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Khan R, Laumet G, Leinninger GM. Hungry for Relief: Potential for Neurotensin to Address Comorbid Obesity and Pain. Appetite 2024:107540. [PMID: 38852785 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2024.107540] [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: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Chronic pain and obesity frequently occur together. An ideal therapy would alleviate pain without weight gain, and most optimally, could promote weight loss. The neuropeptide neurotensin (Nts) has been separately implicated in reducing weight and pain but could it be a common actionable target for both pain and obesity? Here we review the current knowledge of Nts signaling via its receptors in modulating body weight and pain processing. Evaluating the mechanism by which Nts impacts ingestive behavior, body weight, and analgesia has potential to identify common physiologic mechanisms underlying weight and pain comorbidities, and whether Nts may be common actionable targets for both.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rabail Khan
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
| | - Geoffroy Laumet
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824; Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
| | - Gina M Leinninger
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824; Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824.
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2
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Escobedo A, Holloway SA, Votoupal M, Cone AL, Skelton H, Legaria AA, Ndiokho I, Floyd T, Kravitz AV, Bruchas MR, Norris AJ. Glutamatergic supramammillary nucleus neurons respond to threatening stressors and promote active coping. eLife 2024; 12:RP90972. [PMID: 38829200 PMCID: PMC11147510 DOI: 10.7554/elife.90972] [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: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Threat-response neural circuits are conserved across species and play roles in normal behavior and psychiatric diseases. Maladaptive changes in these neural circuits contribute to stress, mood, and anxiety disorders. Active coping in response to stressors is a psychosocial factor associated with resilience against stress-induced mood and anxiety disorders. The neural circuitry underlying active coping is poorly understood, but the functioning of these circuits could be key for overcoming anxiety and related disorders. The supramammillary nucleus (SuM) has been suggested to be engaged by threat. SuM has many projections and a poorly understood diversity of neural populations. In studies using mice, we identified a unique population of glutamatergic SuM neurons (SuMVGLUT2+::POA) based on projection to the preoptic area of the hypothalamus (POA) and found SuMVGLUT2+::POA neurons have extensive arborizations. SuMVGLUT2+::POA neurons project to brain areas that mediate features of the stress and threat responses including the paraventricular nucleus thalamus (PVT), periaqueductal gray (PAG), and habenula (Hb). Thus, SuMVGLUT2+::POA neurons are positioned as a hub, connecting to areas implicated in regulating stress responses. Here we report SuMVGLUT2+::POA neurons are recruited by diverse threatening stressors, and recruitment correlated with active coping behaviors. We found that selective photoactivation of the SuMVGLUT2+::POA population drove aversion but not anxiety like behaviors. Activation of SuMVGLUT2+::POA neurons in the absence of acute stressors evoked active coping like behaviors and drove instrumental behavior. Also, activation of SuMVGLUT2+::POA neurons was sufficient to convert passive coping strategies to active behaviors during acute stress. In contrast, we found activation of GABAergic (VGAT+) SuM neurons (SuMVGAT+) neurons did not alter drive aversion or active coping, but termination of photostimulation was followed by increased mobility in the forced swim test. These findings establish a new node in stress response circuitry that has projections to many brain areas and evokes flexible active coping behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abraham Escobedo
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
| | - Salli-Ann Holloway
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
| | - Megan Votoupal
- Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of MedicineChicagoUnited States
| | - Aaron L Cone
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
| | - Hannah Skelton
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
| | - Alex A Legaria
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
| | - Imeh Ndiokho
- Medical College of WisconsinMilwaukeeUnited States
| | - Tasheia Floyd
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
| | - Alexxai V Kravitz
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
| | - Michael R Bruchas
- Center for Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
- Department of Pharmacology University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
- Department of Bioengineering University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - Aaron J Norris
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
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3
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Lu Y, Wang L, Luo F, Savani R, Rossi MA, Pang ZP. Dorsolateral septum GLP-1R neurons regulate feeding via lateral hypothalamic projections. Mol Metab 2024; 85:101960. [PMID: 38763494 PMCID: PMC11153235 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2024.101960] [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: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Although glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) is known to regulate feeding, the central mechanisms contributing to this function remain enigmatic. Here, we aim to test the role of neurons expressing GLP-1 receptors (GLP-1R) in the dorsolateral septum (dLS; dLSGLP-1R) that project to the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) on food intake and determine the relationship with feeding regulation. METHODS Using chemogenetic manipulations, we assessed how activation or inhibition of dLSGLP-1R neurons affected food intake in Glp1r-ires-Cre mice. Then, we used channelrhodopsin-assisted circuit mapping, chemogenetics, and electrophysiological recordings to identify and assess the role of the pathway from dLSGLP-1R →LHA projections in regulating food intake. RESULTS Chemogenetic inhibition of dLSGLP-1R neurons increases food intake. LHA is a major downstream target of dLSGLP-1R neurons. The dLSGLP-1R→LHA projections are GABAergic, and chemogenetic inhibition of this pathway also promotes food intake. While chemogenetic activation of dLSGLP-1R→LHA projections modestly decreases food intake, optogenetic stimulation of the dLSGLP-1R→LHA projection terminals in the LHA rapidly suppresses feeding behavior. Finally, we demonstrate that the GLP-1R agonist, Exendin 4 enhances dLSGLP-1R →LHA GABA release. CONCLUSIONS Together, these results demonstrate that dLS-GLP-1R neurons and the inhibitory pathway to LHA can regulate feeding behavior, which might serve as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of eating disorders or obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Lu
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Le Wang
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Fang Luo
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Rohan Savani
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Mark A Rossi
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
| | - Zhiping P Pang
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
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4
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Phillips RA, Oh S, Bach SV, Du Y, Miller RA, Kleinman JE, Hyde TM, Hicks SC, Page SC, Martinowich K. Transcriptomic characterization of human lateral septum neurons reveals conserved and divergent marker genes across species. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.22.590602. [PMID: 38712125 PMCID: PMC11071425 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.22.590602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
The lateral septum (LS) is a midline, subcortical structure, which regulates social behaviors that are frequently impaired in neurodevelopmental disorders including schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder. Mouse studies have identified neuronal populations within the LS that express a variety of molecular markers, including vasopressin receptor, oxytocin receptor, and corticotropin releasing hormone receptor, that control specific facets of social behavior. Despite its critical role in the regulation of social behavior and notable gene expression patterns, comprehensive molecular profiling of the human LS has not been performed. Here, we conducted single nucleus RNA-sequencing (snRNA-seq) to generate the first transcriptomic profiles of the human LS using postmortem human brain tissue samples from 3 neurotypical donors. Our analysis identified 4 transcriptionally distinct neuronal cell types within the human LS that are enriched for TRPC4 , the gene encoding Trp-related protein 4. Differential expression analysis revealed a distinct LS neuronal cell type that is enriched for OPRM1 , the gene encoding the μ-opioid receptor. Leveraging recently collected mouse LS snRNA-seq datasets, we also conducted a cross-species analysis. Our results demonstrate that TRPC4 enrichment in the LS is highly conserved between human and mouse, while FREM2 , which encodes FRAS1 related extracellular matrix protein 2, is enriched only in the human LS. Together, these results highlight transcriptional heterogeneity of the human LS, and identify robust marker genes for the human LS.
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Tan B, Browne CJ, Nöbauer T, Vaziri A, Friedman JM, Nestler EJ. Drugs of abuse hijack a mesolimbic pathway that processes homeostatic need. Science 2024; 384:eadk6742. [PMID: 38669575 PMCID: PMC11077477 DOI: 10.1126/science.adk6742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Drugs of abuse are thought to promote addiction in part by "hijacking" brain reward systems, but the underlying mechanisms remain undefined. Using whole-brain FOS mapping and in vivo single-neuron calcium imaging, we found that drugs of abuse augment dopaminoceptive ensemble activity in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and disorganize overlapping ensemble responses to natural rewards in a cell type-specific manner. Combining FOS-Seq, CRISPR-perturbation, and single-nucleus RNA sequencing, we identified Rheb as a molecular substrate that regulates cell type-specific signal transduction in NAc while enabling drugs to suppress natural reward consumption. Mapping NAc-projecting regions activated by drugs of abuse revealed input-specific effects on natural reward consumption. These findings characterize the dynamic, molecular and circuit basis of a common reward pathway, wherein drugs of abuse interfere with the fulfillment of innate needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bowen Tan
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University; New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Caleb J. Browne
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; New York, NY 10029, USA
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health; Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Tobias Nöbauer
- Laboratory of Neurotechnology and Biophysics, The Rockefeller University; New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Alipasha Vaziri
- Laboratory of Neurotechnology and Biophysics, The Rockefeller University; New York, NY 10065, USA
- The Kavli Neural Systems Institute, The Rockefeller University; New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Jeffrey M. Friedman
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University; New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Eric J. Nestler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; New York, NY 10029, USA
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6
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Lu Y, Wang L, Luo F, Savani R, Rossi MA, Pang ZP. Dorsolateral septum GLP-1R neurons regulate feeding via lateral hypothalamic projections. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.26.586855. [PMID: 38585874 PMCID: PMC10996601 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.26.586855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Objective Although glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) is known to regulate feeding, the central mechanisms contributing to this function remain enigmatic. Here, we aim to test the role of neurons expressing GLP-1 receptors (GLP-1R) in the dorsolateral septum (dLS; dLS GLP-1R ) and their downstream projections on food intake and determine the relationship with feeding regulation. Methods Using chemogenetic manipulations, we assessed how activation or inhibition of dLS GLP-1R neurons affected food intake in Glp1r-ires-Cre mice. Then, we used channelrhodopsin-assisted circuit mapping, chemogenetics, and electrophysiological recordings to identify and assess the role of the pathway from dLS GLP-1R neurons to the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) in regulating food intake. Results Chemogenetic inhibition of dLS GLP-1R neurons increases food intake. LHA is a major downstream target of dLS GLP-1R neurons. The dLS GLP-1R →LHA projections are GABAergic, and chemogenetic inhibition of this pathway also promotes food intake. While chemogenetic activation of dLS GLP-1R →LHA projections modestly decreases food intake, optogenetic stimulation of the dLS GLP-1R →LHA projection terminals in the LHA rapidly suppressed feeding behavior. Finally, we demonstrate that the GLP-1R agonist, Exendin 4 enhances dLS GLP-1R →LHA GABA release. Conclusions Together, these results demonstrate that dLS-GLP-1R neurons and the inhibitory pathway to LHA can regulate feeding behavior, which might serve as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of eating disorders or obesity. Highlights Chemogenetic inhibition of dLS GLP-1R neurons boosts food intake in mice dLS GLP-1R neuron activation does not alter feeding, likely by collateral inhibition dLS GLP-1R neurons project to LHA and release GABA Activation of dLS GLP-1R →LHA axonal terminals suppresses food intake GLP-1R agonism enhances dLS GLP-1R →LHA GABA release via a presynaptic mechanism.
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7
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Hasunuma K, Murakawa T, Takenawa S, Mitsui K, Hatsukano T, Sano K, Nakata M, Ogawa S. Estrogen Receptor β in the Lateral Septum Mediates Estrogen Regulation of Social Anxiety-like Behavior in Male Mice. Neuroscience 2024; 537:126-140. [PMID: 38042251 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.11.019] [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: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
17β-estradiol (E2) regulates various forms of social behavior through the activation of two types of estrogen receptors, ERα and ERβ. The lateral septum (LS) is thought to be one of the potential target sites of E2, but the role played by ERα and ERβ in this brain area remains largely unknown. In the present study, we first analyzed the distribution of ERα and ERβ with double fluorescent immunohistochemistry in a transgenic mouse line in which red fluorescent protein (RFP) signal has been a reliable marker of ERβ expression. The overall number of ERβ-RFP-expressing cells was significantly higher (about 2.5 times) compared to ERα-expressing cells. The distribution of the two types of ERs was different, with co-expression only seen in about 1.2% of total ER-positive cells. Given these distinctive distribution patterns, we examined the behavioral effects of site-specific knockdown of each ER using viral vector-mediated small interference RNA (siRNA) techniques in male mice. We found ERβ-specific behavioral alterations during a social interaction test, suggesting involvement of ERβ-expressing LS neurons in the regulation of social anxiety and social interest. Further, we investigated the neuronal projections of ERα- and ERβ-expressing LS cells by injecting an anterograde viral tracer in ERα-Cre and ERβ-iCre mice. Dense expression of green fluorescence protein (GFP) in synaptic terminals was observed in ERβ-iCre mice in areas known to be related to the modulation of anxiety. These findings collectively suggest that ERβ expressed in the LS plays a major role in the estrogenic control of social anxiety-like behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kansuke Hasunuma
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan
| | - Tomoaki Murakawa
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan
| | - Satoshi Takenawa
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan
| | - Koshiro Mitsui
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan
| | - Tetsu Hatsukano
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Sano
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan
| | - Mariko Nakata
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan
| | - Sonoko Ogawa
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan.
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Simon RC, Fleming WT, Senthilkumar P, Briones BA, Ishii KK, Hjort MM, Martin MM, Hashikawa K, Sanders AD, Golden SA, Stuber GD. Opioid-driven disruption of the septal complex reveals a role for neurotensin-expressing neurons in withdrawal. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.15.575766. [PMID: 38293241 PMCID: PMC10827099 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.15.575766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Because opioid withdrawal is an intensely aversive experience, persons with opioid use disorder (OUD) often relapse to avoid it. The lateral septum (LS) is a forebrain structure that is important in aversion processing, and previous studies have linked the lateral septum (LS) to substance use disorders. It is unclear, however, which precise LS cell types might contribute to the maladaptive state of withdrawal. To address this, we used single-nucleus RNA-sequencing to interrogate cell type specific gene expression changes induced by chronic morphine and withdrawal. We discovered that morphine globally disrupted the transcriptional profile of LS cell types, but Neurotensin-expressing neurons (Nts; LS-Nts neurons) were selectively activated by naloxone. Using two-photon calcium imaging and ex vivo electrophysiology, we next demonstrate that LS-Nts neurons receive enhanced glutamatergic drive in morphine-dependent mice and remain hyperactivated during opioid withdrawal. Finally, we showed that activating and silencing LS-Nts neurons during opioid withdrawal regulates pain coping behaviors and sociability. Together, these results suggest that LS-Nts neurons are a key neural substrate involved in opioid withdrawal and establish the LS as a crucial regulator of adaptive behaviors, specifically pertaining to OUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhiana C. Simon
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (NAPE), University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Weston T. Fleming
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (NAPE), University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Pranav Senthilkumar
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (NAPE), University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Brandy A. Briones
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (NAPE), University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Kentaro K. Ishii
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (NAPE), University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Madelyn M. Hjort
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (NAPE), University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Madison M. Martin
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (NAPE), University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Koichi Hashikawa
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (NAPE), University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Andrea D. Sanders
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (NAPE), University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Sam A. Golden
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (NAPE), University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Garret D. Stuber
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (NAPE), University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
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Kyriatzis G, Khrestchatisky M, Ferhat L, Chatzaki EA. Neurotensin and Neurotensin Receptors in Stress-related Disorders: Pathophysiology & Novel Drug Targets. Curr Neuropharmacol 2024; 22:916-934. [PMID: 37534788 PMCID: PMC10845085 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x21666230803101629] [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: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurotensin (NT) is a 13-amino acid neuropeptide widely distributed in the CNS that has been involved in the pathophysiology of many neural and psychiatric disorders. There are three known neurotensin receptors (NTSRs), which mediate multiple actions, and form the neurotensinergic system in conjunction with NT. NTSR1 is the main mediator of NT, displaying effects in both the CNS and the periphery, while NTSR2 is mainly expressed in the brain and NTSR3 has a broader expression pattern. In this review, we bring together up-to-date studies showing an involvement of the neurotensinergic system in different aspects of the stress response and the main stress-related disorders, such as depression and anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and its associated symptoms, such as fear memory and maternal separation, ethanol addiction, and substance abuse. Emphasis is put on gene, mRNA, and protein alterations of NT and NTSRs, as well as behavioral and pharmacological studies, leading to evidence-based suggestions on the implicated regulating mechanisms as well as their therapeutic exploitation. Stress responses and anxiety involve mainly NTSR1, but also NTSR2 and NTSR3. NTSR1 and NTSR3 are primarily implicated in depression, while NTSR2 and secondarily NTSR1 in PTSD. NTSR1 is interrelated with substance and drug abuse and NTSR2 with fear memory, while all NTSRs seem to be implicated in ethanol consumption. Some of the actions of NT and NTSRs in these pathological settings may be driven through interactions between NT and corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF) in their regulatory contribution, as well as by NT's pro-inflammatory mediating actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grigorios Kyriatzis
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece
- Institute of Neurophysiopathology, INP, CNRS, Aix-Marseille University, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Michel Khrestchatisky
- Institute of Neurophysiopathology, INP, CNRS, Aix-Marseille University, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Lotfi Ferhat
- Institute of Neurophysiopathology, INP, CNRS, Aix-Marseille University, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Ekaterini Alexiou Chatzaki
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece
- Institute of Agri-Food and Life Sciences, University Research Centre, Hellenic Mediterranean University, 71410 Heraklion, Greece
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10
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Tschöp MH, Friedman JM. Seeking satiety: From signals to solutions. Sci Transl Med 2023; 15:eadh4453. [PMID: 37992155 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adh4453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Remedies for the treatment of obesity date to Hippocrates, when patients with obesity were directed to "reduce food and avoid drinking to fullness" and begin "running during the night." Similar recommendations have been repeated ever since, despite the fact that they are largely ineffective. Recently, highly effective therapeutics were developed that may soon enable physicians to manage body weight in patients with obesity in a manner similar to the way that blood pressure is controlled in patients with hypertension. These medicines have grown out of a revolution in our understanding of the molecular and neural control of appetite and body weight, reviewed here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias H Tschöp
- Helmholtz Munich and Technical University Munich, Munich, 85758 Germany
| | - Jeffrey M Friedman
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065 USA
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Tsou JH, Lee SR, Chiang CY, Yang YJ, Guo FY, Ni SY, Yau HJ. Negative Emotions Recruit the Parabrachial Nucleus Efferent to the VTA to Disengage Instrumental Food Seeking. J Neurosci 2023; 43:7276-7293. [PMID: 37684032 PMCID: PMC10621778 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2114-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The parabrachial nucleus (PBN) interfaces between taste and feeding systems and is also an important hub for relaying distress information and threats. Despite that the PBN sends projections to the ventral tegmental area (VTA), a heterogeneous brain region that regulates motivational behaviors, the function of the PBN-to-VTA connection remains elusive. Here, by using male mice in several behavioral paradigms, we discover that VTA-projecting PBN neurons are significantly engaged in contextual fear, restraint or mild stress but not palatable feeding, visceral malaise, or thermal pain. These results suggest that the PBN-to-VTA input may relay negative emotions under threat. Consistent with this notion, optogenetic activation of PBN-to-VTA glutamatergic input results in aversion, which is sufficient to override palatable feeding. Moreover, in a palatable food-reinforced operant task, we demonstrate that transient optogenetic activation of PBN-to-VTA input during food reward retrieval disengages instrumental food-seeking behaviors but spares learned action-outcome association. By using an activity-dependent targeting approach, we show that VTA DA neurons are disengaged by the PBN afferent activation, implicating that VTA non-DA neurons may mediate PBN afferent regulation. We further show that optogenetic activation of VTA neurons functionally recruited by the PBN input results in aversion, dampens palatable feeding, and disengages palatable food self-administration behavior. Finally, we demonstrate that transient activation of VTA glutamatergic, but not GABAergic, neurons recapitulates the negative regulation of the PBN input on food self-administration behavior. Together, we reveal that the PBN-to-VTA input conveys negative affect, likely through VTA glutamatergic neurons, to disengage instrumental food-seeking behaviors.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The PBN receives multiple inputs and thus is well positioned to route information of various modalities to engage different downstream circuits to attend or respond accordingly. We demonstrate that the PBN-to-VTA input conveys negative affect and then triggers adaptive prioritized responses to address pertinent needs by withholding ongoing behaviors, such as palatable food seeking or intake shown in the present study. It has evolutionary significance because preparing to cope with stressful situations or threats takes priority over food seeking to promote survival. Knowing how appropriate adaptive responses are generated will provide new insights into circuitry mechanisms of various coping behaviors to changing environmental stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jen-Hui Tsou
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Synaptic Plasticity Section, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21224
| | - Syun-Ruei Lee
- Laboratory for Neural Circuits and Behaviors, Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10051, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Ying Chiang
- Laboratory for Neural Circuits and Behaviors, Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10051, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Jie Yang
- Laboratory for Neural Circuits and Behaviors, Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10051, Taiwan
| | - Fong-Yi Guo
- Laboratory for Neural Circuits and Behaviors, Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10051, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Ying Ni
- School of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan
| | - Hau-Jie Yau
- Laboratory for Neural Circuits and Behaviors, Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10051, Taiwan
- Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
- Taiwan International Graduate Program in Interdisciplinary Neuroscience, National Taiwan University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
- PhD Program in Translational Medicine, National Taiwan University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
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12
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García MT, Tran DN, Peterson RE, Stegmann SK, Hanson SM, Reid CM, Xie Y, Vu S, Harwell CC. A developmentally defined population of neurons in the lateral septum controls responses to aversive stimuli. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.24.559205. [PMID: 37873286 PMCID: PMC10592641 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.24.559205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
When interacting with their environment, animals must balance exploratory and defensive behavior to evaluate and respond to potential threats. The lateral septum (LS) is a structure in the ventral forebrain that calibrates the magnitude of behavioral responses to stress-related external stimuli, including the regulation of threat avoidance. The complex connectivity between the LS and other parts of the brain, together with its largely unexplored neuronal diversity, makes it difficult to understand how defined LS circuits control specific behaviors. Here, we describe a mouse model in which a population of neurons with a common developmental origin (Nkx2.1-lineage neurons) are absent from the LS. Using a combination of circuit tracing and behavioral analyses, we found that these neurons receive inputs from the perifornical area of the anterior hypothalamus (PeFAH) and are specifically activated in stressful contexts. Mice lacking Nkx2.1-lineage LS neurons display increased exploratory behavior even under stressful conditions. Our study extends the current knowledge about how defined neuronal populations within the LS can evaluate contextual information to select appropriate behavioral responses. This is a necessary step towards understanding the crucial role that the LS plays in neuropsychiatric conditions where defensive behavior is dysregulated, such as anxiety and aggression disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Turrero García
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research; San Francisco, CA
| | - Diana N. Tran
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA
| | | | | | - Sarah M. Hanson
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research; San Francisco, CA
| | - Christopher M. Reid
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research; San Francisco, CA
- Ph.D. Program in Neuroscience, Harvard University; Boston, MA
| | - Yajun Xie
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research; San Francisco, CA
| | - Steve Vu
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA
| | - Corey C. Harwell
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research; San Francisco, CA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub San Francisco; San Francisco, CA
- Lead contact
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13
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Tan B, Browne CJ, Nöbauer T, Vaziri A, Friedman JM, Nestler EJ. Drugs of abuse hijack a mesolimbic pathway that processes homeostatic need. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.03.556059. [PMID: 37732251 PMCID: PMC10508763 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.03.556059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Addiction prioritizes drug use over innate needs by "hijacking" brain circuits that direct motivation, but how this develops remains unclear. Using whole-brain FOS mapping and in vivo single-neuron calcium imaging, we find that drugs of abuse augment ensemble activity in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and disorganize overlapping ensemble responses to natural rewards in a cell-type-specific manner. Combining "FOS-Seq", CRISPR-perturbations, and snRNA-seq, we identify Rheb as a shared molecular substrate that regulates cell-type-specific signal transductions in NAc while enabling drugs to suppress natural reward responses. Retrograde circuit mapping pinpoints orbitofrontal cortex which, upon activation, mirrors drug effects on innate needs. These findings deconstruct the dynamic, molecular, and circuit basis of a common reward circuit, wherein drug value is scaled to promote drug-seeking over other, normative goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bowen Tan
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Caleb J. Browne
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Tobias Nöbauer
- Laboratory of Neurotechnology and Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Alipasha Vaziri
- Laboratory of Neurotechnology and Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
- The Kavli Neural Systems Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Jeffrey M. Friedman
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Eric J. Nestler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
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14
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Rossi MA. Control of energy homeostasis by the lateral hypothalamic area. Trends Neurosci 2023; 46:738-749. [PMID: 37353461 PMCID: PMC10524917 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
The lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) is a subcortical brain region that exerts control over motivated behavior, feeding, and energy balance across species. Recent single-cell sequencing studies have defined at least 30 distinct LHA neuron types. Some of these influence specific aspects of energy homeostasis; however, the functions of many LHA cell types remain unclear. This review addresses the rapidly emerging evidence from cell-type-specific investigations that the LHA leverages distinct neuron populations to regulate energy balance through complex connections with other brain regions. It will highlight recent findings demonstrating that LHA control of energy balance extends beyond mere food intake and propose outstanding questions to be addressed by future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Rossi
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
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15
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Allingbjerg ML, Hansen SN, Secher A, Thomsen M. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptors in nucleus accumbens, ventral hippocampus, and lateral septum reduce alcohol reinforcement in mice. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 2023; 31:612-620. [PMID: 36480394 PMCID: PMC10198891 DOI: 10.1037/pha0000620] [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] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists can decrease alcohol intake by central mechanisms that are still poorly understood. The lateral septum (LS) and the ventral/caudal part of the hippocampus are enriched in GLP-1 receptors, and activity in these regions was shown to modulate reward-related behaviors. Using microinfusions of the GLP-1 receptor agonist exendin-4 in mice trained to self-administer oral alcohol in an operant assay, we tested whether pharmacological stimulation of GLP-1 receptors in hippocampus and LS decrease alcohol self-administration. We report that infusion of exendin-4 in the ventral hippocampus or LS was sufficient to reduce alcohol self-administration with as large effect sizes as we previously reported with systemic exendin-4 administration. Infusion of exendin-4 into the nucleus accumbens also reduced alcohol self-administration, as anticipated based on earlier reports, while infusion of exendin-4 into the caudate-putamen (dorsal striatum) had little effect, consistent with lack of GLP-1 receptor expression in this region. The distribution of exendin-4 after infusion into the LS or caudate putamen was visualized using a fluorescently labeled ligand. These findings add to our understanding of the circuit-level mechanisms underlying the ability of GLP-1 receptor agonists to reduce alcohol self-administration. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Louise Allingbjerg
- Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Mental Health Services, Capital Region of Denmark
| | | | | | - Morgane Thomsen
- Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Mental Health Services, Capital Region of Denmark
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16
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Liu D, Rahman M, Johnson A, Tsutsui-Kimura I, Pena N, Talay M, Logeman BL, Finkbeiner S, Choi S, Capo-Battaglia A, Abdus-Saboor I, Ginty DD, Uchida N, Watabe-Uchida M, Dulac C. A Hypothalamic Circuit Underlying the Dynamic Control of Social Homeostasis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.19.540391. [PMID: 37293031 PMCID: PMC10245688 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.19.540391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Social grouping increases survival in many species, including humans1,2. By contrast, social isolation generates an aversive state (loneliness) that motivates social seeking and heightens social interaction upon reunion3-5. The observed rebound in social interaction triggered by isolation suggests a homeostatic process underlying the control of social drive, similar to that observed for physiological needs such as hunger, thirst or sleep3,6. In this study, we assessed social responses in multiple mouse strains and identified the FVB/NJ line as exquisitely sensitive to social isolation. Using FVB/NJ mice, we uncovered two previously uncharacterized neuronal populations in the hypothalamic preoptic nucleus that are activated during social isolation and social rebound and that orchestrate the behavior display of social need and social satiety, respectively. We identified direct connectivity between these two populations of opposite function and with brain areas associated with social behavior, emotional state, reward, and physiological needs, and showed that animals require touch to assess the presence of others and fulfill their social need, thus revealing a brain-wide neural system underlying social homeostasis. These findings offer mechanistic insight into the nature and function of circuits controlling instinctive social need and for the understanding of healthy and diseased brain states associated with social context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ding Liu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mostafizur Rahman
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Autumn Johnson
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Iku Tsutsui-Kimura
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Present address: Division of Brain Sciences, Institute for Advanced Medical Research, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nicolai Pena
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mustafa Talay
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Brandon L. Logeman
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Samantha Finkbeiner
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Seungwon Choi
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Present address: Department of Psychiatry, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Athena Capo-Battaglia
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ishmail Abdus-Saboor
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - David D. Ginty
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Naoshige Uchida
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mitsuko Watabe-Uchida
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Catherine Dulac
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
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17
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Xu Y, Jiang Z, Li H, Cai J, Jiang Y, Otiz-Guzman J, Xu Y, Arenkiel BR, Tong Q. Lateral septum as a melanocortin downstream site in obesity development. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112502. [PMID: 37171957 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112502] [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: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The melanocortin pathway is well established to be critical for body-weight regulation in both rodents and humans. Despite extensive studies focusing on this pathway, the downstream brain sites that mediate its action are not clear. Here, we found that, among the known paraventricular hypothalamic (PVH) neuron groups, those expressing melanocortin receptors 4 (PVHMc4R) preferably project to the ventral part of the lateral septum (LSv), a brain region known to be involved in emotional behaviors. Photostimulation of PVHMc4R neuron terminals in the LSv reduces feeding and causes aversion, whereas deletion of Mc4Rs or disruption of glutamate release from LSv-projecting PVH neurons causes obesity. In addition, disruption of AMPA receptor function in PVH-projected LSv neurons causes obesity. Importantly, chronic inhibition of PVH- or PVHMc4R-projected LSv neurons causes obesity associated with reduced energy expenditure. Thus, the LSv functions as an important node in mediating melanocortin action on body-weight regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanzhong Xu
- Brown Foundation of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases of McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| | - Zhiying Jiang
- Brown Foundation of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases of McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Hongli Li
- Brown Foundation of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases of McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jing Cai
- Brown Foundation of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases of McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA; MD Anderson Cancer Center & UTHealth Houston Graduate School for Biomedical Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yanyan Jiang
- Brown Foundation of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases of McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Joshua Otiz-Guzman
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics and Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, and Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yong Xu
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Benjamin R Arenkiel
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics and Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, and Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Qingchun Tong
- Brown Foundation of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases of McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA; MD Anderson Cancer Center & UTHealth Houston Graduate School for Biomedical Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy of McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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18
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Li L, Durand-de Cuttoli R, Aubry AV, Burnett CJ, Cathomas F, Parise LF, Chan KL, Morel C, Yuan C, Shimo Y, Lin HY, Wang J, Russo SJ. Social trauma engages lateral septum circuitry to occlude social reward. Nature 2023; 613:696-703. [PMID: 36450985 PMCID: PMC9876792 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05484-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
In humans, traumatic social experiences can contribute to psychiatric disorders1. It is suggested that social trauma impairs brain reward function such that social behaviour is no longer rewarding, leading to severe social avoidance2,3. In rodents, the chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) model has been used to understand the neurobiology underlying stress susceptibility versus resilience following social trauma, yet little is known regarding its impact on social reward4,5. Here we show that, following CSDS, a subset of male and female mice, termed susceptible (SUS), avoid social interaction with non-aggressive, same-sex juvenile C57BL/6J mice and do not develop context-dependent social reward following encounters with them. Non-social stressors have no effect on social reward in either sex. Next, using whole-brain Fos mapping, in vivo Ca2+ imaging and whole-cell recordings, we identified a population of stress/threat-responsive lateral septum neurotensin (NTLS) neurons that are activated by juvenile social interactions only in SUS mice, but not in resilient or unstressed control mice. Optogenetic or chemogenetic manipulation of NTLS neurons and their downstream connections modulates social interaction and social reward. Together, these data suggest that previously rewarding social targets are possibly perceived as social threats in SUS mice, resulting from hyperactive NTLS neurons that occlude social reward processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Li
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Romain Durand-de Cuttoli
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Antonio V Aubry
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - C Joseph Burnett
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Flurin Cathomas
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lyonna F Parise
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kenny L Chan
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Carole Morel
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chongzhen Yuan
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- James J Peters VA Medical Center, Research & Development, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yusuke Shimo
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hsiao-Yun Lin
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- James J Peters VA Medical Center, Research & Development, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jun Wang
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- James J Peters VA Medical Center, Research & Development, New York, NY, USA
| | - Scott J Russo
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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19
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An M, Kim HK, Park H, Kim K, Heo G, Park HE, Chung C, Kim SY. Lateral Septum Somatostatin Neurons are Activated by Diverse Stressors. Exp Neurobiol 2022; 31:376-389. [PMID: 36631846 PMCID: PMC9841747 DOI: 10.5607/en22024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The lateral septum (LS) is a forebrain structure that has been implicated in a wide range of behavioral and physiological responses to stress. However, the specific populations of neurons in the LS that mediate stress responses remain incompletely understood. Here, we show that neurons in the dorsal lateral septum (LSd) that express the somatostatin gene (hereafter, LSdSst neurons) are activated by diverse stressors. Retrograde tracing from LSdSst neurons revealed that these neurons are directly innervated by neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC), the primary source of norepinephrine well-known to mediate diverse stress-related functions in the brain. Consistently, we found that norepinephrine increased excitatory synaptic transmission onto LSdSst neurons, suggesting the functional connectivity between LSdSst neurons and LC noradrenergic neurons. However, optogenetic stimulation of LSdSst neurons did not affect stress-related behaviors or autonomic functions, likely owing to the functional heterogeneity within this population. Together, our findings show that LSdSst neurons are activated by diverse stressors and suggest that norepinephrine released from the LC may modulate the activity of LSdSst neurons under stressful circumstances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myungmo An
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea,Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Hyun-Kyung Kim
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea,Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Hoyong Park
- Department of Biological Sciences, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - Kyunghoe Kim
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea,Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Gyuryang Heo
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Han-Eol Park
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - ChiHye Chung
- Department of Biological Sciences, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea,
ChiHye Chung, TEL: 82-2-450-0432, e-mail:
| | - Sung-Yon Kim
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea,Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea,To whom correspondence should be addressed. Sung-Yon Kim, TEL: 82-2-880-4994, e-mail:
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20
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Hashimoto M, Brito SI, Venner A, Pasqualini AL, Yang TL, Allen D, Fuller PM, Anthony TE. Lateral septum modulates cortical state to tune responsivity to threat stimuli. Cell Rep 2022; 41:111521. [PMID: 36288710 PMCID: PMC9645245 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Sudden unexpected environmental changes capture attention and, when perceived as potentially dangerous, evoke defensive behavioral states. Perturbations of the lateral septum (LS) can produce extreme hyperdefensiveness even to innocuous stimuli, but how this structure influences stimulus-evoked defensive responses and threat perception remains unclear. Here, we show that Crhr2-expressing neurons in mouse LS exhibit phasic activation upon detection of threatening but not rewarding stimuli. Threat-stimulus-driven activity predicts the probability but not vigor or type of defensive behavior evoked. Although necessary for and sufficient to potentiate stimulus-triggered defensive responses, LSCrhr2 neurons do not promote specific behaviors. Rather, their stimulation elicits negative valence and physiological arousal. Moreover, LSCrhr2 activity tracks brain state fluctuations and drives cortical activation and rapid awakening in the absence of threat. Together, our findings suggest that LS directs bottom-up modulation of cortical function to evoke preparatory defensive internal states and selectively enhance responsivity to threat-related stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariko Hashimoto
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Salvador Ignacio Brito
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Anne Venner
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Amanda Loren Pasqualini
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Tracy Lulu Yang
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - David Allen
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Patrick Michael Fuller
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Todd Erryl Anthony
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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21
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Li H, Sung HH, Lau CG. Activation of Somatostatin-Expressing Neurons in the Lateral Septum Improves Stress-Induced Depressive-like Behaviors in Mice. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14102253. [PMID: 36297687 PMCID: PMC9607457 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14102253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression is a debilitating mood disorder with highly heterogeneous pathogenesis. The limbic system is well-linked to depression. As an important node in the limbic system, the lateral septum (LS) can modulate multiple affective and motivational behaviors. However, the role of LS in depression remains unclear. By using c-Fos expression mapping, we first screened and showed activation of the LS in various depression-related behavioral tests, including the forced swim test (FST), tail suspension test (TST), and sucrose preference test. In the LS, more than 10% of the activated neurons were somatostatin-expressing (SST) neurons. We next developed a microendoscopic calcium imaging method in freely moving mice and revealed that LSSST neural activity increased during mobility in the TST but not open field test. We hypothesize that LSSST neuronal activity is linked to stress and depression. In two mouse models of depression, repeated lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection and chronic restraint stress (CRS), we showed that LS neuronal activation was suppressed. To examine whether the re-activation of LSSST neurons can be therapeutically beneficial, we optogenetically activated LSSST neurons and produced antidepressant-like effects in LPS-injected mice by increasing TST motility. Moreover, chemogenetic activation of LSSST neurons increased FST struggling in the CRS-exposed mice. Together, these results provide the first evidence of a role for LSSST neurons in regulating depressive-like behaviors in mice and identify them as a potential therapeutic target for neuromodulation-based intervention in depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanhuan Li
- Department of Neuroscience, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute, City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518057, China
| | - Hyun Hailey Sung
- Department of Neuroscience, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute, City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518057, China
| | - Chunyue Geoffrey Lau
- Department of Neuroscience, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute, City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518057, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +852-3442-4345
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22
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Bales MB, Centanni SW, Luchsinger JR, Fathi P, Biddinger JE, Le TDV, Nwaba KG, Paldrmic IM, Winder DG, Ayala JE. High fat diet blunts stress-induced hypophagia and activation of Glp1r dorsal lateral septum neurons in male but not in female mice. Mol Metab 2022; 64:101571. [PMID: 35953023 PMCID: PMC9418981 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2022.101571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE While stress typically reduces caloric intake (hypophagia) in chow-fed rodents, presentation of palatable, high calorie substances during stress can increase caloric consumption (i.e. "comfort feeding") and promote obesity. However, little is known about how obesity itself affects feeding behavior in response to stress and the mechanisms that can influence stress-associated feeding in the context of obesity. METHODS We assessed food intake and other metabolic parameters in lean and obese male and female mice following acute restraint stress. We also measured real-time activity of glucagon-like peptide-1 (Glp1) receptor (Glp1r)-expressing neurons in the dorsal lateral septum (dLS) during stress in lean and obese mice using fiber photometry. Glp1r activation in various brain regions, including the dLS, promotes hypophagia in response to stress. Finally, we used inhibitory Designer Receptors Activated Exclusively by Designer Drugs (DREADDs) to test whether activation of Glp1r-expressing neurons in the LS is required for stress-induced hypophagia. RESULTS Lean male mice display the expected hypophagic response following acute restraint stress, but obese male mice are resistant to this acute stress-induced hypophagia. Glp1r-positive neurons in the dLS are robustly activated during acute restraint stress in lean but not in obese male mice. This raises the possibility that activation of dLS Glp1r neurons during restraint stress contributes to subsequent hypophagia. Supporting this, we show that chemogenetic inhibition of LS Glp1r neurons attenuates acute restraint stress hypophagia in male mice. Surprisingly, we show that both lean and obese female mice are resistant to acute restraint stress-induced hypophagia and activation of dLS Glp1r neurons. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that dLS Glp1r neurons contribute to the hypophagic response to acute restraint stress in male mice, but not in female mice, and that obesity disrupts this response in male mice. Broadly, these findings show sexually dimorphic mechanisms and feeding behaviors in lean vs. obese mice in response to acute stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle B Bales
- Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 2215 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Samuel W Centanni
- Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 2215 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 2215 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Joseph R Luchsinger
- Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 2215 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Payam Fathi
- Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 2215 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Jessica E Biddinger
- Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 2215 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Thao D V Le
- Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 2215 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Kaitlyn Ginika Nwaba
- Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 2215 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Isabella M Paldrmic
- Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 2215 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Danny G Winder
- Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 2215 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 2215 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Julio E Ayala
- Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 2215 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 2215 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 2215 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
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23
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Olivares-Barraza R, Marcos JL, Martínez-Pinto J, Fuenzalida M, Bravo JA, Gysling K, Sotomayor-Zárate R. Corticotropin-releasing factor system in the lateral septum: Implications in the pathophysiology of obesity. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:1020903. [PMID: 36204135 PMCID: PMC9530601 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1020903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Obesity is a pandemic associated with lifestyles changes. These include excess intake of obesogenic foods and decreased physical activity. Brain areas, like the lateral hypothalamus (LH), ventral tegmental area (VTA), and nucleus accumbens (NAcc) have been linked in both homeostatic and hedonic control of feeding in experimental models of diet-induced obesity. Interestingly, these control systems are regulated by the lateral septum (LS), a relay of γ-aminobutyric (GABA) acid neurons (GABAergic neurons) that inhibit the LH and GABAergic interneurons of the VTA. Furthermore, the LS has a diverse receptor population for neurotransmitters and neuropeptides such as dopamine, glutamate, GABA and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), among others. Particularly, CRF a key player in the stress response, has been related to the development of overweight and obesity. Moreover, evidence shows that LS neurons neurophysiologically regulate reward and stress, although there is little evidence of LS taking part in homeostatic and hedonic feeding. In this review, we discuss the evidence that supports the role of LS and CRF on feeding, and how alterations in this system contribute to weight gain obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rossy Olivares-Barraza
- Facultad de Ciencias, Centro de Neurobiología y Fisiopatología Integrativa (CENFI), Instituto de Fisiología, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Mención Neurociencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - José Luis Marcos
- Facultad de Ciencias, Centro de Neurobiología y Fisiopatología Integrativa (CENFI), Instituto de Fisiología, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias e Ingeniería para la Salud, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Escuela de Ciencias Agrícolas y Veterinarias, Universidad Viña del Mar, Viña del Mar, Chile
| | - Jonathan Martínez-Pinto
- Facultad de Ciencias, Centro de Neurobiología y Fisiopatología Integrativa (CENFI), Instituto de Fisiología, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Marco Fuenzalida
- Facultad de Ciencias, Centro de Neurobiología y Fisiopatología Integrativa (CENFI), Instituto de Fisiología, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Javier A. Bravo
- Facultad de Ciencias, Grupo de NeuroGastroBioquímica, Instituto de Química, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Katia Gysling
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Departmento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ramón Sotomayor-Zárate
- Facultad de Ciencias, Centro de Neurobiología y Fisiopatología Integrativa (CENFI), Instituto de Fisiología, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- *Correspondence: Ramón Sotomayor-Zárate,
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24
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Haun HL, D’Ambrosio SL, Pati D, Taxier LR, Kash TL. Activation of the dorsal septum increases alcohol consumption in male C57BL/6J mice. ADDICTION NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 3:100023. [PMID: 36034165 PMCID: PMC9410382 DOI: 10.1016/j.addicn.2022.100023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Binge drinking is a common pattern of excessive alcohol consumption associated with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and unraveling the neurocircuitry that promotes this type of drinking is critical to the development of novel therapeutic interventions. The septal region was once a focal point of alcohol research yet has seen limited study over the last decade in relation to binge drinking. Numerous studies point to involvement of the dorsal septum (dSep) in excessive drinking and withdrawal, but few studies have manipulated this region in the context of binge drinking behavior. The present experiments were primarily designed to determine the effect of chemogenetic manipulation of the dSep on binge-like alcohol drinking in male and female C57BL/6J mice. Mice received bilateral infusion of AAVs harboring hM4Di, hM3Dq, or mCherry into the dSep and subjects were challenged with systemic administration of clozapine-N-oxide (CNO) and vehicle in the context of binge-like alcohol consumption, locomotor activity, and sucrose drinking. CNO-mediated activation (hM3Dq) of the dSep resulted in increased binge-like alcohol consumption, locomotor activity, and sucrose intake in males. DSep activation promoted sucrose drinking in female mice, but alcohol intake and locomotor activity were unaffected. Conversely, silencing (hM4Di) of the dSep modestly decreased locomotor activity in males and did not influence alcohol or sucrose intake in either sex. These data support a role for the dSep in promoting binge-like drinking behavior in a sex-dependent fashion and suggests a broad role for the region in the modulation of general appetitive behaviors and locomotor activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harold L. Haun
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, USA
| | - Shannon L. D’Ambrosio
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, USA
| | - Dipanwita Pati
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, USA
| | - Lisa R. Taxier
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, USA
| | - Thomas L. Kash
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, USA
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25
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Stimulation of GABA Receptors in the Lateral Septum Rapidly Elicits Food Intake and Mediates Natural Feeding. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12070848. [PMID: 35884655 PMCID: PMC9312437 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12070848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The increasing prevalence of obesity and eating disorders makes identifying neural substrates controlling eating and regulating body weight a priority. Recent studies have highlighted the role of the lateral septum (LS) in eating control mechanisms. The current study explored the roles of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors within the LS in the control of food intake. Experiments with a rat model (n ≥ 11/group) showed that LS microinjection of the GABAA receptor agonist, muscimol, and the GABAB receptor agonist, baclofen hydrochloride (baclofen), elicited intense, dose-dependent feeding. In contrast, LS pretreatment with the GABAA receptor antagonist, picrotoxin, markedly reduced the muscimol-elicited feeding, and pretreatment injections with the GABAB receptor antagonist, 2-hydroxysaclofen (2-OH saclofen), reduced the baclofen evoked response. Next, we showed that picrotoxin injection at the beginning of the dark phase of the light-dark cycle—when rats show a burst of spontaneous eating—reduced naturally occurring feeding, whereas 2-OH saclofen was ineffective. These results indicate that the activation of LS GABAA and GABAB receptors strongly stimulates feeding and suggests potential roles in feeding control neurocircuitry. In particular, our evidence indicates that endogenous LS GABA and GABAA receptors may be involved in mediating naturally occurring nocturnal feeding.
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26
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Bhatti DL, Medrihan L, Chen MX, Jin J, McCabe KA, Wang W, Azevedo EP, Ledo JH, Kim Y. Molecular and Cellular Adaptations in Hippocampal Parvalbumin Neurons Mediate Behavioral Responses to Chronic Social Stress. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:898851. [PMID: 35813065 PMCID: PMC9268684 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.898851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Parvalbumin-expressing interneurons (PV neurons) maintain inhibitory control of local circuits implicated in behavioral responses to environmental stressors. However, the roles of molecular and cellular adaptations in PV neurons in stress susceptibility or resilience have not been clearly established. Here, we show behavioral outcomes of chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) are mediated by differential neuronal activity and gene expression in hippocampal PV neurons in mice. Using in vivo electrophysiology and chemogenetics, we find increased PV neuronal activity in the ventral dentate gyrus is required and sufficient for behavioral susceptibility to CSDS. PV neuron-selective translational profiling indicates mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation is the most significantly altered pathway in stress-susceptible versus resilient mice. Among differentially expressed genes associated with stress-susceptibility and resilience, we find Ahnak, an endogenous regulator of L-type calcium channels which are implicated in the regulation of mitochondrial function and gene expression. Notably, Ahnak deletion in PV neurons impedes behavioral susceptibility to CSDS. Altogether, these findings indicate behavioral effects of chronic stress can be controlled by selective modulation of PV neuronal activity or a regulator of L-type calcium signaling in PV neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dionnet L. Bhatti
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
- Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Lucian Medrihan
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Michelle X. Chen
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Junghee Jin
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Kathryn A. McCabe
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Wei Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
- Bioinformatics Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Estefania P. Azevedo
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Jose H. Ledo
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Yong Kim
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States
- Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States
- *Correspondence: Yong Kim,
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27
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Azevedo EP, Ivan VJ, Friedman JM, Stern SA. Higher-Order Inputs Involved in Appetite Control. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 91:869-878. [PMID: 34593204 PMCID: PMC9704062 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The understanding of the neural control of appetite sheds light on the pathogenesis of eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and obesity. Both diseases are a result of maladaptive eating behaviors (overeating or undereating) and are associated with life-threatening health problems. The fine regulation of appetite involves genetic, physiological, and environmental factors, which are detected and integrated in the brain by specific neuronal populations. For centuries, the hypothalamus has been the center of attention in the scientific community as a key regulator of appetite. The hypothalamus receives and sends axonal projections to several other brain regions that are important for the integration of sensory and emotional information. These connections ensure that appropriate behavioral decisions are made depending on the individual's emotional state and environment. Thus, the mechanisms by which higher-order brain regions integrate exteroceptive information to coordinate feeding is of great importance. In this review, we will focus on the functional and anatomical projections connecting the hypothalamus to the limbic system and higher-order brain centers in the cortex. We will also address the mechanisms by which specific neuronal populations located in higher-order centers regulate appetite and how maladaptive eating behaviors might arise from altered connections among cortical and subcortical areas with the hypothalamus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estefania P Azevedo
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York.
| | - Violet J Ivan
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York
| | - Jeffrey M Friedman
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, New York
| | - Sarah A Stern
- Integrative Neural Circuits and Behavior Research Group, Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter, Florida.
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28
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Calderwood MT, Tseng A, Gabriella I, Stanley BG. Feeding behavior elicited by mu opioid and GABA receptor activation in the lateral septum. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2022; 217:173395. [PMID: 35513120 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2022.173395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The lateral septum (LS), a brain region typically associated with behaviors involving reward, anxiety-like behavior, learning, and memory, has recently received increased interest due to its potential role in eating behavior. Our current results showed that morphine (5 μg) microinjected into the LS produced a stable feeding response. Specifically, across five days of repeated injections, there was no increase or sensitization effect, nor a decrease in feeding or tolerance. Additionally, we found that pretreatment with the broad-spectrum opioid receptor antagonist naloxone blocked morphine-elicited feeding, further supporting a role for LS opioid receptors in the activation of feeding behaviors. We had previously found that the GABAA receptor agonist muscimol produces a similar increase in feeding when injected into the LS. Given the involvement of the LS in multiple behaviors, we next evaluated whether other behaviors might be co-occurring with feeding in response to opioid or GABAA receptor agonist injection into the LS. We assessed eating, drinking, grooming, sleeping, activity levels and resting behavior for 3 h after injection of aCSF, DAMGO, morphine, or muscimol. We found that morphine and muscimol both decreased the latency to eat, and all drugs tested increased food intake. The feeding occurred within 30 min of muscimol injection but was delayed after opioid injections. The absence of increases in other goal-oriented behavior like drinking or grooming or behavioral hyperactivity supports a primary effect of muscimol and the opioids on LS mechanisms of feeding control. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The LS is interesting because of its role in a wide range of behaviors including defensive behaviors, social behaviors, learning, memory, and motivation. Although the LS was discovered to have a role in feeding stimulation over 30 years ago, only recently has major progress begun to reveal the underlying mechanisms. The present paper contributes by suggesting that LS GABAA and μ-opioid receptors elicit eating by inhibiting LS neurons that themselves inhibit eating. Importantly, this work informs lateral septal research which may shed light on disordered eating included binge eating and anorexia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle T Calderwood
- Department of Psychology, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, United States of America.
| | - Andy Tseng
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, United States of America
| | - Ivett Gabriella
- Department of Molecular, Cell, System Biology, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, United States of America
| | - B Glenn Stanley
- Department of Psychology, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, United States of America; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, United States of America; Department of Molecular, Cell, System Biology, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, United States of America
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29
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Wheatcroft T, Saleem AB, Solomon SG. Functional Organisation of the Mouse Superior Colliculus. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:792959. [PMID: 35601532 PMCID: PMC9118347 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.792959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The superior colliculus (SC) is a highly conserved area of the mammalian midbrain that is widely implicated in the organisation and control of behaviour. SC receives input from a large number of brain areas, and provides outputs to a large number of areas. The convergence and divergence of anatomical connections with different areas and systems provides challenges for understanding how SC contributes to behaviour. Recent work in mouse has provided large anatomical datasets, and a wealth of new data from experiments that identify and manipulate different cells within SC, and their inputs and outputs, during simple behaviours. These data offer an opportunity to better understand the roles that SC plays in these behaviours. However, some of the observations appear, at first sight, to be contradictory. Here we review this recent work and hypothesise a simple framework which can capture the observations, that requires only a small change to previous models. Specifically, the functional organisation of SC can be explained by supposing that three largely distinct circuits support three largely distinct classes of simple behaviours-arrest, turning towards, and the triggering of escape or capture. These behaviours are hypothesised to be supported by the optic, intermediate and deep layers, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Samuel G. Solomon
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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30
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Patel H. The role of the lateral septum in neuropsychiatric disease. J Neurosci Res 2022; 100:1422-1437. [PMID: 35443088 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The lateral septum (LS) is a structure in the midline of the brain that is interconnected with areas associated with stress and feeding. This review highlights the role of the LS in anxiety, depression, and eating disorders and their comorbidity. There is a prevailing view that the LS is anxiolytic. This review finds that the LS is both anxiolytic and anxiogenic. Furthermore, the LS can promote and inhibit feeding. Given these shared roles, the LS represents a common site for the comorbidity of neuropsychiatric disorders, and therefore a potential pharmacological target. This is crucial since currently available treatments are not always effective. Corticotrophin-releasing factor 2 antagonists are potential drugs for the treatment of anxiety and anorexia and require further research. Furthermore, other drugs currently in trials for binge eating, such as alpha-adrenergic agonists, may in fact promote food intake. It is hoped that the advancements in chemo- and optogenetic techniques will allow future studies to profile the specific neural connections of the LS and their function. This information could facilitate our understanding of the underlying mechanisms, and therefore pharmacological targets, of these psychiatric conditions.
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Watts AG, Kanoski SE, Sanchez-Watts G, Langhans W. The physiological control of eating: signals, neurons, and networks. Physiol Rev 2022; 102:689-813. [PMID: 34486393 PMCID: PMC8759974 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00028.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
During the past 30 yr, investigating the physiology of eating behaviors has generated a truly vast literature. This is fueled in part by a dramatic increase in obesity and its comorbidities that has coincided with an ever increasing sophistication of genetically based manipulations. These techniques have produced results with a remarkable degree of cell specificity, particularly at the cell signaling level, and have played a lead role in advancing the field. However, putting these findings into a brain-wide context that connects physiological signals and neurons to behavior and somatic physiology requires a thorough consideration of neuronal connections: a field that has also seen an extraordinary technological revolution. Our goal is to present a comprehensive and balanced assessment of how physiological signals associated with energy homeostasis interact at many brain levels to control eating behaviors. A major theme is that these signals engage sets of interacting neural networks throughout the brain that are defined by specific neural connections. We begin by discussing some fundamental concepts, including ones that still engender vigorous debate, that provide the necessary frameworks for understanding how the brain controls meal initiation and termination. These include key word definitions, ATP availability as the pivotal regulated variable in energy homeostasis, neuropeptide signaling, homeostatic and hedonic eating, and meal structure. Within this context, we discuss network models of how key regions in the endbrain (or telencephalon), hypothalamus, hindbrain, medulla, vagus nerve, and spinal cord work together with the gastrointestinal tract to enable the complex motor events that permit animals to eat in diverse situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan G Watts
- The Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Scott E Kanoski
- The Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Graciela Sanchez-Watts
- The Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Wolfgang Langhans
- Physiology and Behavior Laboratory, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule-Zürich, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland
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A circuit from lateral septum neurotensin neurons to tuberal nucleus controls hedonic feeding. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:4843-4860. [PMID: 36028570 PMCID: PMC9763109 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01742-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Feeding behavior is regulated by both the homeostatic needs of the body and hedonic values of the food. Easy access to palatable energy-dense foods and the consequent obesity epidemic stress the urgent need for a better understanding of neural circuits that regulate hedonic feeding. Here, we report that neurotensin-positive neurons in the lateral septum (LSNts) play a crucial role in regulating hedonic feeding. Silencing LSNts specifically promotes feeding of palatable food, whereas activation of LSNts suppresses overall feeding. LSNts neurons project to the tuberal nucleus (TU) via GABA signaling to regulate hedonic feeding, while the neurotensin signal from LSNts→the supramammillary nucleus (SUM) is sufficient to suppress overall feeding. In vivo calcium imaging and optogenetic manipulation reveal two populations of LSNts neurons that are activated and inhibited during feeding, which contribute to food seeking and consumption, respectively. Chronic activation of LSNts or LSNts→TU is sufficient to reduce high-fat diet-induced obesity. Our findings suggest that LSNts→TU is a key pathway in regulating hedonic feeding.
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Putting Together Pieces of the Lateral Septum: Multifaceted Functions and Its Neural Pathways. eNeuro 2021; 8:ENEURO.0315-21.2021. [PMID: 34764187 PMCID: PMC8647703 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0315-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The lateral septum (LS) is implicated as a hub that regulates a variety of affects, such as reward, feeding, anxiety, fear, sociability, and memory. However, it remains unclear how the LS, previously treated as a structure of homogeneity, exhibits such multifaceted functions. Emerging evidence suggests that different functions of the LS are mediated largely by its diverse input and output connections. It has also become clear that the LS is a heterogeneous region, where its dorsal and ventral poles play dissociable and often opposing roles. This functional heterogeneity can often be explained by distinct dorsal and ventral hippocampal inputs along the LS dorsoventral axis, as well as antagonizing connections between LS subregions. Similarly, outputs from LS subregions to respective downstream targets, such as hypothalamic, preoptic, and tegmental areas, also account for this functional heterogeneity. In this review, we provide an updated perspective on LS subregion classification, connectivity, and functions. We also identify key questions that have yet to be addressed in the field.
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Williams DL. The diverse effects of brain glucagon-like peptide 1 receptors on ingestive behaviour. Br J Pharmacol 2021; 179:571-583. [PMID: 33990944 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) is well known as a gut hormone and also acts as a neuropeptide, produced in a discrete population of caudal brainstem neurons that project widely throughout the brain. GLP-1 receptors are expressed in many brain areas of relevance to energy balance, and stimulation of these receptors at many of these sites potently suppresses food intake. This review surveys the current evidence for effects mediated by GLP-1 receptors on feeding behaviour at a wide array of brain sites and discusses behavioural and neurophysiological mechanisms for the effects identified thus far. Taken together, it is clear that GLP-1 receptor activity in the brain can influence feeding by diverse means, including mediation of gastrointestinal satiation and/or satiety signalling, suppression of motivation for food reward, induction of nausea and mediation of restraint stress-induced hypophagia, but many questions about the organization of this system remain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana L Williams
- Department of Psychology, Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
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Ramirez-Virella J, Leinninger GM. The Role of Central Neurotensin in Regulating Feeding and Body Weight. Endocrinology 2021; 162:6144574. [PMID: 33599716 PMCID: PMC7951050 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqab038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The small peptide neurotensin (Nts) is implicated in myriad processes including analgesia, thermoregulation, reward, arousal, blood pressure, and modulation of feeding and body weight. Alterations in Nts have recently been described in individuals with obesity or eating disorders, suggesting that disrupted Nts signaling may contribute to body weight disturbance. Curiously, Nts mediates seemingly opposing regulation of body weight via different tissues. Peripherally acting Nts promotes fat absorption and weight gain, whereas central Nts signaling suppresses feeding and weight gain. Thus, because Nts is pleiotropic, a location-based approach must be used to understand its contributions to disordered body weight and whether the Nts system might be leveraged to improve metabolic health. Here we review the role of Nts signaling in the brain to understand the sites, receptors, and mechanisms by which Nts can promote behaviors that modify body weight. New techniques permitting site-specific modulation of Nts and Nts receptor-expressing cells suggest that, even in the brain, not all Nts circuitry exerts the same function. Intriguingly, there may be dedicated brain regions and circuits via which Nts specifically suppresses feeding behavior and weight gain vs other Nts-attributed physiology. Defining the central mechanisms by which Nts signaling modifies body weight may suggest strategies to correct disrupted energy balance, as needed to address overweight, obesity, and eating disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jariel Ramirez-Virella
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Gina M Leinninger
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Correspondence: Gina M. Leinninger, PhD, Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, 5400 ISTB, 766 Service Rd, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
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Stern SA, Bulik CM. Alternative Frameworks for Advancing the Study of Eating Disorders. Trends Neurosci 2020; 43:951-959. [PMID: 33139082 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2020.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Eating disorders are life-interrupting psychiatric conditions with high morbidity and mortality, yet the basic mechanisms underlying these conditions are understudied compared with other psychiatric disorders. In this opinion, we suggest that recent knowledge gleaned from genomic and neuroimaging investigations of eating disorders in humans presents a rich opportunity to sharpen animal models of eating disorders and to identify neural mechanisms that contribute to the risk and maintenance of these conditions. Our article reflects the state of the science, with a primary focus on anorexia nervosa (AN) and binge-eating behavior, and encourages further study of all conditions categorized under feeding and eating disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Stern
- Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter, FL, USA; Department of Molecular Genetics, Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Cynthia M Bulik
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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