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Hosseini Fin NS, Yip A, Teo L, Homman-Ludiye J, Bourne JA. Developmental dynamics of the prefrontal cortical SST and PV interneuron networks: Insights from the monkey highlight human-specific features. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.10.602904. [PMID: 39026896 PMCID: PMC11257587 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.10.602904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
The primate prefrontal cortex (PFC) is a quintessential hub of cognitive functions. Amidst its intricate neural architecture, the interplay of distinct neuronal subtypes, notably parvalbumin (PV) and somatostatin (SST) interneurons (INs), emerge as a cornerstone in sculpting cortical circuitry and governing cognitive processes. While considerable strides have been made in elucidating the developmental trajectory of these neurons in rodent models, our understanding of their postmigration developmental dynamics in primates still needs to be studied. Disruptions to this developmental trajectory can compromise IN function, impairing signal gating and circuit modulation within cortical networks. This study examined the expression patterns of PV and SST, ion transporter KCC2, and ion channel subtypes Kv3.1b, and Nav1.1 -associated with morphophysiological stages of development in the postnatal marmoset monkey in different frontal cortical regions (granular areas 8aD, 8aV, 9, 46; agranular areas 11, 47L). Our results demonstrate that the maturation of PV+ INs extends into adolescence, characterized by discrete epochs associated with specific expression dynamics of ion channel subtypes. Interestingly, we observed a postnatal decrease in SST interneurons, contrasting with studies in rodents. This endeavor broadens our comprehension of primate cortical development and furnishes invaluable insights into the etiology and pathophysiology of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by perturbations in PV and SST IN function. Summary Statement The prefrontal cortex (PFC) in primates is crucial for cognitive functions, with parvalbumin (PV) and somatostatin (SST) interneurons playing key roles. This study in marmoset monkeys explores their developmental dynamics, revealing prolonged maturation of PV interneurons and contrasting SST patterns from rodents, enhancing understanding of primate cortical development.
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Islam KUS, Blaess S. The impact of the mesoprefrontal dopaminergic system on the maturation of interneurons in the murine prefrontal cortex. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1403402. [PMID: 39035778 PMCID: PMC11257905 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1403402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) undergoes a protracted maturation process. This is true both for local interneurons and for innervation from midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons. In the striatum, dopaminergic (DA) neurotransmission is required for the maturation of medium spiny neurons during a critical developmental period. To investigate whether DA innervation influences the maturation of interneurons in the PFC, we used a conditional knockout (cKO) mouse model in which innervation from mDA neurons to the mPFC (mesoprefrontal innnervation) is not established during development. In this mouse model, the maturation of parvalbumin (PV) and calbindin (CB) interneuron populations in the PFC is dysregulated during a critical period in adolescence with changes persisting into adulthood. PV interneurons are particularly vulnerable to lack of mesoprefrontal input, showing an inability to maintain adequate PV expression with a concomitant decrease in Gad1 expression levels. Interestingly, lack of mesoprefrontal innervation does not appear to induce compensatory changes such as upregulation of DA receptor expression in PFC neurons or increased innervation density of other neuromodulatory (serotonergic and noradrenergic) innervation. In conclusion, our study shows that adolescence is a sensitive period during which mesoprefrontal input plays a critical role in promoting the maturation of specific interneuron subgroups. The results of this study will help to understand how a dysregulated mesoprefrontal DA system contributes to the pathophysiology of neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sandra Blaess
- Neurodevelopmental Genetics, Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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3
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Marín O. Parvalbumin interneuron deficits in schizophrenia. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2024; 82:44-52. [PMID: 38490084 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2024.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Parvalbumin-expressing (PV+) interneurons represent one of the most abundant subclasses of cortical interneurons. Owing to their specific electrophysiological and synaptic properties, PV+ interneurons are essential for gating and pacing the activity of excitatory neurons. In particular, PV+ interneurons are critically involved in generating and maintaining cortical rhythms in the gamma frequency, which are essential for complex cognitive functions. Deficits in PV+ interneurons have been frequently reported in postmortem studies of schizophrenia patients, and alterations in gamma oscillations are a prominent electrophysiological feature of the disease. Here, I summarise the main features of PV+ interneurons and review clinical and preclinical studies linking the developmental dysfunction of cortical PV+ interneurons with the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Marín
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom; Medical Research Council Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom.
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4
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Fournier LA, Phadke RA, Salgado M, Brack A, Nocon JC, Bolshakova S, Grant JR, Padró Luna NM, Sen K, Cruz-Martín A. Overexpression of the schizophrenia risk gene C4 in PV cells drives sex-dependent behavioral deficits and circuit dysfunction. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.27.575409. [PMID: 38328248 PMCID: PMC10849664 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.27.575409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Fast-spiking parvalbumin (PV)-positive cells are key players in orchestrating pyramidal neuron activity, and their dysfunction is consistently observed in myriad brain diseases. To understand how immune complement dysregulation - a prevalent locus of brain disease etiology - in PV cells may drive disease pathogenesis, we have developed a transgenic mouse line that permits cell-type specific overexpression of the schizophrenia-associated complement component 4 (C4) gene. We found that overexpression of mouse C4 (mC4) in PV cells causes sex-specific behavioral alterations and concomitant deficits in synaptic connectivity and excitability of PV cells of the prefrontal cortex. Using a computational network, we demonstrated that these microcircuit deficits led to hyperactivity and disrupted neural communication. Finally, pan-neuronal overexpression of mC4 failed to evoke the same deficits in behavior as PV-specific mC4 overexpression, suggesting that C4 perturbations in fast-spiking neurons are more harmful to brain function than pan-neuronal alterations. Together, these results provide a causative link between C4 and the vulnerability of PV cells in brain disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke A. Fournier
- Neurobiology Section in the Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Rhushikesh A. Phadke
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry Program, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Maria Salgado
- Neurobiology Section in the Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Alison Brack
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry Program, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jian Carlo Nocon
- Neurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Hearing Research Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Sonia Bolshakova
- Neurobiology Section in the Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Bioinformatics MS Program, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jaylyn R. Grant
- Biological Sciences, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, United States
- The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program, Boston University, Boston, United States
| | - Nicole M. Padró Luna
- The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program, Boston University, Boston, United States
- Biology Department, College of Natural Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Kamal Sen
- Neurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Hearing Research Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Alberto Cruz-Martín
- Neurobiology Section in the Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry Program, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
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5
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Homberg JR, Brivio P, Greven CU, Calabrese F. Individuals being high in their sensitivity to the environment: Are sensitive period changes in play? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 159:105605. [PMID: 38417743 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105605] [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: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
All individuals on planet earth are sensitive to the environment, but some more than others. These individual differences in sensitivity to environments are seen across many animal species including humans, and can influence personalities as well as vulnerability and resilience to mental disorders. Yet, little is known about the underlying brain mechanisms. Key genes that contribute to individual differences in environmental sensitivity are the serotonin transporter, dopamine D4 receptor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor genes. By synthesizing neurodevelopmental findings of these genetic factors, and discussing them through the lens of mechanisms related to sensitive periods, which are phases of heightened neuronal plasticity during which a certain network is being finetuned by experiences, we propose that these genetic factors delay but extend postnatal sensitive periods. This may explain why sensitive individuals show behavioral features that are characteristic of a young brain state at the level of sensory information processing, such as reduced filtering or blockade of irrelevant information, resulting in a sensory processing system that 'keeps all options open'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith R Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Paola Brivio
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences "Rodolfo Paoletti", Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Corina U Greven
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry University Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Center, London, United Kingdom
| | - Francesca Calabrese
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences "Rodolfo Paoletti", Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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6
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Zhang S, Larsen B, Sydnor VJ, Zeng T, An L, Yan X, Kong R, Kong X, Gur RC, Gur RE, Moore TM, Wolf DH, Holmes AJ, Xie Y, Zhou JH, Fortier MV, Tan AP, Gluckman P, Chong YS, Meaney MJ, Deco G, Satterthwaite TD, Yeo BT. In-vivo whole-cortex marker of excitation-inhibition ratio indexes cortical maturation and cognitive ability in youth. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.06.22.546023. [PMID: 38586012 PMCID: PMC10996460 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.22.546023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
A balanced excitation-inhibition ratio (E/I ratio) is critical for healthy brain function. Normative development of cortex-wide E/I ratio remains unknown. Here we non-invasively estimate a putative marker of whole-cortex E/I ratio by fitting a large-scale biophysically-plausible circuit model to resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) data. We first confirm that our model generates realistic brain dynamics in the Human Connectome Project. Next, we show that the estimated E/I ratio marker is sensitive to the GABA-agonist benzodiazepine alprazolam during fMRI. Alprazolam-induced E/I changes are spatially consistent with positron emission tomography measurement of benzodiazepine receptor density. We then investigate the relationship between the E/I ratio marker and neurodevelopment. We find that the E/I ratio marker declines heterogeneously across the cerebral cortex during youth, with the greatest reduction occurring in sensorimotor systems relative to association systems. Importantly, among children with the same chronological age, a lower E/I ratio marker (especially in association cortex) is linked to better cognitive performance. This result is replicated across North American (8.2 to 23.0 years old) and Asian (7.2 to 7.9 years old) cohorts, suggesting that a more mature E/I ratio indexes improved cognition during normative development. Overall, our findings open the door to studying how disrupted E/I trajectories may lead to cognitive dysfunction in psychopathology that emerges during youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoshi Zhang
- Centre for Sleep and Cognition & Centre for Translational MR Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- N.1 Institute for Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Integrative Sciences and Engineering Programme (ISEP), National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Medicine, Human Potential Translational Research Programme & Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National Univeristy of Singapore, Signapore
| | - Bart Larsen
- Penn Lifespan Informatics and Neuroimaging Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute (LiBI) of Penn Medicine and CHOP, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Valerie J. Sydnor
- Penn Lifespan Informatics and Neuroimaging Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute (LiBI) of Penn Medicine and CHOP, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Tianchu Zeng
- Centre for Sleep and Cognition & Centre for Translational MR Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- N.1 Institute for Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Medicine, Human Potential Translational Research Programme & Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National Univeristy of Singapore, Signapore
| | - Lijun An
- Centre for Sleep and Cognition & Centre for Translational MR Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- N.1 Institute for Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Medicine, Human Potential Translational Research Programme & Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National Univeristy of Singapore, Signapore
| | - Xiaoxuan Yan
- Centre for Sleep and Cognition & Centre for Translational MR Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- N.1 Institute for Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Integrative Sciences and Engineering Programme (ISEP), National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Medicine, Human Potential Translational Research Programme & Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National Univeristy of Singapore, Signapore
| | - Ru Kong
- Centre for Sleep and Cognition & Centre for Translational MR Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- N.1 Institute for Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Medicine, Human Potential Translational Research Programme & Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National Univeristy of Singapore, Signapore
| | - Xiaolu Kong
- Centre for Sleep and Cognition & Centre for Translational MR Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- N.1 Institute for Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Medicine, Human Potential Translational Research Programme & Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National Univeristy of Singapore, Signapore
- ByteDance, Singapore
| | - Ruben C. Gur
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute (LiBI) of Penn Medicine and CHOP, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Raquel E. Gur
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute (LiBI) of Penn Medicine and CHOP, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Tyler M. Moore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute (LiBI) of Penn Medicine and CHOP, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Daniel H. Wolf
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Avram J Holmes
- Department of Psychiatry, Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States
- Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Yapei Xie
- Centre for Sleep and Cognition & Centre for Translational MR Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- N.1 Institute for Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Medicine, Human Potential Translational Research Programme & Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National Univeristy of Singapore, Signapore
| | - Juan Helen Zhou
- Centre for Sleep and Cognition & Centre for Translational MR Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Integrative Sciences and Engineering Programme (ISEP), National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Medicine, Human Potential Translational Research Programme & Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National Univeristy of Singapore, Signapore
| | - Marielle V Fortier
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Singapore
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
| | - Ai Peng Tan
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Peter Gluckman
- UK Centre for Human Evolution, Adaptation and Disease, Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Yap Seng Chong
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Michael J Meaney
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Gustavo Deco
- Center for Brain and Cognition, Department of Technology and Information, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de la Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Universitat Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Theodore D. Satterthwaite
- Penn Lifespan Informatics and Neuroimaging Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute (LiBI) of Penn Medicine and CHOP, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - B.T. Thomas Yeo
- Centre for Sleep and Cognition & Centre for Translational MR Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- N.1 Institute for Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Integrative Sciences and Engineering Programme (ISEP), National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Medicine, Human Potential Translational Research Programme & Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National Univeristy of Singapore, Signapore
- Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hopstial, Charlestown, MA, USA
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Cho JY, Rumschlag JA, Tsvetkov E, Proper DS, Lang H, Berto S, Assali A, Cowan CW. MEF2C Hypofunction in GABAergic Cells Alters Sociability and Prefrontal Cortex Inhibitory Synaptic Transmission in a Sex-Dependent Manner. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 4:100289. [PMID: 38390348 PMCID: PMC10881314 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2024.100289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Heterozygous mutations or deletions of MEF2C cause a neurodevelopmental disorder termed MEF2C haploinsufficiency syndrome (MCHS), characterized by autism spectrum disorder and neurological symptoms. In mice, global Mef2c heterozygosity has produced multiple MCHS-like phenotypes. MEF2C is highly expressed in multiple cell types of the developing brain, including GABAergic (gamma-aminobutyric acidergic) inhibitory neurons, but the influence of MEF2C hypofunction in GABAergic neurons on MCHS-like phenotypes remains unclear. Methods We employed GABAergic cell type-specific manipulations to study mouse Mef2c heterozygosity in a battery of MCHS-like behaviors. We also performed electroencephalography, single-cell transcriptomics, and patch-clamp electrophysiology and optogenetics to assess the impact of Mef2c haploinsufficiency on gene expression and prefrontal cortex microcircuits. Results Mef2c heterozygosity in developing GABAergic cells produced female-specific deficits in social preference and altered approach-avoidance behavior. In female, but not male, mice, we observed that Mef2c heterozygosity in developing GABAergic cells produced 1) differentially expressed genes in multiple cell types, including parvalbumin-expressing GABAergic neurons, 2) baseline and social-related frontocortical network activity alterations, and 3) reductions in parvalbumin cell intrinsic excitability and inhibitory synaptic transmission onto deep-layer pyramidal neurons. Conclusions MEF2C hypofunction in female, but not male, developing GABAergic cells is important for typical sociability and approach-avoidance behaviors and normal parvalbumin inhibitory neuron function in the prefrontal cortex of mice. While there is no apparent sex bias in autism spectrum disorder symptoms of MCHS, our findings suggest that GABAergic cell-specific dysfunction in females with MCHS may contribute disproportionately to sociability symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Y. Cho
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Jeffrey A. Rumschlag
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Evgeny Tsvetkov
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Divya S. Proper
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Hainan Lang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Stefano Berto
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Ahlem Assali
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Christopher W. Cowan
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
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Benedict J, Cudmore RH, Oden D, Spruell A, Linden DJ. The lateral habenula is required for maternal behavior in the mouse dam. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.12.577842. [PMID: 38405910 PMCID: PMC10888914 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.12.577842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Mammalian parenting is an unusually demanding commitment. How did evolution co-opt the reward system to ensure parental care? Previous work has implicated the lateral habenula (LHb), an epithalamic nucleus, as a potential intersection of parenting behavior and reward. Here, we examine the role of the LHb in the maternal behavior of naturally parturient mouse dams. We show that kainic acid lesions of the LHb induced a severe maternal neglect phenotype in dams towards their biological pups. Next, we demonstrate that through chronic chemogenetic inactivation of the LHb using DREADDs impaired acquisition and performance of various maternal behaviors, such as pup retrieval and nesting. We present a random intercepts model suggesting LHb-inactivation prevents the acquisition of the novel pup retrieval maternal behavior and decreases nest building performance, an already-established behavior, in primiparous mouse dams. Lastly, we examine the spatial histology of kainic-acid treated dams with a random intercepts model, which suggests that the role of LHb in maternal behavior may be preferentially localized at the posterior aspect of this structure. Together, these findings serve to establish the LHb as required for maternal behavior in the mouse dam, thereby complementing previous findings implicating the LHb in parental behavior using pup-sensitized virgin female mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessie Benedict
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Robert H Cudmore
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California -Davis School of Medicine, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Diarra Oden
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Aleah Spruell
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - David J Linden
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Noel ES, Chen A, Peña YA, Honeycutt JA. Early life adversity drives sex-dependent changes in 5-mC DNA methylation of parvalbumin cells in the prefrontal cortex in rats. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.31.578313. [PMID: 38352518 PMCID: PMC10862911 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.31.578313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Early life adversity (ELA) can result in increased risk for developing affective disorders, such as anxiety or depression, later in life, with women showing increased risk. Interactions between an individual's genes and their environment play key roles in producing, as well as mitigating, later life neuropathology. Our current understanding of the underlying epigenomic drivers of ELA associated anxiety and depression are limited, and this stems in part from the complexity of underlying biochemical processes associated with how early experiences shapes later life behavior. Epigenetic alterations, or experience-driven modifications to DNA, can be leveraged to understand the interplay between genes and the environment. The present study characterized DNA methylation patterning, assessed via evaluation of 5-methylcytosine (5-mC), following ELA in a Sprague Dawley rat model of ELA induced by early caregiver deprivation. This study utilized maternal separation to investigate sex- and age-specific outcomes of ELA on epigenetic patterning in parvalbumin (PV)-containing interneurons in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), a subpopulation of inhibitory neurons which are associated with ELA and affective dysfunction. While global analysis of 5-mC methylation and CpG site specific pyrosequencing of the PV promoter, Pvalb, showed no obvious effects of ELA, when analyses were restricted to assessing 5-mC intensity in colocalized PV cells, there were significant sex and age dependent effects. We found that ELA leads sex-specific changes in PV cell counts, and that cell counts can be predicted by 5-mC intensity, with males and females showing distinct patterns of methylation and PV outcomes. ELA also produced sex-specific effects in corticosterone reactivity, with juvenile females showing a blunted stress hormone response compared to controls. Overall, ELA led to a sex-specific developmental shift in PV profile, which is comparable to profiles that are seen at a later developmental timepoint, and this shift may be mediated in part by epigenomic alterations driven by altered DNA methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma S Noel
- Program in Biochemistry, Brunswick, ME 04011 USA
| | - Alissa Chen
- Program in Neuroscience, Brunswick, ME 04011 USA
| | | | - Jennifer A Honeycutt
- Program in Neuroscience, Brunswick, ME 04011 USA
- Department of Psychology Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME 04011 USA
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10
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Sohal VS. Neurobiology of schizophrenia. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2024; 84:102820. [PMID: 38091860 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2023.102820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Vikaas S Sohal
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0444, USA.
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Perica MI, Luna B. Impact of stress on excitatory and inhibitory markers of adolescent cognitive critical period plasticity. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 153:105378. [PMID: 37643681 PMCID: PMC10591935 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Adolescence is a time of significant neurocognitive development. Prolonged maturation of prefrontal cortex (PFC) through adolescence has been found to support improvements in executive function. Changes in excitatory and inhibitory mechanisms of critical period plasticity have been found to be present in the PFC through adolescence, suggesting that environment may have a greater effect on development during this time. Stress is one factor known to affect neurodevelopment increasing risk for psychopathology. However, less is known about how stress experienced during adolescence could affect adolescent-specific critical period plasticity mechanisms and cognitive outcomes. In this review, we synthesize findings from human and animal literatures looking at the experience of stress during adolescence on cognition and frontal excitatory and inhibitory neural activity. Studies indicate enhancing effects of acute stress on cognition and excitation within specific contexts, while chronic stress generally dampens excitatory and inhibitory processes and impairs cognition. We propose a model of how stress could affect frontal critical period plasticity, thus potentially altering neurodevelopmental trajectories that could lead to risk for psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria I Perica
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Beatriz Luna
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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12
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Larsen B, Sydnor VJ, Keller AS, Yeo BTT, Satterthwaite TD. A critical period plasticity framework for the sensorimotor-association axis of cortical neurodevelopment. Trends Neurosci 2023; 46:847-862. [PMID: 37643932 PMCID: PMC10530452 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
To understand human brain development it is necessary to describe not only the spatiotemporal patterns of neurodevelopment but also the neurobiological mechanisms that underlie them. Human neuroimaging studies have provided evidence for a hierarchical sensorimotor-to-association (S-A) axis of cortical neurodevelopment. Understanding the biological mechanisms that underlie this program of development using traditional neuroimaging approaches has been challenging. Animal models have been used to identify periods of enhanced experience-dependent plasticity - 'critical periods' - that progress along cortical hierarchies and are governed by a conserved set of neurobiological mechanisms that promote and then restrict plasticity. In this review we hypothesize that the S-A axis of cortical development in humans is partly driven by the cascading maturation of critical period plasticity mechanisms. We then describe how recent advances in in vivo neuroimaging approaches provide a promising path toward testing this hypothesis by linking signals derived from non-invasive imaging to critical period mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart Larsen
- Penn Lifespan Informatics and Neuroimaging Center (PennLINC), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Penn-CHOP Lifespan Brain Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Valerie J Sydnor
- Penn Lifespan Informatics and Neuroimaging Center (PennLINC), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Penn-CHOP Lifespan Brain Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Arielle S Keller
- Penn Lifespan Informatics and Neuroimaging Center (PennLINC), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Penn-CHOP Lifespan Brain Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - B T Thomas Yeo
- Centre for Sleep and Cognition (CSC), and Centre for Translational Magnetic Resonance Research (TMR), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore; N.1 Institute for Health and Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), National University of Singapore, Singapore; Integrative Sciences and Engineering Programme (ISEP), National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Theodore D Satterthwaite
- Penn Lifespan Informatics and Neuroimaging Center (PennLINC), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Penn-CHOP Lifespan Brain Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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13
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Ferrara NC, Opendak M. Amygdala circuit transitions supporting developmentally-appropriate social behavior. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2023; 201:107762. [PMID: 37116857 PMCID: PMC10204580 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2023.107762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Social behaviors dynamically change throughout the lifespan alongside the maturation of neural circuits. The basolateral region of the amygdala (BLA), in particular, undergoes substantial maturational changes from birth throughout adolescence that are characterized by changes in excitation, inhibition, and dopaminergic modulation. In this review, we detail the trajectory through which BLA circuits mature and are influenced by dopaminergic systems to guide transitions in social behavior in infancy and adolescence using data from rodents. In early life, social behavior is oriented towards approaching the attachment figure, with minimal BLA involvement. Around weaning age, dopaminergic innervation of the BLA introduces avoidance of novel peers into rat pups' behavioral repertoire. In adolescence, social behavior transitions towards peer-peer interactions with a high incidence of social play-related behaviors. This transition coincides with an increasing role of the BLA in the regulation of social behavior. Adolescent BLA maturation can be characterized by an increasing integration and function of local inhibitory GABAergic circuits and their engagement by the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Manipulation of these transitions using viral circuit dissection techniques and early adversity paradigms reveals the sensitivity of this system and its role in producing age-appropriate social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole C Ferrara
- Discipline of Physiology and Biophysics, Department of Foundational Sciences and Humanities, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, USA; Center for Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Maya Opendak
- Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA; Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Johns Hopkins Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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14
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Chamberlin LA, Yang SS, McEachern EP, Lucas JTM, McLeod Ii OW, Rolland CA, Mack NR, Ferguson BR, Gao WJ. Pharmacogenetic activation of parvalbumin interneurons in the prefrontal cortex rescues cognitive deficits induced by adolescent MK801 administration. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023:10.1038/s41386-023-01576-6. [PMID: 37041206 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01576-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
The cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia (SZ) present a significant clinical burden. They are treatment resistant and are the primary predictor of functional outcomes. Although the neural mechanisms underlying these deficits remain unclear, pathological GABAergic signaling likely plays an essential role. Perturbations with parvalbumin (PV)-expressing fast-spiking (FS) interneurons in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are consistently found in post-mortem studies of patients with SZ, as well as in animal models. Our studies have shown decreased prefrontal synaptic inhibition and PV immunostaining, along with working memory and cognitive flexibility deficits in the MK801 model. To test the hypothesized association between PV cell perturbations and impaired cognition in SZ, we activated prefrontal PV cells by using an excitatory DREADD viral vector with a PV promoter to rescue the cognitive deficits induced by adolescent MK801 administration in female rats. We found that targeted pharmacogenetic upregulation of prefrontal PV interneuron activity can restore E/I balance and improve cognition in the MK801 model. Our findings support the hypothesis that the reduced PV cell activity levels disrupt GABA transmission, resulting in the disinhibition of excitatory pyramidal cells. This disinhibition leads to an elevated prefrontal excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance that could be causal for cognitive impairments. Our study provides novel insights into the causal role of PV cells in cognitive function and has clinical implications for understanding the pathophysiology and management of SZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda A Chamberlin
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- MD/PhD program, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sha-Sha Yang
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Institute for Translational Brain Research, Department of Neurology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Erin P McEachern
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Joshua T M Lucas
- MD program, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Owen W McLeod Ii
- Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Program, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Claire A Rolland
- Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Program, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nancy R Mack
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Brielle R Ferguson
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- 2 Blackfan circle, Cetern for Life Science, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Wen-Jun Gao
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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15
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Gamma oscillations provide insights into cortical circuit development. Pflugers Arch 2023; 475:561-568. [PMID: 36864347 PMCID: PMC10105678 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-023-02801-3] [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: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
Rhythmic coordination in gamma oscillations provides temporal structure to neuronal activity. Gamma oscillations are commonly observed in the mammalian cerebral cortex, are altered early on in several neuropsychiatric disorders, and provide insights into the development of underlying cortical networks. However, a lack of knowledge on the developmental trajectory of gamma oscillations prevented the combination of findings from the immature and the adult brain. This review is intended to provide an overview on the development of cortical gamma oscillations, the maturation of the underlying network, and the implications for cortical function and dysfunction. The majority of information is drawn from work in rodents with particular emphasis on the prefrontal cortex, the developmental trajectory of gamma oscillations, and potential implications for neuropsychiatric disorders. Current evidence supports the idea that fast oscillations during development are indeed an immature form of adult gamma oscillations and can help us understand the pathology of neuropsychiatric disorders.
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