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Trofimova I. Anticipatory attractors, functional neurochemistry and "Throw & Catch" mechanisms as illustrations of constructivism. Rev Neurosci 2023; 34:737-762. [PMID: 36584323 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2022-0120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
This review explores several rarely discussed examples illustrating constructivism principles, generative and selective features of neuronal regulation of behaviour. First, the review highlights Walter Freeman's experiments and mathematical analysis that uncovered the existence of anticipatory attractors, i.e. non-random dynamical patterns in neurodynamics. Since Freeman's work did not extend to neurochemistry, this paper then points to the proposed earlier neurochemical framework summarizing the managerial roles of monoaminergic, cholinergic and opioid receptor systems likely contributing to anticipatory attractors in line with functional constructivism. As a third example, neurochemistry's evidence points to the "Throw & Catch" (T&C) principle in neurodynamics. This principle refers to the pro-active, neurochemically expensive, massive but topical increase of potentials ("Throw") within electrodynamics and neurotransmission in the brain whenever there is an uncertainty in selection of degrees of freedom (DFs). The T&C also underlines the relay-like processes during the selection of DFs. The "Throw" works as an internally generated "flashlight" that, contrarily to the expectations of entropy reduction, increases entropy and variance observed in processes related to orientation and action-formation. The discussed examples highlight the deficiency of structures-oriented projects and excitation-inhibition concepts in neuroscience. The neural regulation of behaviour appears to be a fluid, constructive process, constantly upgrading the choice of behavioural DFs, to ensure the compatibility between the environmental and individual's individuals' needs and capacities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Trofimova
- Laboratory of Collective Intelligence, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton L8S 2T6, ON, Canada
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2
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Krohn F, Lancini E, Ludwig M, Leiman M, Guruprasath G, Haag L, Panczyszyn J, Düzel E, Hämmerer D, Betts M. Noradrenergic neuromodulation in ageing and disease. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105311. [PMID: 37437752 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105311] [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: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
The locus coeruleus (LC) is a small brainstem structure located in the lower pons and is the main source of noradrenaline (NA) in the brain. Via its phasic and tonic firing, it modulates cognition and autonomic functions and is involved in the brain's immune response. The extent of degeneration to the LC in healthy ageing remains unclear, however, noradrenergic dysfunction may contribute to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Despite their differences in progression at later disease stages, the early involvement of the LC may lead to comparable behavioural symptoms such as preclinical sleep problems and neuropsychiatric symptoms as a result of AD and PD pathology. In this review, we draw attention to the mechanisms that underlie LC degeneration in ageing, AD and PD. We aim to motivate future research to investigate how early degeneration of the noradrenergic system may play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of AD and PD which may also be relevant to other neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Krohn
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - E Lancini
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.
| | - M Ludwig
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; CBBS Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, University of Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - M Leiman
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - G Guruprasath
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - L Haag
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - J Panczyszyn
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - E Düzel
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London UK-WC1E 6BT, UK; CBBS Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, University of Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - D Hämmerer
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London UK-WC1E 6BT, UK; CBBS Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, University of Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Department of Psychology, University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - M Betts
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; CBBS Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, University of Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
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Sagheddu C, Devoto P, Aroni S, Saba P, Pistis M, Gessa GL. Combined α 2- and D 2-receptor blockade activates noradrenergic and dopaminergic neurons, but extracellular dopamine in the prefrontal cortex is determined by uptake and release from noradrenergic terminals. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1238115. [PMID: 37680715 PMCID: PMC10482411 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1238115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Experimental and clinical evidence indicates a deficit of release and function of dopamine in schizophrenia and suggests that α2-adrenoceptor antagonists rescue dopamine deficit and improve the antipsychotic efficacy of D2-receptor antagonists. In anesthetized male rats, we investigated how the blockade of α2- and D2-receptors by atipamezole and raclopride, respectively, modified the firing of noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC) and dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). In freely moving rats, we studied how atipamezole and raclopride modified extracellular noradrenaline, dopamine, and DOPAC levels in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) through microdialysis. When administered alone, atipamezole activated LC noradrenaline but not VTA dopamine cell firing. Combined with raclopride, atipamezole activated dopamine cell firing above the level produced by raclopride. Atipamezole increased extracellular dopamine to the same level, whether administered alone or combined with raclopride. In the presence of the noradrenaline transporter (NET) inhibitor, atipamezole combined with raclopride increased extracellular dopamine beyond the level produced by either compound administered alone. The results suggest that a) the D2-autoreceptor blockade is required for LC noradrenaline to activate VTA cell firing; b) the level of dopamine released from dopaminergic terminals is determined by NET; c) the elevation of extracellular dopamine levels in the mPFC is the resultant of dopamine uptake and release from noradrenergic terminals, independent of dopaminergic cell firing and release; and d) LC noradrenergic neurons are an important target for treatments to improve the prefrontal deficit of dopamine in neuropsychiatric pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Sagheddu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Paola Devoto
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- The Guy Everett Laboratory, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Sonia Aroni
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Pierluigi Saba
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- The Guy Everett Laboratory, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Marco Pistis
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- Neuroscience Institute of CNR, Cagliari, Italy
- Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Gian Luigi Gessa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- The Guy Everett Laboratory, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- Neuroscience Institute of CNR, Cagliari, Italy
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LeDuke DO, Borio M, Miranda R, Tye KM. Anxiety and depression: A top-down, bottom-up model of circuit function. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2023; 1525:70-87. [PMID: 37129246 PMCID: PMC10695657 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
A functional interplay of bottom-up and top-down processing allows an individual to appropriately respond to the dynamic environment around them. These processing modalities can be represented as attractor states using a dynamical systems model of the brain. The transition probability to move from one attractor state to another is dependent on the stability, depth, neuromodulatory tone, and tonic changes in plasticity. However, how does the relationship between these states change in disease states, such as anxiety or depression? We describe bottom-up and top-down processing from Marr's computational-algorithmic-implementation perspective to understand depressive and anxious disease states. We illustrate examples of bottom-up processing as basolateral amygdala signaling and projections and top-down processing as medial prefrontal cortex internal signaling and projections. Understanding these internal processing dynamics can help us better model the multifaceted elements of anxiety and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deryn O. LeDuke
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, USA
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Matilde Borio
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Raymundo Miranda
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, USA
- Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Kay M. Tye
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
- Kavli Institute for the Brain and Mind, La Jolla, California, USA
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Caligiore D, Giocondo F, Silvetti M. The Neurodegenerative Elderly Syndrome (NES) hypothesis: Alzheimer and Parkinson are two faces of the same disease. IBRO Neurosci Rep 2022; 13:330-343. [PMID: 36247524 PMCID: PMC9554826 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2022.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) share monoamine and alpha-synuclein (αSyn) dysfunctions, often beginning years before clinical manifestations onset. The triggers for these impairments and the causes leading these early neurodegenerative processes to become AD or PD remain unclear. We address these issues by proposing a radically new perspective to frame AD and PD: they are different manifestations of one only disease we call "Neurodegenerative Elderly Syndrome (NES)". NES goes through three phases. The seeding stage, which starts years before clinical signs, and where the part of the brain-body affected by the initial αSyn and monoamine dysfunctions, influences the future possible progression of NES towards PD or AD. The compensatory stage, where the clinical symptoms are still silent thanks to compensatory mechanisms keeping monoamine concentrations homeostasis. The bifurcation stage, where NES becomes AD or PD. We present recent literature supporting NES and discuss how this hypothesis could radically change the comprehension of AD and PD comorbidities and the design of novel system-level diagnostic and therapeutic actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Caligiore
- Computational and Translational Neuroscience Laboratory, Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council (CTNLab-ISTC-CNR), Via San Martino della Battaglia 44, Rome 00185, Italy
- AI2Life s.r.l., Innovative Start-Up, ISTC-CNR Spin-Off, Via Sebino 32, Rome 00199, Italy
| | - Flora Giocondo
- Laboratory of Embodied Natural and Artificial Intelligence, Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council (LENAI-ISTC-CNR), Via San Martino della Battaglia 44, Rome 00185, Italy
| | - Massimo Silvetti
- Computational and Translational Neuroscience Laboratory, Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council (CTNLab-ISTC-CNR), Via San Martino della Battaglia 44, Rome 00185, Italy
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Zafiri D, Duvarci S. Dopaminergic circuits underlying associative aversive learning. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:1041929. [PMID: 36439963 PMCID: PMC9685162 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.1041929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Associative aversive learning enables animals to predict and avoid threats and thus is critical for survival and adaptive behavior. Anxiety disorders are characterized with deficits in normal aversive learning mechanisms and hence understanding the neural circuits underlying aversive learning and memory has high clinical relevance. Recent studies have revealed the dopamine system as one of the key modulators of aversive learning. In this review, we highlight recent advances that provide insights into how distinct dopaminergic circuits contribute to aversive learning and memory.
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Lustberg DJ, Liu JQ, Iannitelli AF, Vanderhoof SO, Liles LC, McCann KE, Weinshenker D. Norepinephrine and dopamine contribute to distinct repetitive behaviors induced by novel odorant stress in male and female mice. Horm Behav 2022; 144:105205. [PMID: 35660247 PMCID: PMC10216880 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to unfamiliar odorants induces an array of repetitive defensive and non-defensive behaviors in rodents which likely reflect adaptive stress responses to the uncertain valence of novel stimuli. Mice genetically deficient for dopamine β-hydroxylase (Dbh-/-) lack the enzyme required to convert dopamine (DA) into norepinephrine (NE), resulting in globally undetectable NE and supranormal DA levels. Because catecholamines modulate novelty detection and reactivity, we investigated the effects of novel plant-derived odorants on repetitive behaviors in Dbh-/- mice and Dbh+/- littermate controls, which have catecholamine levels comparable to wild-type mice. Unlike Dbh+/- controls, which exhibited vigorous digging in response to novel odorants, Dbh-/- mice displayed excessive grooming. Drugs that block NE synthesis or neurotransmission suppressed odorant-induced digging in Dbh+/- mice, while a DA receptor antagonist attenuated grooming in Dbh-/- mice. The testing paradigm elicited high circulating levels of corticosterone regardless of Dbh genotype, indicating that NE is dispensable for this systemic stress response. Odorant exposure increased NE and DA abundance in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of Dbh+/- mice, while Dbh-/- animals lacked NE and had elevated PFC DA levels that were unaffected by novel smells. Together, these findings suggest that novel odorant-induced increases in central NE tone contribute to repetitive digging and reflect psychological stress, while central DA signaling contributes to repetitive grooming. Further, we have established a simple method for repeated assessment of stress-induced repetitive behaviors in mice, which may be relevant for modeling neuropsychiatric disorders like Tourette syndrome or obsessive-compulsive disorder that are characterized by stress-induced exacerbation of compulsive symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Lustberg
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Joyce Q Liu
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Alexa F Iannitelli
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Samantha O Vanderhoof
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - L Cameron Liles
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Katharine E McCann
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - David Weinshenker
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
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Frau R, Devoto P, Aroni S, Saba P, Sagheddu C, Siddi C, Santoni M, Carli M, Gessa GL. The potent α 2-adrenoceptor antagonist RS 79948 also inhibits dopamine D 2 -receptors: Comparison with atipamezole and raclopride. Neuropharmacology 2022; 217:109192. [PMID: 35850212 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Neurochemical, electrophysiological and behavioral evidence indicate that the potent α2-adrenoceptor antagonist RS 79948 is also a dopamine (DA) D2 receptor antagonist. Thus, results from ligand binding and adenylate cyclase activity indicate that RS 79948 binds to D2 receptors and antagonized D2 receptor-mediated inhibition of cAMP synthesis at nanomolar concentrations. RESULTS: from microdialysis indicated that RS 79948 shared with the selective α2-adrenergic antagonist atipamezole the ability to increase the co-release of DA and norepinephrine (NE) from noradrenergic terminals in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), except that RS 79948-induced DA release persisted after noradrenergic denervation, unlike atipamezole effect, indicating that RS 79948 releases DA from dopaminergic terminals as well. Similarly to the D2 antagonist raclopride, but unlike atipamezole, RS 79948 increased extracellular DA and DOPAC in the caudate nucleus. Electrophysiological results indicate that RS 79948 shared with raclopride the ability to activate the firing of ventral tegmental area (VTA) DA neurons, while atipamezole was ineffective. RESULTS: from behavioral studies indicated that RS 79948 exerted effects mediated by independent, cooperative and contrasting inhibition of α2-and D2 receptors. Thus, RS 79948, but not atipamezole, prevented D2-autoreceptor mediated hypomotility produced by a small dose of quinpirole. RS 79948 potentiated, more effectively than atipamezole, quinpirole-induced motor stimulation. RS 79948 antagonized, less effectively than atipamezole, raclopride-induced catalepsy. Future studies should clarify if the dual α2-adrenoceptor- and D2-receptor antagonistic action might endow RS 79948 with potential therapeutic relevance in the treatment of schizophrenia, drug dependence, depression and Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Frau
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neurosciences and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato, CA, Italy; The Guy Everett Laboratory for Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato, CA, Italy
| | - Paola Devoto
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neurosciences and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato, CA, Italy; The Guy Everett Laboratory for Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato, CA, Italy.
| | - Sonia Aroni
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neurosciences and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato, CA, Italy
| | - Pierluigi Saba
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neurosciences and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato, CA, Italy
| | - Claudia Sagheddu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neurosciences and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato, CA, Italy
| | - Carlotta Siddi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neurosciences and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato, CA, Italy
| | - Michele Santoni
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neurosciences and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato, CA, Italy
| | - Marco Carli
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Italy
| | - Gian Luigi Gessa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neurosciences and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato, CA, Italy; The Guy Everett Laboratory for Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato, CA, Italy
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9
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Trofimova I. Transient nature of stable behavioural patterns, and how we can respect it. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2022.101109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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10
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Tezcan K, Yananli HR, Demirkapu MJ, Gören MZ, Sakalli HE, Colombo G, Gülhan R. The effect of telmisartan, an angiotensin receptor blocker, on alcohol consumption and alcohol-induced dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens. Alcohol 2021; 96:73-81. [PMID: 34419631 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2021.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder remains a major health problem. The mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic system, including the nucleus accumbens region and multiple neural circuits, is involved in its complex underlying mechanism. For instance, alcohol intake stimulates the central and peripheral renin-angiotensin system and increases angiotensin II levels, which predominantly affect angiotensin 1 receptors both in the periphery and in the brain. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of the intracerebroventricularly-administered angiotensin 1 receptor blocker telmisartan on the alcohol consumption of male Sardinian alcohol-preferring (sP) rats and on the alcohol-induced dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens region in Wistar rats. Acute intracerebroventricular administration of telmisartan (100 nM) reduced the alcohol intake for 24 hours without affecting food and water consumption in sP rats. Acute intracerebroventricular injection of the opioid receptor antagonist naloxone (75 nM), tested as a reference compound, also reduced the alcohol consumption in sP rats; however, naloxone's effect lasted only for 30 minutes. In microdialysis experiments, telmisartan administered intracerebroventricularly did not change dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens that had been induced by acute intraperitoneal alcohol administration in Wistar rats. According to these results, further studies are needed to elucidate the role of the renin-angiotensin system on alcohol use disorder pathophysiology.
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Decreased Brain pH and Pathophysiology in Schizophrenia. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168358. [PMID: 34445065 PMCID: PMC8395078 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Postmortem studies reveal that the brain pH in schizophrenia patients is lower than normal. The exact cause of this low pH is unclear, but increased lactate levels due to abnormal energy metabolism appear to be involved. Schizophrenia patients display distinct changes in mitochondria number, morphology, and function, and such changes promote anaerobic glycolysis, elevating lactate levels. pH can affect neuronal activity as H+ binds to numerous proteins in the nervous system and alters the structure and function of the bound proteins. There is growing evidence of pH change associated with cognition, emotion, and psychotic behaviors. Brain has delicate pH regulatory mechanisms to maintain normal pH in neurons/glia and extracellular fluid, and a change in these mechanisms can affect, or be affected by, neuronal activities associated with schizophrenia. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of the cause and effect of decreased brain pH in schizophrenia based on postmortem human brains, animal models, and cellular studies. The topic includes the factors causing decreased brain pH in schizophrenia, mitochondria dysfunction leading to altered energy metabolism, and pH effects on the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. We also review the acid/base transporters regulating pH in the nervous system and discuss the potential contribution of the major transporters, sodium hydrogen exchangers (NHEs), and sodium-coupled bicarbonate transporters (NCBTs), to schizophrenia.
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Patthy Á, Murai J, Hanics J, Pintér A, Zahola P, Hökfelt TGM, Harkany T, Alpár A. Neuropathology of the Brainstem to Mechanistically Understand and to Treat Alzheimer's Disease. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10081555. [PMID: 33917176 PMCID: PMC8067882 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10081555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder as yet without effective therapy. Symptoms of this disorder typically reflect cortical malfunction with local neurohistopathology, which biased investigators to search for focal triggers and molecular mechanisms. Cortex, however, receives massive afferents from caudal brain structures, which do not only convey specific information but powerfully tune ensemble activity. Moreover, there is evidence that the start of AD is subcortical. The brainstem harbors monoamine systems, which establish a dense innervation in both allo- and neocortex. Monoaminergic synapses can co-release neuropeptides either by precisely terminating on cortical neurons or, when being “en passant”, can instigate local volume transmission. Especially due to its early damage, malfunction of the ascending monoaminergic system emerges as an early sign and possible trigger of AD. This review summarizes the involvement and cascaded impairment of brainstem monoaminergic neurons in AD and discusses cellular mechanisms that lead to their dysfunction. We highlight the significance and therapeutic challenges of transmitter co-release in ascending activating system, describe the role and changes of local connections and distant afferents of brainstem nuclei in AD, and summon the rapidly increasing diagnostic window during the last few years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ágoston Patthy
- Department of Anatomy, Semmelweis University, H-1094 Budapest, Hungary; (Á.P.); (J.M.); (J.H.); (A.P.); (P.Z.)
| | - János Murai
- Department of Anatomy, Semmelweis University, H-1094 Budapest, Hungary; (Á.P.); (J.M.); (J.H.); (A.P.); (P.Z.)
| | - János Hanics
- Department of Anatomy, Semmelweis University, H-1094 Budapest, Hungary; (Á.P.); (J.M.); (J.H.); (A.P.); (P.Z.)
- SE NAP Research Group of Experimental Neuroanatomy and Developmental Biology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, H-1094 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anna Pintér
- Department of Anatomy, Semmelweis University, H-1094 Budapest, Hungary; (Á.P.); (J.M.); (J.H.); (A.P.); (P.Z.)
| | - Péter Zahola
- Department of Anatomy, Semmelweis University, H-1094 Budapest, Hungary; (Á.P.); (J.M.); (J.H.); (A.P.); (P.Z.)
| | - Tomas G. M. Hökfelt
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicum 7D, Karolinska Institutet, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden; (T.G.M.H.); (T.H.)
| | - Tibor Harkany
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicum 7D, Karolinska Institutet, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden; (T.G.M.H.); (T.H.)
- Center for Brain Research, Department of Molecular Neurosciences, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Alán Alpár
- Department of Anatomy, Semmelweis University, H-1094 Budapest, Hungary; (Á.P.); (J.M.); (J.H.); (A.P.); (P.Z.)
- SE NAP Research Group of Experimental Neuroanatomy and Developmental Biology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, H-1094 Budapest, Hungary
- Correspondence:
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13
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Pastor V, Medina JH. Medial prefrontal cortical control of reward- and aversion-based behavioral output: Bottom-up modulation. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 53:3039-3062. [PMID: 33660363 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
How does the brain guide our actions? This is a complex issue, where the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) plays a crucial role. The mPFC is essential for cognitive flexibility and decision making. These functions are related to reward- and aversion-based learning, which ultimately drive behavior. Though, cortical projections and modulatory systems that may regulate those processes in the mPFC are less understood. How does the mPFC regulate approach-avoidance behavior in the case of conflicting aversive and appetitive stimuli? This is likely dependent on the bottom-up neuromodulation of the mPFC projection neurons. In this review, we integrate behavioral-, pharmacological-, and viral-based circuit manipulation data showing the involvement of mPFC dopaminergic, noradrenergic, cholinergic, and serotoninergic inputs in reward and aversion processing. Given that an incorrect balance of reward and aversion value could be a key problem in mental diseases such as substance use disorders, we discuss outstanding questions for future research on the role of mPFC modulation in reward and aversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Pastor
- CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia "Prof. Eduardo De Robertis" (IBCN), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Ciencias Fisiológicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jorge Horacio Medina
- CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia "Prof. Eduardo De Robertis" (IBCN), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires (ITBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Salinas-Hernández XI, Duvarci S. Dopamine in Fear Extinction. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2021; 13:635879. [PMID: 33732133 PMCID: PMC7956961 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2021.635879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to extinguish fear memories when threats are no longer present is critical for adaptive behavior. Fear extinction represents a new learning process that eventually leads to the formation of extinction memories. Understanding the neural basis of fear extinction has considerable clinical significance as deficits in extinction learning are the hallmark of human anxiety disorders. In recent years, the dopamine (DA) system has emerged as one of the key regulators of fear extinction. In this review article, we highlight recent advances that have demonstrated the crucial role DA plays in mediating different phases of fear extinction. Emerging concepts and outstanding questions for future research are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sevil Duvarci
- Institute of Neurophysiology, Neuroscience Center, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
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15
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Hansen N. Locus Coeruleus Malfunction Is Linked to Psychopathology in Prodromal Dementia With Lewy Bodies. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:641101. [PMID: 33732141 PMCID: PMC7956945 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.641101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The locus coeruleus (LC) is a nucleus in the human brainstem with a variety of noradrenaline-driven functions involved in cognition, emotions, and perception. Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) constitutes a neurodegenerative disease involving deposits of alpha-synuclein, first appearing in the brainstem. The goal of this narrative review is to delineate the relationship between the expression of psychiatric symptoms as an early-onset of DLB and the degeneration of the LC's noradrenaline system. Methods: We searched in PubMed for relevant articles concerning LC degeneration and psychiatric symptoms in prodromal DLB in this narrative review. We rely on the McKeith criteria for prodromal psychiatric DLB. Results: We found four studies that document neuronal loss, deposits of Lewy bodies and other hints for neurodegeneration in the LC in patients with DLB. Furthermore, we reviewed theories and studies on how the degenerated noradrenaline LC system contributes to psychiatric DLB's phenotype. We hypothesized how anxiety, hallucinations, delusions, and depressive symptoms might occur in DLB patients due to degenerated noradrenergic neurons entailing consecutive altered noradrenergic transmission in the LC's projection areas. Conclusions: LC degeneration in prodromal DLB might cause psychiatric symptoms as the first and non-motor manifestation of DLB, as the LC is affected earlier by degeneration than are dopaminergic structures such as the substantia nigra, which are impaired later in the disease course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niels Hansen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
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