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Ghane M, Trambaiolli L, Bertocci MA, Martinez-Rivera FJ, Chase HW, Brady T, Skeba A, Graur S, Bonar L, Iyengar S, Quirk GJ, Rasmussen SA, Haber SN, Phillips ML. Specific patterns of endogenous functional connectivity are associated with harm avoidance in OCD. Biol Psychiatry 2024:S0006-3223(24)00078-7. [PMID: 38336216 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.12.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals with OCD show persistent-avoidance behaviors, often in the absence of actual threat. Quality-of-life costs and heterogeneity support the need for novel brain-behavior intervention targets. Informed by mechanistic and anatomic studies of persistent-avoidance in rodents and non-human primates, our goal was to test whether connections within a hypothesized persistent-avoidance related network predicted OCD-related harm-avoidance (HA), a trait measure of persistent-avoidance. We hypothesized that 1)HA, not OCD diagnosis, would be associated with altered endogenous connectivity in at least one connection in the network; 2)HA-specific findings would be robust to comorbid symptoms; and 3)reliable findings would replicate in an holdout testing subsample. METHODS Using resting-state fcMRI, cross-validated elastic-net for feature selection and Poisson generalized linear models, we tested which connections significantly predicted HA in our training subsample(n=73;71.8% Female;nHC=36,nOCD=37); robustness to comorbidities; and replicability in a testing subsample(n=30;56.7% Female;nHC=15,nOCD=15). RESULTS Stronger inverse connectivity between right dorsal anterior cingulate and right basolateral-amygdala (R_dACC-R_BLA) and stronger positive connectivity between right ventral anterior insula and left ventral-striatum (R_vaIns-L_VS) were associated with greater HA across groups. Network connections did not discriminate OCD diagnosis or predict HA-correlated traits, suggesting sensitivity to trait HA. The dACC-BLA relationship was robust to controlling for comorbidities and medication in individuals with OCD and was also predictive of HA in our testing subsample. CONCLUSION Stronger inverse dACC-BLA connectivity was robustly and reliably associated with HA across groups and in OCD. Results support the relevance of a cross-species persistent-avoidance-related network to OCD, with implications for precision-based approaches and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merage Ghane
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA.
| | - Lucas Trambaiolli
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Michele A Bertocci
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Freddyson J Martinez-Rivera
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine Mount Sinai, New York, NY (FJM currently at Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL)
| | - Henry W Chase
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Tyler Brady
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Alex Skeba
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Simona Graur
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Lisa Bonar
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Satish Iyengar
- Department of Statistics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, NY
| | | | - Steven A Rasmussen
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Suzanne N Haber
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
| | - Mary L Phillips
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
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2
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Martínez-Rivera FJ, Pérez-Torres J, Velázquez-Díaz CD, Sánchez-Navarro MJ, Huertas-Pérez CI, Diehl MM, Phillips ML, Haber SN, Quirk GJ. A Novel Insular/Orbital-Prelimbic Circuit That Prevents Persistent Avoidance in a Rodent Model of Compulsive Behavior. Biol Psychiatry 2023; 93:1000-1009. [PMID: 35491274 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A common symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder is the persistent avoidance of cues incorrectly associated with negative outcomes. This maladaptation becomes increasingly evident as subjects fail to respond to extinction-based treatments such as exposure-with-response prevention therapy. While previous studies have highlighted the role of the insular-orbital cortex in fine-tuning avoidance-based decisions, little is known about the projections from this area that might modulate compulsive-like avoidance. METHODS Here, we used anatomical tract-tracing, single-unit recording, and optogenetics to characterize the projections from the insular-orbital cortex. To model exposure-with-response prevention and persistent avoidance in rats, we used the platform-mediated avoidance task followed by extinction-with-response prevention training. RESULTS Using tract-tracing and unit recording, we found that projections from the agranular insular/lateral orbital (AI/LO) cortex to the prefrontal cortex predominantly target the rostral portion of the prelimbic (rPL) cortex and excite rPL neurons. Photoinhibiting this projection induced persistent avoidance after extinction-with-response prevention training, an effect that was still present 1 week later. Consistent with this, photoexcitation of this projection prevented persistent avoidance in overtrained rats. This projection to rPL appears to be key for AI/LO's effects, considering that there was no effect of photoinhibiting AI/LO projections to the ventral striatum or basolateral amygdala. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that projections from the AI/LO to the rPL decreases the likelihood of avoidance behavior following extinction. In humans, this connectivity may share some homology of projections from lateral prefrontal cortices (i.e., ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, and insula) to other prefrontal areas and the anterior cingulate cortex, suggesting that reduced activity in these pathways may contribute to obsessive-compulsive disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Freddyson J Martínez-Rivera
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
| | - José Pérez-Torres
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Coraly D Velázquez-Díaz
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Marcos J Sánchez-Navarro
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Carlos I Huertas-Pérez
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Maria M Diehl
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Mary L Phillips
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Suzanne N Haber
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, New York; McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Gregory J Quirk
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
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Quiñones-Laracuente K, Vega-Medina A, Quirk GJ. Time-Dependent Recruitment of Prelimbic Prefrontal Circuits for Retrieval of Fear Memory. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:665116. [PMID: 34012387 PMCID: PMC8126619 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.665116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The long-lasting nature of fear memories is essential for survival, but the neural circuitry for retrieval of these associations changes with the passage of time. We previously reported a time-dependent shift from prefrontal-amygdalar circuits to prefrontal-thalamic circuits for the retrieval of auditory fear conditioning. However, little is known about the time-dependent changes in the originating site, the prefrontal cortex. Here we monitored the responses of prelimbic (PL) prefrontal neurons to conditioned tones at early (2 h) vs. late (4 days) timepoints following training. Using c-Fos, we find that PL neurons projecting to the amygdala are activated early after learning, but not later, whereas PL neurons projecting to the paraventricular thalamus (PVT) show the opposite pattern. Using unit recording, we find that PL neurons in layer V (the origin of projections to amygdala) showed cue-induced excitation at earlier but not later timepoints, whereas PL neurons in Layer VI (the origin of projections to PVT) showed cue-induced inhibition at later, but not earlier, timepoints, along with an increase in spontaneous firing rate. Thus, soon after conditioning, there are conditioned excitatory responses in PL layer V which influence the amygdala. With the passage of time, however, retrieval of fear memories shifts to inhibitory responses in PL layer VI which influence the midline thalamus.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Gregory J. Quirk
- Laboratory of Gregory J. Quirk, Departments of Psychiatry, Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR, United States
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4
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Bravo-Rivera H, Rubio Arzola P, Caban-Murillo A, Vélez-Avilés AN, Ayala-Rosario SN, Quirk GJ. Characterizing Different Strategies for Resolving Approach-Avoidance Conflict. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:608922. [PMID: 33716644 PMCID: PMC7947632 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.608922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability of animals to maximize benefits and minimize costs during approach-avoidance conflicts is an important evolutionary tool, but little is known about the emergence of specific strategies for conflict resolution. Accordingly, we developed a simple approach-avoidance conflict task in rats that pits the motivation to press a lever for sucrose against the motivation to step onto a distant platform to avoid a footshock delivered at the end of a 30 s tone (sucrose is available only during the tone). Rats received conflict training for 16 days to give them a chance to optimize their strategy by learning to properly time the expression of both behaviors across the tone. Rats unexpectedly separated into three distinct subgroups: those pressing early in the tone and avoiding later (Timers, 49%); those avoiding throughout the tone (Avoidance-preferring, 32%); and those pressing throughout the tone (Approach-preferring, 19%). The immediate early gene cFos revealed that Timers showed increased activity in the ventral striatum and midline thalamus relative to the other two subgroups, Avoidance-preferring rats showed increased activity in the amygdala, and Approach-preferring rats showed decreased activity in the prefrontal cortex. This pattern is consistent with low fear and high behavioral flexibility in Timers, suggesting the potential of this task to reveal the neural mechanisms of conflict resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hector Bravo-Rivera
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Patricia Rubio Arzola
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Albit Caban-Murillo
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Adriana N. Vélez-Avilés
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Shantée N. Ayala-Rosario
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Gregory J. Quirk
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
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5
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Yanagihara R, Berry MJ, Carson MJ, Chang SP, Corliss H, Cox MB, Haddad G, Hohmann C, Kelley ST, Lee ESY, Link BG, Noel RJ, Pickrel J, Porter JT, Quirk GJ, Samuel T, Stiles JK, Sy AU, Taira DA, Trepka MJ, Villalta F, Wiese TE. Building a Diverse Workforce and Thinkforce to Reduce Health Disparities. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18:1569. [PMID: 33562262 PMCID: PMC7915161 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18041569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Program was congressionally mandated in 1985 to build research capacity at institutions that currently and historically recruit, train, and award doctorate degrees in the health professions and health-related sciences, primarily to individuals from underrepresented and minority populations. RCMI grantees share similar infrastructure needs and institutional goals. Of particular importance is the professional development of multidisciplinary teams of academic and community scholars (the "workforce") and the harnessing of the heterogeneity of thought (the "thinkforce") to reduce health disparities. The purpose of this report is to summarize the presentations and discussion at the RCMI Investigator Development Core (IDC) Workshop, held in conjunction with the RCMI Program National Conference in Bethesda, Maryland, in December 2019. The RCMI IDC Directors provided information about their professional development activities and Pilot Projects Programs and discussed barriers identified by new and early-stage investigators that limit effective career development, as well as potential solutions to overcome such obstacles. This report also proposes potential alignments of professional development activities, targeted goals and common metrics to track productivity and success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Yanagihara
- University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA; (M.J.B.); (S.P.C.); (A.U.S.); (D.A.T.)
| | - Marla J. Berry
- University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA; (M.J.B.); (S.P.C.); (A.U.S.); (D.A.T.)
| | - Monica J. Carson
- University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA; (M.J.C.); (B.G.L.)
| | - Sandra P. Chang
- University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA; (M.J.B.); (S.P.C.); (A.U.S.); (D.A.T.)
| | - Heather Corliss
- San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA; (H.C.); (S.T.K.); (J.P.)
| | - Marc B. Cox
- University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA;
| | | | | | - Scott T. Kelley
- San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA; (H.C.); (S.T.K.); (J.P.)
| | - Eun Sook Yu Lee
- Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA;
| | - Bruce G. Link
- University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA; (M.J.C.); (B.G.L.)
| | - Richard J. Noel
- Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA; (R.J.N.J.); (J.T.P.)
| | - Julie Pickrel
- San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA; (H.C.); (S.T.K.); (J.P.)
| | - James T. Porter
- Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA; (R.J.N.J.); (J.T.P.)
| | - Gregory J. Quirk
- University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR 00936, USA;
| | | | | | - Angela U. Sy
- University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA; (M.J.B.); (S.P.C.); (A.U.S.); (D.A.T.)
| | - Deborah A. Taira
- University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA; (M.J.B.); (S.P.C.); (A.U.S.); (D.A.T.)
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6
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Diehl MM, Iravedra-Garcia JM, Morán-Sierra J, Rojas-Bowe G, Gonzalez-Diaz FN, Valentín-Valentín VP, Quirk GJ. Divergent projections of the prelimbic cortex bidirectionally regulate active avoidance. eLife 2020; 9:59281. [PMID: 33054975 PMCID: PMC7588229 DOI: 10.7554/elife.59281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) integrates incoming information to guide our actions. When motivation for food-seeking competes with avoidance of danger, the PFC likely plays a role in selecting the optimal choice. In platform-mediated active avoidance, rats avoid a tone-signaled footshock by stepping onto a nearby platform, delaying access to sucrose pellets. This avoidance requires prelimbic (PL) PFC, basolateral amygdala (BLA), and ventral striatum (VS). We previously showed that inhibitory tone responses of PL neurons correlate with avoidability of shock (Diehl et al., 2018). Here, we optogenetically modulated PL terminals in VS and BLA to identify PL outputs regulating avoidance. Photoactivating PL-VS projections reduced avoidance, whereas photoactivating PL-BLA projections increased avoidance. Moreover, photosilencing PL-BLA or BLA-VS projections reduced avoidance, suggesting that VS receives opposing inputs from PL and BLA. Bidirectional modulation of avoidance by PL projections to VS and BLA enables the animal to make appropriate decisions when faced with competing drives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria M Diehl
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neurobiology & Anatomy, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Jorge M Iravedra-Garcia
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neurobiology & Anatomy, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Jonathan Morán-Sierra
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neurobiology & Anatomy, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Gabriel Rojas-Bowe
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neurobiology & Anatomy, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Fabiola N Gonzalez-Diaz
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neurobiology & Anatomy, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Viviana P Valentín-Valentín
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neurobiology & Anatomy, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Gregory J Quirk
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neurobiology & Anatomy, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
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7
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Chase HW, Graur S, Versace A, Greenberg T, Bonar L, Hudak R, Quirk GJ, Greenberg BD, Rasmussen SA, Haber SN, Phillips ML. Neural mechanisms of persistent avoidance in OCD: A novel avoidance devaluation study. Neuroimage Clin 2020; 28:102404. [PMID: 32916468 PMCID: PMC7490837 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
We investigated goal-directed processing in OCD and healthy controls using a rule-based devaluation paradigm. OCD patients with longer illness duration showed poorer goal-directed performance. Neural differences were observed in orbitofrontal cortex, premotor cortex, inferior frontal gyrus and the caudate, relating to group and individual differences in devaluation performance. Together the findings identify neural correlates of goal-directed deficits in OCD, and support a dual-process model of actions and habits.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is characterized by repetitive avoidance behavior which is distressing and associated with marked impairment of everyday life. Recently, paradigms have been designed to explore the hypothesis that avoidance behavior in OCD is consistent with a formal conception of habit. Such studies have involved a devaluation paradigm, in which the value of a previously rewarded cue is altered so that avoidance is no longer necessary. We employed a rule-based avoidance task which included a devaluation, examining behavioral performance on the task and their neural correlates using functional MRI in groups of participants with OCD (n = 44) and healthy control participants (n = 46). Neuroimaging data were analyzed using a general linear model (GLM), modelling valued, devalued and control cues, as well as feedback events. First, while no overall effect of OCD was seen on devaluation performance, patients with longer illness duration showed poorer devaluation performance (χ2 = 13.84, p < 0.001). Reduced devaluation was related to impaired learning on the overtraining phase of the task, and to enhanced feedback activation in the caudate and parietal lobe during within-scanner retraining (T = 5.52, p_FWE = 0.003), across all participants. Second, a significant interaction effect was observed in the premotor cortex (F = 29.03, p_FWE = 0.007) coupled to the devalued cue. Activations were divergent in participants with OCD (lower activation) and healthy controls (higher activation) who did not change responding to the devalued cue following devaluation, and intermediate in participants who did change responding (T = 5.39, p_FWE = 0.003). Finally, consistent with previous work, medial orbitofrontal cortex activation coupled to valued cues was reduced in OCD compared to controls (T = 3.49, p_FWE = 0.009). The findings are discussed in terms of a prediction error-based model of goal-directed and habitual control: specifically, how goal-directed control might be diminished in OCD in favor of habits. They suggest that illness duration might be significant determinant of variation in impaired goal-directed learning in OCD, and be a factor relevant for understanding discrepancies across studies. Overall, the study shows the potential of conceptual replication attempts to provide complementary insights into compulsive behavior and its associated neural circuitry in OCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry W Chase
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Simona Graur
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Amelia Versace
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Tsafrir Greenberg
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Lisa Bonar
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Robert Hudak
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Gregory J Quirk
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR, USA
| | - Ben D Greenberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown Medical School, Butler Hospital and Providence, VA Medical Center, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Steven A Rasmussen
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown Medical School, Butler Hospital and Providence, VA Medical Center, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Suzanne N Haber
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Mary L Phillips
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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8
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Martínez-Rivera FJ, Sánchez-Navarro MJ, Huertas-Pérez CI, Greenberg BD, Rasmussen SA, Quirk GJ. Prolonged avoidance training exacerbates OCD-like behaviors in a rodent model. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:212. [PMID: 32620740 PMCID: PMC7334221 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-00892-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by compulsive behaviors that often resemble avoidance of perceived danger. OCD can be treated with exposure-with-response prevention (ERP) therapy in which patients are exposed to triggers but are encouraged to refrain from compulsions, to extinguish compulsive responses. The compulsions of OCD are strengthened by many repeated exposures to triggers, but little is known about the effects of extended repetition of avoidance behaviors on extinction. Here we assessed the extent to which overtraining of active avoidance affects subsequent extinction-with-response prevention (Ext-RP) as a rodent model of ERP, in which rats are extinguished to triggers, while the avoidance option is prevented. Male rats conditioned for 8d or 20d produced similar avoidance behavior to a tone paired with a shock, however, the 20d group showed a severe impairment of extinction during Ext-RP, as well as heightened anxiety. Furthermore, the majority of overtrained (20d) rats (75%) exhibited persistent avoidance following Ext-RP. In the 8d group, only a minority of rats (37%) exhibited persistent avoidance, and this was associated with elevated activity (c-Fos) in the prelimbic cortex and nucleus accumbens. In the 20d group, the minority of non-persistent rats (25%) showed elevated activity in the insular-orbital cortex and paraventricular thalamus. Lastly, extending the duration of Ext-RP prevented the deleterious effects of overtraining on extinction and avoidance. These rodent findings suggest that repeated expression of compulsion-like behaviors biases individuals toward persistent avoidance and alters avoidance circuits, thereby reducing the effectiveness of current extinction-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Freddyson J Martínez-Rivera
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR, 00936, USA.
- Nash family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
| | - Marcos J Sánchez-Navarro
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR, 00936, USA
| | - Carlos I Huertas-Pérez
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR, 00936, USA
| | - Benjamin D Greenberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Butler Hospital and the Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, RI, 02906, USA
| | - Steven A Rasmussen
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Butler Hospital and the Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, RI, 02906, USA
| | - Gregory J Quirk
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR, 00936, USA
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Valentín-Valentín VP, Diehl MM, Iravedra-García JM, Morán-Sierra J, Rojas-Bowe G, Gonzalez-Díaz FN, Quirk GJ. Distinct projections from the prelimbic cortex modulate active avoidance. FASEB J 2020. [DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.2020.34.s1.05342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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10
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Diehl MM, Bravo-Rivera C, Quirk GJ. The study of active avoidance: A platform for discussion. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 107:229-237. [PMID: 31509767 PMCID: PMC6936221 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [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: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Traditional active avoidance tasks have advanced the field of aversive learning and memory for decades and are useful for studying simple avoidance responses in isolation; however, these tasks have limited clinical relevance because they do not model several key features of clinical avoidance. In contrast, platform-mediated avoidance (PMA) more closely resembles clinical avoidance because the response i) is associated with an unambiguous safe location, ii) is not associated with an artificial termination of the warning signal, and iii) is associated with a decision-based appetitive cost. Recent findings on the neuronal circuits of PMA have confirmed that amygdala-striatal circuits are essential for avoidance. In PMA, however, the prelimbic cortex facilitates the avoidance response early during the warning signal, perhaps through disinhibition of the striatum. Future studies on avoidance should account for additional factors such as sex differences and social interactions that will advance our understanding of maladaptive avoidance contributing to neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria M Diehl
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR, 00936, Puerto Rico; Department of Psychological Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506 United States
| | | | - Gregory J Quirk
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR, 00936, Puerto Rico.
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11
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Chen YC, Ma NX, Pei ZF, Wu Z, Do-Monte FH, Keefe S, Yellin E, Chen MS, Yin JC, Lee G, Minier-Toribio A, Hu Y, Bai YT, Lee K, Quirk GJ, Chen G. A NeuroD1 AAV-Based Gene Therapy for Functional Brain Repair after Ischemic Injury through In Vivo Astrocyte-to-Neuron Conversion. Mol Ther 2019; 28:217-234. [PMID: 31551137 PMCID: PMC6952185 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2019.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2019] [Revised: 08/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Adult mammalian brains have largely lost neuroregeneration capability except for a few niches. Previous studies have converted glial cells into neurons, but the total number of neurons generated is limited and the therapeutic potential is unclear. Here, we demonstrate that NeuroD1-mediated in situ astrocyte-to-neuron conversion can regenerate a large number of functional new neurons after ischemic injury. Specifically, using NeuroD1 adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapy, we were able to regenerate one third of the total lost neurons caused by ischemic injury and simultaneously protect another one third of injured neurons, leading to a significant neuronal recovery. RNA sequencing and immunostaining confirmed neuronal recovery after cell conversion at both the mRNA level and protein level. Brain slice recordings found that the astrocyte-converted neurons showed robust action potentials and synaptic responses at 2 months after NeuroD1 expression. Anterograde and retrograde tracing revealed long-range axonal projections from astrocyte-converted neurons to their target regions in a time-dependent manner. Behavioral analyses showed a significant improvement of both motor and cognitive functions after cell conversion. Together, these results demonstrate that in vivo cell conversion technology through NeuroD1-based gene therapy can regenerate a large number of functional new neurons to restore lost neuronal functions after injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chen Chen
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Ning-Xin Ma
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Zi-Fei Pei
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Zheng Wu
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Fabricio H Do-Monte
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, P.O. Box 365067, San Juan 00936-5067, Puerto Rico
| | - Susan Keefe
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Emma Yellin
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Miranda S Chen
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Jiu-Chao Yin
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Grace Lee
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Angélica Minier-Toribio
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, P.O. Box 365067, San Juan 00936-5067, Puerto Rico
| | - Yi Hu
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Yu-Ting Bai
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Kathryn Lee
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Gregory J Quirk
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, P.O. Box 365067, San Juan 00936-5067, Puerto Rico
| | - Gong Chen
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
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12
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Dopfel D, Perez PD, Verbitsky A, Bravo-Rivera H, Ma Y, Quirk GJ, Zhang N. Individual variability in behavior and functional networks predicts vulnerability using an animal model of PTSD. Nat Commun 2019; 10:2372. [PMID: 31147546 PMCID: PMC6543038 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09926-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Only a minority of individuals experiencing trauma subsequently develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, whether differences in vulnerability to PTSD result from a predisposition or trauma exposure remains unclear. A major challenge in differentiating these possibilities is that clinical studies focus on individuals already exposed to trauma without pre-trauma conditions. Here, using the predator scent model of PTSD in rats and a longitudinal design, we measure pre-trauma brain-wide neural circuit functional connectivity, behavioral and corticosterone responses to trauma exposure, and post-trauma anxiety. Freezing during predator scent exposure correlates with functional connectivity in a set of neural circuits, indicating pre-existing circuit function can predispose animals to differential fearful responses to threats. Counterintuitively, rats with lower freezing show more avoidance of the predator scent, a prolonged corticosterone response, and higher anxiety long after exposure. This study provides a framework of pre-existing circuit function that determines threat responses, which might directly relate to PTSD-like behaviors. How do individual differences affect vulnerability to developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? Here, using longitudinal testing in a rat model of PTSD, the authors show patterns of pre-trauma brain connectivity and behaviors that predict PTSD-like responses to trauma exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Dopfel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Pablo D Perez
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Alexander Verbitsky
- Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Hector Bravo-Rivera
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, 00936, Puerto Rico
| | - Yuncong Ma
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Gregory J Quirk
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, 00936, Puerto Rico.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, 00936, Puerto Rico
| | - Nanyin Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
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13
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Martínez-Rivera FJ, Bravo-Rivera C, Velázquez-Díaz CD, Montesinos-Cartagena M, Quirk GJ. Prefrontal circuits signaling active avoidance retrieval and extinction. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2019; 236:399-406. [PMID: 30259076 PMCID: PMC6461357 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-018-5012-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Neurons in PL and IL project densely to two areas implicated in active avoidance: the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and the ventral striatum (VS). We therefore combined c-Fos immunohistochemistry with retrograde tracers to characterize signaling in platform-mediated active avoidance. METHODS Male rats were infused with retrograde tracers (CTB, FB) into basolateral amygdala and ventral striatum and conditioned to avoid tone-signaled footshocks by stepping onto a nearby platform. In a subsequent test session, rats received either 2 unreinforced tones (avoidance retrieval) or 15 unreinforced tones (avoidance extinction) followed by analysis of c-Fos combined with fluorescent imaging of retrograde tracers. RESULTS Retrieval of avoidance did not activate IL neurons, but did activate PL neurons projecting to BLA, and to a lesser extent VS. Extinction of avoidance activated IL neurons projecting to both BLA and VS, as well as PL neurons projecting to VS. CONCLUSIONS Our observation that avoidance retrieval is signaled by PL projections to BLA suggests that PL may modulate VS indirectly via BLA, and agrees with other findings implicating BLA in active avoidance. Less expected was the signaling of extinction via PL inputs to VS, which may converge with IL inputs to VS to inhibit expression of avoidance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Freddyson J. Martínez-Rivera
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, P.O. Box 365067, San Juan 00936-5067, Puerto Rico
| | - Christian Bravo-Rivera
- Present address: Neuroscience Division, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Coraly D. Velázquez-Díaz
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, P.O. Box 365067, San Juan 00936-5067, Puerto Rico
| | - Marlian Montesinos-Cartagena
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, P.O. Box 365067, San Juan 00936-5067, Puerto Rico
| | - Gregory J. Quirk
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, P.O. Box 365067, San Juan 00936-5067, Puerto Rico
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14
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Rosas-Vidal LE, Lozada-Miranda V, Cantres-Rosario Y, Vega-Medina A, Melendez L, Quirk GJ. Alteration of BDNF in the medial prefrontal cortex and the ventral hippocampus impairs extinction of avoidance. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:2636-2644. [PMID: 30127343 PMCID: PMC6224579 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0176-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2017] [Revised: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is critical for establishing activity-related neural plasticity. There is increasing interest in the mechanisms of active avoidance and its extinction, but little is known about the role of BDNF in these processes. Using the platform-mediated avoidance task combined with local infusions of an antibody against BDNF, we show that blocking BDNF in either prelimbic (PL) or infralimbic (IL) medial prefrontal cortex during extinction training impairs subsequent recall of extinction of avoidance, differing from extinction of conditioned freezing. By combining retrograde tracers with BDNF immunohistochemistry, we show that extinction of avoidance increases BDNF expression in ventral hippocampal (vHPC) neurons, but not amygdala neurons, projecting to PL and IL. Using the CRISPR/Cas9 system, we further show that reducing BDNF production in vHPC neurons impairs recall of avoidance extinction. Thus, the vHPC may mediate behavioral flexibility in avoidance by driving extinction-related plasticity via BDNFergic projections to both PL and IL. These findings add to the growing body of knowledge implicating the hippocampal-prefrontal pathway in anxiety-related disorders and extinction-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis E Rosas-Vidal
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Valeria Lozada-Miranda
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA
| | - Yisel Cantres-Rosario
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA
| | - Alexis Vega-Medina
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA
| | - Loyda Melendez
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA
| | - Gregory J Quirk
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA.
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15
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Diehl MM, Bravo-Rivera C, Rodriguez-Romaguera J, Pagan-Rivera PA, Burgos-Robles A, Roman-Ortiz C, Quirk GJ. Active avoidance requires inhibitory signaling in the rodent prelimbic prefrontal cortex. eLife 2018; 7:34657. [PMID: 29851381 PMCID: PMC5980229 DOI: 10.7554/elife.34657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2017] [Accepted: 05/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Much is known about the neural circuits of conditioned fear and its relevance to understanding anxiety disorders, but less is known about other anxiety-related behaviors such as active avoidance. Using a tone-signaled, platform-mediated avoidance task, we observed that pharmacological inactivation of the prelimbic prefrontal cortex (PL) delayed avoidance. Surprisingly, optogenetic silencing of PL glutamatergic neurons did not delay avoidance. Consistent with this, inhibitory but not excitatory responses of rostral PL neurons were associated with avoidance training. To test the importance of these inhibitory responses, we optogenetically stimulated PL neurons to counteract the tone-elicited reduction in firing rate. Photoactivation of rostral (but not caudal) PL neurons at 4 Hz impaired avoidance. These findings suggest that inhibitory responses of rostral PL neurons signal the avoidability of a potential threat and underscore the importance of designing behavioral optogenetic studies based on neuronal firing responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria M Diehl
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico.,Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Christian Bravo-Rivera
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico.,Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Jose Rodriguez-Romaguera
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico.,Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Pablo A Pagan-Rivera
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico.,Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Anthony Burgos-Robles
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States
| | - Ciorana Roman-Ortiz
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico.,Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Gregory J Quirk
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico.,Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
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16
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Sah P, Fanselow M, Quirk GJ, Hattie J, Mattingley J, Tokuhama-Espinosa T. The nature and nurture of education. NPJ Sci Learn 2018; 3:6. [PMID: 30631467 PMCID: PMC6220266 DOI: 10.1038/s41539-018-0023-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Pankaj Sah
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Michael Fanselow
- Staglin Center for Brain and Behavioral Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA USA
| | - Gregory J. Quirk
- School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - John Hattie
- Graduate School of Education, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Jason Mattingley
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa
- Applied Educational Research Center, Latin American School of Social Sciences, Harvard Extension School, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA USA
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17
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Delgado MR, Beer JS, Fellows LK, Huettel SA, Platt ML, Quirk GJ, Schiller D. Viewpoints: Dialogues on the functional role of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Nat Neurosci 2018; 19:1545-1552. [PMID: 27898086 DOI: 10.1038/nn.4438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jennifer S Beer
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Lesley K Fellows
- Department of Neurology &Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Scott A Huettel
- Department of Psychology &Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Michael L Platt
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Gregory J Quirk
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy &Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA
| | - Daniela Schiller
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience and the Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
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18
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Do-Monte FH, Minier-Toribio A, Quiñones-Laracuente K, Medina-Colón EM, Quirk GJ. Thalamic Regulation of Sucrose Seeking during Unexpected Reward Omission. Neuron 2017; 94:388-400.e4. [PMID: 28426970 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.03.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [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: 11/02/2016] [Revised: 02/02/2017] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) is thought to regulate behavioral responses under emotionally arousing conditions. Reward-associated cues activate PVT neurons; however, the specific PVT efferents regulating reward seeking remain elusive. Using a cued sucrose-seeking task, we manipulated PVT activity under two emotionally distinct conditions: (1) when reward was available during the cue as expected or (2) when reward was unexpectedly omitted during the cue. Pharmacological inactivation of the anterior PVT (aPVT), but not the posterior PVT, increased sucrose seeking only when reward was omitted. Consistent with this, photoactivation of aPVT neurons abolished sucrose seeking, and the firing of aPVT neurons differentiated reward availability. Photoinhibition of aPVT projections to the nucleus accumbens or to the amygdala increased or decreased, respectively, sucrose seeking only when reward was omitted. Our findings suggest that PVT bidirectionally modulates sucrose seeking under the negative (frustrative) conditions of reward omission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabricio H Do-Monte
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, PO Box 365067, San Juan 00936, Puerto Rico.
| | - Angélica Minier-Toribio
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, PO Box 365067, San Juan 00936, Puerto Rico
| | - Kelvin Quiñones-Laracuente
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, PO Box 365067, San Juan 00936, Puerto Rico
| | - Estefanía M Medina-Colón
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, PO Box 365067, San Juan 00936, Puerto Rico
| | - Gregory J Quirk
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, PO Box 365067, San Juan 00936, Puerto Rico
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19
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Abstract
Fear is an instinctual response that’s adaptive and critical for survival when it is short-lived but can lead to anxiety disorders when chronic. Studying how the brain controls our fears helps us understand the mechanisms required to recover from traumatic experiences and what goes wrong when we don’t. Research in rodents has identified neural circuits and molecular mechanisms regulating fear expression. Rodent work has been amenable to translation to humans and has led to improvements in clinical therapies for anxiety disorders. The societal benefit of this type of research is magnified when performed in minority-serving institutions, offering high-caliber training opportunities to increase ethnic diversity in science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory J. Quirk
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- * E-mail:
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20
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Paré D, Quirk GJ. WHEN SCIENTIFIC PARADIGMS LEAD TO TUNNEL VISION: LESSONS FROM THE STUDY OF FEAR. NPJ Sci Learn 2017; 2:6. [PMID: 30294453 PMCID: PMC6171770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2016] [Revised: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
For the past 30 years, research on the amygdala has largely focused on the genesis of defensive behaviors as its main function. This focus originated from early lesion studies and was supported by extensive anatomical, physiological, and pharmacological data. Here we argue that while much data is consistent with the fear model of amygdala function, it has never been directly tested, in part due to overreliance on the fear conditioning task. In support of the fear model, amygdala neurons appear to signal threats and/or stimuli predictive of threats. However, recent studies in a natural threat setting show that amygdala activity does not correlate with threats, but simply with the movement of the rat, independent of valence. This was true for both natural threats as well as conditioned stimuli; indeed there was no evidence of threat signaling in amygdala neurons. Similar findings are emerging for prefrontal neurons that modulate the amygdala. These recent developments lead us to propose a new conceptualization of amygdala function whereby the amygdala inhibits behavioral engagement. Moreover, we propose that the goal of understanding the amygdala will be best served by shifting away from fear conditioning toward naturalistic approach and avoidance paradigms that involve decision making and a larger repertoire of spontaneous and learned behaviors, all the while keeping an open mind.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Paré
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers State University, Newark, NJ 07102 USA
| | - Gregory J. Quirk
- University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR 00936-5067 USA
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21
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Paré D, Quirk GJ. WHEN SCIENTIFIC PARADIGMS LEAD TO TUNNEL VISION: LESSONS FROM THE STUDY OF FEAR. NPJ Sci Learn 2017; 2:6. [PMID: 30294453 PMCID: PMC6171770 DOI: 10.1038/s41539-017-0007-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2016] [Revised: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
For the past 30 years, research on the amygdala has largely focused on the genesis of defensive behaviors as its main function. This focus originated from early lesion studies and was supported by extensive anatomical, physiological, and pharmacological data. Here we argue that while much data is consistent with the fear model of amygdala function, it has never been directly tested, in part due to overreliance on the fear conditioning task. In support of the fear model, amygdala neurons appear to signal threats and/or stimuli predictive of threats. However, recent studies in a natural threat setting show that amygdala activity does not correlate with threats, but simply with the movement of the rat, independent of valence. This was true for both natural threats as well as conditioned stimuli; indeed there was no evidence of threat signaling in amygdala neurons. Similar findings are emerging for prefrontal neurons that modulate the amygdala. These recent developments lead us to propose a new conceptualization of amygdala function whereby the amygdala inhibits behavioral engagement. Moreover, we propose that the goal of understanding the amygdala will be best served by shifting away from fear conditioning toward naturalistic approach and avoidance paradigms that involve decision making and a larger repertoire of spontaneous and learned behaviors, all the while keeping an open mind.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Paré
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers State University, Newark, NJ 07102 USA
| | - Gregory J. Quirk
- University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR 00936-5067 USA
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22
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Martínez-Rivera FJ, Rodríguez-Romaguera J, Lloret-Torres ME, Do Monte FH, Quirk GJ, Barreto-Estrada JL. Bidirectional Modulation of Extinction of Drug Seeking by Deep Brain Stimulation of the Ventral Striatum. Biol Psychiatry 2016; 80:682-690. [PMID: 27449798 PMCID: PMC5507549 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2015] [Revised: 05/03/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent research in humans and rodents has explored the use of deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the ventral capsule/ventral striatum (VS) as a possible treatment for drug addiction. However, the optimum electrode placement and optimum DBS parameters have not been thoroughly studied. Here we varied stimulation sites and frequencies to determine whether DBS of the VS could facilitate the extinction of morphine-induced conditioned place preference in rats. METHODS Rats were implanted with DBS electrodes in the dorsal or ventral subregions of the VS and trained to the morphine conditioned place preference. Subsequently, rats received extinction sessions over 9 days, combined with 60 min of either high- (130 Hz) or low- (20 Hz) frequency DBS. To study circuit-wide activations after DBS of the VS, c-fos immunohistochemistry was performed in regions involved in the extinction of drug-seeking behaviors. RESULTS High-frequency DBS of the dorsal-VS impaired both extinction training and extinction memory, whereas high-frequency DBS of the ventral-VS had no effect. In contrast, low-frequency DBS of the dorsal-VS strengthened extinction memory when tested 2 or 9 days after the cessation of stimulation. Both DBS frequencies increased c-fos expression in the infralimbic prefrontal cortex, but only low-frequency DBS increased c-fos expression in the basal amygdala and the medial portion of the central amygdala. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that low-frequency (rather than high-frequency) DBS of the dorsal-VS strengthens extinction memory and may be a potential adjunct for extinction-based therapies for treatment-refractory opioid addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Freddyson J. Martínez-Rivera
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 00936
| | - Jose Rodríguez-Romaguera
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 00936
| | - Mario E. Lloret-Torres
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 00936
| | - Fabricio H. Do Monte
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 00936
| | - Gregory J. Quirk
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 00936,Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 00936
| | - Jennifer L. Barreto-Estrada
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 00936
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Heilbronner SR, Rodriguez-Romaguera J, Quirk GJ, Groenewegen HJ, Haber SN. Circuit-Based Corticostriatal Homologies Between Rat and Primate. Biol Psychiatry 2016; 80:509-21. [PMID: 27450032 PMCID: PMC5438202 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 209] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2016] [Revised: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding the neural mechanisms of psychiatric disorders requires the use of rodent models; however, frontal-striatal homologies between rodents and primates are unclear. In contrast, within the striatum, the shell of the nucleus accumbens, the hippocampal projection zone, and the amygdala projection zone (referred to as the striatal emotion processing network [EPN]) are conserved across species. We used the relationship between the EPN and projections from the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) to assess network similarities across rats and monkeys. METHODS We first compared the location and extent of each major component of the EPN in rats and macaques. Next, we used anatomic cases with anterograde injections in ACC/OFC to determine the extent to which corticostriatal terminal fields overlapped with these components and with each other. RESULTS The location and size of each component of the EPN were similar across species, containing projections primarily from infralimbic cortex in rats and area 25 in monkeys. Other ACC/OFC terminals overlapped extensively with infralimbic cortex/area 25 projections, supporting cross-species similarities in OFC topography. However, dorsal ACC had different connectivity profiles across species. These results were used to segment the monkey and rat striata according to ACC/OFC inputs. CONCLUSIONS Based on connectivity with the EPN, and consistent with prior literature, the infralimbic cortex and area 25 are likely homologues. We also see evidence of OFC homologies. Along with segmenting the striatum and identifying striatal hubs of overlapping inputs, these results help to translate findings between rodent models and human pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R. Heilbronner
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642
| | - Jose Rodriguez-Romaguera
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR 00936
| | - Gregory J. Quirk
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR 00936
| | - Henk J. Groenewegen
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Suzanne N. Haber
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642
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Rodriguez-Romaguera J, Greenberg BD, Rasmussen SA, Quirk GJ. An Avoidance-Based Rodent Model of Exposure With Response Prevention Therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2016; 80:534-40. [PMID: 27086546 PMCID: PMC4988932 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2015] [Revised: 01/30/2016] [Accepted: 02/11/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Obsessive-compulsive disorder is treated with exposure with response prevention (ERP) therapy, in which patients are repeatedly exposed to compulsive triggers but prevented from expressing their compulsions. Many compulsions are an attempt to avoid perceived dangers, and the intent of ERP is to extinguish compulsions. Patients failing ERP therapy are candidates for deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the ventral capsule/ventral striatum, which facilitates patients' response to ERP therapy. An animal model of ERP would be useful for understanding the neural mechanisms of extinction in obsessive-compulsive disorder. METHODS Using a platform-mediated signaled avoidance task, we developed a rodent model of ERP called extinction with response prevention (Ext-RP), in which avoidance-conditioned rats are given extinction trials while blocking access to the avoidance platform. Following 3 days of Ext-RP, rats were tested with the platform unblocked to evaluate persistent avoidance. We then assessed if pharmacologic inactivation of lateral orbitofrontal cortex (lOFC) or DBS of the ventral striatum reduced persistent avoidance. RESULTS Following Ext-RP training, most rats showed reduced avoidance at test (Ext-RP success), but a subset persisted in their avoidance (Ext-RP failure). Pharmacologic inactivation of lOFC eliminated persistent avoidance, as did DBS applied to the ventral striatum during Ext-RP. CONCLUSIONS DBS of ventral striatum has been previously shown to inhibit lOFC activity. Thus, activity in lOFC, which is known to be hyperactive in obsessive-compulsive disorder, may be responsible for impairing patients' response to ERP therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Rodriguez-Romaguera
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR 00936
| | | | - Steven A. Rasmussen
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Providence, RI 02906
| | - Gregory J. Quirk
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR 00936
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25
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Abstract
Research in fear conditioning has provided a comprehensive picture of the neuronal circuit underlying the formation of fear memories. In contrast, our understanding of the retrieval of fear memories is much more limited. This disparity may stem from the fact that fear memories are not rigid, but reorganize over time. To bring some clarity and raise awareness about the time-dependent dynamics of retrieval circuits, we review current evidence on the neuronal circuitry participating in fear memory retrieval at both early and late time points following auditory fear conditioning. We focus on the temporal recruitment of the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) for the retrieval and maintenance of fear memories. Finally, we speculate as to why retrieval circuits change with time, and consider the functional strategy of recruiting structures not previously considered as part of the retrieval circuit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabricio H. Do Monte
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, PO Box 365067, San Juan 00936, Puerto Rico
| | - Gregory J. Quirk
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, PO Box 365067, San Juan 00936, Puerto Rico
| | - Bo Li
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724
| | - Mario A. Penzo
- National Institute of Mental Health, 35 Convent Drive, Bldg. 35A Room 2E621, Bethesda, MD 20850
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26
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Rodriguez-Romaguera J, Greenberg BD, Haber SN, Quirk GJ. A Cross Species Approach to Understanding DBS Modulation of Fear. Brain Stimul 2015; 8:986-8. [PMID: 26358491 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2015.07.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2015] [Accepted: 07/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Benjamin D Greenberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI 02906, USA
| | - Suzanne N Haber
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Gregory J Quirk
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR 00936, USA.
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27
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Bravo-Rivera C, Roman-Ortiz C, Montesinos-Cartagena M, Quirk GJ. Persistent active avoidance correlates with activity in prelimbic cortex and ventral striatum. Front Behav Neurosci 2015; 9:184. [PMID: 26236209 PMCID: PMC4502354 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2015] [Accepted: 07/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Persistent avoidance is a prominent symptom of anxiety disorders and is often resistant to extinction-based therapies. Little is known about the circuitry mediating persistent avoidance. Using a recently described platform-mediated active avoidance task, we assessed activity in several structures with c-Fos immuno-labeling. In Task 1, rats were conditioned to avoid a tone-signaled shock by moving to a safe platform, and then were extinguished over two days. One day later, failure to retrieve extinction correlated with increased activity in the prelimbic prefrontal cortex (PL), ventral striatum (VS), and basal amygdala (BA), and decreased activity in infralimbic prefrontal cortex (IL), consistent with pharmacological inactivation studies. In Task 2, the platform was removed during extinction training and fear (suppression of bar pressing) was extinguished to criterion over 3–5 days. The platform was then returned in a post-extinction test. Under these conditions, avoidance levels were equivalent to Experiment 1 and correlated with increased activity in PL and VS, but there was no correlation with activity in IL or BA. Thus, persistent avoidance can occur independently of deficits in fear extinction and its associated structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Bravo-Rivera
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Ciorana Roman-Ortiz
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Marlian Montesinos-Cartagena
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Gregory J Quirk
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine San Juan, Puerto Rico
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28
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Rodriguez-Romaguera J, Do-Monte FH, Tanimura Y, Quirk GJ, Haber SN. Enhancement of fear extinction with deep brain stimulation: evidence for medial orbitofrontal involvement. Neuropsychopharmacology 2015; 40:1726-33. [PMID: 25601229 PMCID: PMC4915256 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2015.20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2014] [Revised: 01/09/2015] [Accepted: 01/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the ventral capsule/ventral striatum (VC/VS) reduces anxiety, fear, and compulsive symptoms in patients suffering from refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder. In a rodent model, DBS-like high-frequency stimulation of VS can either enhance or impair extinction of conditioned fear, depending on the location of electrodes within VS (dorsal vs ventral). As striatal DBS activates fibers descending from the cortex, we reasoned that the differing effects on extinction may reflect differences in cortical sources of fibers passing through dorsal-VS and ventral-VS. In agreement with prior anatomical studies, we found that infralimbic (IL) and anterior insular (AI) cortices project densely through ventral-VS, the site where DBS impaired extinction. Contrary to IL and AI, we found that medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC) projects densely through dorsal-VS, the site where DBS enhanced extinction. Furthermore, pharmacological inactivation of mOFC reduced conditioned fear and DBS of dorsal-VS-induced plasticity (pERK) in mOFC neurons. Our results support the idea that VS DBS modulates fear extinction by stimulating specific fibers descending from mOFC and prefrontal cortices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Rodriguez-Romaguera
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico—School of Medicine, San Juan, PR, Puerto Rico,Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico—School of Medicine, San Juan, PR, Puerto Rico
| | - Fabricio H Do-Monte
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico—School of Medicine, San Juan, PR, Puerto Rico,Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico—School of Medicine, San Juan, PR, Puerto Rico
| | - Yoko Tanimura
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Gregory J Quirk
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico—School of Medicine, San Juan, PR, Puerto Rico,Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico—School of Medicine, San Juan, PR, Puerto Rico,Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico—School of Medicine, PO Box 365067, San Juan, PR 00936-5067, Puerto Rico, Tel: +787 999 3058, Fax: +787 999 3057, E-mail:
| | - Suzanne N Haber
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY, USA
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29
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Abstract
Fear memories allow animals to avoid danger, thereby increasing their chances of survival. Fear memories can be retrieved long after learning, but little is known about how retrieval circuits change with time. Here we show that the dorsal midline thalamus of rats is required for the retrieval of auditory conditioned fear at late (24 hours, 7 days, 28 days), but not early (0.5 hours, 6 hours) time points after learning. Consistent with this, the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT), a subregion of the dorsal midline thalamus, showed increased c-Fos expression only at late time points, indicating that the PVT is gradually recruited for fear retrieval. Accordingly, the conditioned tone responses of PVT neurons increased with time after training. The prelimbic (PL) prefrontal cortex, which is necessary for fear retrieval, sends dense projections to the PVT. Retrieval at late time points activated PL neurons projecting to the PVT, and optogenetic silencing of these projections impaired retrieval at late, but not early, time points. In contrast, silencing of PL inputs to the basolateral amygdala impaired retrieval at early, but not late, time points, indicating a time-dependent shift in retrieval circuits. Retrieval at late time points also activated PVT neurons projecting to the central nucleus of the amygdala, and silencing these projections at late, but not early, time points induced a persistent attenuation of fear. Thus, the PVT may act as a crucial thalamic node recruited into cortico-amygdalar networks for retrieval and maintenance of long-term fear memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabricio H. Do-Monte
- Corresponding Author: Fabricio H. Do-Monte, DVM, PhD., Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, P.O. Box 365067, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 00936, Phone 787-999-3057,
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30
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Do-Monte FH, Manzano-Nieves G, Quiñones-Laracuente K, Ramos-Medina L, Quirk GJ. Revisiting the role of infralimbic cortex in fear extinction with optogenetics. J Neurosci 2015; 35:3607-15. [PMID: 25716859 PMCID: PMC4339362 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3137-14.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 260] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.9] [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: 07/29/2014] [Revised: 01/14/2015] [Accepted: 01/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous rodent studies have implicated the infralimbic (IL) subregion of the medial prefrontal cortex in extinction of auditory fear conditioning. However, these studies used pharmacological inactivation or electrical stimulation techniques, which lack temporal precision and neuronal specificity. Here, we used an optogenetic approach to either activate (with channelrhodopsin) or silence (with halorhodopsin) glutamatergic IL neurons during conditioned tones delivered in one of two phases: extinction training or extinction retrieval. Activating IL neurons during extinction training reduced fear expression and strengthened extinction memory the following day. Silencing IL neurons during extinction training had no effect on within-session extinction, but impaired the retrieval of extinction the following day, indicating that IL activity during extinction tones is necessary for the formation of extinction memory. Surprisingly, however, silencing IL neurons optogenetically or pharmacologically during the retrieval of extinction 1 day or 1 week following extinction training had no effect. Our findings suggest that IL activity during extinction training likely facilitates storage of extinction in target structures, but contrary to current models, IL activity does not appear to be necessary for retrieval of extinction memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabricio H Do-Monte
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936
| | - Gabriela Manzano-Nieves
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936
| | - Kelvin Quiñones-Laracuente
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936
| | - Liorimar Ramos-Medina
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936
| | - Gregory J Quirk
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936
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31
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Do-Monte FH, Rodriguez-Romaguera J, Rosas-Vidal LE, Quirk GJ. Deep brain stimulation of the ventral striatum increases BDNF in the fear extinction circuit. Front Behav Neurosci 2013; 7:102. [PMID: 23964215 PMCID: PMC3737469 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2013.00102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2013] [Accepted: 07/19/2013] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the ventral capsule/ventral striatum (VC/VS) reduces the symptoms of treatment-resistant obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and improves response to extinction-based therapies. We recently reported that DBS-like stimulation of a rat homologue of VC/VS, the dorsal-VS, reduced conditioned fear and enhanced extinction memory (Rodriguez-Romaguera et al., 2012). In contrast, DBS of the ventral-VS had the opposite effects. To examine possible mechanisms of these effects, we assessed the effects of VS DBS on the expression of the neural activity marker Fos and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a key mediator of extinction plasticity in prefrontal-amygdala circuits. Consistent with decreased fear expression, DBS of dorsal-VS increased Fos expression in prelimbic and infralimbic prefrontal cortices and in the lateral division of the central nucleus of amygdala, an area that inhibits amygdala output. Consistent with improved extinction memory, we found that DBS of dorsal-VS, but not ventral-VS, increased neuronal BDNF expression in prelimbic and infralimbic prefrontal cortices. These rodent findings are consistent with the idea that clinical DBS of VC/VS may augment fear extinction through an increase in BDNF expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabricio H. Do-Monte
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of MedicineSan Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Jose Rodriguez-Romaguera
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of MedicineSan Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Luis E. Rosas-Vidal
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of MedicineSan Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Gregory J. Quirk
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of MedicineSan Juan, Puerto Rico
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32
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Pendyam S, Bravo-Rivera C, Burgos-Robles A, Sotres-Bayon F, Quirk GJ, Nair SS. Fear signaling in the prelimbic-amygdala circuit: a computational modeling and recording study. J Neurophysiol 2013; 110:844-61. [PMID: 23699055 PMCID: PMC3742978 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00961.2012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [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: 11/05/2012] [Accepted: 05/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The acquisition and expression of conditioned fear depends on prefrontal-amygdala circuits. Auditory fear conditioning increases the tone responses of lateral amygdala neurons, but the increase is transient, lasting only a few hundred milliseconds after tone onset. It was recently reported that that the prelimbic (PL) prefrontal cortex transforms transient lateral amygdala input into a sustained PL output, which could drive fear responses via projections to the lateral division of basal amygdala (BL). To explore the possible mechanisms involved in this transformation, we developed a large-scale biophysical model of the BL-PL network, consisting of 850 conductance-based Hodgkin-Huxley-type cells, calcium-based learning, and neuromodulator effects. The model predicts that sustained firing in PL can be derived from BL-induced release of dopamine and norepinephrine that is maintained by PL-BL interconnections. These predictions were confirmed with physiological recordings from PL neurons during fear conditioning with the selective β-blocker propranolol and by inactivation of BL with muscimol. Our model suggests that PL has a higher bandwidth than BL, due to PL's decreased internal inhibition and lower spiking thresholds. It also suggests that variations in specific microcircuits in the PL-BL interconnection can have a significant impact on the expression of fear, possibly explaining individual variability in fear responses. The human homolog of PL could thus be an effective target for anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandeep Pendyam
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA
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Felmingham KL, Dobson-Stone C, Schofield PR, Quirk GJ, Bryant RA. The brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met polymorphism predicts response to exposure therapy in posttraumatic stress disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2013; 73:1059-63. [PMID: 23312562 PMCID: PMC4185184 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.10.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2012] [Revised: 10/16/2012] [Accepted: 10/16/2012] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The most effective treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is exposure therapy, which aims to facilitate extinction of conditioned fear. Recent evidence suggests that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) facilitates extinction learning. This study assessed whether the Met-66 allele of BDNF, which results in lower activity-dependent secretion, predicts poor response to exposure therapy in PTSD. METHODS Fifty-five patients with PTSD underwent an 8-week exposure-based cognitive behavior therapy program and provided mouth swabs or saliva to extract genomic DNA to determine their BDNF Val66Met genotype (30 patients with the Val/Val BDNF allele, 25 patients with the Met-66 allele). We examined whether BDNF genotype predicted reduction in PTSD severity following exposure therapy. RESULTS Analyses revealed poorer response to exposure therapy in the PTSD patients with the Met-66 allele of BDNF compared with patients with the Val/Val allele. Pretreatment Clinician Administered PTSD Scale severity and BDNF Val66Met polymorphism predicted response to exposure therapy using hierarchical regression. CONCLUSIONS This study provides the first evidence that the BDNF Val66Met genotype predicts response to cognitive behavior therapy in PTSD and is in accord with evidence that BDNF facilitates extinction learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim L Felmingham
- School of Psychology, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7005, Australia.
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Burgos-Robles A, Bravo-Rivera H, Quirk GJ. Prelimbic and infralimbic neurons signal distinct aspects of appetitive instrumental behavior. PLoS One 2013; 8:e57575. [PMID: 23460877 PMCID: PMC3583875 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [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: 10/21/2012] [Accepted: 01/22/2013] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
It is thought that discrete subregions of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) regulate different aspects of appetitive behavior, however, physiological support for this hypothesis has been lacking. In the present study, we used multichannel single-unit recording to compare the response of neurons in the prelimbic (PL) and infralimbic (IL) subregions of the mPFC, in rats pressing a lever to obtain sucrose pellets on a variable interval schedule of reinforcement (VI-60). Approximately 25% of neurons in both structures exhibited prominent excitatory responses during rewarded, but not unrewarded, lever presses. The time courses of reward responses in PL and IL, however, were markedly different. Most PL neurons exhibited fast and transient responses at the delivery of sucrose pellets, whereas most IL neurons exhibited delayed and prolonged responses associated with the collection of earned sucrose pellets. We further examined the functional significance of reward responses in IL and PL with local pharmacological inactivation. IL inactivation significantly delayed the collection of earned sucrose pellets, whereas PL inactivation produced no discernible effects. These findings support the hypothesis that PL and IL signal distinct aspects of appetitive behavior, and suggest that IL signaling facilitates reward collection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Burgos-Robles
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Hector Bravo-Rivera
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Gregory J. Quirk
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- * E-mail:
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35
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Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) regulates emotional responses, but it is unclear how PFC integrates diverse inputs to select the appropriate response. We therefore evaluated the contribution of basolateral amygdala (BLA) and ventral hippocampus (vHPC) inputs to fear signaling in the prelimbic (PL) cortex, a PFC region critical for the expression of conditioned fear. In conditioned rats trained to press for food, BLA inactivation decreased the activity of projection cells in PL, and reduced PL conditioned tone responses. In contrast, vHPC inactivation decreased activity of interneurons in PL and increased PL conditioned tone responses. Consistent with hippocampal gating of fear after extinction, vHPC inactivation increased fear and PL pyramidal activity in extinguished, but not in conditioned, rats. These results suggest a prefrontal circuit whereby hippocampus gates amygdala-based fear. Thus, deficient hippocampal inhibition of PFC may underlie emotional disorders, especially in light of reduced hippocampal volume observed in depression and PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Sotres-Bayon
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, P.O. Box 365067, San Juan, PR 00936-5067, USA.
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36
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Martínez KG, Castro-Couch M, Franco-Chaves JA, Ojeda-Arce B, Segura G, Milad MR, Quirk GJ. Correlations between psychological tests and physiological responses during fear conditioning and renewal. Biol Mood Anxiety Disord 2012; 2:16. [PMID: 22985550 PMCID: PMC3511243 DOI: 10.1186/2045-5380-2-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2012] [Accepted: 08/22/2012] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Background Anxiety disorders are characterized by specific emotions, thoughts and physiological responses. Little is known, however, about the relationship between psychological/personality indices of anxiety responses to fear stimuli. Methods We studied this relationship in healthy subjects by comparing scores on psychological and personality questionnaires with results of an experimental fear conditioning paradigm using a visual conditioned stimulus (CS). We measured skin conductance response (SCR) during habituation, conditioning, and extinction; subsequently testing for recall and renewal of fear 24 hours later. Results We found that multiple regression models explained 45% of the variance during conditioning to the CS+, and 24% of the variance during renewal of fear to the CS+. Factors that explained conditioning included lower levels of conscientiousness, increased baseline reactivity (SCL), and response to the shock (UCR). Low levels of extraversion correlated with greater renewal. No model could be found to explain extinction learning or extinction recall to the CS+. Conclusions The lack of correlation of fear extinction with personality and neuropsychological indices suggests that extinction may be less determined by trait variables and cognitive state, and may depend more on the subject’s current emotional state. The negative correlation between fear renewal and extraversion suggests that this personality characteristic may protect against post-treatment relapse of symptoms of anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen G Martínez
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, P.O. Box 365067, San Juan, PR, 00936, USA
| | | | - José A Franco-Chaves
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, P.O. Box 365067, San Juan, PR, 00936, USA
| | - Brenda Ojeda-Arce
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, P.O. Box 365067, San Juan, PR, 00936, USA
| | - Gustavo Segura
- Clinical Psychology Program, Carlos Albizu University, San Juan, PR, USA
| | - Mohammed R Milad
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Gregory J Quirk
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, P.O. Box 365067, San Juan, PR, 00936, USA.,Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR, USA
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Abstract
The psychology of extinction has been studied for decades. Approximately 10 years ago, however, there began a concerted effort to understand the neural circuits of extinction of fear conditioning, in both animals and humans. Progress during this period has been facilitated by a high degree of coordination between rodent and human researchers examining fear extinction. Here we review the major advances and highlight new approaches to understanding and exploiting fear extinction. Research in fear extinction could serve as a model for translational research in other areas of behavioral neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed R Milad
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02129, USA
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Linnman C, Zeidan MA, Furtak SC, Pitman RK, Quirk GJ, Milad MR. Resting amygdala and medial prefrontal metabolism predicts functional activation of the fear extinction circuit. Am J Psychiatry 2012; 169:415-23. [PMID: 22318762 PMCID: PMC4080711 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2011.10121780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Individual differences in a person's ability to control fear have been linked to activation in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and the amygdala. This study investigated whether functional variance in this network can be predicted by resting metabolism in these same regions. METHOD The authors measured resting brain metabolism in healthy volunteers with positron emission tomography using [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose. This was followed by a 2-day fear conditioning and extinction training paradigm using functional MRI to measure brain activation during fear extinction and recall. The authors used skin conductance response to index conditioned responding, and they used resting metabolism in the amygdala, the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex to predict responses during fear extinction and extinction recall. RESULTS During extinction training, resting amygdala metabolism positively predicted activation in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and negatively predicted activation in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. In contrast, during extinction recall, resting amygdala metabolism negatively predicted activation in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and positively predicted activation in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. In addition, resting metabolism in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex predicted fear expression (as measured by skin conductance response) during extinction recall. CONCLUSIONS Resting brain metabolism predicted neuronal reactivity and skin conductance changes associated with the recall of the fear extinction memory.
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Padilla-Coreano N, Do-Monte FH, Quirk GJ. A time-dependent role of midline thalamic nuclei in the retrieval of fear memory. Neuropharmacology 2012; 62:457-63. [PMID: 21903111 PMCID: PMC3195904 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2011.08.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [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: 06/06/2011] [Revised: 08/21/2011] [Accepted: 08/22/2011] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Increasing evidence indicates that the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the amygdala mediate expression and extinction of conditioned fear, but few studies have examined the inputs to these structures. The dorsal part of the midline thalamus (dMT) contains structures such as the mediodorsal nucleus, paraventricular nucleus, and paratenial nucleus that project prominently to mPFC, as well as to basal (BA) and central (Ce) nuclei of the amygdala. Using temporary inactivation with GABA agonist muscimol, we found that dMT was necessary for retrieving auditory fear memory that was 24 h old, but not 2-8 h old. However, pre-training infusions did not impair fear acquisition or extinction. To determine the possible targets of dMT that might modulate fear retrieval, we combined dMT inactivation with Fos immunohistochemistry. Rats with inactivation-induced impairment in fear retrieval showed increased Fos in the lateral division of Ce (CeL), and decreased Fos in the medial division of Ce. No differences in Fos expression were observed in the mPFC or BA. We suggest that the projections from the paraventricular nucleus to CeL are involved in retrieval of well consolidated fear memories. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Anxiety and Depression'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Padilla-Coreano
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, P.O. Box 365067, San Juan 00936, Puerto Rico
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Fontanez-Nuin DE, Santini E, Quirk GJ, Porter JT. Memory for fear extinction requires mGluR5-mediated activation of infralimbic neurons. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010; 21:727-35. [PMID: 20705895 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhq147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Consolidation of fear extinction involves enhancement of N-methyl D aspartate (NMDA) receptor-dependent bursting in the infralimbic region (IL) of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Previous studies have shown that systemic blockade of metabotropic glutamate receptor type 5 (mGluR5) reduces bursting in the mPFC and mGluR5 agonists enhance NMDA receptor currents in vitro, suggesting that mGluR5 activation in IL may contribute to fear extinction. In the current study, rats injected with the mGluR5 antagonist 2-methyl-6-(phenylethyl)-pyridine (MPEP) systemically, or intra-IL, prior to extinction exhibited normal within-session extinction, but were impaired in their ability to recall extinction the following day. To directly determine whether mGluR5 stimulation enhances the burst firing of IL neurons, we used patch-clamp electrophysiology in prefrontal slices. The mGluR5 agonist, (RS)-2-chloro-5-hydroxyphenylglycine (CHPG), increased intrinsic bursting in IL neurons. Increased bursting was correlated with a reduction in the slow after hyperpolarizing potential and was prevented by coapplication of MPEP. CHPG did not increase NMDA currents, suggesting that an NMDA receptor-independent enhancement of IL bursting via stimulation of mGluR5 receptors contributes to fear extinction. Therefore, the mGluR5 receptor could be a suitable target for pharmacological adjuncts to extinction-based therapies for anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darah E Fontanez-Nuin
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Ponce School of Medicine, Ponce, Puerto Rico 00732-7004
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41
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Abstract
The extinction of conditioned fear memories requires plasticity in the infralimbic medial prefrontal cortex (IL mPFC), but little is known about the molecular mechanisms involved. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a key mediator of synaptic plasticity in multiple brain areas. In rats subjected to auditory fear conditioning, BDNF infused into the IL mPFC reduced conditioned fear for up to 48 hours, even in the absence of extinction training, which suggests that BDNF substituted for extinction. Similar to extinction, BDNF-induced reduction in fear required N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors and did not erase the original fear memory. Rats failing to learn extinction showed reduced BDNF in hippocampal inputs to the IL mPFC, and augmenting BDNF in this pathway prevented extinction failure. Hence, boosting BDNF activity in hippocampal-infralimbic circuits may ameliorate disorders of learned fear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie Peters
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR 00936
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42
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Abstract
Although fear research has largely focused on the amygdala, recent findings highlight cortical control of the amygdala in the service of fear regulation. In rodent models, it is becoming well established that the infralimbic (IL) prefrontal cortex plays a key role in extinction learning, and recent findings are uncovering molecular mechanisms involved in extinction-related plasticity. Furthermore, mounting evidence implicates the prelimbic (PL) prefrontal cortex in the production of fear responses. Both IL and PL integrate inputs from the amygdala, as well as other structures to gate the expression of fear via projections to inhibitory or excitatory circuits within the amygdala. We suggest that dual control of the amygdala by separate prefrontal modules increases the flexibility of an organism's response to danger cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Sotres-Bayon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
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Quirk GJ, Milad MR. Editing out fear. Nature 2010. [DOI: 10.1038/nature08767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Holmes A, Quirk GJ. Pharmacological facilitation of fear extinction and the search for adjunct treatments for anxiety disorders--the case of yohimbine. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2009; 31:2-7. [PMID: 20036429 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2009.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2009] [Revised: 10/02/2009] [Accepted: 10/05/2009] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
There is current interest in identifying drugs that facilitate fear extinction, as this form of learning is the basis of certain cognitive therapies for anxiety disorders. Following an initial report several years ago that the alpha2-adrenoreceptor antagonist yohimbine facilitated extinction in mice, more recent studies have shown mixed effects or even impairment. It has become clear that the effect of yohimbine on extinction depends on a number of factors, including genetic background, contextual variables and the presence of competing behaviors. To what extent theses effects of yohimbine are mediated through the alpha2-adrenoreceptor, as opposed to other sites of action, is also uncertain. More work is needed before this drug can be approved as a pharmacological adjunct for extinction-based therapies. More generally, the case of yohimbine may serve as a model for the development of other extinction facilitators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Holmes
- Section on Behavioral Science and Genetics, Laboratory for Integrative Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20852, USA
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Mueller D, Olivera-Figueroa LA, Pine DS, Quirk GJ. The effects of yohimbine and amphetamine on fear expression and extinction in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2009; 204:599-606. [PMID: 19242678 PMCID: PMC2692542 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-009-1491-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2008] [Accepted: 02/05/2009] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Psychostimulants, such as yohimbine and amphetamine, can enhance learning and memory. Extinction of conditioned fear involves new learning, so we asked whether psychostimulants could enhance this learning. Previous work suggests that yohimbine facilitates extinction, using freezing as a fear measure. However, psychostimulant-induced alterations in locomotion can confound freezing measurements. Furthermore, the effects of amphetamine on fear extinction have never been examined. OBJECTIVE We evaluated the effectiveness of yohimbine and amphetamine in enhancing fear extinction. In addition to freezing, we measured bar-press suppression, which is less sensitive to changes in locomotion. We asked: Do psychostimulants reduce fear during extinction training when drug is present? Does learning extinction with psychostimulants result in better extinction retention? MATERIALS AND METHODS Rats received fear conditioning on day 1 followed by partial extinction training on days 2 and 3. Yohimbine (1.0, 2.0, or 5.0 mg/kg, i.p.), amphetamine (1.0 mg/kg, i.p.), or vehicle were injected prior to extinction on day 2. RESULTS Yohimbine dose-dependently reduced freezing during extinction training on day 2, whereas bar-press suppression was reduced at the highest dose only. When tested drug-free, yohimbine-treated rats showed equivalent levels of freezing and suppression to controls. Amphetamine also decreased freezing during extinction, but did not decrease suppression. During the drug-free test, there was no difference between amphetamine-treated rats and controls in either measure. CONCLUSIONS Although yohimbine and amphetamine are capable of decreasing freezing, neither drug strengthened retention of fear extinction. Based on these rodent findings, psychostimulants may not be suitable adjuncts to extinction-based therapies for the treatment of anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devin Mueller
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, P.O. Box 365067, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936−5067
| | | | - Daniel S. Pine
- Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience, NIMH Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD, USA 20817−2670
| | - Gregory J. Quirk
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, P.O. Box 365067, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936−5067
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Rodriguez-Romaguera J, Sotres-Bayon F, Mueller D, Quirk GJ. Systemic propranolol acts centrally to reduce conditioned fear in rats without impairing extinction. Biol Psychiatry 2009; 65:887-92. [PMID: 19246030 PMCID: PMC2695810 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2008] [Revised: 01/04/2009] [Accepted: 01/07/2009] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous work has implicated noradrenergic beta-receptors in the consolidation and reconsolidation of conditioned fear. Less is known, however, about their role in fear expression and extinction. The beta-receptor blocker propranolol has been used clinically to reduce anxiety. With an auditory fear conditioning task in rats, we assessed the effects of systemic propranolol on the expression and extinction of two measures of conditioned fear: freezing and suppression of bar-pressing. METHODS One day after receiving auditory fear conditioning, rats were injected with saline, propranolol, or peripheral beta-receptor blocker sotalol (both 10 mg/kg, IP). Twenty minutes after injection, rats were given either 6 or 12 extinction trials and were tested for extinction retention the following day. The effect of propranolol on the firing rate of neurons in prelimbic (PL) prefrontal cortex was also assessed. RESULTS Propranolol reduced freezing by more than 50%, an effect that was evident from the first extinction trial. Suppression was also significantly reduced. Despite this, propranolol had no effect on the acquisition or retention of extinction. Unlike propranolol, sotalol did not affect fear expression, although both drugs significantly reduced heart rate. This suggests that propranolol acts centrally to reduce fear. Consistent with this, propranolol reduced the firing rate of PL neurons. CONCLUSION Propranolol reduced the expression of conditioned fear, without interfering with extinction learning. Reduced fear with intact extinction suggests a possible use for propranolol in reducing anxiety during extinction-based exposure therapies, without interfering with long-term clinical response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Rodriguez-Romaguera
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR 00936
| | - Francisco Sotres-Bayon
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR 00936
| | | | - Gregory J. Quirk
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR 00936
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48
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Abstract
Extinction is a form of inhibitory learning that suppresses a previously conditioned response. Both fear and drug seeking are conditioned responses that can lead to maladaptive behavior when expressed inappropriately, manifesting as anxiety disorders and addiction, respectively. Recent evidence indicates that the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is critical for the extinction of both fear and drug-seeking behaviors. Moreover, a dorsal-ventral distinction is apparent within the mPFC, such that the prelimbic (PL-mPFC) cortex drives the expression of fear and drug seeking, whereas the infralimbic (IL-mPFC) cortex suppresses these behaviors after extinction. For conditioned fear, the dorsal-ventral dichotomy is accomplished via divergent projections to different subregions of the amygdala, whereas for drug seeking, it is accomplished via divergent projections to the subregions of the nucleus accumbens. Given that the mPFC represents a common node in the extinction circuit for these behaviors, treatments that target this region may help alleviate symptoms of both anxiety and addictive disorders by enhancing extinction memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie Peters
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936.
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49
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Abstract
Although we know a great deal about how the brain processes information about aversive and appetitive stimuli, it is not clear how these two systems interact to guide behavior. In this issue of Neuron, Jhou and colleagues identify a region in the midbrain tegmentum that signals aversive events and inhibits midbrain dopamine neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory J Quirk
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR 00936
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50
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen G Martínez
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
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