enhances a hippocampal neural state that is often associated with greater attention, arousal, and exploration. In freely navigating animals, these are essential conditions that are needed to discover and implement appropriate alternative choices and behaviors. As a corollary to our hypothesis, we describe short- and intermediate-term functions of the LHb. Finally, we discuss the effects on the behavior of LHb dysfunction in short- and intermediate-timescales, and then suggest that new therapies may act on the LHb to alleviate the behavioral impairments following long-term LHb disruption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria I. Hones
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Sheri J. Y. Mizumori
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- *Correspondence: Sheri J. Y. Mizumori
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Miguel PM, Bronauth LP, Deniz BF, Confortim HD, de Oliveira BC, Molle RD, Silveira PP, Pereira LO. Neonatal hypoxia-ischemia induces dysregulated feeding patterns and ethanol consumption that are alleviated by methylphenidate administration in rats. Exp Neurol 2022; 353:114071. [DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2022.114071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Martin SL, Jones AKP, Brown CA, Kobylecki C, Whitaker GA, El-Deredy W, Silverdale MA. Altered Pain Processing Associated with Administration of Dopamine Agonist and Antagonist in Healthy Volunteers. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12030351. [PMID: 35326306 PMCID: PMC8946836 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12030351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Striatal dopamine dysfunction is associated with the altered top-down modulation of pain processing. The dopamine D2-like receptor family is a potential substrate for such effects due to its primary expression in the striatum, but evidence for this is currently lacking. Here, we investigated the effect of pharmacologically manipulating striatal dopamine D2 receptor activity on the anticipation and perception of acute pain stimuli in humans. Participants received visual cues that induced either certain or uncertain anticipation of two pain intensity levels delivered via a CO2 laser. Rating of the pain intensity and unpleasantness was recorded. Brain activity was recorded with EEG and analysed via source localisation to investigate neural activity during the anticipation and receipt of pain. Participants completed the experiment under three conditions, control (Sodium Chloride), D2 receptor agonist (Cabergoline), and D2 receptor antagonist (Amisulpride), in a repeated-measures, triple-crossover, double-blind study. The antagonist reduced an individuals’ ability to distinguish between low and high pain following uncertain anticipation. The EEG source localisation showed that the agonist and antagonist reduced neural activations in specific brain regions associated with the sensory integration of salient stimuli during the anticipation and receipt of pain. During anticipation, the agonist reduced activity in the right mid-temporal region and the right angular gyrus, whilst the antagonist reduced activity within the right postcentral, right mid-temporal, and right inferior parietal regions. In comparison to control, the antagonist reduced activity within the insula during the receipt of pain, a key structure involved in the integration of the sensory and affective aspects of pain. Pain sensitivity and unpleasantness were not changed by D2R modulation. Our results support the notion that D2 receptor neurotransmission has a role in the top-down modulation of pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L. Martin
- Department of Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M15 6GX, UK
- The Human Pain Research Group, Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK; (A.K.P.J.); (C.A.B.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Anthony K. P. Jones
- The Human Pain Research Group, Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK; (A.K.P.J.); (C.A.B.)
| | - Christopher A. Brown
- The Human Pain Research Group, Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK; (A.K.P.J.); (C.A.B.)
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
| | - Christopher Kobylecki
- Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Department of Neurology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Salford M6 8HD, UK; (C.K.); (M.A.S.)
| | - Grace A. Whitaker
- Advanced Center for Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Federico Santa María Technical University, Valparaíso 1680, Chile;
| | - Wael El-Deredy
- Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería en Salud, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaiso 1680, Chile;
| | - Monty A. Silverdale
- Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Department of Neurology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Salford M6 8HD, UK; (C.K.); (M.A.S.)
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Soutschek A, Jetter A, Tobler PN. Towards a Unifying Account of Dopamine’s Role in Cost-Benefit Decision Making. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 3:179-186. [PMID: 37124350 PMCID: PMC10140448 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2022.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Dopamine is thought to play a crucial role in cost-benefit decision making, but so far there is no consensus on the precise role of dopamine in decision making. Here, we review the literature on dopaminergic manipulations of cost-benefit decision making in humans and evaluate how well different theoretical accounts explain the existing body of evidence. Reduced D2 stimulation tends to increase the willingness to bear delay and risk costs (i.e., wait for later rewards, take riskier options), while increased D1 and D2 receptor stimulation increases willingness to bear effort costs. We argue that the empirical findings can best be explained by combining the strengths of two theoretical accounts: in cost-benefit decision making, dopamine may play a dual role both in promoting the pursuit of psychologically close options (e.g., sooner and safer rewards) and in computing which costs are acceptable for a reward at stake. Moreover, we identify several limiting factors in the study designs of previous investigations that prevented a fuller understanding of dopamine's role in value-based choice. Together, the proposed theoretical framework and the methodological suggestions for future studies may bring us closer to a unifying account of dopamine in healthy and impaired cost-benefit decision making.
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Nesbit MO, Chai A, Axerio-Cilies P, Phillips AG, Wang YT, Held K. The selective dopamine D 1 receptor agonist SKF81297 modulates NMDA receptor currents independently of D 1 receptors. Neuropharmacology 2022; 207:108967. [PMID: 35077763 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.108967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Dopamine D1 receptor (D1R) agonists are frequently used to study the role of D1Rs in neurotransmission and behaviour. They have been repeatedly shown to modulate glutamatergic NMDAR currents in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), giving rise to the idea that D1R activation tunes glutamatergic networks by regulating NMDAR activity. We report that the widely used D1R agonist SKF81297 potentiates NMDAR currents in a dose-dependent manner, independently of D1R activation in mPFC slices, cortical neuron cultures and NMDAR-expressing recombinant HEK293 cells. SKF81297 potentiated NMDAR currents through both GluN2A and GluN2B subtypes in the absence of D1R expression, while inhibiting NMDAR currents through GluN2C and GluN2D subtypes. In contrast, the D1R ligands SKF38393, dopamine and SCH23390 inhibited GluN2A- and GluN2B-containing NMDAR currents. SKF81297 also inhibited GluN2A- and GluN2B-containing NMDAR currents at higher concentrations and when glutamate/glycine levels were high, exhibiting bidirectional modulation. To our knowledge, these findings are the first report of a D1R-independent positive modulatory effect of a D1R ligand on NMDA receptors. Importantly, our results further emphasize the possibility of off-target effects of many D1R ligands, which has significant implications for interpreting the large body of research relying on these compounds to examine dopamine functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya O Nesbit
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Anping Chai
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 2B5, Canada; The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Brain Diseases, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Peter Axerio-Cilies
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada; Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 2B5, Canada
| | - Anthony G Phillips
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Yu Tian Wang
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 2B5, Canada; The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Brain Diseases, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Katharina Held
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 2B5, Canada; Laboratory of Endometrium, Endometriosis and Reproductive Medicine, Department of Development and Regeneration and Laboratory of Ion Channel Research, Department of Molecular Medicine, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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Lee GS, Graham DL, Noble BL, Trammell TS, McCarthy DM, Anderson LR, Rubinstein M, Bhide PG, Stanwood GD. Behavioral and Neuroanatomical Consequences of Cell-Type Specific Loss of Dopamine D2 Receptors in the Mouse Cerebral Cortex. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 15:815713. [PMID: 35095443 PMCID: PMC8793809 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.815713] [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: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental dysregulation of dopamine D2 receptors (D2Rs) alters neuronal migration, differentiation, and behavior and contributes to the psychopathology of neurological and psychiatric disorders. The current study is aimed at identifying how cell-specific loss of D2Rs in the cerebral cortex may impact neurobehavioral and cellular development, in order to better understand the roles of this receptor in cortical circuit formation and brain disorders. We deleted D2R from developing cortical GABAergic interneurons (Nkx2.1-Cre) or from developing telencephalic glutamatergic neurons (Emx1-Cre). Conditional knockouts (cKO) from both lines, Drd2fl/fl, Nkx2.1-Cre+ (referred to as GABA-D2R-cKO mice) or Drd2fl/fl, Emx1-Cre+ (referred to as Glu-D2R-cKO mice), exhibited no differences in simple tests of anxiety-related or depression-related behaviors, or spatial or nonspatial working memory. Both GABA-D2R-cKO and Glu-D2R-cKO mice also had normal basal locomotor activity, but GABA-D2R-cKO mice expressed blunted locomotor responses to the psychotomimetic drug MK-801. GABA-D2R-cKO mice exhibited improved motor coordination on a rotarod whereas Glu-D2R-cKO mice were normal. GABA-D2R-cKO mice also exhibited spatial learning deficits without changes in reversal learning on a Barnes maze. At the cellular level, we observed an increase in PV+ cells in the frontal cortex of GABA-D2R-cKO mice and no noticeable changes in Glu-D2R-cKO mice. These data point toward unique and distinct roles for D2Rs within excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the regulation of behavior and interneuron development, and suggest that location-biased D2R pharmacology may be clinically advantageous to achieve higher efficacy and help avoid unwanted effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria S. Lee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL, United States
| | - Devon L. Graham
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL, United States
- Center for Brain Repair, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL, United States
| | - Brenda L. Noble
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL, United States
| | - Taylor S. Trammell
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL, United States
| | - Deirdre M. McCarthy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL, United States
- Center for Brain Repair, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL, United States
| | - Lisa R. Anderson
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL, United States
| | - Marcelo Rubinstein
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas and Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Pradeep G. Bhide
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL, United States
- Center for Brain Repair, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL, United States
| | - Gregg D. Stanwood
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL, United States
- Center for Brain Repair, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL, United States
- *Correspondence: Gregg D. Stanwood
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Cools R, Arnsten AFT. Neuromodulation of prefrontal cortex cognitive function in primates: the powerful roles of monoamines and acetylcholine. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:309-328. [PMID: 34312496 PMCID: PMC8617291 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01100-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The primate prefrontal cortex (PFC) subserves our highest order cognitive operations, and yet is tremendously dependent on a precise neurochemical environment for proper functioning. Depletion of noradrenaline and dopamine, or of acetylcholine from the dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC), is as devastating as removing the cortex itself, and serotonergic influences are also critical to proper functioning of the orbital and medial PFC. Most neuromodulators have a narrow inverted U dose response, which coordinates arousal state with cognitive state, and contributes to cognitive deficits with fatigue or uncontrollable stress. Studies in monkeys have revealed the molecular signaling mechanisms that govern the generation and modulation of mental representations by the dlPFC, allowing dynamic regulation of network strength, a process that requires tight regulation to prevent toxic actions, e.g., as occurs with advanced age. Brain imaging studies in humans have observed drug and genotype influences on a range of cognitive tasks and on PFC circuit functional connectivity, e.g., showing that catecholamines stabilize representations in a baseline-dependent manner. Research in monkeys has already led to new treatments for cognitive disorders in humans, encouraging future research in this important field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roshan Cools
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Amy F T Arnsten
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
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50
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Friedman NP, Robbins TW. The role of prefrontal cortex in cognitive control and executive function. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:72-89. [PMID: 34408280 PMCID: PMC8617292 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01132-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 333] [Impact Index Per Article: 166.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Concepts of cognitive control (CC) and executive function (EF) are defined in terms of their relationships with goal-directed behavior versus habits and controlled versus automatic processing, and related to the functions of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and related regions and networks. A psychometric approach shows unity and diversity in CC constructs, with 3 components in the most commonly studied constructs: general or common CC and components specific to mental set shifting and working memory updating. These constructs are considered against the cellular and systems neurobiology of PFC and what is known of its functional neuroanatomical or network organization based on lesioning, neurochemical, and neuroimaging approaches across species. CC is also considered in the context of motivation, as "cool" and "hot" forms. Its Common CC component is shown to be distinct from general intelligence (g) and closely related to response inhibition. Impairments in CC are considered as possible causes of psychiatric symptoms and consequences of disorders. The relationships of CC with the general factor of psychopathology (p) and dimensional constructs such as impulsivity in large scale developmental and adult populations are considered, as well as implications for genetic studies and RDoC approaches to psychiatric classification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi P Friedman
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience and Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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