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Larra MF, Gajewski PD, Getzmann S, Wascher E, Metzler Y. Stress from early life to adulthood: Is there a protective role of cognitive control? Brain Cogn 2024; 178:106165. [PMID: 38759431 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2024.106165] [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: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Early life events can have long-lasting effects that may impact the quality of life into adulthood. The link between childhood adversities and adult mental and physical health is well documented, however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Executive functions are assumed to be a key factor in successfully dealing with cognitive-emotional challenges thereby contributing to stress resilience and mental health across the lifespan. Here, we examined whether cognitive control moderates the link between early life adversity and depression. Data was available from a sample of 424 participants aged 20-70 years (Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT05155397). They performed in the Stroop task and behavior as well as frontal theta power were recorded. Negative childhood experiences were assessed with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), chronic stress was measured with the Trier Inventory for Chronic Stress (TICS) and depression symptoms with Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI). The CTQ predicted symptoms of chronic stress and depression. Regression models pointed to the TICS as a crucial mediator in the relationship between CTQ and BDI. However, parameters of cognitive control demonstrated a rather weak effect as moderators. These results indicate that chronic stress is an important mediator linking childhood trauma to depression but suggest only a limited role for cognitive control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauro F Larra
- IfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Department of Ergonomics, Dortmund, Germany.
| | - Patrick D Gajewski
- IfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Department of Ergonomics, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Stephan Getzmann
- IfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Department of Ergonomics, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Edmund Wascher
- IfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Department of Ergonomics, Dortmund, Germany; German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), partner site Bochum/Marburg, Germany
| | - Yannick Metzler
- IfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Department of Ergonomics, Dortmund, Germany
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Joyce MKP, Uchendu S, Arnsten AFT. Stress and inflammation target dorsolateral prefrontal cortex function: Neural mechanisms underlying weakened cognitive control. Biol Psychiatry 2024:S0006-3223(24)01420-3. [PMID: 38944141 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 06/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024]
Abstract
Most mental disorders involve dysfunction of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), a recently evolved brain region that subserves working memory, abstraction and the thoughtful regulation of attention, action and emotion. For example, schizophrenia, depression, long-COVID and Alzheimer's disease are all associated with dlPFC dysfunction, with neuropathology often focused in layer III. The dlPFC has extensive top-down projections: e.g. to the posterior association cortices to regulate attention, and the subgenual cingulate cortex via the rostral and medial PFC to regulate emotional responses. However, the dlPFC is particularly dependent on arousal state, and is very vulnerable to stress and inflammation, which are etiological and/or exacerbating factors in most mental disorders. The cellular mechanisms by which stress and inflammation impact the dlPFC are a topic of current research, and are summarized in this review. For example, the layer III dlPFC circuits generating working memory-related neuronal firing have unusual neurotransmission, depending on NMDAR and nicotinic-α7R actions that are blocked under inflammatory conditions by kynurenic acid. These circuits also have unusual neuromodulation, with the molecular machinery to magnify calcium signaling in spines needed to support persistent firing, which must be tightly regulated to prevent toxic calcium actions. Stress rapidly weakens layer III connectivity by driving feedforward calcium-cAMP opening of potassium channels on spines. This is regulated by postsynaptic noradrenergic α2A-AR and mGluR3 signaling, but dysregulated by inflammation and/or chronic stress exposure, contributing to spine loss. Treatments that strengthen dlPFC, via pharmacological (the α2A-AR agonist, guanfacine) or rTMS manipulation, provide a rational basis for therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Kate P Joyce
- Dept Neuroscience, Yale Medical School, 333 Cedar St., New Haven, CT USA 06510
| | - Stacy Uchendu
- Dept Neuroscience, Yale Medical School, 333 Cedar St., New Haven, CT USA 06510
| | - Amy F T Arnsten
- Dept Neuroscience, Yale Medical School, 333 Cedar St., New Haven, CT USA 06510.
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Fang X, Kerschreiter R, Yang YF, Niedeggen M. Preexposure to one social threat alters responses to another social threat: Behavioral and electrophysiological evidence. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2024; 24:126-142. [PMID: 38200281 PMCID: PMC10827860 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-023-01151-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
A recent Cyberball study has indicated that the experience of loss of control can affect how people process subsequent social exclusion. This "preexposure effect" supports the idea of a common cognitive system involved in the processing of different types of social threats. To test the validity of this assumption in the current study, we reversed the sequence of the preexposure setup. We measured the effects of social exclusion on the subsequent processing of loss of control utilizing event-related brain potentials (ERPs) and self-reports. In the control group (CG, n = 26), the transition to loss of control elicited significant increases in both the P3 amplitude and the self-reported negative mood. Replicating the results of the previous preexposure study, these effects were significantly reduced by the preexposure to an independent social threat (here: social exclusion). In contrast to previous findings, these effects were not modulated by the discontinuation (EG1disc, n = 25) or continuation (EG2cont, n = 24) of the preexposure threat. Given that the P3 effect is related to the violation of subjective expectations, these results support the notion that preexposure to a specific social threat has widespread effects on the individuals' expectancy of upcoming social participation and control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Fang
- Department of Education and Psychology, Division of Experimental Psychology and Neuropsychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Habelschwerdter Allee 45, 14159, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Rudolf Kerschreiter
- Department of Education and Psychology, Division of Social, Organizational, and Economic Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Yu-Fang Yang
- Department of Education and Psychology, Division of Experimental Psychology and Neuropsychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Habelschwerdter Allee 45, 14159, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Niedeggen
- Department of Education and Psychology, Division of Experimental Psychology and Neuropsychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Habelschwerdter Allee 45, 14159, Berlin, Germany
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Hood KE, Hurley LM. Listening to your partner: serotonin increases male responsiveness to female vocal signals in mice. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 17:1304653. [PMID: 38328678 PMCID: PMC10847236 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1304653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The context surrounding vocal communication can have a strong influence on how vocal signals are perceived. The serotonergic system is well-positioned for modulating the perception of communication signals according to context, because serotonergic neurons are responsive to social context, influence social behavior, and innervate auditory regions. Animals like lab mice can be excellent models for exploring how serotonin affects the primary neural systems involved in vocal perception, including within central auditory regions like the inferior colliculus (IC). Within the IC, serotonergic activity reflects not only the presence of a conspecific, but also the valence of a given social interaction. To assess whether serotonin can influence the perception of vocal signals in male mice, we manipulated serotonin systemically with an injection of its precursor 5-HTP, and locally in the IC with an infusion of fenfluramine, a serotonin reuptake blocker. Mice then participated in a behavioral assay in which males suppress their ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) in response to the playback of female broadband vocalizations (BBVs), used in defensive aggression by females when interacting with males. Both 5-HTP and fenfluramine increased the suppression of USVs during BBV playback relative to controls. 5-HTP additionally decreased the baseline production of a specific type of USV and male investigation, but neither drug treatment strongly affected male digging or grooming. These findings show that serotonin modifies behavioral responses to vocal signals in mice, in part by acting in auditory brain regions, and suggest that mouse vocal behavior can serve as a useful model for exploring the mechanisms of context in human communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayleigh E. Hood
- Hurley Lab, Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
- Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Laura M. Hurley
- Hurley Lab, Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
- Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
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Coleman PT, Costanza-Chavez GW, Martin HN, Amat J, Frank MG, Sanchez RJ, Potter GJ, Mellert SM, Carter RK, Bonnici GN, Maier SF, Baratta MV. Prior experience with behavioral control over stress facilitates social dominance. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 28:100597. [PMID: 38213318 PMCID: PMC10783635 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Dominance status has extensive effects on physical and mental health, and an individual's relative position can be shaped by experiential factors. A variety of considerations suggest that the experience of behavioral control over stressors should produce winning in dominance tests and that winning should blunt the impact of later stressors, as does prior control. To investigate the interplay between competitive success and stressor control, we first examined the impact of stressor controllability on subsequent performance in a warm spot competition test modified for rats. Prior experience of controllable, but not physically identical uncontrollable, stress increased later effortful behavior and occupation of the warm spot. Controllable stress subjects consistently ranked higher than did uncontrollable stress subjects. Pharmacological inactivation of the prelimbic (PL) cortex during behavioral control prevented later facilitation of dominance. Next, we explored whether repeated winning experiences produced later resistance against the typical sequelae of uncontrollable stress. To establish dominance status, triads of rats were given five sessions of warm spot competition. The development of stable dominance was prevented by reversible inactivation of the PL or NMDA receptor blockade in the dorsomedial striatum. Stable winning blunted the later stress-induced increase in dorsal raphe nucleus serotonergic activity, as well as prevented uncontrollable stress-induced social avoidance. In contrast, endocrine and neuroimmune responses to uncontrollable stress were unaffected, indicating a selective impact of prior dominance. Together, these data demonstrate that instrumental control over stress promotes later dominance, but also reveal that winning experiences buffer against the neural and behavioral outcomes of future adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Heather N. Martin
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA
| | - Jose Amat
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA
| | - Matthew G. Frank
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA
| | - Rory J. Sanchez
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA
| | - Garrett J. Potter
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA
| | - Simone M. Mellert
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA
| | - Rene K. Carter
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA
| | - Gianni N. Bonnici
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA
| | - Steven F. Maier
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA
| | - Michael V. Baratta
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA
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Coleman PT, Costanza-Chavez GW, Martin HN, Amat J, Frank MG, Sanchez RJ, Potter GJ, Mellert SM, Carter RK, Bonnici GN, Maier SF, Baratta MV. Prior experience with behavioral control over stress facilitates social dominance. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.06.543982. [PMID: 37333397 PMCID: PMC10274770 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.06.543982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Dominance status has extensive effects on physical and mental health, and an individual's relative position can be shaped by experiential factors. A variety of considerations suggest that the experience of behavioral control over stressors should produce winning in dominance tests and that winning should blunt the impact of later stressors, as does prior control. To investigate the interplay between competitive success and stressor control, we first examined the impact of stressor controllability on subsequent performance in a warm spot competition test modified for rats. Prior experience of controllable, but not physically identical uncontrollable, stress increased later effortful behavior and occupation of the warm spot. Controllable stress subjects consistently ranked higher than did uncontrollable stress subjects. Pharmacological inactivation of the prelimbic (PL) cortex during behavioral control prevented later facilitation of dominance. Next, we explored whether repeated winning experiences produced later resistance against the typical sequelae of uncontrollable stress. To establish dominance status, triads of rats were given five sessions of warm spot competition. Reversible inactivation of the PL or NMDA receptor blockade in the dorsomedial striatum led to a long-term reduction in social rank. Stable dominance blunted the later stress-induced increase in dorsal raphe nucleus serotonergic activity, as well as prevented stress-induced social avoidance. In contrast, endocrine and neuroimmune responses to uncontrollable stress were unaffected, indicating a selective impact of prior dominance. Together, these data demonstrate that instrumental control over stress promotes later dominance, but also reveal that winning experiences buffer against the neural and behavioral outcomes of future adversity.
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