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Dogra S, Aguayo C, Xiang Z, Putnam J, Smith J, Johnston C, Foster DJ, Lindsley CW, Niswender CM, Conn PJ. Activation of Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 3 Modulates Thalamo-accumbal Transmission and Rescues Schizophrenia-Like Physiological and Behavioral Deficits. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 96:230-242. [PMID: 38061467 PMCID: PMC11150332 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.11.023] [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: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Polymorphisms in the gene encoding for metabotropic glutamate receptor 3 (mGlu3) are associated with an increased likelihood of schizophrenia diagnosis and can predict improvements in negative symptoms following treatment with antipsychotics. However, the mechanisms by which mGlu3 can regulate brain circuits involved in schizophrenia pathophysiology are not clear. METHODS We employed selective pharmacological tools and a variety of approaches including whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology, slice optogenetics, and fiber photometry to investigate the effects of mGlu3 activation on phencyclidine (PCP)-induced impairments in thalamo-accumbal transmission and sociability deficits. A chemogenetic approach was used to evaluate the role of thalamo-accumbal transmission in PCP-induced sociability deficits. RESULTS We first established that PCP treatment augmented excitatory transmission onto dopamine D1 receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons (D1-MSNs) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and induced sociability deficits. Our studies revealed a selective increase in glutamatergic synaptic transmission from thalamic afferents to D1-MSNs in the NAc shell. Chemogenetic silencing of thalamo-accumbal inputs rescued PCP-induced sociability deficits. Pharmacological activation of mGlu3 normalized PCP-induced impairments in thalamo-accumbal transmission and sociability deficits. Mechanistic studies revealed that mGlu3 activation induced robust long-term depression at synapses from the thalamic projections onto D1-MSNs in the NAc shell. CONCLUSIONS These data demonstrate that activation of mGlu3 decreases thalamo-accumbal transmission and thereby rescues sociability deficits in mouse modeling schizophrenia-like symptoms. These findings provide novel insights into the NAc-specific mechanisms and suggest that agents modulating glutamatergic signaling in the NAc may provide a promising approach for treating negative symptoms in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shalini Dogra
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.
| | - Caleb Aguayo
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Zixiu Xiang
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Jason Putnam
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Joshua Smith
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Curran Johnston
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina
| | - Daniel J Foster
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina
| | - Craig W Lindsley
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Vanderbilt Institute for Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Colleen M Niswender
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Vanderbilt Institute for Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - P Jeffrey Conn
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Vanderbilt Institute for Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.
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Ye B, Wu Y, Cao M, Xu C, Zhou C, Zhang X. Altered patterns of dynamic functional connectivity of brain networks in deficit and non-deficit schizophrenia. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2024:10.1007/s00406-024-01803-1. [PMID: 38662092 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-024-01803-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the altered patterns of dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC) between deficit schizophrenia (DS) and non-deficit schizophrenia (NDS), and further explore the associations with cognitive impairments. 70 DS, 91 NDS, and 120 matched healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled. The independent component analysis was used to segment the whole brain. The fMRI brain atlas was used to identify functional networks, and the dynamic functional connectivity (FC) of each network was detected. Correlation analysis was used to explore the associations between altered dFNC and cognitive functions. Four dynamic states were identified. Compared to NDS, DS showed increased FC between sensorimotor network and default mode network in state 1 and decreased FC within auditory network in state 4. Additionally, DS had a longer mean dwell time of state 2 and a shorter one in state 3 compared to NDS. Correlation analysis showed that fraction time and mean dwell time of states were correlated with cognitive impairments in DS. This study demonstrates the distinctive altered patterns of dFNC between DS and NDS patients. The associations with impaired cognition provide specific neuroimaging evidence for the pathogenesis of DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biying Ye
- Department of Fourth Clinical Medical College, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yiqiao Wu
- Department of Fourth Clinical Medical College, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Mingjun Cao
- Department of Fourth Clinical Medical College, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chanhuan Xu
- Department of Fourth Clinical Medical College, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chao Zhou
- Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, No.264 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Xiangrong Zhang
- Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, No.264 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China.
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Zhou C, Tang X, Yu M, Zhang H, Zhang X, Gao J, Zhang X, Chen J. Convergent and divergent genes expression profiles associated with brain-wide functional connectome dysfunction in deficit and non-deficit schizophrenia. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:124. [PMID: 38413564 PMCID: PMC10899251 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02827-w] [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: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Deficit schizophrenia (DS) is a subtype of schizophrenia characterized by the primary and persistent negative symptoms. Previous studies have identified differences in brain functions between DS and non-deficit schizophrenia (NDS) patients. However, the genetic regulation features underlying these abnormal changes are still unknown. This study aimed to detect the altered patterns of functional connectivity (FC) in DS and NDS and investigate the gene expression profiles underlying these abnormal FC. The study recruited 82 DS patients, 96 NDS patients, and 124 healthy controls (CN). Voxel-based unbiased brain-wide association study was performed to reveal altered patterns of FC in DS and NDS patients. Machine learning techniques were used to access the utility of altered FC for diseases diagnosis. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was employed to explore the associations between altered FC and gene expression of 6 donated brains. Enrichment analysis was conducted to identify the genetic profiles, and the spatio-temporal expression patterns of the key genes were further explored. Comparing to CN, 23 and 20 brain regions with altered FC were identified in DS and NDS patients. The altered FC among these regions showed significant correlations with the SDS scores and exhibited high efficiency in disease classification. WGCNA revealed associations between DS/NDS-related gene expression and altered FC. Additionally, 22 overlapped genes, including 12 positive regulation genes and 10 negative regulation genes, were found between NDS and DS. Enrichment analyses demonstrated relationships between identified genes and significant pathways related to cellular response, neuro regulation, receptor binding, and channel activity. Spatial and temporal gene expression profiles of SCN1B showed the lowest expression at the initiation of embryonic development, while DPYSL3 exhibited rapid increased in the fetal. The present study revealed different altered patterns of FC in DS and NDS patients and highlighted the potential value of FC in disease classification. The associations between gene expression and neuroimaging provided insights into specific and common genetic regulation underlying these brain functional changes in DS and NDS, suggesting a potential genetic-imaging pathogenesis of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Zhou
- Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaowei Tang
- Department of Psychiatry, Affiliated WuTaiShan Hospital of Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Miao Yu
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hongying Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Subei People's Hospital of Jiangsu Province, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaobin Zhang
- Institute of Mental Health, Suzhou Psychiatric Hospital, The Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ju Gao
- Institute of Mental Health, Suzhou Psychiatric Hospital, The Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiangrong Zhang
- Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Jiu Chen
- Department of Radiology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China.
- Institute of Medical Imaging and Artificial Intelligence, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
- Medical Imaging Center, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
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Zhu W, Wang Z, Yu M, Zhang X, Zhang Z. Using support vector machine to explore the difference of function connection between deficit and non-deficit schizophrenia based on gray matter volume. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1132607. [PMID: 37051145 PMCID: PMC10083255 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1132607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/28/2023] Open
Abstract
ObjectiveSchizophrenia can be divided into deficient schizophrenia (DS) and non-deficient schizophrenia (NDS) according to the presence of primary and persistent negative symptoms. So far, there are few studies that have explored the differences in functional connectivity (FC) between the different subtypes based on the region of interest (ROI) from GMV (Gray matter volume), especially since the characteristics of brain networks are still unknown. This study aimed to investigate the alterations of functional connectivity between DS and NDS based on the ROI obtained by machine learning algorithms and differential GMV. Then, the relationships between the alterations and the clinical symptoms were analyzed. In addition, the thalamic functional connection imbalance in the two groups was further explored.MethodsA total of 16 DS, 31 NDS, and 38 health controls (HC) underwent resting-state fMRI scans, patient group will further be evaluated by clinical scales including the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), and the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS). Based on GMV image data, a support vector machine (SVM) is used to classify DS and NDS. Brain regions with high weight in the classification were used as seed points in whole-brain FC analysis and thalamic FC imbalance analysis. Finally, partial correlation analysis explored the relationships between altered FC and clinical scale in the two subtypes.ResultsThe relatively high classification accuracy is obtained based on the SVM. Compared to HC, the FC increased between the right inferior parietal lobule (IPL.R) bilateral thalamus, and lingual gyrus, and between the right inferior temporal gyrus (ITG.R) and the Salience Network (SN) in NDS. The FC between the right thalamus (THA.R) and Visual network (VN), between ITG.R and right superior occipital gyrus in the DS group was higher than that in HC. Furthermore, compared with NDS, the FC between the ITG.R and the left superior and middle frontal gyrus decreased in the DS group. The thalamic FC imbalance, which is characterized by frontotemporal-THA.R hypoconnectivity and sensory motor network (SMN)-THA.R hyperconnectivity was found in both subtypes. The FC value of THA.R and SMN was negatively correlated with the SANS score in the DS group but positively correlated with the SAPS score in the NDS group.ConclusionUsing an SVM classification method and based on an ROI from GMV, we highlighted the difference in functional connectivity between DS and NDS from the local to the brain network, which provides new information for exploring the neural physiopathology of the two subtypes of schizophrenic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Zhu
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital, Research Institution of Neuropsychiatry, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
- Affiliated Mental Health Center, Hangzhou Seventh People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zan Wang
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital, Research Institution of Neuropsychiatry, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Miao Yu
- Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiangrong Zhang
- Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Xiangrong Zhang,
| | - Zhijun Zhang
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital, Research Institution of Neuropsychiatry, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
- Affiliated Mental Health Center, Hangzhou Seventh People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Zhijun Zhang,
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Tschentscher N, Woll CFJ, Tafelmaier JC, Kriesche D, Bucher JC, Engel RR, Karch S. Neurocognitive Deficits in First-Episode and Chronic Psychotic Disorders: A Systematic Review from 2009 to 2022. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13020299. [PMID: 36831842 PMCID: PMC9954070 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13020299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive impairment in patients suffering from schizophrenia spectrum disorders has been discussed as a strong predictor for multiple disease outcome variables, such as response to psychotherapy, stable relationships, employment, and longevity. However, the consistency and severity of cognitive deficits across multiple domains in individuals with first-episode and chronic psychotic disorders is still undetermined. We provide a comprehensive overview of primary research from the years 2009 to 2022. Based on a Cochrane risk assessment, a systematic synthesis of 51 out of 3669 original studies was performed. Impairment of cognitive functioning in patients diagnosed with first-episode psychotic disorders compared with healthy controls was predicted to occur in all assessed cognitive domains. Few overall changes were predicted for chronically affected patients relative to those in the first-episode stage, in line with previous longitudinal studies. Our research outcomes support the hypothesis of a global decrease in cognitive functioning in patients diagnosed with psychotic disorders, i.e., the occurrence of cognitive deficits in multiple cognitive domains including executive functioning, memory, working memory, psychomotor speed, and attention. Only mild increases in the frequency of cognitive impairment across studies were observed at the chronically affected stage relative to the first-episode stage. Our results confirm and extend the outcomes from prior reviews and meta-analyses. Recommendations for psychotherapeutic interventions are provided, considering the broad cognitive impairment already observed at the stage of the first episode. Based on the risk of bias assessment, we also make specific suggestions concerning the quality of future original studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadja Tschentscher
- Section of Clinical Psychology and Psychophysiology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, LMU Hospital Munich, Nußbaumstr. 7, 80336 Munich, Germany
- Correspondence:
| | - Christian F. J. Woll
- Section of Clinical Psychology of Children and Adolescents, Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Leopoldstr. 13, 80802 Munich, Germany
| | - Julia C. Tafelmaier
- Section of Clinical Psychology and Psychophysiology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, LMU Hospital Munich, Nußbaumstr. 7, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Dominik Kriesche
- Section of Clinical Psychology and Psychophysiology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, LMU Hospital Munich, Nußbaumstr. 7, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Julia C. Bucher
- Section of Clinical Psychology and Psychophysiology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, LMU Hospital Munich, Nußbaumstr. 7, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Rolf R. Engel
- Section of Clinical Psychology and Psychophysiology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, LMU Hospital Munich, Nußbaumstr. 7, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Susanne Karch
- Section of Clinical Psychology and Psychophysiology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, LMU Hospital Munich, Nußbaumstr. 7, 80336 Munich, Germany
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Wang Z, Ling Y, Wang Y, Zhu T, Gao J, Tang X, Yu M, Zhou C, Xu Y, Zhang X, Zhang X, Fang X. The Role of Two Factors of Negative Symptoms and Cognition on Social Functioning in Male Patients with Schizophrenia: A Mediator Model. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13020187. [PMID: 36831730 PMCID: PMC9953813 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13020187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aims to compare the cognitive function and social functioning in male patients with deficit syndrome (DS) and non-DS, and to explore whether cognitive function serves as a mediator in the relationship between the two factors of negative symptoms (motivation and pleasure (MAP) and expressivity (EXP) deficits, and social functioning in schizophrenia patients. METHODS One hundred and fifty-six male patients with schizophrenia and 109 age- and education-matched normal controls were enrolled in the current study. The Chinese version of a Schedule for Deficit Syndrome (SDS) was used for DS and non-DS categorization. The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and the Brief Negative Symptoms Scale (BNSS) were used to assess psychotic and negative symptoms in patients. The Social-Adaptive Functioning Evaluation (SAFE) was adopted to evaluate patients' social functioning, and a battery of classical neurocognitive tests was used to assess cognition, including sustained vigilance/attention, cognitive flexibility, ideation fluency, and visuospatial memory. RESULTS We found that male patients with DS performed worse in all four cognitive domains and social functioning compared to non-DS patients. Both total negative symptoms and its two factors were significantly associated with all four domains of cognition and social functioning in male patients. Interestingly, our results indicate that only cognitive flexibility mediates the relationship between negative symptoms and social functioning in schizophrenia patients, but there were no differences between EXP and MAP negative factors in this model. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that DS patients may represent a unique clinical subgroup of schizophrenia, and the integrated interventions targeting both negative symptoms and cognition, especially cognitive flexibility, may optimally improve functional outcomes in schizophrenia patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zixu Wang
- Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Yuru Ling
- Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Tingting Zhu
- Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Ju Gao
- Suzhou Guangji Hospital, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215008, China
| | - Xiaowei Tang
- Affiliated WuTaiShan Hospital of Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225003, China
| | - Miao Yu
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Chao Zhou
- Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Yanmin Xu
- Department of Psychiatry, Wuhan Mental Health Center, Wuhan 430012, China
| | - Xiaobin Zhang
- Suzhou Guangji Hospital, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215008, China
- Affiliated WuTaiShan Hospital of Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225003, China
| | - Xiangrong Zhang
- Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
- Department of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Xuzhou Oriental Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
- Correspondence: (X.Z.); (X.F.); Tel.: +86-025-82296259 (X.Z.); +86-025-82296099 (X.F.)
| | - Xinyu Fang
- Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
- Correspondence: (X.Z.); (X.F.); Tel.: +86-025-82296259 (X.Z.); +86-025-82296099 (X.F.)
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Janz P, Bainier M, Marashli S, Schoenenberger P, Valencia M, Redondo RL. Neurexin1α knockout rats display oscillatory abnormalities and sensory processing deficits back-translating key endophenotypes of psychiatric disorders. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:455. [PMID: 36307390 PMCID: PMC9616904 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02224-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurexins are presynaptic transmembrane proteins crucial for synapse development and organization. Deletion and missense mutations in all three Neurexin genes have been identified in psychiatric disorders, with mutations in the NRXN1 gene most strongly linked to schizophrenia (SZ) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). While the consequences of NRXN1 deletion have been extensively studied on the synaptic and behavioral levels, circuit endophenotypes that translate to the human condition have not been characterized yet. Therefore, we investigated the electrophysiology of cortico-striatal-thalamic circuits in Nrxn1α-/- rats and wildtype littermates focusing on a set of translational readouts, including spontaneous oscillatory activity, auditory-evoked oscillations and potentials, as well as mismatch negativity-like (MMN) responses and responses to social stimuli. On the behavioral level Nrxn1α-/- rats showed locomotor hyperactivity. In vivo freely moving electrophysiology revealed pronounced increases of spontaneous oscillatory power within the gamma band in all studied brain areas and elevation of gamma coherence in cortico-striatal and thalamocortical circuits of Nrxn1α-/- rats. In contrast, auditory-evoked oscillations driven by chirp-modulated tones showed reduced power in cortical areas confined to slower oscillations. Finally, Nrxn1α-/- rats exhibited altered auditory evoked-potentials and profound deficits in MMN-like responses, explained by reduced prediction error. Despite deficits for auditory stimuli, responses to social stimuli appeared intact. A central hypothesis for psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders is that a disbalance of excitation-to-inhibition is underlying oscillatory and sensory deficits. In a first attempt to explore the impact of inhibitory circuit modulation, we assessed the effects of enhancing tonic inhibition via δ-containing GABAA receptors (using Gaboxadol) on endophenotypes possibly associated with network hyperexcitability. Pharmacological experiments applying Gaboxadol showed genotype-specific differences, but failed to normalize oscillatory or sensory processing abnormalities. In conclusion, our study revealed endophenotypes in Nrxn1α-/- rats that could be used as translational biomarkers for drug development in psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Janz
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Neuroscience and Rare Diseases Discovery & Translational Area, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Marie Bainier
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Neuroscience and Rare Diseases Discovery & Translational Area, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Samuel Marashli
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Neuroscience and Rare Diseases Discovery & Translational Area, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Schoenenberger
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Neuroscience and Rare Diseases Discovery & Translational Area, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Miguel Valencia
- Universidad de Navarra, CIMA, Program of Neuroscience, 31080, Pamplona, Spain
- IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, 31080, Pamplona, Spain
- Institute of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Universidad de Navarra, 31080, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Roger L Redondo
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Neuroscience and Rare Diseases Discovery & Translational Area, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070, Basel, Switzerland
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Xie Y, Cai Y, Guan M, Wang Z, Ma Z, Fang P, Wang H. The alternations of nucleus accumbent in schizophrenia patients with auditory verbal hallucinations during low-frequency rTMS treatment. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:971105. [PMID: 36147981 PMCID: PMC9485869 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.971105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been shown to reduce the severity of auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) and induce beneficial functional and structural alternations of the brain in schizophrenia patients with AVH. The nucleus accumbens (NAcc) as an important component of the ventral striatum is implicated with the pathology in AVH. However, the induced characteristic patterns of NAcc by low-frequency rTMS in schizophrenia with AVH are seldom explored. We investigated the functional and structural characteristic patterns of NAcc by using seed-based functional connectivity (FC) analysis and gray matter volume (GMV) measurement in schizophrenia patients with AVH during 1 Hz rTMS treatment. Although low-frequency rTMS treatment did not affect the volumetric changes of NAcc, the abnormal FC patterns of NAcc, including increased FC of NAcc with the temporal lobes and decreased FC of NAcc with the frontal cortices in the pretreatment patients compared to healthy controls, were normalized or reversed after treatment. These FC changes were associated with improvements in clinical symptoms and neurocognitive functions. Our findings may extend our understanding of the NAcc in the pathology of schizophrenia with AVH and might be a biomarker of clinical effect for low-frequency rTMS treatment in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanjun Xie
- School of Education, Xinyang College, Xinyang, China.,Department of Radiology, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yun Cai
- Department of Neurodevelopment Psychology, School of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Muzhen Guan
- Department of Mental Health, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhongheng Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhujing Ma
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Peng Fang
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Huaning Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China
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