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Parsons W, Greiner E, Buczek L, Migliaccio J, Corbett E, Madden AMK, Petrovich GD. Sex differences in activation of extra-hypothalamic forebrain areas during hedonic eating. Brain Struct Funct 2022; 227:2857-2878. [PMID: 36258044 PMCID: PMC9724631 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-022-02580-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Palatable foods can stimulate appetite without hunger, and unconstrained overeating underlies obesity and binge eating disorder. Women are more prone to obesity and binge eating than men but the neural causes of individual differences are unknown. In an animal model of hedonic eating, a prior study found that females were more susceptible than males to eat palatable food when sated and that the neuropeptide orexin/hypocretin (ORX) was crucial in both sexes. The current study examined potential extra-hypothalamic forebrain targets of ORX signaling during hedonic eating. We measured Fos induction in the cortical, thalamic, striatal, and amygdalar areas that receive substantial ORX inputs and contain their receptors in hungry and sated male and female rats during palatable (high-sucrose) food consumption. During the test, hungry rats of both sexes ate substantial amounts, and while sated males ate much less than hungry rats, sated females ate as much as hungry rats. The Fos induction analysis identified sex differences in recruitment of specific areas of the medial prefrontal cortex, paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT), nucleus accumbens (ACB), and central nucleus of the amygdala (CEA), and similar patterns across sexes in the insular cortex. There was a striking activation of the infralimbic cortex in sated males, who consumed the least amount food and unique correlations between the insular cortex, PVT, and CEA, as well as the prelimbic cortex, ACB, and CEA in sated females but not sated males. The study identified key functional circuits that may drive hedonic eating in a sex-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Parsons
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Eliza Greiner
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Laura Buczek
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Jennifer Migliaccio
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Erin Corbett
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Amanda M K Madden
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Gorica D Petrovich
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA.
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Griffiths BB, Madden AMK, Edwards KA, Zup SL, Stary CM. Age-dependent sexual dimorphism in hippocampal cornu ammonis-1 perineuronal net expression in rats. Brain Behav 2019; 9:e01265. [PMID: 30912298 PMCID: PMC6520292 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Revised: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Perineuronal nets (PNNs) are extracellular matrices that encompass parvalbumin-expressing parvalbumin positive (PVALB+) fast-spiking inhibitory interneurons where they protect and stabilize afferent synapses. Recent observations that gonadal hormones influence PVALB+ neuron development suggest that PNN regulation may be sexually dimorphic. Sex differences in PNN abundance and complexity have been reported in sexually dimorphic nuclei in zebra finch brains; however, corresponding differences in mammalian brains have not been investigated. METHODS In this study we assessed the number of cortical and hippocampal PNNs in juvenile and young adult male and female rats using fluorescent immunohistochemistry for PVALB and the PNN marker Wisteria Floribunda Lectin. RESULTS We report here that PNNs are numerous and well developed in hippocampal cornu ammonis-1 of adult males but are lower in juvenile and possibly adult females. No significant differences were observed between sexes in cornu ammonis-3 or adjacent neocortex. There was an observed developmental difference in the neocortex as juveniles had more PVALB+ cells, but fewer PNN+ cells, than adults. CONCLUSIONS Because PNNs are integral for several hippocampal-mediated learning and memory tasks, these observations have potential sex-dependent translational implications for clinical strategies targeting cognitive dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian B Griffiths
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Amanda M K Madden
- Developmental and Brain Sciences Program, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kimbra A Edwards
- Developmental and Brain Sciences Program, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Susan L Zup
- Developmental and Brain Sciences Program, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Creed M Stary
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California
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Madden AMK, Paul AT, Pritchard RA, Michel R, Zup SL. Serotonin promotes feminization of the sexually dimorphic nucleus of the preoptic area, but not the calbindin cell group. Dev Neurobiol 2016; 76:1241-1253. [DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2015] [Revised: 12/30/2015] [Accepted: 02/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M. K. Madden
- Graduate Program in Developmental and Brain Sciences; University of Massachusetts Boston; Boston Massachusetts 02125
- Psychology Department; University of Massachusetts Boston; Boston Massachusetts 02125
| | - Alexandria T. Paul
- Psychology Department; University of Massachusetts Boston; Boston Massachusetts 02125
| | - Rory A. Pritchard
- Psychology Department; University of Massachusetts Boston; Boston Massachusetts 02125
| | - Rebecca Michel
- Psychology Department; University of Massachusetts Boston; Boston Massachusetts 02125
| | - Susan L. Zup
- Graduate Program in Developmental and Brain Sciences; University of Massachusetts Boston; Boston Massachusetts 02125
- Psychology Department; University of Massachusetts Boston; Boston Massachusetts 02125
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Madden AMK, Zup SL. Effects of developmental hyperserotonemia on juvenile play behavior, oxytocin and serotonin receptor expression in the hypothalamus are age and sex dependent. Physiol Behav 2014; 128:260-9. [PMID: 24530263 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2014.01.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2013] [Revised: 12/11/2013] [Accepted: 01/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
There is a striking sex difference in the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), such that males are diagnosed more often than females, usually in early childhood. Given that recent research has implicated elevated blood serotonin (hyperserotonemia) in perinatal development as a potential factor in the pathogenesis of ASD, we sought to evaluate the effects of developmental hyperserotonemia on social behavior and relevant brain morphology in juvenile males and females. Administration of 5-methoxytryptamine (5-MT) both pre- and postnatally was found to disrupt normal social play behavior in juveniles. In addition, alterations in the number of oxytocinergic cells in the lateral and medial paraventricular nucleus (PVN) were evident on postnatal day 18 (PND18) in 5-MT treated females, but not treated males. 5-MT treatment also changed the relative expression of 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(2A) receptors in the PVN, in males at PND10 and in females at PND18. These data suggest that serotonin plays an organizing role in the development of the PVN in a sexually dimorphic fashion, and that elevated serotonin levels during perinatal development may disrupt normal organization, leading to neurochemical and behavioral changes. Importantly, these data also suggest that the inclusion of both juvenile males and females in studies will be necessary to fully understand the role of serotonin in development, especially in relation to ASD.
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MESH Headings
- Age Factors
- Animals
- Behavior, Animal/physiology
- Female
- Hypothalamus/drug effects
- Hypothalamus/metabolism
- Hypothalamus/physiology
- Male
- Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus/drug effects
- Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus/metabolism
- Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus/physiology
- Play and Playthings
- Rats
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley/growth & development
- Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A/biosynthesis
- Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A/physiology
- Receptors, Oxytocin/biosynthesis
- Receptors, Oxytocin/physiology
- Receptors, Serotonin/biosynthesis
- Receptors, Serotonin/physiology
- Serotonin/blood
- Serotonin/pharmacology
- Sex Factors
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M K Madden
- Graduate Program in Developmental and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA 02125, USA; Psychology Department, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA 02125, USA
| | - Susan L Zup
- Graduate Program in Developmental and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA 02125, USA; Psychology Department, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA 02125, USA.
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Bharadwaj P, McInnis C, Madden AMK, Bonthuis PJ, Zup S, Rissman EF, Park JH. Increased dendritic spine density and tau expression are associated with individual differences in steroidal regulation of male sexual behavior. PLoS One 2013; 8:e69672. [PMID: 23874981 PMCID: PMC3713039 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0069672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2013] [Accepted: 06/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Male sexual behavior (MSB) is modulated by gonadal steroids, yet this relationship is highly variable across species and between individuals. A significant percentage (~30%) of B6D2F1 hybrid male mice demonstrate MSB after long-term orchidectomy (herein after referred to as "maters"), providing an opportunity to examine the mechanisms that underlie individual differences in steroidal regulation of MSB. Use of gene expression arrays comparing maters and non-maters has provided a first pass look at the genetic underpinnings of steroid-independent MSB. Surprisingly, of the ~500 genes in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) that differed between maters and non-maters, no steroid hormone or receptor genes were differentially expressed between the two groups. Interestingly, best known for their association with Alzheimer's disease, amyloid precursor protein (APP) and the microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) were elevated in maters. Increased levels of their protein products (APP and tau) in their non-pathological states have been implicated in cell survival, neuroprotection, and supporting synaptic integrity. Here we tested transgenic mice that overexpress tau and found facilitated mounting and intromission behavior after long-term orchidectomy relative to littermate controls. In addition, levels of synaptophysin and spinophilin, proteins generally enriched in synapses and dendritic spines respectively, were elevated in the MPOA of maters. Dendritic morphology was also assessed in Golgi-impregnated brains of orchidectomized B6D2F1 males, and hybrid maters exhibited greater dendritic spine density in MPOA neurons. In sum, we show for the first time that retention of MSB in the absence of steroids is correlated with morphological differences in neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pranay Bharadwaj
- Psychology Department, University of Massachusetts, Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Christine McInnis
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Amanda M. K. Madden
- Psychology Department, University of Massachusetts, Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Paul J. Bonthuis
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah, School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Susan Zup
- Psychology Department, University of Massachusetts, Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Emilie F. Rissman
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Jin Ho Park
- Psychology Department, University of Massachusetts, Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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