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Fang S, Luo Z, Wei Z, Qin Y, Zheng J, Zhang H, Jin J, Li J, Miao C, Yang S, Li Y, Liang Z, Yu XD, Zhang XM, Xiong W, Zhu H, Gan WB, Huang L, Li B. Sexually dimorphic control of affective state processing and empathic behaviors. Neuron 2024; 112:1498-1517.e8. [PMID: 38430912 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Recognizing the affective states of social counterparts and responding appropriately fosters successful social interactions. However, little is known about how the affective states are expressed and perceived and how they influence social decisions. Here, we show that male and female mice emit distinct olfactory cues after experiencing distress. These cues activate distinct neural circuits in the piriform cortex (PiC) and evoke sexually dimorphic empathic behaviors in observers. Specifically, the PiC → PrL pathway is activated in female observers, inducing a social preference for the distressed counterpart. Conversely, the PiC → MeA pathway is activated in male observers, evoking excessive self-grooming behaviors. These pathways originate from non-overlapping PiC neuron populations with distinct gene expression signatures regulated by transcription factors and sex hormones. Our study unveils how internal states of social counterparts are processed through sexually dimorphic mechanisms at the molecular, cellular, and circuit levels and offers insights into the neural mechanisms underpinning sex differences in higher brain functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunchang Fang
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Zhengyi Luo
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Zicheng Wei
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Yuxin Qin
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Jieyan Zheng
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Hongyang Zhang
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Jianhua Jin
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Jiali Li
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Chenjian Miao
- Institute on Aging, Hefei, China and Brain Disorders, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Shana Yang
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Yonglin Li
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Zirui Liang
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Xiao-Dan Yu
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Xiao Min Zhang
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Wei Xiong
- Institute on Aging, Hefei, China and Brain Disorders, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Hongying Zhu
- Institute on Aging, Hefei, China and Brain Disorders, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | | | - Lianyan Huang
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; Key Laboratory of Human Microbiome and Chronic Diseases (Sun Yat-Sen University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510655, China.
| | - Boxing Li
- Neuroscience Program, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; Advanced Medical Technology Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; Key Laboratory of Human Microbiome and Chronic Diseases (Sun Yat-Sen University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510655, China.
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Liu D, Hu SW, Wang D, Zhang Q, Zhang X, Ding HL, Cao JL. An Ascending Excitatory Circuit from the Dorsal Raphe for Sensory Modulation of Pain. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e0869232023. [PMID: 38124016 PMCID: PMC10860493 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0869-23.2023] [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: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) is an important nucleus in pain regulation. However, the underlying neural pathway and the function of specific cell types remain unclear. Here, we report a previously unrecognized ascending facilitation pathway, the DRN to the mesoaccumbal dopamine (DA) circuit, for regulating pain. Chronic pain increased the activity of DRN glutamatergic, but not serotonergic, neurons projecting to the ventral tegmental area (VTA) (DRNGlu-VTA) in male mice. The optogenetic activation of DRNGlu-VTA circuit induced a pain-like response in naive male mice, and its inhibition produced an analgesic effect in male mice with neuropathic pain. Furthermore, we discovered that DRN ascending pathway regulated pain through strengthened excitatory transmission onto the VTA DA neurons projecting to the ventral part of nucleus accumbens medial shell (vNAcMed), thereby activated the mesoaccumbal DA neurons. Correspondingly, optogenetic manipulation of this three-node pathway bilaterally regulated pain behaviors. These findings identified a DRN ascending excitatory pathway that is crucial for pain sensory processing, which can potentially be exploited toward targeting pain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Liu
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Su-Wan Hu
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
| | - Di Wang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
| | - Xiao Zhang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
| | - Hai-Lei Ding
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
| | - Jun-Li Cao
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221002, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
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Kietzman HW, Gourley SL. How social information impacts action in rodents and humans: the role of the prefrontal cortex and its connections. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 147:105075. [PMID: 36736847 PMCID: PMC10026261 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105075] [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: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Day-to-day choices often involve social information and can be influenced by prior social experience. When making a decision in a social context, a subject might need to: 1) recognize the other individual or individuals, 2) infer their intentions and emotions, and 3) weigh the values of all outcomes, social and non-social, prior to selecting an action. These elements of social information processing all rely, to some extent, on the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Patients with neuropsychiatric disorders often have disruptions in prefrontal cortical function, likely contributing to deficits in social reasoning and decision making. To better understand these deficits, researchers have turned to rodents, which have revealed prefrontal cortical mechanisms for contending with the complex information processing demands inherent to making decisions in social contexts. Here, we first review literature regarding social decision making, and the information processing underlying it, in humans and patient populations. We then turn to research in rodents, discussing current procedures for studying social decision making, and underlying neural correlates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry W Kietzman
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Emory University School of Medicine, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Emory University School of Medicine, USA; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Emory University, USA; Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd. NE, Atlanta GA 30329, USA.
| | - Shannon L Gourley
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Emory University School of Medicine, USA; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Emory University, USA; Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd. NE, Atlanta GA 30329, USA; Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, USA.
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Dureux A, Zigiotto L, Sarubbo S, Desoche C, Farnè A, Bolognini N, Hadj-Bouziane F. Personal space regulation is affected by unilateral temporal lesions beyond the amygdala. Cereb Cortex Commun 2022; 3:tgac031. [PMID: 36072709 PMCID: PMC9441012 DOI: 10.1093/texcom/tgac031] [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: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
We constantly face situations involving interactions with others that require us to automatically adjust our physical distances to avoid discomfort or anxiety. A previous case study has demonstrated that the integrity of both amygdalae is essential to regulate interpersonal distances. Despite unilateral lesion to the amygdala, as to other sectors of the medial temporal cortex, are known to also affect social behavior, their role in the regulation of interpersonal distances has never been investigated. Here, we sought to fill this gap by testing three patients with unilateral temporal lesions following surgical resections, including one patient with a lesion mainly centered on the amygdala and two with lesions to adjacent medial temporal cortex, on two versions of the stop distance paradigm (i.e. in a virtual reality environment and in a real setting). Our results showed that all three patients set shorter interpersonal distances compared to neurotypical controls. In addition, compared to controls, none of the patients adjusted such physical distances depending on facial emotional expressions, despite they preserved ability to categorize them. Finally, patients' heart rate responses differed from controls when viewing approaching faces. Our findings bring compelling evidence that unilateral lesions within the medial temporal cortex, not necessarily restricted to the amygdala, are sufficient to alter interpersonal distance, thus shedding new light on the neural circuitry regulating distance in social interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Dureux
- Integrative Multisensory Perception Action & Cognition Team - ImpAct , INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, , 69500 Lyon , France
- Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL) , INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, , 69500 Lyon , France
- University UCBL Lyon 1, University of Lyon , 69622 Lyon , France
| | - Luca Zigiotto
- Department of Neurosurgery, Azienda Provinciale per i Servizi Sanitari (APSS), “Santa Chiara Hospital” , 38122 Trento , Italy
- Department of Psychology, Azienda Provinciale per i Servizi Sanitari (APSS), “Santa Chiara Hospital” , 38122 Trento , Italy
| | - Silvio Sarubbo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Azienda Provinciale per i Servizi Sanitari (APSS), “Santa Chiara Hospital” , 38122 Trento , Italy
| | - Clément Desoche
- University UCBL Lyon 1, University of Lyon , 69622 Lyon , France
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, Neuro-Immersion & Mouvement et Handicap , 69677 Lyon , France
| | - Alessandro Farnè
- Integrative Multisensory Perception Action & Cognition Team - ImpAct , INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, , 69500 Lyon , France
- Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL) , INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, , 69500 Lyon , France
- University UCBL Lyon 1, University of Lyon , 69622 Lyon , France
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, Neuro-Immersion & Mouvement et Handicap , 69677 Lyon , France
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC), University of Trento , Trento , Italy
| | - Nadia Bolognini
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano Bicocca , 20126 Milano , Italy
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano , 20122 Milano , Italy
| | - Fadila Hadj-Bouziane
- Integrative Multisensory Perception Action & Cognition Team - ImpAct , INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, , 69500 Lyon , France
- Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL) , INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, , 69500 Lyon , France
- University UCBL Lyon 1, University of Lyon , 69622 Lyon , France
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Rescue of Vasopressin Synthesis in Magnocellular Neurons of the Supraoptic Nucleus Normalises Acute Stress-Induced Adrenocorticotropin Secretion and Unmasks an Effect on Social Behaviour in Male Vasopressin-Deficient Brattleboro Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031357. [PMID: 35163282 PMCID: PMC8836014 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The relevance of vasopressin (AVP) of magnocellular origin to the regulation of the endocrine stress axis and related behaviour is still under discussion. We aimed to obtain deeper insight into this process. To rescue magnocellular AVP synthesis, a vasopressin-containing adeno-associated virus vector (AVP-AAV) was injected into the supraoptic nucleus (SON) of AVP-deficient Brattleboro rats (di/di). We compared +/+, di/di, and AVP-AAV treated di/di male rats. The AVP-AAV treatment rescued the AVP synthesis in the SON both morphologically and functionally. It also rescued the peak of adrenocorticotropin release triggered by immune and metabolic challenges without affecting corticosterone levels. The elevated corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1 mRNA levels in the anterior pituitary of di/di-rats were diminished by the AVP-AAV-treatment. The altered c-Fos synthesis in di/di-rats in response to a metabolic stressor was normalised by AVP-AAV in both the SON and medial amygdala (MeA), but not in the central and basolateral amygdala or lateral hypothalamus. In vitro electrophysiological recordings showed an AVP-induced inhibition of MeA neurons that was prevented by picrotoxin administration, supporting the possible regulatory role of AVP originating in the SON. A memory deficit in the novel object recognition test seen in di/di animals remained unaffected by AVP-AAV treatment. Interestingly, although di/di rats show intact social investigation and aggression, the SON AVP-AAV treatment resulted in an alteration of these social behaviours. AVP released from the magnocellular SON neurons may stimulate adrenocorticotropin secretion in response to defined stressors and might participate in the fine-tuning of social behaviour with a possible contribution from the MeA.
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Piretti L, Pappaianni E, Lunardelli A, Zorzenon I, Ukmar M, Pesavento V, Rumiati RI, Job R, Grecucci A. The Role of Amygdala in Self-Conscious Emotions in a Patient With Acquired Bilateral Damage. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:677. [PMID: 32733192 PMCID: PMC7360725 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Shame plays a fundamental role in the regulation of our social behavior. One intriguing question is whether amygdala might play a role in processing this emotion. In the present single-case study, we tested a patient with acquired damage of bilateral amygdalae and surrounding areas as well as healthy controls on shame processing and other social cognitive tasks. Results revealed that the patient's subjective experience of shame, but not of guilt, was more reduced than in controls, only when social standards were violated, while it was not different than controls in case of moral violations. The impairment in discriminating between normal social situations and violations also emerged. Taken together, these findings suggest that the role of the amygdala in processing shame might reflect its relevance in resolving ambiguity and uncertainty, in order to correctly detect social violations and to generate shame feelings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Piretti
- Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
- Marica De Vincenzi Onlus Foundation, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Edoardo Pappaianni
- Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | | | - Irene Zorzenon
- Radiology Department, Ospedali Riuniti di Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Maja Ukmar
- Radiology Department, Ospedali Riuniti di Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | | | - Raffaella Ida Rumiati
- Neuroscience and Society Lab, Neuroscience Area, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Remo Job
- Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
- Marica De Vincenzi Onlus Foundation, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Alessandro Grecucci
- Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
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Camats-Perna J, Kalaba P, Ebner K, Sartori SB, Vuyyuru H, Aher NY, Dragačević V, Singewald N, Engelmann M, Lubec G. Differential Effects of Novel Dopamine Reuptake Inhibitors on Interference With Long-Term Social Memory in Mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:63. [PMID: 31031603 PMCID: PMC6470289 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In the laboratory, long-term social recognition memory (SRM) in mice is highly susceptible to proactive and retroactive interference. Here, we investigate the ability of novel designed dopamine (DA) re-uptake inhibitors (rac-CE-123 and S-CE-123) to block retroactive and proactive interference, respectively. Our data show that administration of rac-CE-123 30 min before learning blocks retroactive interference that has been experimentally induced at 3 h, but not at 6 h, post-learning. In contrast, S-CE-123 treatment 30 min before learning blocked the induction of retroactive interference at 6 h, but not 3 h, post-learning. Administration of S-CE-123 failed to interfere with proactive interference at both 3 h and 6 h. Analysis of additional behavioral parameters collected during the memory task implies that the effects of the new DA re-uptake inhibitors on retroactive and proactive interference cannot easily be explained by non-specific effects on the animals’ general social behavior. Furthermore, we assessed the mechanisms of action of drugs using intracerebral in vivo-microdialysis technique. The results revealed that administration of rac-CE-123 and S-CE-123 dose-dependently increased DA release within the nucleus accumbens of freely behaving mice. Thus, the data from the present study suggests that the DA re-uptake inhibitors tested protect the consolidation of long-term social memory against interference for defined durations after learning. In addition, the data implies that DA signaling in distinct brain areas including the nucleus accumbens is involved in the consolidation of SRM in laboratory mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Camats-Perna
- AG Neuroendokrinologie und Verhalten, Institut für Biochemie und Zellbiologie, Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Predrag Kalaba
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Karl Ebner
- Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacy, Leopold Franzens University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Simone B Sartori
- Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacy, Leopold Franzens University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Harish Vuyyuru
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Nilima Y Aher
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Vladimir Dragačević
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Nicolas Singewald
- Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacy, Leopold Franzens University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Mario Engelmann
- AG Neuroendokrinologie und Verhalten, Institut für Biochemie und Zellbiologie, Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.,Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Gert Lubec
- Department of Neuroproteomics, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
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Paletta P, Sheppard PAS, Matta R, Ervin KSJ, Choleris E. Rapid effects of estrogens on short-term memory: Possible mechanisms. Horm Behav 2018; 104:88-99. [PMID: 29847771 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 05/24/2018] [Accepted: 05/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Contribution to Special Issue on Fast effects of steroids. Estrogens affect learning and memory through rapid and delayed mechanisms. Here we review studies on rapid effects on short-term memory. Estradiol rapidly improves social and object recognition memory, spatial memory, and social learning when administered systemically. The dorsal hippocampus mediates estrogen rapid facilitation of object, social and spatial short-term memory. The medial amygdala mediates rapid facilitation of social recognition. The three estrogen receptors, α (ERα), β (ERβ) and the G-protein coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) appear to play different roles depending on the task and brain region. Both ERα and GPER agonists rapidly facilitate short-term social and object recognition and spatial memory when administered systemically or into the dorsal hippocampus and facilitate social recognition in the medial amygdala. Conversely, only GPER can facilitate social learning after systemic treatment and an ERβ agonist only rapidly improved short-term spatial memory when given systemically or into the hippocampus, but also facilitates social recognition in the medial amygdala. Investigations into the mechanisms behind estrogens' rapid effects on short term memory showed an involvement of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) kinase pathways. Recent evidence also showed that estrogens interact with the neuropeptide oxytocin in rapidly facilitating social recognition. Estrogens can increase the production and/or release of oxytocin and other neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and acetylcholine. Therefore, it is possible that estrogens' rapid effects on short-term memory may occur through the regulation of various neurotransmitters, although more research is need on these interactions as well as the mechanisms of estrogens' actions on short-term memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pietro Paletta
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Paul A S Sheppard
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Richard Matta
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Kelsy S J Ervin
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Elena Choleris
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
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Frankiensztajn LM, Gur-Pollack R, Wagner S. A combinatorial modulation of synaptic plasticity in the rat medial amygdala by oxytocin, urocortin3 and estrogen. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018; 92:95-102. [PMID: 29674171 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Revised: 04/07/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The medial nucleus of the amygdala (MeA) plays a pivotal role in a variety of mammalian social behaviors. Specifically, activity of the hypothalamic pro-social neuropeptide oxytocin in the MeA was shown to be crucial for social recognition memory. The MeA is also a hub of neuroendocrine activity and expresses a large number of receptors of neuropeptides and hormones. These include oxytocin receptor, estrogen receptor alpha and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) receptor type 2 (CRFR2). In a previous study we found that intracerebroventricular (ICV) oxytocin application to anesthetized rats promotes long-term depression (LTD) of the MeA response to electrical stimulation of its main sensory input, the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB). We also reported that this type of synaptic plasticity contributes to long-term social recognition memory. Here we used similar methodology to examine the possibility that various neuromodulators pose a combinatorial effect on synaptic plasticity in the MeA. We found that ICV administration of the CRF-related peptide urocortin3 fifteen minutes before oxytocin, caused long-term potentiation (LTP), via CRFR2 activation. Similarly, ICV administration of 17β-estradiol forty-five minutes before oxytocin induced LTP, which was blocked by an antagonist of the estrogen receptors alpha and beta. Notably, none of these two neuromodulators had any effect on its own, suggesting that they both turn the oxytocin-mediated synaptic plasticity from LTD to LTP. Finally, we found that application of 17β-estradiol, forty-five minutes before urocortin3 also caused LTP in the MeA response to AOB stimulation, even without oxytocin application. We suggest that the combinatorial modulation of the bidirectional synaptic plasticity in the AOB-MeA pathway by oxytocin, 17β-estradiol and urocotin-3 serves to modify social information processing according to the animal's internal state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linoy Mia Frankiensztajn
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Rotem Gur-Pollack
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Shlomo Wagner
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel.
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10
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Sheppard PAS, Koss WA, Frick KM, Choleris E. Rapid actions of oestrogens and their receptors on memory acquisition and consolidation in females. J Neuroendocrinol 2018; 30. [PMID: 28489296 PMCID: PMC6543823 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2017] [Revised: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Increased attention has been paid in recent years to the ways in which oestrogens and oestrogen receptors rapidly affect learning and memory. These rapid effects occur within a timeframe that is too narrow for the classical genomic mode of action of oestrogen, thus suggesting nonclassical effects as underlying mechanisms. The present review examines recent developments in the study of the rapid effects of 17β-oestradiol and oestrogen receptor (ER) agonists on learning and memory tasks in female rodents, including social recognition, object recognition, object placement (spatial memory) and social learning. By comparing studies utilising systemic or intracranial treatments, as well as pre- and post-acquisition administration of oestradiol or ER agonists, the respective contributions of individual ERs within specific brain regions to various forms of learning and memory can be determined. The first part of this review explores the effects of systemic administration of 17β-oestradiol and ER agonists on memory when administered either pre- or post-acquisition. The second part not only focuses on the effects of pre- and post-acquisition infusions of 17β-oestradiol or ER agonists into the dorsal hippocampus on memory, but also discusses the contributions of other brain regions, including the medial amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex and paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. The cellular mechanisms mediating the rapid effects of 17β-oestradiol on memory, including activation of intracellular signalling cascades and epigenetic processes, are discussed. Finally, the review concludes by comparing pre- and post-acquisition findings and effects of 17β-oestradiol and ER agonists in different brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- P A S Sheppard
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - W A Koss
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - K M Frick
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - E Choleris
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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11
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Laugeray A, Herzine A, Perche O, Richard O, Montecot-Dubourg C, Menuet A, Mazaud-Guittot S, Lesné L, Jegou B, Mortaud S. In utero and lactational exposure to low-doses of the pyrethroid insecticide cypermethrin leads to neurodevelopmental defects in male mice-An ethological and transcriptomic study. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0184475. [PMID: 29020013 PMCID: PMC5636066 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2017] [Accepted: 08/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that developmental exposure to environmental chemicals may modify the course of brain development, ultimately leading to neuropsychiatric / neurodegenerative disorders later in life. In the present study, we assessed the impact of one of the most frequently used pesticides in both residential and agricultural applications − the synthetic pyrethroid cypermethrin (CYP) − on developmental neurotoxicity (DNT). Female mice were perinatally exposed to low doses of CYP (5 and 20 mg/kg body weight) from gestation to postnatal day 15. Behavioral analyses were performed during the offspring’s early life and during adulthood. Postnatal analyses revealed that perinatal exposure to CYP disturbed motor development without modifying sensory and communicative skills. We found that later in life, CYP-exposed offspring expressed maladaptive behaviors in response to highly challenging tasks and abnormal sociability. Transcriptomic analyses performed in the offspring’s brain at the end of the exposure, highlighted mitochondrial dysfunction as a relevant pathomechanism underlying CYP-induced DNT. Interestingly, several genes involved in proteostasis maintenance were also shown to be dysregulated suggesting that alterations in biogenesis, folding, trafficking and degradation of proteins may significantly contribute to CYP-related DNT. From a regulatory perspective, this study highlights that behavioral and transcriptomic analyses are complementary tools providing useful direction for better DNT characterization, and as such, should be used together more systematically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Laugeray
- Immunologie et Neurogénétique Expérimentales et Moléculaires – UMR7355 CNRS – Orléans, France
- * E-mail: (AL); (SM)
| | - Ameziane Herzine
- Immunologie et Neurogénétique Expérimentales et Moléculaires – UMR7355 CNRS – Orléans, France
| | - Olivier Perche
- Immunologie et Neurogénétique Expérimentales et Moléculaires – UMR7355 CNRS – Orléans, France
- Département de génétique, Center Hospitalier Régional, Orléans, France
| | - Olivier Richard
- Immunologie et Neurogénétique Expérimentales et Moléculaires – UMR7355 CNRS – Orléans, France
| | - Céline Montecot-Dubourg
- Immunologie et Neurogénétique Expérimentales et Moléculaires – UMR7355 CNRS – Orléans, France
| | - Arnaud Menuet
- Immunologie et Neurogénétique Expérimentales et Moléculaires – UMR7355 CNRS – Orléans, France
| | | | | | - Bernard Jegou
- IRSET INSERM U 1085, Université de Rennes I, Rennes, France
| | - Stéphane Mortaud
- Immunologie et Neurogénétique Expérimentales et Moléculaires – UMR7355 CNRS – Orléans, France
- * E-mail: (AL); (SM)
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12
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Haller J. The role of central and medial amygdala in normal and abnormal aggression: A review of classical approaches. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 85:34-43. [PMID: 28918358 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Revised: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The involvement of the amygdala in aggression is supported by overwhelming evidence. Frequently, however, the amygdala is studied as a whole, despite its complex internal organization. To reveal the role of various subdivisions, here we review the involvement of the central and medial amygdala in male rivalry aggression, maternal aggression, predatory aggression, and models of abnormal aggression where violent behavior is associated with increased or decreased arousal. We conclude that: (1) rivalry aggression is controlled by the medial amygdala; (2) predatory aggression is controlled by the central amygdala; (3) hypoarousal-associated violent aggression recruits both nuclei, (4) a specific upregulation of the medial amygdala was observed in hyperarousal-driven aggression. These patterns of amygdala activation were used to build four alternative models of the aggression circuitry, each being specific to particular forms of aggression. The separate study of the roles of amygdala subdivisions may not only improve our understanding of aggressive behavior, but also the differential control of aggression and violent behaviors of various types, including those associated with various psychopathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jozsef Haller
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary; National University of Public Service, Budapest, Hungary.
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13
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Rogers TD, Anacker AMJ, Kerr TM, Forsberg CG, Wang J, Zhang B, Veenstra-VanderWeele J. Effects of a social stimulus on gene expression in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome. Mol Autism 2017. [PMID: 28649315 PMCID: PMC5481916 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-017-0148-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND People with fragile X syndrome (FXS) often have deficits in social behavior, and a substantial portion meet criteria for autism spectrum disorder. Though the genetic cause of FXS is known to be due to the silencing of FMR1, and the Fmr1 null mouse model representing this lesion has been extensively studied, the contributions of this gene and its protein product, FMRP, to social behavior are not well understood. METHODS Fmr1 null mice and wildtype littermates were exposed to a social or non-social stimulus. In one experiment, subjects were assessed for expression of the inducible transcription factor c-Fos in response to the stimulus, to detect brain regions with social-specific activity. In a separate experiment, tissue was taken from those brain regions showing differential activity, and RNA sequencing was performed. RESULTS Immunohistochemistry revealed a significantly greater number of c-Fos-positive cells in the lateral amygdala and medial amygdala in the brains of mice exposed to a social stimulus, compared to a non-social stimulus. In the prelimbic cortex, there was no significant effect of social stimulus; although the number of c-Fos-positive cells was lower in the social condition compared to the non-social condition, and negatively correlated with c-Fos in the amygdala. RNA sequencing revealed differentially expressed genes enriched for molecules known to interact with FMRP and also for autism-related genes identified in the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative gene database. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis detected enrichment of differentially expressed genes in networks and pathways related to neuronal development, intracellular signaling, and inflammatory response. CONCLUSIONS Using the Fmr1 null mouse model of fragile X syndrome, we have identified brain regions, gene networks, and molecular pathways responsive to a social stimulus. These findings, and future experiments following up on the role of specific gene networks, may shed light on the neural mechanisms underlying dysregulated social behaviors in fragile X syndrome and more broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany D Rogers
- Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University, 7158 MRBIII, 465 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37232 USA.,Department of Psychology, Middle Tennessee State University, 355 Jones Hall, 624 Old Main Circle, Murfreesboro, TN 37132 USA
| | - Allison M J Anacker
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University; New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Dr, Unit 78, New York, NY 10032 USA
| | - Travis M Kerr
- The University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine, 910 Madison Ave, Suite 1002, Memphis, TN 38163 USA
| | - C Gunnar Forsberg
- College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425 USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030 USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Bing Zhang
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030 USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University; New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Dr, Unit 78, New York, NY 10032 USA
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14
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Maninger N, Hinde K, Mendoza SP, Mason WA, Larke RH, Ragen BJ, Jarcho MR, Cherry SR, Rowland DJ, Ferrer E, Bales KL. Pair bond formation leads to a sustained increase in global cerebral glucose metabolism in monogamous male titi monkeys (Callicebus cupreus). Neuroscience 2017; 348:302-312. [PMID: 28242440 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.02.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2016] [Revised: 02/14/2017] [Accepted: 02/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Social bonds, especially attachment relationships, are crucial to our health and happiness. However, what we know about the neural substrates of these bonds is almost exclusively limited to rodent models and correlational experiments in humans. Here, we used socially monogamous non-human primates, titi monkeys (Callicebus cupreus) to experimentally examine changes in regional and global cerebral glucose metabolism (GCGM) during the formation and maintenance of pair bonds. Baseline positron emission tomography (PET) scans were taken of thirteen unpaired male titi monkeys. Seven males were then experimentally paired with females, scanned and compared, after one week, to six age-matched control males. Five of the six control males were then also paired and scanned after one week. Scans were repeated on all males after four months of pairing. PET scans were coregistered with structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and region of interest (ROI) analysis was carried out. A primary finding was that paired males showed a significant increase in [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in whole brain following one week of pairing, which is maintained out to four months. Dopaminergic, "motivational" areas and those involved in social behavior showed the greatest change in glucose uptake. In contrast, control areas changed only marginally more than GCGM. These findings confirm the large effects of social bonds on GCGM. They also suggest that more studies should examine how social manipulations affect whole-brain FDG uptake, as opposed to assuming that it does not change across condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Maninger
- California National Primate Research Center, UC-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States.
| | - Katie Hinde
- California National Primate Research Center, UC-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States; School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, United States.
| | - Sally P Mendoza
- California National Primate Research Center, UC-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States; Department of Psychology, UC-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States.
| | - William A Mason
- California National Primate Research Center, UC-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States; Department of Psychology, UC-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States.
| | - Rebecca H Larke
- California National Primate Research Center, UC-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States; Department of Psychology, UC-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States.
| | - Benjamin J Ragen
- California National Primate Research Center, UC-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States; Department of Psychology, UC-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States.
| | - Michael R Jarcho
- California National Primate Research Center, UC-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States; Department of Psychology, Siena College, Loudonville, NY 12211, United States.
| | - Simon R Cherry
- California National Primate Research Center, UC-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States; Department of Biomedical Engineering, UC-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States.
| | - Douglas J Rowland
- Center for Molecular and Genomic Imaging, UC-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States.
| | - Emilio Ferrer
- Department of Psychology, UC-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States.
| | - Karen L Bales
- California National Primate Research Center, UC-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States; Department of Psychology, UC-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States.
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15
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Lüscher Dias T, Fernandes Golino H, Oliveira VEMD, Dutra Moraes MF, Schenatto Pereira G. c-Fos expression predicts long-term social memory retrieval in mice. Behav Brain Res 2016; 313:260-271. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.07.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Revised: 06/26/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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16
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Age and sex differences in oxytocin and vasopressin V1a receptor binding densities in the rat brain: focus on the social decision-making network. Brain Struct Funct 2016; 222:981-1006. [PMID: 27389643 PMCID: PMC5334374 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-016-1260-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) regulate various social behaviors via activation of the OT receptor (OTR) and the AVP V1a receptor (V1aR) in the brain. Social behavior often differs across development and between the sexes, yet our understanding of age and sex differences in brain OTR and V1aR binding remains incomplete. Here, we provide an extensive analysis of OTR and V1aR binding density throughout the brain in juvenile and adult male and female rats, with a focus on regions within the social decision-making network. OTR and V1aR binding density were higher in juveniles than in adults in regions associated with reward and socio-spatial memory and higher in adults than in juveniles in key regions of the social decision-making network and in cortical regions. We discuss possible implications of these shifts in OTR and V1aR binding density for the age-specific regulation of social behavior. Furthermore, sex differences in OTR and V1aR binding density were less numerous than age differences. The direction of these sex differences was region-specific for OTR but consistently higher in females than in males for V1aR. Finally, almost all sex differences in OTR and V1aR binding density were already present in juveniles and occurred in regions with denser binding in adults compared to juveniles. Possible implications of these sex differences for the sex-specific regulation of behavior, as well potential underlying mechanisms, are discussed. Overall, these findings provide an important framework for testing age- and sex-specific roles of OTR and V1aR in the regulation of social behavior.
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17
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Social Isolation During Postweaning Development Causes Hypoactivity of Neurons in the Medial Nucleus of the Male Rat Amygdala. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:1929-40. [PMID: 26677945 PMCID: PMC4869062 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2015.364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2015] [Revised: 12/04/2015] [Accepted: 12/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Children exposed to neglect or social deprivation are at heightened risk for psychiatric disorders and abnormal social patterns as adults. There is also evidence that prepubertal neglect in children causes abnormal metabolic activity in several brain regions, including the amygdala area. The medial nucleus of the amygdala (MeA) is a key region for performance of social behaviors and still undergoes maturation during the periadolescent period. As such, the normal development of this region may be disrupted by social deprivation. In rodents, postweaning social isolation causes a range of deficits in sexual and agonistic behaviors that normally rely on the posterior MeA (MeAp). However, little is known about the effects of social isolation on the function of MeA neurons. In this study, we tested whether postweaning social isolation caused abnormal activity of MeA neurons. We found that postweaning social isolation caused a decrease of in vivo firing activity of MeAp neurons, and reduced drive from excitatory afferents. In vitro electrophysiological studies found that postweaning social isolation caused a presynaptic impairment of excitatory input to the dorsal MeAp, but a progressive postsynaptic reduction of membrane excitability in the ventral MeAp. These results demonstrate discrete, subnucleus-specific effects of social deprivation on the physiology of MeAp neurons. This pathophysiology may contribute to the disruption of social behavior after developmental social deprivation, and may be a novel target to facilitate the treatment of social disorders.
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18
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Dumais KM, Alonso AG, Bredewold R, Veenema AH. Role of the oxytocin system in amygdala subregions in the regulation of social interest in male and female rats. Neuroscience 2016; 330:138-49. [PMID: 27235738 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.05.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2016] [Revised: 05/13/2016] [Accepted: 05/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
We previously found that oxytocin (OT) receptor (OTR) binding density in the medial amygdala (MeA) correlated positively with social interest (i.e., the motivation to investigate a conspecific) in male rats, while OTR binding density in the central amygdala (CeA) correlated negatively with social interest in female rats. Here, we determined the causal involvement of OTR in the MeA and CeA in the sex-specific regulation of social interest in adult rats by injecting an OTR antagonist (5ng/0.5μl/side) or OT (100pg/0.5μl/side) before the social interest test (4-min same-sex juvenile exposure). OTR blockade in the CeA decreased social interest in males but not females, while all other treatments had no behavioral effect. To further explore the sex-specific involvement of the OT system in the CeA in social interest, we used in vivo microdialysis to determine possible sex differences in endogenous OT release in the CeA during social interest. Interestingly, males and females showed similar levels of extracellular OT release at baseline and during social interest, suggesting that factors other than local OT release mediate the sex-specific role of CeA-OTR in social interest. Moreover, we found a positive correlation between CeA-OT release and social investigation time in females. This was further reflected by reduced CeA-OT release during social interest in females that expressed low compared to high social interest. We discuss the possibility that this reduction in OT release may be a consequence, rather than a cause, of exposure to a social stimulus. Overall, our findings show for the first time that extracellular OT release in the CeA is similar between males and females and that OTR in the CeA plays a causal role in the regulation of social interest toward juvenile conspecifics in males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly M Dumais
- Neurobiology of Social Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, 300 McGuinn, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA.
| | - Andrea G Alonso
- Neurobiology of Social Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, 300 McGuinn, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA
| | - Remco Bredewold
- Neurobiology of Social Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, 300 McGuinn, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA
| | - Alexa H Veenema
- Neurobiology of Social Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, 300 McGuinn, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA
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19
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Canto-de-Souza L, Mattioli R. The consolidation of inhibitory avoidance memory in mice depends on the intensity of the aversive stimulus: The involvement of the amygdala, dorsal hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2016; 130:44-51. [PMID: 26851130 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2016.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2015] [Revised: 01/13/2016] [Accepted: 01/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Several studies using inhibitory avoidance models have demonstrated the importance of limbic structures, such as the amygdala, dorsal hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex, in the consolidation of emotional memory. However, we aimed to investigate the role of the amygdala (AMG), dorsal hippocampus (DH) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of mice in the consolidation of step-down inhibitory avoidance and whether this avoidance would be conditioned relative to the intensity of the aversive stimulus. To test this, we bilaterally infused anisomycin (ANI-40μg/μl, a protein synthesis inhibitor) into one of these three brain areas in mice. These mice were then exposed to one of two different intensities (moderate: 0.5mA or intense: 1.5mA) in a step-down inhibitory avoidance task. We found that consolidation of both of the aversive experiences was mPFC dependent, while the AMG and DH were only required for the consolidation of the intense experience. We suggest that in moderately aversive situations, which do not represent a severe physical risk to the individual, the consolidation of aversive experiences does not depend on protein synthesis in the AMG or the DH, but only the mPFC. However, for intense aversive stimuli all three of these limbic structures are essential for the consolidation of the experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Canto-de-Souza
- Laboratório de Neurociências, Departamento de Fisioterapia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Rod. Washington Luis, Km 235, 13565-905 São Carlos, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psicobiologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Psicologia, Avenida Bandeirantes, 3900, Monte Alegre, CEP 14040-901, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil; INeC, Instituto de Neurociências e Comportamento, Avenida Bandeirantes, 3900, CEP 14040-901, Monte Alegre, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
| | - R Mattioli
- Laboratório de Neurociências, Departamento de Fisioterapia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Rod. Washington Luis, Km 235, 13565-905 São Carlos, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psicobiologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Psicologia, Avenida Bandeirantes, 3900, Monte Alegre, CEP 14040-901, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
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20
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Bicks LK, Koike H, Akbarian S, Morishita H. Prefrontal Cortex and Social Cognition in Mouse and Man. Front Psychol 2015; 6:1805. [PMID: 26635701 PMCID: PMC4659895 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 316] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2015] [Accepted: 11/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Social cognition is a complex process that requires the integration of a wide variety of behaviors, including salience, reward-seeking, motivation, knowledge of self and others, and flexibly adjusting behavior in social groups. Not surprisingly, social cognition represents a sensitive domain commonly disrupted in the pathology of a variety of psychiatric disorders including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Schizophrenia (SCZ). Here, we discuss convergent research from animal models to human disease that implicates the prefrontal cortex (PFC) as a key regulator in social cognition, suggesting that disruptions in prefrontal microcircuitry play an essential role in the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders with shared social deficits. We take a translational perspective of social cognition, and review three key behaviors that are essential to normal social processing in rodents and humans, including social motivation, social recognition, and dominance hierarchy. A shared prefrontal circuitry may underlie these behaviors. Social cognition deficits in animal models of neurodevelopmental disorders like ASD and SCZ have been linked to an altered balance of excitation and inhibition (E/I ratio) within the cortex generally, and PFC specifically. A clear picture of the mechanisms by which altered E/I ratio in the PFC might lead to disruptions of social cognition across a variety of behaviors is not well understood. Future studies should explore how disrupted developmental trajectory of prefrontal microcircuitry could lead to altered E/I balance and subsequent deficits in the social domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy K Bicks
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York NY, USA ; Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York NY, USA ; Department of Ophthalmology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York NY, USA ; Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York NY, USA ; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York NY, USA
| | - Hiroyuki Koike
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York NY, USA ; Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York NY, USA ; Department of Ophthalmology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York NY, USA ; Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York NY, USA ; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York NY, USA
| | - Schahram Akbarian
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York NY, USA ; Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York NY, USA ; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York NY, USA
| | - Hirofumi Morishita
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York NY, USA ; Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York NY, USA ; Department of Ophthalmology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York NY, USA ; Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York NY, USA ; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York NY, USA
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