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Gunderson LPK, Brice K, Parra M, Engelhart AS, Centanni TM. A novel paradigm for measuring prediction abilities in a rat model using a speech-sound discrimination task. Behav Brain Res 2024; 472:115143. [PMID: 38986956 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.115143] [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: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
The ability to predict and respond to upcoming stimuli is a critical skill for all animals, including humans. Prediction operates largely below conscious awareness to allow an individual to recall previously encountered stimuli and prepare an appropriate response, especially in language. The ability to predict upcoming words within typical speech patterns aids fluent comprehension, as conversational speech occurs quickly. Individuals with certain neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and dyslexia have deficits in their ability to generate and use predictions. Rodent models are often used to investigate specific aspects of these disorders, but there is no existing behavioral paradigm that can assess prediction capabilities with complex stimuli like speech sounds. Thus, the present study modified an existing rapid speech sound discrimination paradigm to assess whether rats can form predictions of upcoming speech sound stimuli and utilize them to improve task performance. We replicated prior work showing that rats can discriminate between speech sounds presented at rapid rates. We also saw that rats responded exclusively to the target at slow speeds but began responding to the predictive cue in anticipation of the target as the speed increased, suggesting that they learned the predictive value of the cue and adjusted their behavior accordingly. This prediction task will be useful in assessing prediction deficits in rat models of various neurodevelopmental disorders through the manipulation of both genetic and environmental factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logun P K Gunderson
- Department of Psychology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX 76129, United States
| | - Kelly Brice
- Department of Psychology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX 76129, United States
| | - Monica Parra
- Department of Psychology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX 76129, United States
| | - Abby S Engelhart
- Department of Psychology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX 76129, United States
| | - Tracy M Centanni
- Department of Psychology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX 76129, United States; Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States.
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2
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Kosmer K, Kulesza R. Cortical dysmorphology and reduced cortico-collicular projections in an animal model of autism spectrum disorder. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:146-160. [PMID: 38696608 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad501] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disability that includes sensory disturbances. Hearing is frequently affected and ranges from deafness to hypersensitivity. In utero exposure to the antiepileptic valproic acid is associated with increased risk of autism spectrum disorder in humans and timed valproic acid exposure is a biologically relevant and validated animal model of autism spectrum disorder. Valproic acid-exposed rats have fewer neurons in their auditory brainstem and thalamus, fewer calbindin-positive neurons, reduced ascending projections to the midbrain and thalamus, elevated thresholds, and delayed auditory brainstem responses. Additionally, in the auditory cortex, valproic acid exposure results in abnormal responses, decreased phase-locking, elevated thresholds, and abnormal tonotopic maps. We therefore hypothesized that in utero, valproic acid exposure would result in fewer neurons in auditory cortex, neuronal dysmorphology, fewer calbindin-positive neurons, and reduced connectivity. We approached this hypothesis using morphometric analyses, immunohistochemistry, and retrograde tract tracing. We found thinner cortical layers but no changes in the density of neurons, smaller pyramidal and non-pyramidal neurons in several regions, fewer neurons immunoreactive for calbindin-positive, and fewer cortical neurons projecting to the inferior colliculus. These results support the widespread impact of the auditory system in autism spectrum disorder and valproic acid-exposed animals and emphasize the utility of simple, noninvasive auditory screening for autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara Kosmer
- RWJBH Monmouth Medical CenterLong Branch, NJ 07740, United States
| | - Randy Kulesza
- Department of Anatomy, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, PA 16509, United States
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3
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Tamaoki Y, Pasapula V, Chandler C, Borland MS, Olajubutu OI, Tharakan LS, Engineer CT. Degraded inferior colliculus responses to complex sounds in prenatally exposed VPA rats. J Neurodev Disord 2024; 16:2. [PMID: 38166599 PMCID: PMC10759431 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-023-09514-9] [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: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often exhibit altered sensory processing and deficits in language development. Prenatal exposure to valproic acid (VPA) increases the risk for ASD and impairs both receptive and expressive language. Like individuals with ASD, rodents prenatally exposed to VPA exhibit degraded auditory cortical processing and abnormal neural activity to sounds. Disrupted neuronal morphology has been documented in earlier processing areas of the auditory pathway in VPA-exposed rodents, but there are no studies documenting early auditory pathway physiology. Therefore, the objective of this study is to characterize inferior colliculus (IC) responses to different sounds in rats prenatally exposed to VPA compared to saline-exposed rats. METHODS In vivo extracellular multiunit recordings from the inferior colliculus were collected in response to tones, speech sounds, and noise burst trains. RESULTS Our results indicate that the overall response to speech sounds was degraded in VPA-exposed rats compared to saline-exposed controls, but responses to tones and noise burst trains were unaltered. CONCLUSIONS These results are consistent with observations in individuals with autism that neural responses to complex sounds, like speech, are often altered, and lays the foundation for future studies of potential therapeutics to improve auditory processing in the VPA rat model of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuko Tamaoki
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA.
- The University of Texas at Dallas, Texas Biomedical Device Center, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA.
| | - Varun Pasapula
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
- The University of Texas at Dallas, Texas Biomedical Device Center, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Collin Chandler
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
- The University of Texas at Dallas, Texas Biomedical Device Center, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Michael S Borland
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
- The University of Texas at Dallas, Texas Biomedical Device Center, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Olayinka I Olajubutu
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
- The University of Texas at Dallas, Texas Biomedical Device Center, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Liza S Tharakan
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
- The University of Texas at Dallas, Texas Biomedical Device Center, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Crystal T Engineer
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
- The University of Texas at Dallas, Texas Biomedical Device Center, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
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4
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Tamaoki Y, Pasapula V, Chandler C, Borland MS, Olajubutu OI, Tharakan LS, Engineer CT. Degraded inferior colliculus responses to complex sounds in prenatally exposed VPA rats. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3168097. [PMID: 37577524 PMCID: PMC10418539 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3168097/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Background Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often exhibit altered sensory processing and deficits in language development. Prenatal exposure to valproic acid (VPA) increases the risk for ASD and impairs both receptive and expressive language. Like individuals with ASD, rodents prenatally exposed to VPA exhibit degraded auditory cortical processing and abnormal neural activity to sounds. Disrupted neuronal morphology has been documented in earlier processing areas of the auditory pathway in VPA-exposed rodents, but there are no studies documenting early auditory pathway physiology. Therefore, the objective of this study is to characterize inferior colliculus (IC) responses to different sounds in rats prenatally exposed to VPA compared to saline-exposed rats. Methods Neural recordings from the inferior colliculus were collected in response to tones, speech sounds, and noise burst trains. Results Our results indicate that the overall response to speech sounds was degraded in VPA-exposed rats compared saline-exposed controls, but responses to tones and noise burst trains were unaltered. Conclusions These results are consistent with observations in individuals with autism that neural responses to complex sounds, like speech, are often altered, and lays the foundation for future studies of potential therapeutics to improve auditory processing in the VPA rat model of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuko Tamaoki
- The University of Texas at Dallas School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
| | - Varun Pasapula
- The University of Texas at Dallas School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
| | - Collin Chandler
- The University of Texas at Dallas School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
| | - Michael S Borland
- The University of Texas at Dallas School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
| | | | - Liza S Tharakan
- The University of Texas at Dallas School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
| | - Crystal T Engineer
- The University of Texas at Dallas School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
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5
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Malhotra AS, Kulesza R. Abnormal auditory brainstem responses in an animal model of autism spectrum disorder. Hear Res 2023; 436:108816. [PMID: 37285705 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2023.108816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Auditory dysfunction is a common feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and ranges from deafness to hypersensitivity. The auditory brainstem response (ABR) permits study of the amplitude and latency of synchronized electrical activity along the ascending auditory pathway in response to clicks and pure tone stimuli. Indeed, numerous studies have shown that subjects with ASD have ABR abnormalities. In utero exposure to the antiepileptic drug valproic acid (VPA) is associated with human cases of ASD and is used as an animal model of ASD. Previous studies have shown that VPA-exposed animals have significantly fewer neurons in the auditory brainstem and thalamus, reduced ascending projections to the auditory midbrain and thalamus and increased neuronal activation in response to pure tone stimuli. Accordingly, we hypothesized that VPA-exposed animals would have abnormal ABRs throughout their lifespans. We approached this hypothesis in two cohorts. First, we examined ABRs from both ears on postnatal day 22 (P22). Then, we examined monaural ABRs in animals at P28, 60, 120, 180, 240, 300 and 360. Our results suggest that at P22, VPA-exposed animals have elevated thresholds and increased peak latencies. However, by P60 these differences largely normalize with differences appearing only near hearing threshold. Additionally, our analysis revealed that maturation of ABR waves occurred at different trajectories in control and VPA-exposed animals. These results, together with our previous work, suggest that VPA exposure not only impacts total neuron number and connectivity, but also auditory evoked responses. Finally, our longitudinal analysis suggests that delayed maturation of auditory brainstem circuits may impact ABRs throughout the lifespan of the animal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arjun S Malhotra
- Department of Anatomy Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, Pennsylvania, USA; Millcreek Community Hospital LECOM Health, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Erie, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Randy Kulesza
- Department of Anatomy Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, Pennsylvania, USA.
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6
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Wilde M, Constantin L, Thorne PR, Montgomery JM, Scott EK, Cheyne JE. Auditory processing in rodent models of autism: a systematic review. J Neurodev Disord 2022; 14:48. [PMID: 36042393 PMCID: PMC9429780 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-022-09458-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism is a complex condition with many traits, including differences in auditory sensitivity. Studies in human autism are plagued by the difficulty of controlling for aetiology, whereas studies in individual rodent models cannot represent the full spectrum of human autism. This systematic review compares results in auditory studies across a wide range of established rodent models of autism to mimic the wide range of aetiologies in the human population. A search was conducted in the PubMed and Web of Science databases to find primary research articles in mouse or rat models of autism which investigate central auditory processing. A total of 88 studies were included. These used non-invasive measures of auditory function, such as auditory brainstem response recordings, cortical event-related potentials, electroencephalography, and behavioural tests, which are translatable to human studies. They also included invasive measures, such as electrophysiology and histology, which shed insight on the origins of the phenotypes found in the non-invasive studies. The most consistent results across these studies were increased latency of the N1 peak of event-related potentials, decreased power and coherence of gamma activity in the auditory cortex, and increased auditory startle responses to high sound levels. Invasive studies indicated loss of subcortical inhibitory neurons, hyperactivity in the lateral superior olive and auditory thalamus, and reduced specificity of responses in the auditory cortex. This review compares the auditory phenotypes across rodent models and highlights those that mimic findings in human studies, providing a framework and avenues for future studies to inform understanding of the auditory system in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Wilde
- The Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Lena Constantin
- The Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Peter R Thorne
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.,Section of Audiology, School of Population Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Johanna M Montgomery
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ethan K Scott
- The Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.,Department of Anatomy and Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Juliette E Cheyne
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
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7
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Napolitano A, Schiavi S, La Rosa P, Rossi-Espagnet MC, Petrillo S, Bottino F, Tagliente E, Longo D, Lupi E, Casula L, Valeri G, Piemonte F, Trezza V, Vicari S. Sex Differences in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Diagnostic, Neurobiological, and Behavioral Features. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:889636. [PMID: 35633791 PMCID: PMC9136002 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.889636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder with a worldwide prevalence of about 1%, characterized by impairments in social interaction, communication, repetitive patterns of behaviors, and can be associated with hyper- or hypo-reactivity of sensory stimulation and cognitive disability. ASD comorbid features include internalizing and externalizing symptoms such as anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, and attention problems. The precise etiology of ASD is still unknown and it is undoubted that the disorder is linked to some extent to both genetic and environmental factors. It is also well-documented and known that one of the most striking and consistent finding in ASD is the higher prevalence in males compared to females, with around 70% of ASD cases described being males. The present review looked into the most significant studies that attempted to investigate differences in ASD males and females thus trying to shade some light on the peculiar characteristics of this prevalence in terms of diagnosis, imaging, major autistic-like behavior and sex-dependent uniqueness. The study also discussed sex differences found in animal models of ASD, to provide a possible explanation of the neurological mechanisms underpinning the different presentation of autistic symptoms in males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Napolitano
- Medical Physics Department, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Schiavi
- Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Science Department, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
| | - Piergiorgio La Rosa
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Camilla Rossi-Espagnet
- Neuroradiology Unit, Imaging Department, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- NESMOS, Neuroradiology Department, S. Andrea Hospital Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Petrillo
- Head Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Neuroscience Department, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Bottino
- Medical Physics Department, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuela Tagliente
- Medical Physics Department, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Longo
- Neuroradiology Unit, Imaging Department, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Lupi
- Head Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Neuroscience Department, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Casula
- Head Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Neuroscience Department, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Valeri
- Head Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Neuroscience Department, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Fiorella Piemonte
- Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Diseases Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Viviana Trezza
- Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Science Department, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Vicari
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Neuroscience Department, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Life Sciences and Public Health Department, Catholic University, Rome, Italy
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8
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Aberrant auditory system and its developmental implications for autism. SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES 2021; 64:861-878. [DOI: 10.1007/s11427-020-1863-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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9
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Ryan AM, Berman RF, Bauman MD. Bridging the species gap in translational research for neurodevelopmental disorders. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2019; 165:106950. [PMID: 30347236 PMCID: PMC6474835 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2018.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Revised: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The prevalence and societal impact of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) continue to increase despite years of research in both patient populations and animal models. There remains an urgent need for translational efforts between clinical and preclinical research to (i) identify and evaluate putative causes of NDD, (ii) determine their underlying neurobiological mechanisms, (iii) develop and test novel therapeutic approaches, and (iv) translate basic research into safe and effective clinical practices. Given the complexity behind potential causes and behaviors affected by NDDs, modeling these uniquely human brain disorders in animals will require that we capitalize on unique advantages of a diverse array of species. While much NDD research has been conducted in more traditional animal models such as the mouse, ultimately, we may benefit from creating animal models with species that have a more sophisticated social behavior repertoire such as the rat (Rattus norvegicus) or species that more closely related to humans, such as the rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta). Here, we highlight the rat and rhesus macaque models for their role in previous psychological research discoveries, current efforts to understand the neurobiology of NDDs, and focus on the convergence of behavior outcome measures that parallel features of human NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- A M Ryan
- The UC Davis MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, United States; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, United States
| | - R F Berman
- The UC Davis MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, United States; Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, Davis, United States
| | - M D Bauman
- The UC Davis MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, United States; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, United States.
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10
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Black BJ, Kanneganti A, Joshi-Imre A, Rihani R, Chakraborty B, Abbott J, Pancrazio JJ, Cogan SF. Chronic recording and electrochemical performance of Utah microelectrode arrays implanted in rat motor cortex. J Neurophysiol 2018; 120:2083-2090. [PMID: 30020844 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00181.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Multisite implantable electrode arrays serve as a tool to understand cortical network connectivity and plasticity. Furthermore, they enable electrical stimulation to drive plasticity, study motor/sensory mapping, or provide network input for controlling brain-computer interfaces. Neurobehavioral rodent models are prevalent in studies of motor cortex injury and recovery as well as restoration of auditory/visual cues due to their relatively low cost and ease of training. Therefore, it is important to understand the chronic performance of relevant electrode arrays in rodent models. In this report, we evaluate the chronic recording and electrochemical performance of 16-channel Utah electrode arrays, the current state-of-the-art in pre-/clinical cortical recording and stimulation, in rat motor cortex over a period of 6 mo. The single-unit active electrode yield decreased from 52.8 ± 10.0 ( week 1) to 13.4 ± 5.1% ( week 24). Similarly, the total number of single units recorded on all electrodes across all arrays decreased from 106 to 15 over the same time period. Parallel measurements of electrochemical impedance spectra and cathodic charge storage capacity exhibited significant changes in electrochemical characteristics consistent with development of electrolyte leakage pathways over time. Additionally, measurements of maximum cathodal potential excursion indicated that only a relatively small fraction of electrodes (10-35% at 1 and 24 wk postimplantation) were capable of delivering relevant currents (20 µA at 4 nC/ph) without exceeding negative or positive electrochemical potential limits. In total, our findings suggest mainly abiotic failure modes, including mechanical wire breakage as well as degradation of conducting and insulating substrates. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Multisite implantable electrode arrays serve as a tool to record cortical network activity and enable electrical stimulation to drive plasticity or provide network feedback. The use of rodent models in these fields is prevalent. We evaluated chronic recording and electrochemical performance of 16-channel Utah electrode arrays in rat motor cortex over a period of 6 mo. We primarily observed abiotic failure modes suggestive of mechanical wire breakage and/or degradation of insulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan J Black
- Department of Bioengineering, The University of Texas at Dallas , Richardson, Texas
| | - Aswini Kanneganti
- Department of Bioengineering, The University of Texas at Dallas , Richardson, Texas
| | - Alexandra Joshi-Imre
- Department of Bioengineering, The University of Texas at Dallas , Richardson, Texas
| | - Rashed Rihani
- Department of Bioengineering, The University of Texas at Dallas , Richardson, Texas
| | - Bitan Chakraborty
- Department of Bioengineering, The University of Texas at Dallas , Richardson, Texas
| | - Justin Abbott
- Department of Bioengineering, The University of Texas at Dallas , Richardson, Texas
| | - Joseph J Pancrazio
- Department of Bioengineering, The University of Texas at Dallas , Richardson, Texas
| | - Stuart F Cogan
- Department of Bioengineering, The University of Texas at Dallas , Richardson, Texas
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11
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D Chorna O, L Hamm E, Shrivastava H, Maitre NL. Feasibility of event-related potential (ERP) biomarker use to study effects of mother's voice exposure on speech sound differentiation of preterm infants. Dev Neuropsychol 2018; 43:123-134. [PMID: 29436854 DOI: 10.1080/87565641.2018.1433671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Atypical maturation of auditory neural processing contributes to preterm-born infants' language delays. Event-related potential (ERP) measurement of speech-sound differentiation might fill a gap in treatment-response biomarkers to auditory interventions. We evaluated whether these markers could measure treatment effects in a quasi-randomized prospective study. Hospitalized preterm infants in passive or active, suck-contingent mother's voice exposure groups were not different at baseline. Post-intervention, the active group had greater increases in/du/-/gu/differentiation in left frontal and temporal regions. Infants with brain injury had lower baseline/ba/-/ga/and/du/-/gu/differentiation than those without. ERP provides valid discriminative, responsive, and predictive biomarkers of infant speech-sound differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olena D Chorna
- a Center for Perinatal Research and Department of Pediatrics at Nationwide Children's Hospital , Columbus , OH , USA
| | - Ellyn L Hamm
- a Center for Perinatal Research and Department of Pediatrics at Nationwide Children's Hospital , Columbus , OH , USA
| | - Hemang Shrivastava
- a Center for Perinatal Research and Department of Pediatrics at Nationwide Children's Hospital , Columbus , OH , USA
| | - Nathalie L Maitre
- a Center for Perinatal Research and Department of Pediatrics at Nationwide Children's Hospital , Columbus , OH , USA.,b Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences , Vanderbilt University Medical Center , Nashville , TN , USA
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12
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Otto-Meyer S, Krizman J, White-Schwoch T, Kraus N. Children with autism spectrum disorder have unstable neural responses to sound. Exp Brain Res 2018; 236:733-743. [DOI: 10.1007/s00221-017-5164-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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13
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Engineer CT, Rahebi KC, Borland MS, Buell EP, Im KW, Wilson LG, Sharma P, Vanneste S, Harony-Nicolas H, Buxbaum JD, Kilgard MP. Shank3-deficient rats exhibit degraded cortical responses to sound. Autism Res 2017; 11:59-68. [PMID: 29052348 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2017] [Revised: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Individuals with SHANK3 mutations have severely impaired receptive and expressive language abilities. While brain responses are known to be abnormal in these individuals, the auditory cortex response to sound has remained largely understudied. In this study, we document the auditory cortex response to speech and non-speech sounds in the novel Shank3-deficient rat model. We predicted that the auditory cortex response to sounds would be impaired in Shank3-deficient rats. We found that auditory cortex responses were weaker in Shank3 heterozygous rats compared to wild-type rats. Additionally, Shank3 heterozygous responses had less spontaneous auditory cortex firing and were unable to respond well to rapid trains of noise bursts. The rat model of the auditory impairments in SHANK3 mutation could be used to test potential rehabilitation or drug therapies to improve the communication impairments observed in individuals with Phelan-McDermid syndrome. Autism Res 2018, 11: 59-68. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY Individuals with SHANK3 mutations have severely impaired language abilities, yet the auditory cortex response to sound has remained largely understudied. In this study, we found that auditory cortex responses were weaker and were unable to respond well to rapid sounds in Shank3-deficient rats compared to control rats. The rat model of the auditory impairments in SHANK3 mutation could be used to test potential rehabilitation or drug therapies to improve the communication impairments observed in individuals with Phelan-McDermid syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Crystal T Engineer
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080.,Texas Biomedical Device Center, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080
| | - Kimiya C Rahebi
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080.,Texas Biomedical Device Center, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080
| | - Michael S Borland
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080.,Texas Biomedical Device Center, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080
| | - Elizabeth P Buell
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080.,Texas Biomedical Device Center, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080
| | - Kwok W Im
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080
| | - Linda G Wilson
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080
| | - Pryanka Sharma
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080
| | - Sven Vanneste
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080
| | - Hala Harony-Nicolas
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY.,Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | - Joseph D Buxbaum
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY.,Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY.,Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY.,Fishberg Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY.,Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY.,The Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | - Michael P Kilgard
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080.,Texas Biomedical Device Center, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX, 75080
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14
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Port RG, Gajewski C, Krizman E, Dow HC, Hirano S, Brodkin ES, Carlson GC, Robinson MB, Roberts TPL, Siegel SJ. Protocadherin 10 alters γ oscillations, amino acid levels, and their coupling; baclofen partially restores these oscillatory deficits. Neurobiol Dis 2017; 108:324-338. [PMID: 28844789 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2017.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2017] [Revised: 08/06/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Approximately one in 45 children have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), which is characterized by social/communication impairments. Recent studies have linked a subset of familial ASD to mutations in the Protocadherin 10 (Pcdh10) gene. Additionally, Pcdh10's expression pattern, as well as its known role within protein networks, implicates the gene in ASD. Subsequently, the neurobiology of mice heterozygous for Pcdh10 (Pcdh10+/-) has been investigated as a proxy for ASD. Male Pcdh10+/- mice have demonstrated sex-specific deficits in social behavior, recapitulating the gender bias observed in ASD. Furthermore, in vitro slice preparations of these Pcdh10+/- mice demonstrate selective decreases to high frequency electrophysiological responses, mimicking clinical observations. The direct in vivo ramifications of such decreased in vitro high frequency responses are unclear. As such, Pcdh10+/- mice and their wild-type (WT) littermates underwent in vivo electrocorticography (ECoG), as well as ex vivo amino acid concentration quantification using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Similar to the previously observed reductions to in vitro high frequency electrophysiological responses in Pcdh10+/- mice, male Pcdh10+/- mice exhibited reduced gamma-band (30-80Hz), but not lower frequency (10 and 20Hz), auditory steady state responses (ASSR). In addition, male Pcdh10+/- mice exhibited decreased signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) for high gamma-band (60-100Hz) activity. These gamma-band perturbations for both ASSR and SNR were not observed in females. Administration of a GABAB agonist remediated these electrophysiological alterations among male Pcdh10+/-mice. Pcdh10+/- mice demonstrated increased concentrations of GABA and glutamine. Of note, a correlation of auditory gamma-band responses with underlying GABA concentrations was observed in WT mice. This correlation was not present in Pcdh10+/- mice. This study demonstrates the role of Pcdh10 in the regulation of excitatory-inhibitory balance as a function of GABA in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Russell G Port
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman, School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Christopher Gajewski
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman, School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Elizabeth Krizman
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Pediatric, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Holly C Dow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman, School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Shinji Hirano
- Department of Cell Biology, Kansai Medical University, 2-5-1 Shinmachi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-1010, Japan
| | - Edward S Brodkin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman, School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Gregory C Carlson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman, School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Michael B Robinson
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Pediatric, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Systems Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Timothy P L Roberts
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Steven J Siegel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman, School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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15
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Knockdown of Dyslexia-Gene Dcdc2 Interferes with Speech Sound Discrimination in Continuous Streams. J Neurosci 2017; 36:4895-906. [PMID: 27122044 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.4202-15.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Dyslexia is the most common developmental language disorder and is marked by deficits in reading and phonological awareness. One theory of dyslexia suggests that the phonological awareness deficit is due to abnormal auditory processing of speech sounds. Variants in DCDC2 and several other neural migration genes are associated with dyslexia and may contribute to auditory processing deficits. In the current study, we tested the hypothesis that RNAi suppression of Dcdc2 in rats causes abnormal cortical responses to sound and impaired speech sound discrimination. In the current study, rats were subjected in utero to RNA interference targeting of the gene Dcdc2 or a scrambled sequence. Primary auditory cortex (A1) responses were acquired from 11 rats (5 with Dcdc2 RNAi; DC-) before any behavioral training. A separate group of 8 rats (3 DC-) were trained on a variety of speech sound discrimination tasks, and auditory cortex responses were acquired following training. Dcdc2 RNAi nearly eliminated the ability of rats to identify specific speech sounds from a continuous train of speech sounds but did not impair performance during discrimination of isolated speech sounds. The neural responses to speech sounds in A1 were not degraded as a function of presentation rate before training. These results suggest that A1 is not directly involved in the impaired speech discrimination caused by Dcdc2 RNAi. This result contrasts earlier results using Kiaa0319 RNAi and suggests that different dyslexia genes may cause different deficits in the speech processing circuitry, which may explain differential responses to therapy. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Although dyslexia is diagnosed through reading difficulty, there is a great deal of variation in the phenotypes of these individuals. The underlying neural and genetic mechanisms causing these differences are still widely debated. In the current study, we demonstrate that suppression of a candidate-dyslexia gene causes deficits on tasks of rapid stimulus processing. These animals also exhibited abnormal neural plasticity after training, which may be a mechanism for why some children with dyslexia do not respond to intervention. These results are in stark contrast to our previous work with a different candidate gene, which caused a different set of deficits. Our results shed some light on possible neural and genetic mechanisms causing heterogeneity in the dyslexic population.
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16
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Engineer CT, Shetake JA, Engineer ND, Vrana WA, Wolf JT, Kilgard MP. Temporal plasticity in auditory cortex improves neural discrimination of speech sounds. Brain Stimul 2017; 10:543-552. [PMID: 28131520 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2017.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2016] [Revised: 11/22/2016] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many individuals with language learning impairments exhibit temporal processing deficits and degraded neural responses to speech sounds. Auditory training can improve both the neural and behavioral deficits, though significant deficits remain. Recent evidence suggests that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) paired with rehabilitative therapies enhances both cortical plasticity and recovery of normal function. OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS We predicted that pairing VNS with rapid tone trains would enhance the primary auditory cortex (A1) response to unpaired novel speech sounds. METHODS VNS was paired with tone trains 300 times per day for 20 days in adult rats. Responses to isolated speech sounds, compressed speech sounds, word sequences, and compressed word sequences were recorded in A1 following the completion of VNS-tone train pairing. RESULTS Pairing VNS with rapid tone trains resulted in stronger, faster, and more discriminable A1 responses to speech sounds presented at conversational rates. CONCLUSION This study extends previous findings by documenting that VNS paired with rapid tone trains altered the neural response to novel unpaired speech sounds. Future studies are necessary to determine whether pairing VNS with appropriate auditory stimuli could potentially be used to improve both neural responses to speech sounds and speech perception in individuals with receptive language disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Crystal T Engineer
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX 75080, United States; Texas Biomedical Device Center, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX 75080, United States.
| | - Jai A Shetake
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX 75080, United States
| | - Navzer D Engineer
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX 75080, United States; MicroTransponder Inc., 2802 Flintrock Trace Suite 225, Austin, TX 78738, United States
| | - Will A Vrana
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX 75080, United States
| | - Jordan T Wolf
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX 75080, United States
| | - Michael P Kilgard
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX 75080, United States; Texas Biomedical Device Center, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road BSB11, Richardson, TX 75080, United States
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17
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Main SL, Kulesza RJ. Repeated prenatal exposure to valproic acid results in cerebellar hypoplasia and ataxia. Neuroscience 2017; 340:34-47. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.10.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Revised: 09/30/2016] [Accepted: 10/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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18
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Dubiel A, Kulesza RJ. Prenatal valproic acid exposure disrupts tonotopic c-Fos expression in the rat brainstem. Neuroscience 2016; 324:511-23. [PMID: 27094734 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.01.030] [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] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental conditions characterized by difficulties in communication and social interactions, restricted, repetitive behaviors and sensory abnormalities. Notably, the vast majority of individuals with ASD experience some degree of auditory dysfunction and we have recently reported consistent hypoplasia and dysmorphology in auditory brainstem centers in individuals with ASD. Prenatal exposure to the antiepileptic drug valproic acid (VPA) is associated with an increased risk of ASD. In rodents, prenatal exposure to VPA is employed as an animal model of ASD and is associated with a number of anatomical, physiological and behavioral deficits, including hypoplasia and dysmorphology of auditory brainstem centers. Based on these observations, we hypothesized that such dysmorphology in VPA-exposed animals would translate into abnormal neuronal activity in brainstem circuits and irregular tonotopic maps. Herein, we have subjected control and VPA-exposed animals to 4- or 16-kHz tones and examined neuronal activation with immunohistochemistry for c-Fos. After these exposures, we identified significantly more c-Fos-positive neurons in the auditory brainstem of VPA-exposed animals. Additionally, we observed a larger dispersion of c-Fos-positive neurons and shifted tonotopic bands in VPA-exposed rats. We interpret these findings to suggest hyper-responsiveness to sounds and disrupted mapping of sound frequencies after prenatal VPA exposure. Based on these findings, we suggest that such abnormal patterns of activation may play a role in auditory processing deficits in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Dubiel
- Auditory Research Center, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, PA 16509, United States
| | - R J Kulesza
- Auditory Research Center, Department of Anatomy, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, PA 16509, United States.
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19
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Dubiel A, Kulesza RJ. Prenatal valproic acid exposure disrupts tonotopic c-Fos expression in the rat brainstem. Neuroscience 2015; 311:349-61. [PMID: 26518464 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.10.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2015] [Revised: 10/05/2015] [Accepted: 10/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by difficulties with communication and social interactions, restricted, repetitive behaviors and sensory abnormalities. Additionally, the vast majority of subjects with ASD suffer some degree of auditory dysfunction and we have previously identified significant hypoplasia and dysmorphology in auditory brainstem centers in individuals with ASD. Prenatal exposure to the antiepileptic drug valproic acid (VPA) is associated with an increased risk of ASD. In rodents, prenatal exposure to VPA is utilized as an animal model of ASD and is associated with a number of anatomical, physiological and behavioral deficits, including hypoplasia and dysmorphology in the auditory brainstem. Based on these observations, we hypothesized that such dysmorphology in VPA-exposed animals would translate into abnormal activity in brainstem circuits and irregular tonotopic maps. Herein, we have subjected control and VPA-exposed animals to 4 or 16 kHz tones and examined neuronal activation with immunohistochemistry for c-Fos. After these sound exposures, we found significantly more c-Fos-positive neurons in the auditory brainstem of VPA-exposed animals. Further, we found a larger dispersion of c-Fos-positive neurons and shifted tonotopic bands in VPA-exposed rats. We interpret these findings to suggest hyper-responsiveness to sounds and disrupted mapping of sound frequencies after prenatal VPA exposure. Based on these findings, we suggest that such abnormal patterns of activation may play a role in auditory processing deficits in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Dubiel
- Auditory Research Center, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, PA 16509, United States
| | - R J Kulesza
- Auditory Research Center, Department of Anatomy, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, PA 16509, United States.
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20
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Engineer CT, Rahebi KC, Borland MS, Buell EP, Centanni TM, Fink MK, Im KW, Wilson LG, Kilgard MP. Degraded neural and behavioral processing of speech sounds in a rat model of Rett syndrome. Neurobiol Dis 2015; 83:26-34. [PMID: 26321676 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2015.08.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2015] [Revised: 07/31/2015] [Accepted: 08/19/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with Rett syndrome have greatly impaired speech and language abilities. Auditory brainstem responses to sounds are normal, but cortical responses are highly abnormal. In this study, we used the novel rat Mecp2 knockout model of Rett syndrome to document the neural and behavioral processing of speech sounds. We hypothesized that both speech discrimination ability and the neural response to speech sounds would be impaired in Mecp2 rats. We expected that extensive speech training would improve speech discrimination ability and the cortical response to speech sounds. Our results reveal that speech responses across all four auditory cortex fields of Mecp2 rats were hyperexcitable, responded slower, and were less able to follow rapidly presented sounds. While Mecp2 rats could accurately perform consonant and vowel discrimination tasks in quiet, they were significantly impaired at speech sound discrimination in background noise. Extensive speech training improved discrimination ability. Training shifted cortical responses in both Mecp2 and control rats to favor the onset of speech sounds. While training increased the response to low frequency sounds in control rats, the opposite occurred in Mecp2 rats. Although neural coding and plasticity are abnormal in the rat model of Rett syndrome, extensive therapy appears to be effective. These findings may help to explain some aspects of communication deficits in Rett syndrome and suggest that extensive rehabilitation therapy might prove beneficial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Crystal T Engineer
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road GR41, Richardson, TX 75080, United States.
| | - Kimiya C Rahebi
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road GR41, Richardson, TX 75080, United States
| | - Michael S Borland
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road GR41, Richardson, TX 75080, United States
| | - Elizabeth P Buell
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road GR41, Richardson, TX 75080, United States
| | - Tracy M Centanni
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road GR41, Richardson, TX 75080, United States
| | - Melyssa K Fink
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road GR41, Richardson, TX 75080, United States
| | - Kwok W Im
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road GR41, Richardson, TX 75080, United States
| | - Linda G Wilson
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road GR41, Richardson, TX 75080, United States
| | - Michael P Kilgard
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road GR41, Richardson, TX 75080, United States
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21
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Engineer CT, Rahebi KC, Buell EP, Fink MK, Kilgard MP. Speech training alters consonant and vowel responses in multiple auditory cortex fields. Behav Brain Res 2015; 287:256-64. [PMID: 25827927 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.03.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2014] [Revised: 03/19/2015] [Accepted: 03/22/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Speech sounds evoke unique neural activity patterns in primary auditory cortex (A1). Extensive speech sound discrimination training alters A1 responses. While the neighboring auditory cortical fields each contain information about speech sound identity, each field processes speech sounds differently. We hypothesized that while all fields would exhibit training-induced plasticity following speech training, there would be unique differences in how each field changes. In this study, rats were trained to discriminate speech sounds by consonant or vowel in quiet and in varying levels of background speech-shaped noise. Local field potential and multiunit responses were recorded from four auditory cortex fields in rats that had received 10 weeks of speech discrimination training. Our results reveal that training alters speech evoked responses in each of the auditory fields tested. The neural response to consonants was significantly stronger in anterior auditory field (AAF) and A1 following speech training. The neural response to vowels following speech training was significantly weaker in ventral auditory field (VAF) and posterior auditory field (PAF). This differential plasticity of consonant and vowel sound responses may result from the greater paired pulse depression, expanded low frequency tuning, reduced frequency selectivity, and lower tone thresholds, which occurred across the four auditory fields. These findings suggest that alterations in the distributed processing of behaviorally relevant sounds may contribute to robust speech discrimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Crystal T Engineer
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road, GR41, Richardson, TX 75080, United States.
| | - Kimiya C Rahebi
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road, GR41, Richardson, TX 75080, United States
| | - Elizabeth P Buell
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road, GR41, Richardson, TX 75080, United States
| | - Melyssa K Fink
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road, GR41, Richardson, TX 75080, United States
| | - Michael P Kilgard
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road, GR41, Richardson, TX 75080, United States
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22
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Port RG, Anwar AR, Ku M, Carlson GC, Siegel SJ, Roberts TP. Prospective MEG biomarkers in ASD: pre-clinical evidence and clinical promise of electrophysiological signatures. THE YALE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2015; 88:25-36. [PMID: 25745372 PMCID: PMC4345535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterized by social impairments and restricted/stereotyped behaviors and currently affect an estimated 1 in 68 children aged 8 years old. While there has been substantial recent focus on ASD in research, both the biological pathology and, perhaps consequently, a fully effective treatment have yet to be realized. What has remained throughout is the hypothesis that ASD has neurobiological underpinnings and the observation that both the phenotypic expression and likely the underlying etiology is highly heterogeneous. Given the neurodevelopmental basis of ASD, a biologically based marker (biomarker) could prove useful not only for diagnostic and prognostic purposes, but also for stratification and response indices for pharmaceutical development. In this review, we examine the current state of the field for MEG-related biomarkers in ASD. We describe several potential biomarkers (middle latency delays [M50/M100], mismatch negativity latency, gamma-band oscillatory activity), and investigate their relation to symptomology, core domains of dysfunction (e.g., language impairment), and putative biological underpinnings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Russell G. Port
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,Neurosciences Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Ayesha R. Anwar
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Matthew Ku
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Gregory C. Carlson
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,Neurosciences Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Steven J. Siegel
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,Neurosciences Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,Bioengineering Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Timothy P.L. Roberts
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,Neurosciences Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,To whom all correspondence should be addressed: Timothy P.L. Roberts, Department of Radiology, Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA. Fax: 215-590-1345;
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